Halloween might be almost two months away, but the spooky season is already upon us with the release of season 2 of the hit Netflix series Wednesday.
With Jenna Ortega back in her titular role as Wednesday Addams, part 1 of season 2 has already been released with part 2 (fittingly) set to release this Wednesday.
Episodes 1 through 4 of season 2 were released on August 6 and picked up where season 1 left off [SPOILER AHEAD]. After saving the school from being destroyed by love interest-turned-Hyde Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan) and his manipulative “master,” normie Nevermore teacher Marilyn Thornhill (Christina Ricci), Wednesday returns to Nevermore for the start of the new school year with her younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) – and later her parents – in tow.
Upon her arrival at Nevermore, Wednesday discovers her newfound celebrity among her classmates, meets the crafty new Nevermore principal, Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi), and finds herself sucked into yet another mystery, as she is stalked by a suspicious, red-eyed crow and stumbles upon a series of brutal murders… committed by murders (of crows).
Between navigating her challenges with her family and coping with her own struggles with her powers, Wednesday must unravel the truth behind these murderous murders and figure out what mysterious forces in Jericho are so desperately trying to keep hidden.
While the first four episodes of Season 2 were objectively good, there was just something about them that didn’t quite meet the mark of Season 1.
In terms of plot, specifically, things didn’t seem to add up quite right and, at times, threatened to fall flat. In Season 1, Wednesday’s entire investigation into the monster terrorizing the people of Jericho only started because Wednesday witnessed one of her classmates getting murdered by said monster.
But in Season 2, it almost felt as if the villains, rather than just going about their villainous business, were bringing Wednesday’s attention upon themselves. For example, from the very beginning of the season, with Wednesday’s entry into Nevermore, we see a mysterious red-eyed crow stalking her, a crow that makes an unnecessary, intrusive, and highly obvious appearance – even to Wednesday – at every suspicious turn of the story. At a certain point, it almost felt as if the crows were taunting Wednesday into investigating the matter, rather than Wednesday’s natural curiosity guiding her into looking into murders (like it did in season 1), something that felt glaringly incongruous.
From a character standpoint, Wednesday’s wit and snappy retorts also didn’t seem to hit the same mark. Rather than feel sarcastic, sassy, and funny, at times, Wednesday’s comments bordered on hurtful, dancing on the thin line between amusing and mean. While Wednesday’s personality is one of aloofness and one that doesn’t necessarily prioritize empathy, Wednesday’s dialogues and attitude in this second season felt especially – and unnecessarily – harsh when compared to the first season.
But taken holistically, the first four episodes of season 2 of Wednesday proved to be an engaging and amusing watch. Tying in many of the loose ends from season 1 – including siren Bianca Barclay’s (Joy Sunday) challenges with her mother and the imprisonment of Tyler and Ms. Thornhill – as well as following up on many beloved characters – including Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen), Eugene Ottinger (Moosa Mostafa), and Sheriff Galpin (Jamie McShane), season 2 of Netflix’s Wednesday answers many of the questions viewers were left wondering at the end of season 1 and throws open the door to a whole new world of shadowy figures and mysterious motives operating in Jericho.
