Season one of “Wednesday” was a splashing success. Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, the twisted daughter of the Addams family, starred in a show solely focused on her that included a unique twist on the many revivals of these characters.
Despite the lines leaning into the corny dialogue that often comes with a Netflix original, the mystery and intrigue of Wednesday’s new life at Nevermore Academy, a school for “outcasts” captured the attention of many. Her infamous dance circled around social media, and fans pleaded for season two.
After an excruciating three-year long wait, their cries were finally answered, as season two of “Wednesday” debuted. Season two, like the first one, has eight episodes, leaving some to wonder what the producers were doing with all that time, the content contained a variety of new characters, plot lines and creative choices.
There may be spoilers of season two past this point.
One major difference between the two seasons was the additions of other Addams family members. In the first season, these characters were mentioned a couple times but barely shown on screen. This is a stark contrast to season two, as Morticia and Gomez Addams move to live near Wednesday’s school to support her and fundraising efforts, and Pugsley Addams begins attending Nevermore.
The increase in their screentime, while fun, felt a tad distracting from the main character’s storyline. This was meant to be a show about Wednesday, yet it felt as though her family members had an equal amount of screentime to her.
Their presence, along with many other characters, led the show into random, seemingly unnecessary plotlines. The amount of time spent on stories that did not contribute to the overall plot or growth of Wednesday as a character was ridiculous.
This aspect of season two felt like a waste of time, and after a three-year wait, people wanted to see more of Wednesday herself.
With that in mind, it was impressive to see how the writers were able to connect the high quantity of side plots included in the beginning. Each Addams family member was involved in an aspect of the story that came together in the end.
However, because all of the random information given to the audience was somehow intertwined in the end, the writing felt lazy. It was as though everything was tied in a little bow.
People were left wanting more due to dissatisfaction instead of a cliffhanger.
One aspect that was done well this season was creativity. In the episode “Freaky Wednesday,” the audience truly gets to see Jenna Ortega’s and Emma Meyers’, playing Enid Sinclair, talents shine through. The revival of dead characters, asylums to dances and the mad scientist trope being put to good use did not leave many stones unturned.
Another positive attribute was the emphasis on female relationships. Instead of a romance, like in season one, much of the focus was put on Wednesday’s strained relationship with her mother.
While opinions vary on whether this choice was accurate to the original Addams family depictions, a mother-daughter arc in fiction is nothing to frown about. This relationship revealed nuance, complicated feelings and insecurities and the butting of heads that often occurs between mothers and daughters.
Also, the friendship between Wednesday and Enid was explored further in this season. As they drift apart, due to secret premonitions and lifesaving motivations, the audience witnesses conflict and miscommunication.
However, the writers bring them back together in a way that perfectly exemplifies the importance of female friendship and leaning on family that is found.
Overall, the newest season of “Wednesday” was the exciting, dark, chilling mystery that it was meant to be. While fans may have to wait another three years to be reunited with their favorite outcasts, it will hopefully be worth the wait.
Macy Gilbert can be reached at [email protected]