After a three-year wait, “Wednesday” Season 2 returned to Netflix on Aug. 6, split evenly into two parts, with the final four episodes dropping a month later. Since the first season, showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have upped the family dynamics and subplots to an extreme. Although it does have its quirks at times, the show mostly feels directionless and crammed with creative conflict.
The story picks up from where the first season left off. Having spent her summer hunting down serial killers with her newly-honed psychic abilities, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), returns to Nevermore Academy. A chilling murder mystery concerning crows on a killing spree quickly gains pace, as new foes await her and she foresees the death of her best friend, Enid (Emma Myers), in a psychic vision.
Notably, the shots of the bloodthirsty crows taking out their victims do much to strengthen the unsettling vibes of the show. The gruesome scenes effectively heighten the suspense as Wednesday races against time to prevent her vision from coming true, all while unraveling haunting secrets about the town.
But while the darker elements stand out, the overall plot fails almost miserably as it delves into winding subplots and coughs up new, overdone characters. There is no focus, and the constant diversions from the main storyline pad it up with filler that fails to add real substance to the show. For one, Season 2 brings back the love triangle, shifting the spotlight from Wednesday to her roommate, Enid. But the choice to have her string along her love lines distracts from the central mystery, and these flat scenes feel like a waste of her charm. In addition, the subplot with side character Bianca (Joy Sunday) lands as disconnected.
Season 2 also features significantly more family drama, with greater Addams family screentime than its predecessor, especially with Wednesday and Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Unfortunately, the tension between the mother and daughter pair is so heavy and dull that it pulls down what little story exists in the first place. Compared to the tighter writing in Season 1, it just seems that side plots are invented for the sake of keeping Wednesday’s parents around.
On the comedy side, Wednesday’s zinger one-liners can get tiresome fast, as she blurts them out without missing a beat. Sometimes, she will say something truly funny, but it mostly comes off as overdone, despite it being one of her major personality traits. Thankfully, the Season 2 soundtrack gives the show’s atmosphere a much-needed lift. In particular, Catherine Zeta-Jones and singer Billie Piper’s campfire rendition of “Bad Moon Rising” was hauntingly gorgeous, with the melody lingering long after the scene ends.
Though weighed down by many shortcomings, the show’s cast also manages to stand out. In particular, Jenna Ortega once again gives her all to the role of Wednesday, bringing an even more personal take on the character, and proving she really is the heart of the show. Also deserving a mention is Emma Myers’ performance as Enid, who never fails to infuse the show with an infectious energy. The versatility of both Ortega and Myers is exemplified in a “Freaky Friday” style body-swap, with the pair emulating each other down to their voices, despite having polar-opposite personalities. In contrast to the prevailing gothic tone of the show, the storyline was a fresh twist, and every wild moment of their authentic swap was memorable.
Thanks to the visuals and Ortega’s stellar performance, “Wednesday” Season 2 is still somewhat entertaining. However, with the three-year break between seasons, there isn’t a very notable improvement in quality, and the unnecessary decision to split the season in half almost destroys the show’s effect. The cliffhanger in the middle of the show wasn’t nearly as dramatic as it should have been to make that move, and the choppy release format disrupts the pacing of an already-lacking season. With unanswered questions piling up, they’ll have to be addressed in Season 3, which may very well take another few years to be released.
“Wednesday” Season 2 ultimately proves a forgettable fever dream, collapsing under the weight of too many expectations.
