As a parent, it’s only natural to be concerned about the content your children consume, especially when it comes to popular TV series like Netflix’s “Wednesday.” A supernatural, gothic, teen drama based on the Addams Family’s teenage daughter, Wednesday Addams, it’s critical to know what the show offers and if it’s suitable for your child. We have provided you with an extensive Wednesday parents guide, discussing the Wednesday age rating, content, and potential discussions you can have with your child about the series.
What Is Wednesday All About?
Wednesday is a Netflix series revolving around the life of Wednesday Addams, a beloved character from the classic Addams Family franchise. The series follows her journey at Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for outcasts that includes werewolves and gorgons. It adds a murder mystery twist, turning Wednesday into a goth detective.
The Wednesday series might not be the highest-rated show in the Adams Family franchise, as the first season received a moderate 72% Fresh rating from the approved critics on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it has a higher audience score on this website: 85% Fresh. Moreover, child reviewers on Common Sense Media have given it a full 5-star rating, meaning it’s among the most favored shows among children.
The show incorporates elements of dark humor, teenage drama, and the macabre, making it an intriguing watch. However, it’s crucial to understand if it’s appropriate for your child.
Is Wednesday Scary?
Wednesday could be considered scary for some viewers, primarily due to its supernatural elements and murder mystery plot. The series features frequent scary and violent scenes, including blood, gore, severed body parts, and a terrifying monster. Despite this, the series has a captivating plot that can engross older children.
The show’s tone is also heavily influenced by its gothic and dark atmosphere, yet it manages to maintain a harmlessly spooky vibe. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that what may be spooky and fun for some might be disturbing for others.
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Wednesday Netflix Age Rating
Wednesday is rated TV-14 for violence, fear, and profanity, suggesting it may not be suitable for children under 14 years old. However, age ratings should be treated as recommendations rather than strict rules. Some children might handle the show’s content before age 14, while others older than 14 might find it too scary. For example, reviewers at Common Sense consider the show to be suitable for 11+. For a comprehensive list of Wednesday age ratings in different countries, you can refer to IMDb.
- Related Article: Everything You Need to Know About Parental Rating Guide to Movies
Our Perspective: Is Wednesday Appropriate for Kids?
The appropriateness of Wednesday for children largely depends on their maturity level and sensitivity to the show’s themes. However, our findings after watching the show can help you make a decision:
Violence and Gore
The series features a fair share of violence. Wednesday is tasked with solving a gruesome murder mystery involving a terrifying monster that savagely kills people in the woods. There are some graphic scenes, including blood-soaked sequences and severed body parts.
Profanity
The show contains instances of profanity, although it refrains from using the harshest of swear words. If your household is comfortable with some use of profanity in media, this aspect of the show may not be an issue.
Sex and Nudity
Since the characters in Wednesday are in high school, the series mainly focuses on standard teenage romance, including crushes and kissing scenes. There is no explicit sex or nudity in the series.
The Goth Subculture and Your Kid
One aspect of Wednesday that might concern some parents is its portrayal of the goth subculture. The character of Wednesday Addams is a well-known representation of this group, favoring dark clothing, gothic music, and a fascination with the macabre.
However, it’s crucial to note that this portrayal does not necessarily mean the series promotes negative behavior. In fact, the gothic subculture can often provide a sense of community for those who feel like outsiders, much like the characters at Nevermore Academy. Nevertheless, the goth subculture portrayed in Wednesday requires parental attention.
Based on Dr. Lucy Bowe, from the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, and her colleagues, teenagers who identify as goth are 3 times more at risk of depression and self-harm. Nevertheless, Dr. Bowe also emphasizes that “most goths are perfectly happy and are not self-harming. Being a goth may indeed be protective because like-minded people are drawn together and can support each other – stigmatizing them further is not going to be helpful.”
The least we can take out of Dr. Bowe’s findings is that if your child is attracted to the goth subculture, that can signify they require more attention from you as parents.
Parental Guidance and Conversations
As always, parental guidance is paramount. Before allowing your child to watch a new show, it’s advisable to watch some of it yourself first. This way, you’ll have a clear understanding of the content and themes discussed in the series.
Moreover, it’s essential to check in with your child after each episode. Answer their questions, discuss any troubling or confusing scenes, and utilize the content as an opportunity to initiate important conversations.
Safes Parental Control App
A tool that can assist you in protecting your child from the harmful content they might come across on the internet is the Safes parental control app. With this app, you can block harmful or age-inappropriate apps, websites, and search keywords. Moreover, you can monitor your child’s screen time, which is a critical issue in parenting. Excessive screen time can harm your child’s mental and physical health. But thanks to Safes, you can set daily screen time limits for each app on your child’s devices.
Learn more about how to put parental controls on different platforms using Safes:
Also, if you wish to try Safes, feel free to download it from our website, Google Play, or App Store.
Wednesday Parents Guide: Final Thoughts
While Wednesday does contain elements that might be too intense for younger viewers, it could be an engaging watch for older children. The series offers an opportunity for parents and children to discuss various topics, from dealing with feeling like an outsider to understanding different subcultures.
The series Wednesday is a unique blend of mystery, horror, and teenage drama. While its content is not suitable for all ages, with careful parental guidance and open conversations, it can be an engaging watch for most teenagers.
As a parent, you play a significant part in guiding your child’s media consumption. Use tools like the Safes parental control app to monitor and control the content your child consumes, especially on the internet and social media platforms.
