that makes sense about the production value, i think what probably made me associate the two shows in my head is that they're both about supernatural creatures even though its in different ways. but more than that, when i was watching wednesday i was reminded of first kill because both shows had an atmosphere that was so.. childish? like at the same time these are shows that you're not supposed to take seriously but also they do want to seem dark and smart (and fail badly on that front) so the tone is just.. confusing and aggravating. ive told people irl about this and they also don't get it, so it is probably just a weird me thing lol
Yeah tbh it does sound like the similarities you're seeing are superficial. Definitely, both shows take themselve seriously, and you are, as a viewer, meant to take these shows seriously. It's filmed that way. A show that doesn't take itself too seriously, but also trusts its audience to understand that, and find the humour in that, does things like this:
or even an earlier iteration of the Addams family. It was charming because it wasn't at ALL serious:
What makes Wednesday so JOYLESS, is it tries to recreate the Addams Family charm in dialogue alone and not in delivery (slight raise of the eyebrows, half smirk etc), set up, tone, acting choices, and even camera, lighting (how does Morticia have a permanent light casting across her eyes? So fun!). So we just get...
It's dry, deadpan, unfunny, and she has...like zero timing or delivery skills. No emotional range (within Wednesday's character, and she CAN be played that way). Ex:
This ridiculous dance sequence could've been a fun, quirkly moment, where you're like, lol Wednesday is SO weird, but because of how it's shot, it's meant for you to say "wow, Wednesday is SO cool." But...she's not. That's supposed to be the point.
The show takes itself so seriously it won't even let you laugh at/with/for the main character. Which makes it a lot less fun, because there's literally nothing else to laugh at.
The OG Addams family is genuinely just funny, because it wasn’t taking itself seriously, but it also was just making accurate observations absent the “after school special” moment.
THAT, is how you handle the fucking weird Pilgrim stuff!
Anyway, from what little I watched of First Kill, it doesn't have any atmosphere to speak of. Like half of the gifs I see from First Kill are during the day, and it's just shot like...yep, it's day time. That's it.
Elena meeting Stefan in a misty graveyard, with the spindly trees, directional lighting, in the middle of the day...is atmosphere.
But you're right, First Kill would've benefited from leaning into how terrible it was, how mismatched the leads were, etc and being FUNNY. It's like writers have forgotten self awareness can be funny! And people LIKE funny shows! This movies is TERRIBLE, but shit like this makes it SO clear that it doesn't take itself seriously AT ALL, and it's the saving grace in hindsight.
If First Kill had at least made me laugh, I might not have hated it as much. But that's the problem with most TV these days. It all takes itself SO seriously, it's joyless, humourless, chemistry-less chaff that just makes it horrible to sit through. A higher budget just...lessens the terrible. Sometimes.
So yeah, I agree, FK and Wednesday both take themselves seriously, and are both supernatural shows, but that's really just...more coincidence, and a sign of the times of current television, and not anything that actually makes them similar to each other in any meaningful way. :)
