“Here We Woe Again” is an apt title for the Season 2, Part 1, opener of Netflix‘s mega-hit “Wednesday.” Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar with Tim Burton in the director’s chair, the series follows Wednesday Addams (a perfectly cast Jenna Ortega) — a macabre, black cloaked teen with psychic abilities. Having spent her summer break honing her prophetic visions and indulging in a game of chicken with a serial killer, Wednesday returns to Nevermore Academy for the fall term. Yet, things aren’t as they once were. A shocking mystery quickly begins to occupy Wednesday’s time, leading her to uncover some haunting secrets concerning Jericho and its history with outcasts. Additionally, a lot more is revealed about the Addams family lore, including the root of Wednesday and Morticia’s (Catharine Zeta-Jones) strained relationship. Full of zing and depth, the season remains just as thrilling as the first.
Having spent her summer digging through Goody’s Book of Shadows, Wednesday is satisfied that she has mastered her psychic abilities. Still, the stream of black tears running down her face when she gets a vision is causing her some light concern, at least enough to swear Thing (Victor Dorobantu) to secrecy and keep it hidden from her increasingly meddlesome mother. Though excitement isn’t in her nature, Wednesday knows that heading back to Nevermore will at least allow her the opportunity to continue her writing and hone her craft without Morticia hovering over her shoulder. However, this year, the outcast-centered school isn’t quite the haven it once was.
For one, Wednesday’s younger brother, Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) — who is barely beginning to master his ability to generate static electricity — is now enrolled. Unfortunately, he is no Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen), and Wednesday can’t be bothered to babysit his mishaps. Also, after saving the school from Tyler (Hunter Doohan), who was a secret Hyde controlled by the diabolical Marilyn Thornhill (Christina Ricci), Wednesday has become a celebrity of sorts on campus. Regrettably, her newfound fame, a determined stalker and a chilling vision about her best friend and roommate, Enid (Emma Myers), isn’t exactly boding well for her misanthropy. Moreover, when Nevermore’s newly instated Principal Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi) enlists Morticia to help him raise funding for the forthcoming gala, Wednesday quickly realizes Nevermore is not the institution it was under the late Principal Weems’ (Gwendoline Christie) leadership.
Like its first season, the first part of “Wednesday” Season 2 is spooky, kooky and mysterious. As Wednesday races against the clock to unpack her startling vision of Enid and prevent it from coming to fruition, she understands there are certain darker aspects of her precognitions she still hasn’t grasped. This particular vision causes friction between Wednesday and Enid, who is confused about the distance her already emotionally detached bestie is putting between them. Furthermore, stumbling across a long-hidden Addams family secret amid her sleuthing and the arrival of her Grandmama Frump (Joanna Lumley) further exacerbates the already strained relationship she has with her mother.
“Wednesday” has been criticized for being a Netflix-ified version of the Charles Addams classic, with Nevermore standing in as a Hogwarts-type institution. And while that may be true, it doesn’t diminish the exquisite details embedded in the show, its mystifying darkness or Ortega’s commanding control of her character. If the “Harry Potter” films are to be held as an example, and with these four episodes in the first half of Season 2, the series is only going to get increasingly sinister and textured. The themes presented here may be “teen-focused,” but that doesn’t stop the universality of the show’s messages. Mother/daughter relationships can be challenging to navigate during adolescence; feeling ostracized is something many viewers globally have undoubtedly experienced and the ebbs and flows of friendships indeed continue throughout our lives.
One major critique of this season is that there was no need to split its episodes in half. Though a lot is revealed by the Part 1 finale, “If These Woes Could Talk,” audiences could’ve easily powered on through four additional hours alongside the viciously deadpan teen instead of waiting a month for Netflix to deliver Season 2’s conclusion.
Overall, “Wednesday” Season 2, Part 1, offers the same visual delights that have made all of Burton’s worlds so fascinating. With the Addams family getting increased screen time, several layered enigmas, and Ortega leading the charge, the show is still as twisted, enticing and devour-able as it was when it first debuted three years ago.
“Wednesday” Season 2, Part 1, is now streaming on Netflix.
variety.com
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