Wednesday Season 2, Part 2 of Netflix concludes with a chic but too ambitious finish. The season sets up new cliffhangers for what’s to come, but it also issues with pacing and character depth.
The second season of Netflix’s Wednesday comes to a conclusion, marking the end of another year at Nevermore. But how does this most recent episode compare to the groundbreaking first season that made Wednesday Addams, starring Jenna Ortega, a cultural phenomenon? Like the season, the answer is not straightforward.
In theory, Season 2 is divided into two halves, a practice that Netflix has already tried with Squid Game’s last season. But splitting the season only ends up exposing cracks in the story. While Tyler Galpin fled the asylum, Wednesday was flung out of a Willow Hill window, marking the conclusion of Part 1’s unfinished narrative. Part 2 continues where Part 1 left off, but rather than seeming like a smooth continuation, it races towards an overpowering conclusion.
Part 2 plunges into mayhem right away. While a zombie named Slurp—who unpredictably becomes friends with Pugsley Addams—emerges as a wild card, Tyler (Hunter Doohan), now a fugitive Hyde, continues to pose a menace. Wednesday deals with new antagonists, family secrets, and the consequences of losing her psychic abilities as Nevermore gets ready for a school party that returning matriarch Hester Frump (Joanna Lumley) is hosting.
Part 2’s largest problem is its scope; it goes beyond its main objective. The plot falters as a result of the authors Miles Millar and Alfred Gough’s attempts to include every new and returning character. In Season 2, there are just too many subplots, including Thing’s beginnings, Gomez and Morticia’s adolescent history, Enid’s unspoken troubles, and new connections to Nevermore alumni, whereas Season 1 excelled on a tightly woven centre mystery. Although each concept has potential, none of them really connects because they are all condensed into four episodes. The outcome is hazy.
In the event that the plot stalls, Part 2 is sustained by the performances. Embracing deeper emotional beats and embracing Wednesday’s razor-sharp wit, Jenna Ortega feels more relaxed this season. In one of the season’s best episodes, she and Emma Myers (Enid) undergo an out-of-body experience as their chemistry finally takes centre stage.
The supporting cast also excels. Gwendoline Christie makes a comeback as Larissa Weems, who is now a ghostly mentor who gives Wednesday sage advice. Her interactions with Catherine Zeta-Jones’s Morticia are bursting with vitality, bringing sequences that may otherwise feel overly expositional to a solid foundation. Joanna Lumley is enjoying her part as Hester Frump, stealing moments with her sardonic wit.
Lady Gaga makes a surprising impact as Rosalyn Rotwood, a raven with a dark and ominous edge. Instead of feeling like a throwaway cameo, her role adds depth and intrigue to the story. Christopher Lloyd, appearing only as a disembodied head, brings one of the most heartfelt moments in a tender exchange with Thing and young Agnes (Evie Templeton), a spirited Wednesday fan who proves to be a delightful new addition.
Uneven screen time is a drawback of having such a large cast. Billie Piper’s Isadora only starts to develop as the season comes to a close, while Hunter Doohan’s Tyler feels marginalised.
Wednesday is frequently criticised for insisting on connecting each significant plot point to the Addams family’s history. The show struck a mix between the Addamses’ sinister charm and a contemporary supernatural mystery in Season 1. That equilibrium breaks down in Part 2. Wednesday loses her edge due to flashbacks of family history, which turns her from the most odd girl in the room into an unwilling successor to a wealthy family’s legacy.
One of the weaker components is still romance. Tim Burton’s direction, however, keeps Wednesday distinct from previous teen dramas in spite of the narrative hiccups. Even when the plot falters under its own weight, episodes 7 and 8 in particular exhibit his own style—grand, frightening, and visually magnificent.
The ambition of Wednesday Season 2 Part 2’s storytelling ultimately surpasses its execution, despite its style and ambition. Wednesday’s distinctive qualities are undermined by the split-season experiment, which reveals pacing problems, underdeveloped characters, and an excessive dependence on the Addams family narrative.
Although Season 2 doesn’t quite live up to the success of Season 1, it does set the stage for Season 3, which will offer cliffhangers that hint at even more mayhem at Nevermore.