Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

After almost three years, season two of “Wednesday” is available to stream on Netflix.

Featuring an icy glare and razor-sharp quips, Wednesday Addams, Netflix’s gothic teenager played by Jenna Ortega, returned this fall in the second season of the hit show. The question for most viewers was whether it would live up to the first season.

Based on Charles Addams’ cartoon “The Addams Family,” “Wednesday” is a darkly comedic supernatural mystery series narrating the adventure at a time when Wednesday Addams is sent to Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for outcasts. The story follows her attempts at mastering her psychic abilities while solving supernatural mysteries as well as unveiling her deep-rooted historical family secrets.

Balancing gothic themes with humor, mystery and even elements of horror, the first season released in 2022 rocketed up the Netflix leaderboard and sits as Netflix’s No. 1 most popular show globally.

Sadly, though, Season 2 doesn’t live up to the standards of the first.

For one, the efforts to force multiple different plots within eight episodes result in many of them reaching anticlimactic resolutions. For example, a plot twist at the end of the season leaves readers with initial shock, but an unsatisfying and abrupt conclusion. The whole sequence of revealing the twist and showing its resolution happens in a blur, making the entire buildup seem rushed.

Additionally, some of the important characters from the first season are almost forgotten and undeveloped: Wednesday’s “best friend” Enid Sinclair is barely featured. The heart of the show is undoubtedly the relationship between these two girls. The fact that they are polar opposites in every way, and yet they can’t help but care for one another shows the depth of their connection. Underplaying the relationship between these two core characters feels like a missed opportunity.

As a whole, the season feels like a jumble of ideas rather than a cohesive story; more than anything, writers failed to build to a clear climax.

These plot flaws aside, the strongest element of the show continues to be the acting. Jenna Ortega’s subtle facial expressions and impeccable body language create a unique blend of creepiness, brilliance and deadpan humor that masterfully depicts the Wednesday Addams persona. 

Many of the actors were pushed through strenuous challenges for their roles as well. For example, one actor — Owen Painter — had to act as a zombie in his own home to practice for the role months before filming. 

One of the strengths of the second season still lies in its entertainment factor. Its visually stunning aesthetic — particularly embodied in a stop-motion black and white scene directed by Tim Burton himself — adheres to the gloomy theme, and helps develop the Addams family story. 

In addition, the stakes feel high with Wednesday driven by a terrifying vision, which plunges her deeper into the investigation, revealing twists and thrilling turns. It’s the kind of propulsive, satisfying storytelling that makes the audience crave the next episode.

While the show is interesting enough to justify bringing it, don’t set your expectations too high. For every moment of ghoulish delight, there’s a frustrating plot dead end that weakens the narrative and feels like a wasted setup.

Final rating: 3.5/5 Falcons.