After a long wait of almost three years, Netflix’s gothic hit Wednesday is back with the first four episodes of its second season. The show’s creepy look and Jenna Ortega’s charming acting are still there, but the first half of the season has a messy plot and relies too much on familiar tropes, which makes viewers want more.
A Return to Nevermore with More Addams and More Mysteries
The season starts with Wednesday Addams coming back to Nevermore Academy after spending the summer working on her psychic skills and fighting a serial killer. Her younger brother, Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), also goes to the school, where he has trouble controlling his powers. Principal Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi) is in charge of the academy now. He asks Morticia Addams (Catherine Zeta-Jones) to help with fundraising, which makes Wednesday very angry.
Wednesday is pulled into a new mystery as she starts seeing new things, like one involving her best friend Enid (Emma Myers). Crows are gouging out the eyes of dead persons in town. As she looks into things, she learns more about the Addams family’s secrets and has to deal with a new level of celebrity, changing friendships, and the chaos of new people coming into her life, like Grandmama Frump (Joanna Lumley).
The Good and the Bad: A Mix of Good and Bad Points
The show’s look is still as interesting as ever, with Tim Burton’s style showing up in every somber hallway and styled clothing. Jenna Ortega’s deadpan delivery is still great, and the burgeoning emotional link between Wednesday and Enid keeps the show grounded. The deeper look into the Addams family history has several interesting moments, especially the conflict between Wednesday and Morticia.
But the choice to break the season into two parts seems like a big mistake that slows down the story. The first four episodes feel like a long setup because there are too many people and subplots. This overloaded approach takes away from the Addams family’s attractiveness by making their quirks seem less distinctive and more common in a classroom full of strange things. The smart, sarcastic humor that made the first season so memorable seems to have faded, and the main mystery isn’t as urgent as it was in the first season.
In the end, Wednesday Season 2, Part 1 is visually spectacular and sometimes fun, but it doesn’t have the magic that made the first season a worldwide hit. It has more of everything, but it doesn’t always know how to use it to its advantage. Fans will have to wait until next month for the second half to see if the show can get its sharp wit and story back.