Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 Review: A Darker, Bolder Return

by reviewzinsight.com · 6 August 2025

Netflix released Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 on August 6, 2025, delivering the first four episodes of an eight‑episode season. Netflix adopted a split‑season format this time, with Part 2 arriving on September 3, 2025. This release strategy immediately sparked heated debates in the fan community. Binge-watchers wanted the entire season at once, while others enjoyed the suspense created by the two‑part drop.

Three years after the show’s debut in 2022, Wednesday Addams returned to Nevermore Academy. The series intensified its gothic tone, enhanced psychological suspense, and introduced new characters who add layers to the existing mystery.

Cast and Characters: Familiar Faces and Exciting Newcomers

Jenna Ortega reprised her role as Wednesday Addams with more authority, now also serving as an executive producer. She shaped character nuances, wardrobe choices, and narrative decisions. Ortega commanded the screen in every frame, bringing Wednesday’s stoic, sharp, and darkly humorous persona to life. Her expanded role also reflected in her massive pay increase—from $30,000 per episode in Season 1 to $250,000 per episode in Season 2.

The Addams family remained central to the show’s foundation:

Catherine Zeta‑Jones portrayed Morticia Addams with controlled elegance and maternal concern.
Luis Guzmán played Gomez, adding charm and comic timing, although his screen time remained brief.
Emma Myers returned as Enid Sinclair, Wednesday’s vibrant werewolf roommate, providing the emotional contrast to Wednesday’s deadpan personality.
Hunter Doohan reprised Tyler Galpin, whose complex relationship with Wednesday took a darker, more twisted turn.
Joy Sunday, Moosa Mostafa, Georgie Farmer, and Isaac Ordonez all returned, maintaining the familiar Nevermore dynamics.

Several new faces stole attention in Part 1:

Steve Buscemi joined as Barry Dort, the eccentric new principal of Nevermore. His unpredictable energy injected both humor and tension into key scenes.
Lady Gaga appeared as Rosaline Rotwood, a mysterious music teacher who exudes charisma and hides dangerous secrets. Her in‑show performance of a new original song, Dead Dance, became a memorable highlight.
Billie Piper portrayed Isadora Capri, a reclusive music prodigy whose interactions with Wednesday teased hidden motives.
Thandiwe Newton took on the role of Dr. Rachael Fairburn, a psychiatrist entangled in Nevermore’s shadowy undercurrents.
Haley Joel Osment played a chilling figure known as the Kansas City Scalper, a serial killer who set the stage for the season’s opening tension.

The show also featured guest appearances from Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Lumley, Evie Templeton, and Owen Painter, enriching the tapestry of this macabre world.

Story and Tone: A Gothic Mystery with Personal Stakes

Season 2 Part 1 embraced darker storytelling, leaning into Wednesday’s psychic abilities and her struggle with identity, legacy, and danger. The opening episode immediately heightened tension with the capture of the Kansas City Scalper, but the story quickly pivoted to Wednesday’s new challenges at Nevermore.

Wednesday now carried the burden of unwanted celebrity after her heroic acts in Season 1. Obsessed fans and stalkers lurked everywhere, reflecting modern commentary on toxic fandom. Evie Templeton’s character, Agnes DeMille, embodied that danger with unnerving devotion.

The heart of the mystery revolved around Wednesday’s disturbing psychic visions. In one of the season’s most haunting images, black tears streamed down her face during an episode where she foresaw Enid’s potential death. Morticia, deeply troubled, warned Wednesday about a family curse, adding layers of foreboding.

The visual style of Part 1 elevated its gothic roots. Tim Burton returned to direct several episodes, ensuring that every frame dripped with eerie elegance. Dimly lit halls, overgrown courtyards, and intricate set design transformed Nevermore into a character of its own. The cinematography captured haunting portraits of isolation, while costume design amplified the contrast between Wednesday’s bleak palette and Enid’s pastel brightness.

The mystery moved briskly. Wednesday investigated a series of strange events tied to new faculty members, the music wing, and the Scalper’s lingering threat. Her interactions with Isadora Capri and Dr. Fairburn hinted at psychological manipulation, while Barry Dort’s bizarre leadership kept the school in a state of constant unease.

Performance Highlights

Jenna Ortega commanded every episode with magnetic precision. Her deadpan humor, sharp line delivery, and subtle emotional cracks turned Wednesday into one of the most compelling young protagonists on television. Ortega’s executive producer role clearly gave her freedom to deepen Wednesday’s psychological layers.

Steve Buscemi delivered quirky authority as Barry Dort, stealing scenes with his unpredictable energy. Lady Gaga surprised audiences with a charismatic and mysterious presence, adding both glamour and tension to the show’s narrative. Billie Piper and Thandiwe Newton offered intrigue, though their characters felt like pieces of a larger puzzle that Part 2 must resolve.

Morticia and Gomez contributed warmth and occasional comic relief. Their limited screen time, however, left some viewers craving deeper family dynamics. Enid remained the emotional anchor for Wednesday, and her potential fate injected urgency into every vision sequence.

Audience Reactions and Fan Buzz

Fans celebrated the darker tone and enhanced production quality. Social media platforms buzzed with praise for the visual storytelling, gothic atmosphere, and Jenna Ortega’s commanding performance. Many viewers highlighted the black‑tear vision sequence as an instant cultural moment.

However, audiences expressed frustration with the split‑season format. Many wanted to binge all eight episodes without waiting a month. Online forums debated the missing characters, particularly Xavier and Yoko Tanaka, whose absence left narrative gaps that Season 1 fans noticed immediately.

Critics generally applauded the improved tonal focus and more coherent mystery compared to Season 1. Some reviewers described the season as “a supernatural detective drama with gothic heart,” while others pointed out that several new characters need more depth.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Jenna Ortega’s unwaveringly sharp performance carried every storyline.
The visual design and cinematography elevated the gothic mood to new heights.
The mystery felt more personal, with Wednesday confronting psychic burdens, family history, and the threat to Enid.
Guest appearances and new characters injected fresh unpredictability.

Weaknesses:

Some secondary characters and subplots lacked development.
Gomez and Morticia felt underused, limiting the rich Addams family dynamic.
The split‑season release disrupted narrative momentum for dedicated binge-watchers.

Looking Ahead to Part 2

Part 2, releasing September 3, 2025, promises to resolve the cliffhangers that Part 1 set up:

Will Wednesday prevent the tragic vision of Enid’s death?
What secrets do Isadora Capri, Dr. Fairburn, and Rosaline Rotwood conceal?
Will the Addams family face the full weight of their supposed curse?
How will the Scalper’s capture and new threats collide with Wednesday’s psychic journey?

With Season 3 already confirmed, Netflix clearly positions Wednesday as a long‑term flagship. The series now balances teen gothic horror, detective storytelling, and dark humor more confidently than ever.

Final Verdict

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 delivers a bold, visually mesmerizing, and emotionally charged return. Jenna Ortega dominates the screen, new characters bring intrigue, and the story embraces darker personal stakes without losing its sardonic charm. While the split‑season strategy divides fans and certain subplots need stronger resolution, the first four episodes confirm that Wednesday has matured into a premiere gothic series with a magnetic anti‑heroine at its core.

The wait for Part 2 now carries sharp anticipation, as Nevermore Academy holds more secrets than ever—and Wednesday Addams refuses to blink.