WEDNESDAY SEASON 2 REVIEW: WAS IT REALLY WORTH THE WAIT?

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Leeds chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Wednesday season 2 aired in two parts on Netflix late this summer after nearly a three-year wait. Many factors may have played a part in this, from the 2023 SAG-AFTRA writers strike to the simple fact that the show features a lot of crazy stunts (I can’t even count how many times Jenna Ortega was thrown aggressively across a room) and special effects that inevitably take longer to edit in post-production. But was it really worth the wait?

Season 2 follows the titular character, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), returning to Nevermore for another school year, forced to continue her investigations to confront a new tormenter to prevent the death of her roommate, Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers). The two-part season features lots of twists and turns, with a surprising focus on Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan) and his dysfunctional family members.

The first part of the season is, in my opinion, very confusing. The inclusion of Wednesday’s younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) at Nevermore felt like a plot filler; unnecessary and uninteresting. However, the second part of the season tied this storyline together in a compelling fashion. That being said, the decision to involve the Addams family as a whole more in this season was undeniably great. Filled with a star-studded cast from Catherine Zeta-Jones as the iconic Morticia Addams to the hilarious Fred Armisen as crazy Uncle Fester, it brought back an important reminder that despite her independence and desire to be alone, Wednesday Addams can’t function without her dysfunctional family.

The theme of dysfunctional families ran strong throughout the season and played a significant role in Tyler Galpin’s storyline, as the lingering mystery from season one about the identity of his mother was finally addressed. While the reveal of Tyler’s mother, in my opinion, felt very underwhelming, it successfully wrapped up that narrative thread and offered deeper insight into Tyler’s resentment toward Outcasts, as well as his twisted maternal connection with his former Hyde master, Marilyn Thornhill (Christina Ricci). 

In the latter half of the season, it is revealed that Pugsley’s zombie friend is actually the reanimated corpse of former Nevermore student Issac Night (Owen Painter) and the deceased brother of Tyler’s mother, Francoise Galpin (Frances O’Connor), as well as the former roommate and best friend of Gomez Addams (Luis Guzmán). This explained the undeniable connection between Wednesday and Tyler and tied this confusing season up in a much more riveting way. The final episode brought the theme of dysfunctional families to its climax. The showdown between Tyler and his mother—both in their Hyde forms—served as a grotesque reflection of their fractured bond, with the fight symbolising years of resentment, abandonment, and unspoken grief. Thing’s battle with Isaac, revealed to be his severed hand, mirrored this conflict, as throughout the season, Thing wrestled with insecurities about its origins and place within the Addams family, questioning whether it was truly a member of the family or merely a servant. In a moment of clarity and devotion, Thing ultimately broke free of Isaac’s control and chose loyalty over blood, helping the Addams family defeat their enemies and reaffirming its place as an essential member of the household. This also worked effectively in highlighting the strong bond between Wednesday and Thing, which was more prominent than ever this season. In contrast, the Hyde battle between Tyler and his mother ended tragically, with Tyler’s mother falling to her death. While the Addams family all survived despite Wednesday’s premonition that one of them would die, it was ultimately Tyler’s family that was torn apart. The juxtaposition between the two families highlights one of the central themes of this season: that family is not defined by blood, but by love, acceptance, and the willingness to fight for one another. The Addams family, for all their eccentricities, remain bound by unwavering loyalty, while Tyler’s family, consumed by secrecy, shame, and the burden of their powers, ultimately self-destructs. This stark contrast not only reinforces the importance of chosen family but also sets the stage for Tyler’s potential redemption arc, as he must confront his isolation, which is a direct consequence of his outcast abilities.

Another very important aspect of both seasons is Wednesday’s dysfunctional relationship with her mother, which is heavily expanded upon in this season, and rightly so. Morticia’s attempts to save her fractured relationship with Wednesday only push her further away, and as Wednesday discovers more secrets from her mother’s past, their damaged relationship only worsens. However, in a turn of events, the threat of an Addams death forces Wednesday to confront her negative relationship with her mother. During the final showdown, as she believes her mother is about to die, a shot of Wednesday highlights her regret and concern for her mother, and the relief she feels once her mother wakes up pinnacles the love she has for her despite their issues. The theme of maternal love runs deep throughout this season, as the relationship between Tyler and his mother is mirrored in this scene, as unlike the Addamses, Tyler loses his mother and the chance to build up their relationship in the same way it’s hinted that Wednesday and Morticia eventually will.

Although not the main plot of the season, the show also did an alright job in strengthening the roles of the side characters. Although in my opinion the inclusion of Steve Buscemi’s character, Barry Dort, fell short, the screentime devoted to Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday) and former minor character Ajax Petropolus (Georgie Farmer) is commendable. It broke the season up in a subtle way and provided a small but necessary break from the overwhelming absorption of information that was provided pretty much every episode in terms of the Isaac Night storyline.

The alpha side plot given to Emma Myers’ character, Enid Sinclair, this season provided a nice pathway that will presumably lead us into season three (which hopefully won’t take another three years to come out). As well as providing this pathway, the decision to make Enid an alpha, a possible lone wolf, yet again encourages Wednesday to confront her proclamation about her inner desire to be alone, which we have seen collapse throughout both seasons through her friendship with Enid, her family and her bond with Tyler.

So, overall, I would say yes, Wednesday season two was definitely worth the wait.

Editor: Grace Lees