Director Tim Burton told composer Chris Bacon not to write funny music for the score of the Netflix series "Wednesday" [1, 2].
This creative directive shaped the sonic identity of the series, ensuring the music remained grounded even when the on-screen action leaned into comedy. By decoupling the musical tone from the humor, the production aimed to align the series with Burton's specific atmospheric vision.
Bacon detailed the collaboration in interviews published earlier this month. He said that the instruction came at the very beginning of their working relationship [1, 2].
"One of the very first things that Tim [Burton] said when we started was ‘don’t make this funny,'" Bacon said [1].
Bacon acknowledged that while the series itself is a comedy, the music was required to operate on a different emotional plane. He said that Burton was adamant about the distinction between the script's wit and the orchestral accompaniment [1].
"It’s a funny show, but Tim Burton, he was very serious: ‘Do not play funny music.’ Play them serious," Bacon said [1].
The approach prevented the score from becoming a caricature of the show's eccentricities. Instead, the music provides a serious counterpoint to the dark humor of the narrative, a technique often used in gothic storytelling to heighten the contrast between the macabre and the absurd.
This collaboration between Bacon and Burton ensured that the auditory experience of "Wednesday" remained consistent with the director's established aesthetic. The resulting score supports the show's tonal balance without relying on musical cues to signal jokes to the audience [1, 2].
““Do not play funny music. Play them serious.””
The decision to avoid 'funny music' in a comedy series reflects a specific directorial philosophy where the score serves as an emotional anchor rather than a punchline. By maintaining a serious tone, the production avoids the tropes of traditional sitcom or campy scoring, instead leaning into the gothic atmosphere that defines Tim Burton's body of work.
