Alright, let’s crank up the cobweb count, light the black candles, and give you a much longer, juicier, and darker-humoured review of Wednesday Season 2 (Episodes 1–4
First Impressions: Back in the Nevermore Saddle… or Coffin
Coming back to Wednesday’s world feels a bit like revisiting your favourite haunted house—everything’s familiar, but someone’s clearly moved the skeletons around, added a few new curses, and possibly poisoned the tea. Season 1 was a hit because it was sharp, stylish, and unexpectedly addictive. Season 2 seems fully aware of that—and has doubled down, with a bigger budget, bolder visuals, and more characters creeping into the spotlight.
The first four episodes immediately set a different tone. Where Season 1’s intro had a tightly focused, lone-wolf Wednesday navigating a high-school murder mystery, Season 2 says: “That was cute. Let’s add psychic family drama, political intrigue, and enough subplots to fill a witch’s grimoire.” It’s still a blast—but it’s a busier blast, like a gothic party where everyone’s talking at once and you’re not sure whether to grab a drink or duck for cover.
Deadpan Royalty Gets an Extended Court
Season 1
Jenna Ortega was the entire gravitational pull of the first season. She brought that rare combo of scathing wit and micro-expressions that made every line land like a guillotine drop. Most supporting characters were there to either play the foil (Enid), the love interest (Tyler/Xavier), or the exposition dump (Weems).
Season 2
Ortega’s still the undisputed queen of monotone menace—but now she’s sharing the screen more with the rest of the Addams family, and that makes a huge difference. Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) gets more than just elegant cameos; Gomez (Luis Guzmán) has material to chew on, and Pugsley—yes, Pugsley—has a character arc that isn’t just “human target practice.”
There’s also an undeniable chemistry in the expanded ensemble. The family scenes are some of the most entertaining moments in these first episodes—equal parts venom and vulnerability. It’s like watching the Royal Family, if the Royal Family solved murders between dinner courses.
Verdict: In terms of acting, Season 2 feels richer, more dynamic, and less like “The Jenna Ortega Show”—though Ortega still holds the crown with a grip that could choke a vampire.
More Gothic, More Grandeur… and a Bit More Gloss
Season 1
The look of Wednesday’s first outing was already strong: rich, gothic colour palettes, autumnal gloom, and Nevermore Academy’s sharp, ornate interiors. There were touches of Tim Burton eccentricity without going full cartoon.
Season 2
Visually, the show has had a glow-up—sometimes literally. We get more elaborate set pieces (family manors, cursed forests, a crow-infested town square)
As well as stop-motion sequences straight out of Burton’s animated playbook and black-and-white flashbacks that nod to the original 1960s Addams Family show
It’s bigger, it’s bolder, and… it’s a little too smooth in places. Netflix has decided Ortega needed to be airbrushed like a porcelain doll, which some viewers found distracting. Gothic grit works best when it’s, well… gritty. Over-polishing your lead is like putting a Snapchat filter on Nosferatu—it sort of defeats the purpose.
Still, the visual creativity is undeniable. Even the crows look like they’ve been given acting notes.
Sharper Tongues, Heavier Pockets
Season 1
The writing was one of the biggest surprises of Season 1—witty, sardonic, and layered with enough macabre flourishes to keep it fun without tipping into self-parody. The central murder mystery kept things tight and gave Wednesday’s investigations a clear spine.
Season 2
The first four episodes keep the razor wit alive—Ortega still drops lines like she’s carving epitaphs—but the amount of story has increased dramatically. Now, instead of one central mystery, we’ve got:
- Wednesday’s psychic visions intensifying
- Enid’s (possibly doomed) fate haunting her
- Crows acting as harbingers of chaos
- A shady figure named Bruno with suspicious motives
- Principal Dort’s questionable alliances
- A hint of Pugsley developing supernatural abilities
It’s a feast, but sometimes it feels like too many side dishes fighting for plate space. Some subplots are engaging; others feel like filler until the main event. The episodic structure is more pronounced this time, so each chapter feels like its own mini-mystery—but it can also break narrative momentum.
The Family That Sleuths Together…
Season 1
Primarily a high-school murder mystery with a gothic YA spin. Themes were about belonging, friendship, and finding identity within (or outside of) a community.
Season 2
Still has those beats, but the family dynamic is now a big driver. The psychic link between Wednesday and Morticia gets fleshed out, Gomez’s shady past creeps into focus, and Pugsley’s arc gives the Addams name some fresh blood (figuratively… so far). Themes have expanded to include legacy, destiny, and how much you’re willing to burn to protect your own.
The story feels grander—borderline operatic in some moments—but it occasionally trades the tight precision of Season 1 for an “everything and the kitchen guillotine” approach. It works more often than it fails, but you can feel the difference.
