Wednesday Season 2, Part 2 (TV Review)

Following directly from its explosive mid-season finale, Wednesday season 2, part 2, picks up right where the series left off. Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) is in a coma, Tyler (Hunter Doohan) and Slurp (Owen Painter) have escaped Willow Hill, and things seem to be even more chaotic than ever for the Addams Family and the students of Nevermore. However, no matter how bad things seem, Wednesday Addams always seems to pull through and find an, albeit unconventional, solution.

The splitting of the Netflix series’ second season into two parts seemed like an unusual choice, and the release of its final four episodes cements this decision. While there were only four weeks between the drop in episodes, the break from Wednesday season 2, part 1, stagnates the story, especially in comparison to the first season, where all eight episodes were released at once. Although this choice isn’t a total setback, with the series finding its footing soon enough, it doesn’t really do it any favours either. 

Pacing is still another issue that seems to haunt Wednesday, much like the titular character’s new spirit guide, Larissa Weems (Gwendolyn Christie). Wednesday has so many ideas that, if given the right space to fully explore, would make for a show that was wholly gripping and incredibly entertaining. Yet it struggles to keep up with itself, leaving so many characters, relationships and storylines feeling rushed and criminally underused. This is particularly evident with Billie Piper’s character, Isadora Capri, who is hinted to play a big part in Enid’s (Emma Myers) storyline. However, she remains a shadow on Wednesday rather than a key player, which is a real shame.

This being said, there are still positives within the Tim Burton series. Ortega, once again, is a master of subtlety, which continues to anchor the show to its dark and twisted core. However, it is one particular segment within episode 6 that shows a great new side to both Ortega and Myers. The duo bring a wonderfully playful energy to such a deeply toned series, adding a nice comedic edge that has been sorely missing from Wednesday, especially with their characters feuding. Alongside Evie Templeton’s Agnes Demille, who is equally brilliant in the second half of the season, the three have a great dynamic that brings a bolt of freaky electricity to the series. 

Wednesday also spares no expense on spectacles. Lady Gaga’s brief appearance as Rosaline Rotwood is a wonderfully haunting moment that cries for more attention as the singer dazzles as a vision in white. Instead, the series spends more time flaunting its budget on large-scale events for its Nevermore cast members, upping the ante from its first outing. Many of these moments have an air of deja vu about them, including another spectacular dance number (of course, to a Lady Gaga song). These moments are certainly brilliant in their own right, but they don’t have the same air of nuance that made Wednesday go viral the first time around.

As a whole, Wednesday is a series full of untapped potential. There are nuggets of gold hidden throughout the series, but they are never given enough time to be great, as the series instead charges ahead to deliver the next plot point, disregarding the source material in the process. Wednesday is certainly enjoyable in its own right, especially if you don’t delve too far into the details. However, if it doesn’t give itself room to breathe and focus on the opportunities it presents itself, the Netflix series will continue to miss the mark.

4 out of 4 episodes were available to view.

Wednesday season 2 is now available to stream on Netflix.