How to Write School Thriller Drama: Storytelling Model from 'Wednesday'

From Harry Potter to Wednesday - we see a consistent pattern - fantasy school dramas that emerge as blockbusters. Wednesday in recent times has emerged out to be one of the most engaging thrillers. But what is the secret recipe to writing fantasy school/college drama masterpieces. A spoonful of romance, a cup of drama and a blend of thrill! Let's explore via Wednesday's example - the popular Netflix series, based on Wednesday Addams, an almost forgotten character from The Addams Family, the proven storytelling model.

Here is the crisp six-act model that 'Wednesday' follows that you can also use to write an equally engaging thriller:

1) Establish the lead: Wednesday is the lead of the series. And her introductory scene where she has psychic vision of her brother's bullies establishes her power. Later, she sends piranhas in the school pool attempting to murder the boys, thus establishing her dark character and her superpower.

2) Establish the thrill: Almost immediately after establishing Wednesday and her family, we are shown a glimpse of hiker being killed by an unknown creature near Nevermore academy. This establishes the thrill. The treatment is almost light horror.

3) Establishing lot of side characters for suspicions: Lot of characters are established in Ep 1 itself that serve as possible suspicions for being the creature. The mysterious school Principal Weems, Wednesday's rival Bianca and her ex-boyfriend Xavier. Wednesday's roommate Enid (who is too sweet to be suspicious), Dr Kinbott as the therapist, Tyler as potential love interest. These side characters aside Tyler all serve as suspects for being the creature as the story progresses at some point or the other.

4) Furthering the mystery: A side character Rowan is also presented in the episode, who is used to deepen the mystery, as he wants to kill Wednesday to stop an unknown prophecy. Rowan is killed towards the episode end to further the creature's murderous stint.

4) Lot of mysterious open-ended plot points : Wednesday discovering a secret library, her being kidnapped at episode 2 cliffhanger, resurgence of a disbanded cult group, Wednesday's visions and discovery of history of Joseph Crackstone, Wednesday's vision about her ancestor Goody Addams and further her discovery of missing body parts on different victims of the creature - all serve towards building the mystery and thereby hooking the viewers. Add to that the murder charges on Wednesday's father and the mysterious past of her parents and the academy.

5) Slow revelations towards climax preparation - Wednesday's discovery of Gates mansion, Mayor's call as he cracks the case, his murder, Wednesday's dorm damage, attack on Thing and eventually figuring out that the creature is "Hyde".

6) Shocking climax plot-twists - Most thrillers use shocking plot twists to satisfy their thriller viewership. Wednesday also masters this perfectly. Towards the climax, Wednesday and the audience are led to believe that Xavier is under Dr Kinbott's influence. Later after Wednesday's confrontation, Kinbott is murdered. Xavier is arrested. And in a shocking plot twist, it is then revealed that Tyler was behind this all along. Tyler, the simpleton is actually Hyde and is working with Thornhill, a normie imposter teacher. Thornhill kills the Principal and unlocks Crackstone?who kills Wednesday (almost). Wednesday is revived by Goody Addams who then avenges Crackstone and Thornill and gets Tyler arrested.