Wednesday co-creator Alfred Gough has revealed that Tim Burton designed the Netflix show's "unique" monster himself. According to the co-showrunner, who brought the Addams Family spin-off to life alongside Miles Millar, the filmmaker was so unsatisfied by the creature's initial concept art that he took matters into his own hands.
Starring Gwendoline Christie, Christina Ricci, and Jenna Ortega, the eight-part series sees its misanthropic protagonist sent to Nevermore Academy, a famed school for young gorgons, vampires, seers, werewolves, and the like, which her mother Morticia and father Gomez once called home. There, she stumbles across a mystery and soon finds herself attempting to work out the true identity of a Hyde that's been violently offing folks all over town. Think Enola Holmes meets Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
"That literally is Tim's design," Gough recently told TVLine, when asked about the beast's aesthetic. He recalled how Burton, who helmed the first four episodes of the series, knocked up "a watercolor image" of his take on the monster, having grown frustrated by the team's reluctance to pick between the 50 to 60 concepts they had. And, well, that's what it ended up looking like on screen. Note those Burtonesque, bulging eyes and gray skin...
"I think it's so original, unique and creepy. That is exactly what we wanted," Gough explained. “There's this one creature designer in Hollywood that everyone turns to, like the Stranger Things people, and it has a similarity or familiarity. But this one is very unique. We were so excited to have something that's specific to the show, and to Tim."
All episodes of Wednesday are streaming now. If you're keen to see what else the streamer has to offer, take a look at our guide to the best Netflix shows.
