Rick's b.log - entry 2022/11/26

Stolen phone...?

He was, obviously, rather annoyed.

I suggested that they call it, but there was no response.

Fast forward a few hours, I'm cleaning the toilets and since it is Friday, I am also changing all of the bin liners (this is usually done on Tuesday or Wednesday depending upon use, and always on Friday). I pull the bin forward to pick up the bits of paper towel that fall down the back due to people managing to miss the gaping open bin.

What I see, sitting under the bin, is a rather generic looking mobile phone in a red plastic shell.

I put the bin back and went to call the manager of Production. She didn't answer, but as I went back, the manager of the kitchens was there. So I showed him. Cue raised eyebrows, like Penfold style.

He took the phone and reunited it with it's owner.

Soory, thief, but I guess I do a thorough job than the worker's committee give me credit for (they're always complaining, but several of them don't like me cleaning the female toilets because I'm male and I think that has a lot to do with it).

A thousand days

This September was three years since mom's death.

Time flies, doesn't it?

Hello Felicity

Hello Felicity.

You can probably see that it's absolutely full of crap. Speaking of crap, I wonder if that shamefully awful spare tyre is still there?
Well, Felicity is still going and... seems to live in the same town as me. What are the chances?

Wednesday

It follows Wednesday Addams, as in The Addams Family, as she goes to an exclusive boarding school that isn't creepy at all.

© 2022 Netflix

She is paired up with a perky girl who's a failed werewolf. Yeah, it's that kind of school.

© 2022 Netflix

As befits a modern programme of this nature, plenty of snarky dialogue. Can't say that I disagree.

© 2022 Netflix

It also has some interesting casting. I got annoyed by the therapist as I was sure that I knew who that woman was, but couldn't remember where from. It came to me hours later, she's two thirds of Garfunkel & Oates.
Then there's Wednesday from the early '90s film, nice casting gag.

© 2022 Netflix

And, finally, it's directed by Tim Burton. Can't you tell?

© 2022 Netflix

I've only watched the first episode, of... eight, I think. But no need for the three episode rule, I'm going to make fish, chips, onion rings, and beans and then pop on my headphones to watch more.

I'm watching on my older (tragically slow) tablet. The reason why is as you can see above. For some reason I don't know, the device is able to take screenshots from Netflix. All of the other devices block it. I can understand if they want to block recording from the screen (not that this stops pirates...), but the inability to take screenshots is annoying for wanting to use images in blogs and suchlike when discussing the content.

So, I guess I'd better discuss. The kids are at a regular school and they get bullied. Her brother, in particular. Since Wednesday is... Wednesday, her idea of acceptable retribution given the tormenters were on the swim team was to go to the pool with two bags of pirahnas. It wastes no time in showing Jenna Ortega's abilities as a new Wednesday. Take the moody monochrome teenager and mix in a dash of Daria and drop her into Nevermore Academy and... a heck of a lot of stuff is set up in the first episode, so spoilers. But it hit the ground running and has some sublime visuals, as is to be expected from Tim Burton, and a Jenna is great as Wednesday. Since pretty much everybody who hasn't been living in a cave and is reading this is likely to know at least something of the Addams family, the programme has had the luxury of skipping the tedious exposition. Hand turns up, and there's no further explanation other than it being one of the mysteries of the family, because like Wednesday herself, these characters are already known.
Anyway, she avoids all hell breaking lose for the fish incident, and the delicious sadistic glee as she unleases them, in return for going to this special school. Turns out that her parents (Morticia and Gomez) are not only alumni, it's where they met. Much of the episode is about her ideas for getting out of the place, as it she doesn't like the idea at all. Never mind her roomie. There are, of course, various cliches along the way, like the Queen Bee and the cop that... spoilers... but these are played with as well as being a backdrop for a girl that's an outcast in a school for outcasts.
You would be best to watch lying down, or at least wrapped and padded in a comfy chair with your favourite blanket. Expect frequent mood changes and a breakneck pace that will have you going back and checking that the first episode runtime really was a mere forty five minutes, because it feels like a lot longer.

So, as I said, Wednesday is my date for this weekend. Well, I always did think goth girls were better.

