Wednesday season 1 was a massive success, but season 2 will have to fight twice as hard to hold up. The worst thing Netflix could do at this point is get too confident and think that success will come easy from this point forward. There have been dozens of TV shows over the years that nailed it with their first seasons but couldn’t keep it up with future installments. In a way, the pressure for Wednesday season 2 is even higher since this will determine the overall longevity and potential of the Netflix series.
Wednesday season 1 put a unique twist on the Addams Family franchise, focusing on Wednesday Addams as a central character rather than the family as a whole. The series was presented as more of a mystery thriller teen drama rather than a family comedy, which seemed to be just the thing to get audiences interested. Wednesday quickly became Netflix’s top series, even comparatively beating out Stranger Things with its season 1 ratings. However, can Wednesday season 2 keep the momentum going?
The Addams Family has always been macabre, but Wednesday’s season 1 took this a step further. It wasn’t just about a spooky family that delights in death and misery—the Netflix series centered around horrific murders, adding in that thrill of never knowing who was going to die next. With Tim Burton at the wheel, it’s no wonder this went over so well. The horror elements played a significant role in the success of season 1, but season 2 must go further.
The thrilling, high-suspense moments of Wednesday season 1 were spaced out, with more light-hearted scenes taking up the majority. Though a certain balance must be achieved, Wednesday season 2 can get away with turning up the horror elements while slightly dialing back on the “kooky.” Thankfully, actor Jenna Ortega has already teased that this will be the case in the upcoming episodes.
Wednesday season 1 saw the titular character forced to socialize with teens her age, which came with the obligatory love triangle. Xavier and Tyler were both vying for Wednesday’s attention during this first batch of episodes, and Wednesday got caught up in the attention enough that she didn’t notice Tyler was a Hyde. Then, at the end of season 1, she seemed to give Xavier a chance instead.
It looks like this plotline will be thrown out for Wednesday season 2, and that’s probably for the better. Ortega has said that the upcoming episodes won’t be so focused on finding Wednesday romance, and with Xavier’s (Percy Hynes White) absence from season 2, this will be easy to achieve. The romantic aspect of Wednesday was wholly unneeded, and Wednesday’s friendship with Enid and Eugene was far more intriguing.
Wednesday’s dance at the Rave’N quickly became the most iconic moment from season 1. It exploded across social media, drawing in more audiences and increasing Wednesday’s viewership even further. It was a delightful and organic piece of Ortega’s performance and perfectly representative of the character herself. Unfortunately, this means that audiences will be expecting something similar in Wednesday season 2.
With Wednesday‘s season 1 dance having already set the bar so high, it would be nearly impossible for season 2 to include a similar sequence that would hold up the same way. If the coming episodes see Wednesday start to dance, it would be immediately apparent that the show is attempting to duplicate the season 1 moment, which makes it less organic and susceptible to criticism. However, if Netflix avoids a dance sequence, there’s sure to be public outcry as well.
The bad thing about gaining such a massive following after only one season is that audiences’ expectations are about as high as they can get going into the next. The second season of a series is even more important than the first when determining whether it has staying power. For all anyone knows, Wednesday’s season 1 was simply a fluke, and they will be eager to find this out for sure when season 2 begins streaming.
Expectations were relatively high for Wednesday season 1 since the Addams Family franchise is already deeply loved, and Tim Burton’s name is considered gold. However, this is nothing compared to now. Expectations are even higher, and Wednesday season 2 will have to be as near to perfect as possible.
Burton made some excellent filming decisions with Wednesday season 1. Aesthetically, the scenes looked dark and almost eerily romantic, which is precisely what the genre called for. The special effects also worked well, and the various creatures of Nevermore Academy looked believable. However, in the instances in which Wednesday season 1 required more intense CGI, the illusion was somewhat lost.
Two prime examples of this were Tyler and Enid in their monster forms. The CGI Hyde and werewolf looked a little off in Wednesday, with textures and lighting not quite allowing the monsters to look real. In the case of season 1, this only added to the campy feel of the story, so it wasn’t a significant criticism. However, if season 2 hopes to top its predecessor, a CGI upgrade is a must.
The Nevermore setting in Wednesday season 1 was the perfect way to make the Netflix spinoff series stand out from other Addams Family projects. It took the titular daughter out of the usual environment while still keeping that “outcast” tone alive. What’s more, there is something about magical schools that seems to draw audiences in—Wednesday‘s Nevermore captured that Harry Potter feel while staying unique.
Of course, if Wednesday wants to remain unique, it will switch up the setting in season 2. Nevermore was a lot of fun, and Wednesday will no doubt return to the school of outcasts, but there is a lot more opportunity in a larger world. Luckily, Wednesday was on her way to the Addams Family Manor at the end of season 1, and the hints about Wednesday season 2’s setting indicate that she will stay there for at least part of the coming episodes.
The villain twist in Wednesday season 1 was pulled off beautifully. Though there will undoubtedly be those who guessed that Miss Thornhill, played by Addams Family alumni Christina Ricci, was the villain, it was a fun enough story that it wouldn’t have been a letdown. The problem with this, however, is that Wednesday season 2 will have a hard time coming up with something just as exciting.
The fact that Ricci, who played Wednesday in the ’90s Addams Family movies, was the villain was a delicious way to end the first season, and Netflix may be tempted to duplicate this. Another legacy Addams Family actor, Christopher Lloyd, is set to play in Wednesday season 2, and he, too, could make an excellent villain. Doing the same twist twice in a series can work, and establishing a formula isn’t necessarily bad. However, there would need to be something to keep such a twist fresh.
Before Wednesday season 1’s release, the idea of an Addams Family TV show that doesn’t center the entire family was a little uncomfortable. As beloved as Wednesday’s character was and is, it was hard to imagine that the show would feel like a part of the franchise without characters like Morticia and Gomez in every episode. However, Wednesday season 1 managed a perfect balance, which season 2 will need to continue.
Wednesday season 1 carried through on the promise that the entire Addams family wouldn’t necessarily be the focus, but it still managed to throw in a variety of references to the original sitcom and movies. Everything from the original characters to the Addams Family theme song was included, but in a way that didn’t outshine the new story. After season 1’s success, it would be easy to lose touch with this balance, but Wednesday season 2 mustn’t lose focus.
Wednesday’s character came a long way in Wednesday season 1. She started entirely unwilling to build relationships with anyone, but after coming to Nevermore, she had a great group of friends who helped her save the day. Of course, this isn’t to say that Wednesday is no longer antisocial and out of touch with many concepts involved with friendship. However, her character arc has undoubtedly taken her forward.
This is somewhat atypical for an Addams Family adaptation, where each family member has been more or less the same since the 1960s. Wednesday is different in that its format requires development from its characters. Wednesday season 2 can’t pick up with a character who has completely reverted back to her old ways. A series that sees Wednesday repeatedly learn how not to be a horrible friend won’t last long, so the character will need new lessons and development in the next seasons.