Netflix Might Be Making A Huge Mistake With Its Wednesday Spin-Off

Yesterday, news hit that Netflix is developing a spin-off of "Wednesday," the streamer's mega-successful series starring Jenna Ortega. Makes sense, right? "Wednesday" is an undeniable hit — one of the few original shows where Netflix doesn't need to obfuscate its data because it became a genuine cultural phenomenon. According to Bloomberg, Netflix is "eager to establish a pipeline of 'Addams Family' programs to build off the success of 'Wednesday.'" The spin-off is going to center on the Uncle Fester character, as played by Fred Armisen. 

To be clear, Armisen is hilarious. For my money, he's one of the funniest actors working today. He's a master of making weird little faces (see: his memorable appearance in HBO's "Barry"), and there's an inherent goofiness to him that makes him lovable and easy to watch. But is Netflix sure the reason a vast amount of audiences tuned into "Wednesday" is because of the "Addams Family" trappings, and not because of ... you know ... Jenna Ortega, the superstar at the center of the series? Along with her appearances in "X" and "Scream," "Wednesday" helped launch the actress to a new level of popularity, and she has the type of rabid fanbase that studio executives dream of. Centering a spin-off around Armisen's character might lead to some funny moments, but will it result in the same cultural attention as a show that puts Ortega front and center?