Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 Finally Raises The Stakes To Meet Jenna Ortega’s Macabre Energy

It’s no secret that Jenna Ortega carried the first season of Netflix’s hit series Wednesday with her masterful portrayal of the macabre teen sleuth. While she impressed, the rest of the show suffered from a lackluster teen romance and an overstuffed story that never truly delivered on the mystery. Luckily, Wednesday season 2 part 1 fixes those mistakes.

This new chapter brings Wednesday Addams back to the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy as she struggles with her psychic abilities, a newfound popularity, and a chilling vision of her best friend Enid’s (Emma Myers) death — a tragedy that is all her fault.

This time, the writers wisely sideline the love triangle drama and lean into Wednesday’s strengths as a detective. Her sleuthing cleverly ties back to her evolving relationships, especially with her family. In season 1, the Addams family felt like caricature cameos, but this time, they are brought further into the Nevermore fold.

Catherine Zeta-Jones gets a juicier role as Morticia is tapped to chair the school’s fundraising gala. This forces the mother and daughter together to face their strained relationship. Morticia tries to protect Wednesday from herself as she fears she is going down the same dark path as her missing sister Ophelia. This is one of the rare moments when Wednesday — usually the smartest one in the room — may be wrong, but feels the risk is worth it to save Enid. The family drama deepens as Morticia’s estranged mother Hester Frump (Joanna Lumley) is brought into the mix, adding another layer of generational tension. 

This season, Wednesday’s sweet younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) also joins the Nevermore student body. When he struggles to make friends, he finds himself drawn to the school’s urban legend of the Skull Tree. The story is told in Tim Burton’s classic animation style that brings a welcomed whimsical nostalgia to the show. When he goes on a mission to find the tree, he accidentally brings a zombie with a clockwork heart to life with his electrifying power and learns having a “pet” isn’t as easy as he thinks. 

Beyond the family drama, Nevermore itself introduces us to new teachers, students, and school traditions — including Founder’s Day Pyre, Prank Day, and a school camping trip — that bring a fresh energy. The camping episode, which finds Wednesday leading a rousing capture-the-flag war between Outcast students and normie cadets, is a particular stand out. Meanwhile, Wednesday continues to keep Enid in the dark about the vision she had of her death. It’s ironic that despite having no interest in connecting with the students of Nevermore, she has found herself a surprising support group, including one friend she would risk anything to save. Myers’ Enid remains the Galinda to Wednesday’s Elphaba, making them a duo you can’t help but root for. While Wednesday is dark and mysterious, Enid is sunshine and bubble gum, tapping into the relatable high school experience of crushes and driving lessons.

As Wednesday juggles dangerous stalkers, solving murders, and protecting Enid, her detective work leads her to LOIS — a hidden Outcast testing program inside the Willow Hills Psychiatric Facility. Wednesday recognizes all but one of the Outcasts locked up from faked obituaries she found during her investigation, which made me question: could this be her missing Aunt Ophelia? While the LOIS twist is intriguing, the resolution felt rushed. The mastermind behind the whole program is revealed too quickly and then immediately taken out before the tension can fully land. 

There’s still a lot to explore as we get into part 2. Is Wednesday okay after her brutal attack? What secrets is new Principal Dort (Steve Buscemi) hiding behind his Outcast pride campaign? What happened to Aunt Ophelia? And how will Lady Gaga’s much-anticipated guest appearance shake things up?

Despite a few pacing issues, Wednesday season 2 part 1 proves the sophomore slump can be overcome. Jenna Ortega remains the show’s stand out — and now the story is finally matching her energy. 

Wednesday season 2 part 1 is streaming on Netflix, while part 2 returns September 3.