Charles Buttle
Here we woe again, Wednesday is back. After Netflix reimagined the morbidly sharp-witted Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) for a new generation in 2022, the gothic sleuth returns to Nevermore Academy for another year of mystery, murder, and macabre delights. But this time, the stakes are higher, with enemies both old and new stepping out of the shadows, ready to stand in her way.
Split into two parts, Season 2 wastes no time plunging Wednesday back into a twisted mix of gothic thrills, dark humour, and creeping dread. From serial killers and sinister admirers to psychic chaos and eerie urban legends, Part 1 sets the stage for an even darker continuation of Wednesday’s story.
Previously on ‘Wednesday’ (Season 1)
In Season 1, Wednesday’s first year at Nevermore began as a reluctant arrival. The school is home to a range of “outcasts” from vampires, sirens, and other supernatural misfits. Assigned to share a room with Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers), a relentlessly upbeat werewolf, Wednesday found herself trapped in an unlikely friendship. But before she could escape yet another school, she’s pulled into a web of murder, monstrous secrets, and a prophecy foretelling her role in Nevermore’s fate.
Uncovering the truth, Wednesday learns the murders are the work of a Hyde and its master. The Hyde was none other than Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan), Wednesday’s former love interest, working under the control of Marilyn Thornhill (Christina Ricci), a “normie” teacher with a lethal plan to destroy the outcast community. Wednesday stopped them, leading to their arrests; however, her victory was short-lived. Before leaving for the summer, she received a chilling message from an unknown stalker indicating that her troubles were only beginning.
Back at Nevermore Academy (Season 2 Part 1)
In the opening credits, Wednesday, now fully confident in her psychic abilities, wastes no time putting them to use, tracking down a prolific serial killer. She later returns to Nevermore as a reluctant celebrity with her exploits from the previous year having turned her into a campus legend — particularly in the eyes of the devoted Agnes Demille (Evie Templeton). This year, she’s not alone: Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) joins as a student, while Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán) are invited to remain on campus. But trouble finds her quickly. Her stalker from last year is still at large, and a fresh wave of murders — victims left with their eyes gouged out by swarms of crows — suggests an even deadlier threat is on the rise.
Wednesday’s psychic visions begin to grow even more volatile, evident with black tears streaking down her face and haunting premonitions of Enid’s grave. Meanwhile, Pugsley’s attempts at friendship lead him to the Skull Tree, said to be the burial site of an inventor who replaced his own heart with a ticking mechanism. His curiosity spirals out of control when he accidentally reanimates the corpse, unleashing a brain-hungry creature across Jericho.
The mid-season finale brings everything to a breaking point. Wednesday uncovers LOIS — the Long-term Outcast Integration Study — a secret programme at Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital, the same facility holding Tyler and, temporarily, Marilyn. The programme aims to extract the abilities from outcasts through horrific experimentation and transfer them to normies. However, Wednesday exposes the operation, freeing the captive outcasts, sparking a full-scale revolt within the hospital. Through the chaos, Tyler is also released, leading to a final confrontation with Wednesday. Their battle ends with Tyler hurling her through a window, leaving her bloodied and unconscious, her fate hanging in the balance as Part 1 comes to a close.
A Darker, Sharper Wednesday
Season 2 embraces the spirit of its predecessor, retaining its gothic charm, sharp humour, and macabre whimsy. However, the series hasn’t stood still — it pushes its tone, storytelling, and stakes into bolder, darker territory, elevating the show even further.
While Season 1 is filled with horror, plot twists and dark humour, there was a lighter, more conventional teen-drama thread, with Wednesday involved in a love triangle with Tyler and Xavier. However, with Ortega stepping in as a producer for Season 2, she revealed the show would lean more heavily into horror and drop the love triangle entirely. She admitted that the romance subplot in Season 1 “made no sense” for her character. The shift is evident throughout Part 1, with the narrative favouring darker themes and sharper character conflicts over romantic entanglements.
Furthermore, the cast has expanded, including Principal Dort (Steve Buscemi) and Miss Capri (Billie Piper), bringing fresh energy and an air of mystique to Nevermore. Additionally, while Wednesday remains in focus, the Addams Family as a whole — from Pugsley, Morticia, Gomez and Grandmama (Joanna Lumley) — take on more significant, centre-stage roles throughout the series, adding depth and a richer sense of the family dynamic.
Blood, Brains and Big Reveals
With Part 1 delivering a string of twists, humour, and more than a few blood-soaked surprises, there are several moments that have stood out from the season so far. From shocking reveals and gruesome set pieces to character-driven turning points, these moments capture the blend of horror, wit, and high-stakes drama that makes Wednesday such a binge-worthy watch.
- Eerie Psychic Visions & Black Tears: While Wednesday claims to have “mastered” her psychic abilities, the control comes at a cost. Morticia warns that pushing her powers too far could drive her to madness — a danger made chillingly clear when black tears streak her face during violent visions, including one of Enid’s untimely death, seemingly at Wednesday’s own hands.
- Agnes Unmasked: Wednesday’s mysterious stalker from Season 1 is revealed to be none other than Agnes, whose obsession puts both Wednesday and Enid’s lives at risk multiple times. But why? To prove herself “worthy” of Wednesday’s approval. While unsettling, Wednesday can’t help but be impressed, ultimately recruiting Agnes as an unofficial partner in her investigations, heightening Enid’s frustration and feelings of isolation.
- Pugsley’s Creation: Pugsley’s reanimated creation, Slurp, quickly spirals out of control, wreaking havoc across Jericho. His attempts to keep the creature contained fail, and Slurp escapes, feasting on the brains of anyone unfortunate enough to cross its path.
- Phoenix Cadets Showdown: Reminiscent of Season 1’s Poe Cup, a face-off between Nevermore students and the Phoenix Cadets begins as a spirited competition — but quickly descends into supernatural chaos.
- Tyler’s Return: While Tyler and Marilyn are incarcerated for their crimes, fate ultimately brings them back together. While Marilyn is sent to “aid” in Tyler’s recovery, their poisonous dynamic rises to the surface, ending in a grisly turn. Tyler transforms, killing Marilyn before stalking Jericho once more.
What’s Next for Wednesday?
With Part 1 building to a brutal and chaotic mid-season finale, Part 2 is set to escalate the danger even further. The stakes have never been higher, with enemies both human and supernatural closing in from all sides.
The official teaser confirms that after her confrontation with Tyler, Wednesday has been put in a coma. While unconscious, Jericho faces new threats, with Tyler freed, and Pugsley’s reanimated creation, Slurp, showing unnerving signs of increased intelligence.
@ladygaga BLOODY WEDNESDAY #fyp
Adding to the anticipation, Lady Gaga is set to make a cameo during Part 2 as Rosaline Rotwood, a “legendary Nevermore teacher who crosses paths with Wednesday. Following the viral success of her song Bloody Mary after Season 1, she will also release an original track, Dead Dance, to coincide with her appearance.
Wednesday Season 2, Part 2 premieres September 3, 2025, on Netflix.
Final Thoughts
With its sharpened focus on horror, expanded cast, and a mid-season cliffhanger, Part 1 proves Wednesday isn’t afraid to get darker, stranger, and more ambitious. The mix of macabre humour, inventive supernatural twists, and emotionally charged character arcs keeps the show as bingeable as ever, while fresh threats and uneasy alliances set the stage for an explosive Part 2.
If the teaser is anything to go by, September’s return promises to unleash relentless twists and brutal confrontations that may change Wednesday’s world forever. The only question is: when the dust settles, who will still be standing?