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Gavin Wraith, 26th November 2022, 18:09

Nice castle. Presumably some 19-th century mogul's fantasy, inspired by Castel Peles and Neuschwanstein. Or is it CG?

Rick, 26th November 2022, 18:17

It's probably CG.

Rick, 26th November 2022, 18:21

No... It's actually a real castle in Romania, with some CG additions to make it more gothic - https://www.cantacuzinocastle.com/homeeng

Anon, 26th November 2022, 20:01

According to Wikipedia, The Addams Family was originally a comic strip, first published in 1938.    In the original TV series (1964-68) Wednesday was played by Lisa Loring    Christina Ricci appeared in the 1991 and 1993 live-action movies. And yes, I would agree that she was the 'definitive' version of Wednesday Addams.    I distinctly recall having a fairly huge crush on her in the second film. (Christina Ricci is the same age as me - nothing dodgy! I was 14 at the time I think!)    That series looks pretty good actually. Tim Burton is kinda perfect to direct something like that.

Gavin Wraith, 26th November 2022, 20:57

The Addams Family first appeared in cartoons for the New Yorker by Charles Addams. I very nearly met him, as I think he owned some land on the Chesapeake Bay neighbouring that of Russ and Owen, a pair of millionaires whom I met at Matsuda's Go Salon in Manhattan, who invited me to visit their farm. Anyway I have always had a soft spot for Morticia and Wednesday.  After I had left New York Russ and Owen made a trip to the UK to visit Atlantic College on the Gower peninsula, because they had arranged a scholarship there for the son of their local garage owner. They continued on to Cambridge. My mother had arranged for them to stay in the guestroom at the Master's Lodge in Trinity. They were startled to wake up to a bedder bringing them tea in the morning - a perk unknown on the other side of the pond.

Rick, 26th November 2022, 21:24

Yes, Ricci was a definitive Wednesday, so they're big shoes to fill. Looks to me like Ortega is doing alright in this respect.    I could definitely see myself being interested in her if I was a third of my age.  And her? She'd divest me of such foolish notions, probably with something sharp and painful. Ahhhhh well... 😂    I dunno. I generally think the Addams are kind of stupid, but there's just something about Wednesday that makes her an interesting character. This is the series the franchise has been waiting sixty years for...

J.G.Harston, 27th November 2022, 15:07

I watched the Wednesday Grown Up shorts somebody made some years ago, they were quite good but couldn't continue because this was being developed. They work well, and fit well into the canon.    Have you ever seen Bob's Burgers? Louise reminds me of Wednesday. :)

VinceH, 28th November 2022, 00:22

I watched the first four episodes of Wednesday this evening. Good fun.    I don't have especially strong memories of the character from the old TV series, other than there was a daughter called Wednesday. And as for the 1990s films, I kind of thought they were a bit 'meh' - watchable fun, but not especially memorable. As such I can't remember how good CR was as Wednesday - but she must have stood out because she's the only cast member I remember.    *Shrug*

VinceH, 28th November 2022, 00:24

Wait, was Fester played by Christopher Lloyd? If so, that's two.

Rick, 28th November 2022, 15:55

Disgusting. Made the bitch a latino. Why????? Ruined.

Rick (the real one), 28th November 2022, 17:20

Well, that was a surprise, seeing a comment from me here...    I guess it's impressive that it's taken 12 years for some twat to shitpost as me.    When I get a round tuit, I'll fiddle the code so that doesn't happen again. ;)  (got another odd bug to fix as well)

Rick (still the real one), 28th November 2022, 17:28

Now, on the subject of Wednesday, I don't know about the ethnicity of Morticia, but I'm sorry to rain on your racist parade there, but given her father is called Gomez, it ought to have been a clue that no matter how you slice it and dice it, she'd be at *least* half Latina.    The reason you're perhaps used to the character being played by sweet white girls is more down to a depressing lack of diversity in American television in the past. After all, the original Star Trek was hailed for it's racially diverse cast, and that was in 1966.    I have no problems with this Wednesday, she's gorgeous and witty and about as deliciously deranged as an Addams is wont to be. Couple a brilliant characterisation with some Tim Burton visuals and, really, if all you have to take away from the series is "meh, racist racist racist twaddle" then you seriously need to examine your world view.    That means piss off, by the way.

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