Wednesday season two praised as ‘never better’ and ‘wildly entertaining’ in first reviews

The queen of broody, empress of monotone, and patron saint of all things macabre is back, as Wednesday returns to Netflix for season two. Forget Brat summer, this is the summer of woe.

It’s been a long and arduous three years away from Nevermore Academy, but according to the first reviews, the second season of Wednesday is more than worth the wait.

Jenna Ortega’s delightfully deadpan anti-hero Wednesday Addams is of course back for a new semester, and she’s once again flanked by her family of familiar faces: her mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), father Gomez (Luis Guzmán) and brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez). The Addams family will be a more present force this time around, too.

Thing (Victor Dorobantu) is, um, on hand too, while Wednesday’s comparatively exuberant roommate Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers) returns, though her fate hangs in the balance after the events of season two’s first episode.

There’s a host of new faces this time around, including Doctor Who legend Billie Piper as Isadora Capri, Motherland’s Joanna Lumley as Grandmama Addams, and Boardwalk Empire’s Steve Buscemi as new principal Barry Dot. Plus, there’s set to be a spectacularly spooky appearance from the queen of goth pop, Lady Gaga.

Season two sees Wednesday “plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery” which is “darker and more complex” than season one’s adventures, according to Netflix. Wednesday has gone from social outcast to unwilling school celebrity following the events of the season one finale and, it seems, the high really can be as good the second time around – even if Wednesday herself would rather a low.

In a strong four star review in The Guardian, Sarah Dempster praised Wednesday season two as a “wildly entertaining”, “hugely elaborate” and “joke-packed” return.

Dempster also praised Ortega specifically, stating that her “charisma could power a thousand hearses”.

In Forbes, Erik Kain agreed that season two is “delightfully macabre” and “every bit as good as season one” thanks to a range of elements: genuinely surprising deaths, more time with the wider Addams family, and Ortega’s “perfect” portrayal of Wednesday.

“Wednesday season two part one knocks it out of the park thanks to its compelling mystery, dark sense of humour and a stellar cast led by Jenna Ortega,” Kain’s review continues – though they stress that only part one, not part two, was available for critics to see. Part two lands on Netflix on 3 September.

Variety’s TV critic Aramide Tinubu writes that Wednesday season two is “full of zing and depth” and that thankfully, “the season remains just as thrilling as the first”.

“Like its first season, the first part of Wednesday Season two is spooky, kooky and mysterious,” Tinubu continues. They add that Ortega has “commanding control” of the character and is still “leading the charge”.

Similarly, Radio Times’ David Opie stated that Wednesday has “never been better”.

While the bulk of early reviews are positive, a few offer minor quibbles with season two.

Writing in a three-star review in The Independent, Annabel Nugent explained that season two “benefits greatly from a stronger family presence” though some fans may be left “upset” by the events of season two that sees Wednesday “sideline” her friend Enid.

Felipe Rangel has a similar bugbear in Screenrant, writing that they are “a little disappointed the show didn’t do as much with [Wednesday’s] connection to Enid” in season two.

“After they became best friends in season one, the two characters are not together nearly as much as before.”

Wednesday season two part one is now streaming on Netflix. Part Two will stream from 3 September.

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