Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 review: Jenna Ortega still slays, but the suspense dies early

Summary:

• Jenna Ortega continues to shine as Wednesday, delivering a nuanced, deadpan performance.

• Season 2 Part 1 rushes major reveals, weakening suspense and plot buildup.

• Strong ensemble cast and eerie visuals can't fully compensate for the underwhelming narrative.

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 story:

In Wednesday Season 2 Part 1, Wednesday Addams returns for her second year at Nevermore Academy and finds herself mired in deeper mysteries than before. Enid, her best friend, becomes entangled in her obsession with averting a terrible future as her psychic powers get out of hand, accompanied by visions, dark tears, and foreboding prophecies. The familial tension intensifies as Pugsley starts attending Nevermore Academy, while Morticia and Gomez frequently visit the campus. Wednesday is drawn further into a perilous conspiracy as a string of disturbing events, enigmatic murders, and underground societies force her to confront new characters—an eccentric principal and a strange teacher—in her search for answers. Part 1 explores the mounting conflict between Wednesday's identity and her legacy, laying the groundwork for a menacing confrontation.

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 review:

It's been nearly 1000 days since Wednesday premiered on Netflix in 2022. It was a midweek mayhem back then when Jenna Ortega embodied the iconic morbid character and slayed from the word "go". The actor understood what was expected of her while playing this character, and she easily managed to shoulder the whole series, despite having several senior actors star alongside her. Now, after almost two and a half years, she is back on a Wednesday, intending to wipe out the midweek blues. Did she succeed in it? Let's find out...

In the first season, we saw several skeletons crawling out of the closet as Wednesday began her investigation of mysterious murders around. She also showed some emotion while trying to fit in at Nevermore Academy and realising she wasn't the only outcast in the world. However, every step she takes in her opaque black shoes draws attention to her, even when she doesn't want to. But I doubt that's entirely true...

ALSO READ: Wednesday 2 on Netflix: Recall what all happened in Wednesday Season 1

Wednesday epitomises narcissism at its peak, and she is the character who shone as a hero in the first season while revealing the identity of the mastermind behind all the killings. We saw Marilyn Thornhill, aka Laurel Gates, played by Christina Ricci, as the ultimate villain and how she tamed Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), who is a Hyde, to become her pawn to do her dirty business. It was so much fun to watch how, even though it was almost predictable, everything fell into place, and we got the outcome that we almost saw coming.

It was also enjoyable to see Ricci, who played the iconic character in her childhood in The Addams Family (1991), going against Wednesday.

Meanwhile, in the first part of the second season, the revelation of who is behind the second round of mysterious killings occurred rapidly. One might even question the creators' ability to deftly advance the story and unravel it within the first four episodes. Here, Wednesday is surrounded by her whole family at Nevermore, as her parents, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán), have stationed themselves on the premises, whereas her younger brother, Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), has joined the academy, and he is an eccentric but jolly fellow—the total antithesis of what Wednesday is.

This time around, there's Wednesday, who has excelled in her psychic skills by foreseeing and actually finding out the victim as well as the perpetrator in no time. However, while using these powers, it makes her shed black tears, which has even begun to astonish her.

However, despite an attempt to introduce new concepts in this otherworldly school, it is still emphasised that teenagers cannot fully experience adolescence if they possess supernatural powers. From the world of Harry Potter to Stranger Things and even Wednesday, we are shown the capabilities of a teenager to deal with the weirdest demons that adults, or "normies", might even dread to dream of.

Anyway, in Wednesday, the packaging of the first four episodes is displayed either as a matter of convenience or as a mere build-up for things to get interesting in the second half of the season. But this division has made the start for the new season as weak as one would not have expected at all.

We have a zombie that Pugsley brings on himself soon after he becomes a part of the academy. On the other hand, there's a mysterious avian who has been controlling weird-looking ravens (yes, major Game of Thrones vibes) and actually making them murderers as well. Additionally, four episodes provide a glimpse into the estranged mother-daughter relationship while only offering hints that leave you wondering whether it is important to the story.

There is also a match between the normies and the outcasts, which could have been intriguing if it had been planned better. But the execution is so meh and short-lived that it just felt like an unwanted filler to make the story just look intriguing; that's it.

There are definitely less than a handful of standout moments, especially with ravens coming out of the mouth of a character after they killed that person. Moreover, there's also a subplot including Wednesday's stalker, which has been designed well until the revelation. Then it just feels that even the identity of the stalker should have been kept until the end and the game continued to make it feel entertaining while watching.

Regarding the performances, it is always a delight to see Ortega transform into Wednesday; for this generation, she uniquely embodies the role. The actor conveys a lot of emotion even without using facial expressions. However, we also see there's a slight evolution in her character, where her muscles are moving and bringing a little more light to her face, but she still lets her eyes do the talking the most.

The other actors are equally impressive, including the newcomers Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Thandiwe Newton, and Heather Matarazzo, among others. And I must say, in some way or another, the characters played by these actors do get on your nerves, just like they do with Wednesday. But, as of now, their growth as characters is stunted and you might just have to hope things get better in the second half.

For me, once again Catherine Zeta-Jones left an impressive mark and she also got a The Legend of Zorro moment, having a duel with Wednesday.

Now all eyes are on to see if Tim Burton brings some redemption in the second half, or if this is all what the wait for nearly three years was all about!

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 verdict:

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 is a mixed bag of eerie delights and eerie letdowns. While Jenna Ortega still slays with deadpan perfection, the storyline seems to have lost its bite, revealing its big secrets too soon and shedding suspense like Wednesday’s new black tears. The Addams family reunion brings more chaos than charm, and the season feels more like a midweek slump than a midweek storm.

FAQs:

Q: Is Jenna Ortega still playing Wednesday in Season 2?

A: Yes, Jenna Ortega reprises her role as Wednesday Addams in Season 2 and continues to anchor the series with her signature deadpan brilliance.

Q: What happens in Wednesday Season 2 Part 1?

A: Wednesday returns to Nevermore Academy, now joined by her brother Pugsley and her ever-present parents. She uncovers a new string of murders and conspiracies while grappling with evolving psychic powers.

Q: Who are the new cast members in Wednesday Season 2?

A: New faces include Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Thandiwe Newton, and Heather Matarazzo, all playing intriguing but underdeveloped characters in the first half.