There’s an annoying trend whereby shows take years to return with new seasons. Wednesday is one of the offenders with a ridiculously long gap between season 1, released in November 2022, and season 2, the first part of which is available to stream now. We only get four episodes to devour, the remaining four arriving on Netflix on September 3, 2025.
But that’s enough to whet appetites, chronicling what happens after summer break and what’s to come for the already confirmed season three. Does season 2, part 1 deliver? Being locked in a serial killer’s basement is the epitome of fun for Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), and that perverse tone continues through the dark, twisted start to a new chapter for the Nevermore Academy student. She meets new challenges and threatened abilities while dealing with fractured family dynamics that get in the way of her absurdly morbid coming-of-age journey.
Quick Recap of Season 1
After arriving at Nevermore Academy, her parents’ alma mater, Wednesday does her best not to fit in. But she has a difficult time, especially because her infectiously sweet roommate Enid (Emma Myers) insists of being her new bestie. After discovering she has inherited her mother’s psychic abilities, Wednesday sees visions that pertain to a local murder, and she is drawn to solving it. Who wouldn’t be drawn to ghastly murder, after all?
Through various twists and turns, Wednesday discovers that the murders are being carried out by a Hyde, who, she learns from Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen), must be controlled by a master. As it turns out, this Hyde happens to be Tyler (Hunter Doohan), the handsome young barista who has taken a liking to her (and much to Wednesday’s dismay, she to him).
The master is revealed to be Marilyn Thornhill, played by Christina Ricci in meta-casting: she played Wednesday in the 1991 movie The Addams Family. Thornhill is a teacher at the school whose real identity is Laurel Gates, the sister of Garrett Gates (Lewis Hayes). Decades prior, Garrett attempted to eliminate all outcasts but was poisoned before he got the chance. Laurel, who was presumed dead, set out to finish his work.
After an epic battle, Wednesday defeats the Hyde and Marilyn, thanks to the help of her friends Enid, Bianca (Joy Sunday), and her deceased ancestor Goody, also played by Ortega. The school year has come to an end and it’s time for summer break. But an ominous message on Wednesday’s phone, a device gifted to her by Xavier (Percy Hynes White), reveals that she has a stalker. Wednesday’s smirk suggests that this excites, not frightens her.
Season 2 Review
The season picks up after the summer, with a wonderfully hilarious flashback to how Wednesday spent her summer months. Not only did she focus on perfecting her psychic abilities, she also did some serial killer hunting, the perfect activity for vacation. The cold open, in fact, is probably the highlight of this first part of the season, featuring a guest role by Haley Joel Osment.
Upon returning to school, Wednesday realizes she’s deemed a hero for saving everyone, thus attracting a level of popularity she loathes. Most characters return, some of whom become new thorns in Wednesdays’ side. Her younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Orodonez) is now a student there, and her parents Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán) are spending more time on campus. Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen) makes his return, this time with much more to offer the season. His portrayal marks a massive improvement from season 1. I had initially questioned if Armisen was the right choice for the role. He proves in this season that he is.
The new characters all have something meaningful to add to the plot. The standouts are Steve Buscemi as principal Barry Dort; Evie Templeton as Agnes DeMille, a new student who is obsessed with Wednesday; Christopher Lloyd as Professor Orloff, a teacher whose head is preserved in a jar (Lloyd played Uncle Fester in the 1991 film); Thandiwe Newton as Dr. Rachael Fairburn, chief psychiatrist at Willow Hill; Anthony Michael Hall as scoutmaster Rob Kruger who goes head-to-head with Wednesday; and Joanna Lumley as Granny Hester Frump, one of the few people Wednesday is actually happy to see. Lady Gaga is tapped to appear as well, but her character won’t arrive until part 2. You feel like there’s something off about certain characters but can’t quite put your finger on what. In some cases, you’re right. In others, you aren’t. In a few, the jury is still out.
Like season 1, the story takes twists and turns with clues and misdirects throughout to keep you guessing. You think the stalker and murderer is one person one minute, then start doubting yourself, convinced it’s someone else the next. The plot is a murder mystery wrapped up in a macabre robe filled with sarcasm, morbid mindsets, monsters, and a healthy dose of humor. There’s even a zombie this season, played by Owen Painter who is sure to have a bigger role in part 2 (perhaps with a more recognizable face this time around).
The theme of outcasts vs. normies continues, a plot reminiscent of shows like The Boys’ spin-off Gen V (minus the extreme raunch and with toned down gore). The outcasts fight against the normies and the normies sometimes show hatred, sometimes fascination, with the outcasts.
Central to the plot this season is Wednesday’s worry that Enid is about to die, and it’s her fault. But Wednesday lost her psychic abilities just after seeing this tragic vision, so she must find another way to sus out the killer before her friend meets her end. While Wednesday is the same deadpan and dark Wednesday she has always been, her desperation to save Enid shows a softer side that leaves no doubt she truly cares about her friend. Wednesday is evolving emotionally, and she might not even realize it yet.
Wednesday season 2 dives deeper into the family dynamic as well, including the strained mother-daughter relationships between Wednesday and Morticia and Morticia and Hester. The season also explores traditional coming-of-age challenges like young love (and love triangles), driving tests, school camping trips, kids pushing for independence, and overbearing parents. Yes, even outcast kids have the same “please don’t embarrass me, mom/dad” attitude. But they also have unique challenges, like kids keeping zombie pets, crying black tears, bonding over when they “wolfed out,” or getting angry with disembodied appendages for ratting them out.
The pacing seems slow, largely a factor of the split-season release. Knowing there are only four episodes, you are itching for more to happen in each episode. Though the plot moves at a usual pace, it feels slower, which is why many fans like to wait until all episodes are released before binging. You might, however, feel satisfied in watching these four episodes now. That’s because they build to a crescendo in episode 4, which drives the plot forward in a big enough way to leave you fulfilled but also wanting more. It ends with a type of terror that marks serious trouble for Wednesday, the school, and everyone in town.
Should You Watch Wednesday Season 2
Wednesday season 2 is just as delightfully dark as season 1. There are moments you won’t see coming and others you’ll see coming from a mile away. Ortega was tailor-made for the role, her stone-faced, pig-tailed character the obvious stand-out throughout. Thing (Victor Dorobantu), Painter, Buscemi, and Zeta-Jones all steal every scene they’re in as well, while, as noted, Armisen is delightfully maniacal this season.
It’s worth noting that there are cast surprises that weren’t initially confirmed, and a few new characters that are teased just enough to leave us curious about them and wanting more in part 2. Thankfully, there’s less than a month’s wait until you’ll find out what the fallout is from the explosive part 1 ending. The suspense might not be as heightened as it was at the end of season 1, but you’ll be excited to check out part 2 and tie up loose ends.