The Addams Family was a popular goth type sitcom back in the 1960s based on Charles Addams comic strip. It had a unique blend of dark comedy and family drama. The angst was very real, though, and that’s probably why the popular show was adapted into not one but two films in the 1990s by Barry Sonnenfeld. Since then, the weird family has also had two animated films as well. The offbeat dark comedy wasn’t finished yet, though, as the director behind Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, and Sleepy Hollow finally got his hands on this property. He focused mainly on the Wednesday Addams character; the entire family are here in the Netflix series about this dark eclectic family that never seems to lose interest with fans. Wednesday Season 2 is almost upon us, and I, for one, can’t wait to talk about it.

Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) is preparing for her second year at Nevermore Academy, the school for Outcasts. In her summer months, she practiced using her new found psychic abilities. She investigated and captured the Kansas City Scalper (Haley Joel Osment), a serial killer who used the hair from his victims to make lifelike dolls. This prepared her for the strange and crazy year she is about to embark on. A new school principal Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi), who wants her to be the school hero, some students who are obsessed fans of hers, and a one eyed raven who has appeared at two different murders scenes will keep her busy. If she can stay alive while all this is going on. Her trusty friend Thing (Victor Dorabantu) is at her side and she’s got to watch over her younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) and deal with her overbearing mother Morticia Addams (Cathrine Zeta Jones) and father Gomez Addams (Luis Guzman) butting into her dark business. It’s just another year in her young goth life.

I was given four episodes to review, but I won’t be giving out any spoilers in this review. My thoughts will be pretty vague, so no worries here.Tim Burton, who directed the first and fourth episodes of season 2, takes a specific angle with this show. He patterns it after Harry Potter. Nevermore Academy being Hogwarts, of course, New years and a new principal remind me of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers always changing with each new subsequent book/film. New students who play a part in the new season and obviously new threats as well. Threats that have a history with the school and of the Addams Family themselves. It’s pretty on brand, but there are some differences.  It’s not a complete copy.

Some of the things Burton and the showrunners/writers Miles Miller and Alfred Gough focus on are the various kinds of Outcasts that are at Nevermore Academy and in the world. Such as sirens, werewolves, physics, animal controllers, fire starters,and many others. All the different kinds of Outcasts that make up this world that these two writers use in the show help build it out. The expansion of the world is inherent in developing the series more and more with each subsequent season. It’s so fascinating how all the new and established characters fit perfectly into the show. Similar in a way to Smallville, the pair know how to expand on an existing IP in fascinating new ways.

Jenna Ortega has been on a winning streak lately with the Scream franchise, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and Death of a Unicorn, but arguably the biggest role of her career is that of Wednesday Addams. She just has a knack for playing dark macabre characters. Which typically fits into what Burton’s jam is. She has made the character played famously by Christina Ricci in the two Sonnenfeld films, her own. She is given delicious dialogue by Miller & Gough, and she delivers her lines with the swiftness of a scythe. Her character doesn’t spare anybody. Even her brother and parents get the swift end of her tongue. Any goth person would be admired by the impeccably well versed character Ortega plays.Throw in her fantastic investigative skills, and you have a great character for her to play for many years to come, if this series keeps getting picked up. She is literally a star in this role. There is no other word to use to describe her. She is perfectly cast as Wednesday.

Not to always compare this series with Harry Potter, but the comparisons are uncanny. Another thing that is great about this show is the production design and costumes. The Nevermore Academy school itself is a great set or location. The various bedrooms, classrooms, and offices are all decked out with unique objects and things that set them apart from the others. Each of the locations in the school and out such as Willow Hill penitentiary are designed with skill and precision. The costumes are also very specific to this show, and they look amazing on the students as well as adults at the school. A few outfits worn by Buscemi were quite colorful and hilarious. They helped make him that character. I felt like I was right back at home watching this series again from these two aspects.

One of my favorite things about shows that I love like Wednesday is the cast. All great shows have a terrific supporting cast. The same goes with this one. Some cast members like Enid (Emma Myers) a werewolf, Pugsley Addams (Isaac Ordonez), Gomez Addams (Luis Guzman), Morticia Addams (Cathrine Zeta Jones), Bianca Barkley (Joy Sunday) and Ajax, a gorgon, (Georgie Farmer) are all back for Season 2, but there are a lot of new characters as well. As I mentioned, Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi) the new principle, Miss Capri (Billie Piper) Orloff ,a head in a jar, (Christopher Loyd)  Agnes DeMille (Evie Templeton) a new student, and Rachel Fairburn (Thandiewe Newton) are the new characters who all play a part in Season 2. There are even a few cameos I’m sure fans of the series will love.The supporting cast is fantastic, but my favorite is, besides,Wednesday herself, Ortega is Thing. Victor Dorabantu does a fantastic job portraying this appendage. I’ve never seen someone play a hand before other than in this series. I’m amazed by the emotions and all of the movements he is able to use in his performance. 

One of Burton’s frequent collaborators is Danny Elfman. Elfman has done quite a few scores for Burton’s films. He does the music for this series as well. Giving Wednesday a distinct sound of her own while also being true to the original theme music from the show and films. The score in this show is a perfect companion to the world that Miller and Gough are trying to create. The people behind the scenes on this series are all doing a great job. The non-score music is also pretty cool with songs from the Kinks, “You Really Got Me”, CCR, “Bad Moon Rising,” and REM “Losing My Religion “ among others. As in Season 1, the music is a key part of Season 2. It’s just a cool part of what makes this series so good. The songs bring back memories for me. Who grew up on most of them.

One of the most interesting things about Wednesday is the episode titles. They always represent something in each of the episodes, and they always have the word “Woe” in them. Season 2 is the same as Season 1 in that respect. Ep 1: Her We Woe Again, Ep 2: The Devil You Woe, Ep 3: Call of the Woe, Ep 4: If These Woes Could Talk. If you read into these titles, you can figure out what’s going on in each episode, but probably not. They are pretty vague. I just love how they all work in the context of the story. Things like episode titles should give clues to the series they are in. That shows the writers are on their toes. In this case, Miller and Gough, the showrunners. 

Wednesday Season 2 picks up where Season 1 left off in the context that everything is the same except for a few things. Burton, Miller, and Gough are all back doing exceptional work in Season 2. The direction is impeccable. The writing, which is well layered and full of subplots as well as a great main story, is amazing. The supporting cast is all doing great work with Buscemi doing some of the best work of his career. Ortega acts like she owns this role, which is why I love her so much in it. I can’t imagine seeing anybody else as this truly  iconic character. I was excited for Season 2 off Wednesday because I loved Season 1 so much. My excitement wasn’t misplaced because after 4 episodes, this show is right back where Season 1 left me feeling, and that is great! All shows that do that deserve to be praised. Just like I’m doing with Season 2 of Wednesday! I love it!

I reviewed 4/8 episodes of Wednesday Season 2, which will stream on Netflix August 6th

5 stars

Dan Skip Allen