Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: Jenna Ortega returns with mayhem, minus 'wow' factor

Wednesday Addams says in the fourth, and the final episode of the second season part 1 of Netflix's show: ''Maybe I have made everything worse. Much worse.'' Without giving too many spoilers away, the line is the perfect way to explain to the audience the chaos Wednesday Addams has unleashed. Known for her sharp mind and ability to get out of any situation, the question now is what she's going to do next, or is there another plan already taking shape in her head when lying outside of the Willowhill Psychiatric Hospital? The answers lie in volume 2, but for now, we’ll have to wait nearly a month to see how it all unfolds.

Coming to the dialogue I mentioned in the first paragraph, Wednesday is back, and wherever she is, the one sure thing is the mayhem, and that too in every sense. Tim Burton's highly anticipated show is now available on Netflix. But is the FIRST PART of this adaptation as good as the first one? Let's find out.

Wednesday is back to woe, again. But How?

Season 2 starts with Wednesday stuck in the basement of the serial killer, tied up with ropes, and her mouth stuffed with a cloth. Black tears are running down her eyes. This is the sneak peek of Wednesday's eventful summer break. She, with the help of Thing, did a high-profile killing of serial killer Haley Joel Osment, and returned to Nevermore Academy for the second semester.

With her gothic look and wide, intense eyes, Wednesday once again steps into her school, where some things have changed and some are new. But the challenges for this little weirdo have reached the next level; she has a stalker to find, a best friend to save, and all of it without some of her psychic powers. But she has an extra right hand, Thing, that crawls everywhere and anywhere.

Like the first season, the second season revolves around a remote boarding school that perfectly matches the psychic and intense vibe of the show, a place where even a violent death seems to be admired, just like Wednesday does and says in the show.

While Goody Addams is gone, this time we learn about Wednesday’s aunt and Morticia’s sister, Ophelia, who has been missing for the past 20 years. Wednesday and her psychic visions have already made her worry about her BFF, Enid Sinclair’s, death. What’s even more disturbing for Wednesday is the feeling that she might be responsible for it. While this thought runs through her mind, in the first four episodes, her focus is on finding the stalker.

Another interesting character this season is Evie Templeton, who plays Agnes, a new student at the academy and a great admirer of Wednesday, wanting to be just like her. An outcast with the power of invisibility, Agnes is the eerie new entry with wide, round eyes, and someone you simply can’t ignore. Apart from Wednesday, this time, the show also focuses on other characters of the show, with multiple storylines, such as other characters, including Morticia, Gomez and Bianca getting more screentime.

What’s missing in season 2?

The four episodes of the show are appealing in many ways, with gripping performances and mysteries that keep you engaged. However, the first four episodes fall short when it comes to humour and storytelling. That ‘’wow'' factor, the spark that made the first season so entertaining, feels somewhat absent. While the animation and zombie elements do add a touch of horrific wickedness, they aren’t as compelling. Unlike the first season, where every episode left a strong impact, this time the effect is weaker. That ''surprise'' element is missing in the first four episodes. But what happens in the last episode gives hope for what's to come in the second part.

The performances that make everything delicious

Ortega rolling her eyes in the first four episodes with her magnetic aura keeps you hooked to the show. Her sharp one-liners land perfectly, and the way she delivers each dialogue with deadpan expressions remains one of the season’s highlights. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán, as Morticia and Gomez, dance through the episodes with gothic charm; whether they’re eating rats or cookies wrapped in webs, they bring back that classic “OG” weirdness of the Addams Family. However, the most entertaining character was Fred Armisen’s Uncle Fester, who brought the funny charm with his expressions. Enid (Emma Myers), Wednesday’s colourful werewolf friend, is there throughout the show. But doesn't do a lot.

The conclusion

The first part sets the stage for the final climax and demands some patience. The mayhem in this gothic world is enjoyable, but what’s missing is that surprising, ohhh-factor. Hopefully, that arrives in the second half. Where the story lacks, the performance makes the show everything worth watching.