Whereas it’s practically as irritating to assessment a half-season of mediocre tv as it’s to see it solely as a fan — particularly for those who had been anticipating its return for the higher a part of three years — “Wednesday” Season 2, Half 1, no less than makes it simple to research the lingering questions in its mundane murder-mystery with out verging into spoilers.
Showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar proceed to map a traditional teen drama onto the ostensibly unconventional Addams Household I.P. Their star, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), could also be allergic to colours and obsessive about the macabre, however she’s dealt with like another identifiable introvert who doubles as a reluctant hero. Behind her darkish wardrobe and dour demeanor lies benevolence and bravado. She solves mysteries! She makes associates! She cares, regardless of insisting she doesn’t!
Good for you, kiddo. Preserve sporting that goth getup so long as you need.
One can guess whether or not the entire above will occur once more in Season 2, and Half 1 reveals no indicators of diverting from the system that made “Wednesday’s” preliminary debut the most-watched Netflix collection ever (not that these usually adjusted metrics imply a lot of something). That’s OK. Actually. Normalizing the outcast is a staple of sweet sixteen tales, serving to angsty adolescents acknowledge and settle for their very own unusual conduct by recognizing it of their cool onscreen stand-in. If “Wednesday” helps the gloomy Guses on the market really feel seen, then I hope Netflix pumps out 10 seasons over the subsequent 30 years, break up into churn-preventing chunks, that I can then assessment 20 instances (or extra).
Nonetheless, a TV present impressed by Charles Addams’ wealthy cartoons, whose work has already been tailored with memorable verve by varied display screen artists (together with TV creator David Levy and movie director Barry Sonnenfeld) — to not point out a TV present directed by the legendary Tim Burton and afforded a streaming price range reserved for top-priority initiatives — ought to be capable of overcome any nagging emotions of familiarity and thrive on its visible splendor, proficient forged, and distinct humorousness.
“Wednesday” doesn’t. Every of those would-be belongings are missing, to at least one diploma or one other, in a season the place Wednesday returns to Nevermore Academy a beloved (and well-known) determine, struggles to deploy her psychic powers, and tries to guard her BFF Enid (Emma Meyers) from a raven-wielding killer (who can also be stalking Wednesday).
Burton directs Episodes 1 and 4, however apart from a black-and-white stop-motion sequence that includes his signature animated fashion — and the following creature design that stands in stark distinction to the goofy CGI Hyde monster first seen in Season 1 — there’s little proof that the maestro of gothic melancholy is impressed by this materials.
His crafts group festivals higher. Longtime costume designer and four-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood, alongside her Emmy-winning accomplice from Season 1, Mark Sutherland, proceed to chop placing clothes for the sprawling forged. New Nevermore principal, Barry Dort (a delightfully jaunty Steve Buscemi), arrives with an impeccable assortment of purple fits, and the scholar uniforms have slightly additional pop to match. Credit score DP PJ Dillion for a little bit of that flash, given the vivid colour palette brightening up a present whose central characters favor all the pieces in black. Mark Scruton’s Emmy-winning manufacturing design will get an opportunity to flourish, as properly, in episodic arcs involving a school-wide bonfire occasion, tenting journey, and prank day extravaganza.
Nonetheless, their contributions don’t carry the required heft when the story they assist is so atypical, and the identical could be mentioned for a recreation forged. One focus is the evolving relationship between moms and daughters, that means not solely that Catherine Zeta-Jones’ Morticia Addams will get extra to do, however her mom (and thus Wednesday’s grandmama), Hester Frump (Joanna Lumley), additionally joins the household fray. Far be it from me to complain about Zeta-Jones choosing up a sword once more (go watch “The Masks of Zorro,” younger’uns and luxuriate in your formative expertise in hotness), and Lumley stays as fabulous as ever, however there’s nonetheless not sufficient for both of them to chew on by means of 4 episodes, though there’s definitely extra to return.
Fred Armisen livens issues up in his temporary return because the unhinged Uncle Fester, Billie Piper sings quite a bit as Nevermore’s new head of music, and Christopher Lloyd’s Professor Orloff manages to seize goofy laughs whereas nonetheless exerting teacherly menace — regardless of consisting of nothing greater than a disembodied head confined in an enormous glass jar. Amid the passing visitor stars, Ortega stays the present’s solely sustaining spotlight, giving a efficiency that’s as exact as her character is pliable. After a season and a half (plus her different initiatives), it’s already clear Ortega’s star energy may very well be higher utilized elsewhere.
“Wednesday’s” dry, morbid humor is, at finest, noticeable, however too usually forgettable and typically actively lazy. When Wednesday spells out her identify for a newcomer, she quips, “It’s Addams with two D’s — like ‘padded room.’” Her chosen instance is aptly bleak, but it surely’s additionally incorrect. “Padded room” has three D’s, not two, which is one thing a wise scholar like Wednesday ought to catch.
Whereas arguably inconsequential in the long term, the fake pas exemplifies “Wednesday’s” priorities: all appears to be like and little else. The absent consideration to element past what’s fashionable, mixed with the neat-and-tidy aesthetic mandated for broadly interesting teen dramas, places the main target again on what Season 2 is making an attempt to say, which isn’t a lot.
There’s the aforementioned disagreements between moms and daughters, however Wednesday and Morticia’s ongoing battle of wills is just too imprecise and toothless to anticipate something past an amicable decision (by Addams Household requirements, no less than). There’s additionally a recurring acknowledgement that Ortega’s Wednesday’s relationship to fame is annoying and unhealthy, however hey, it nonetheless has its perks, and he or she’ll use these to her benefit (identical to Netflix will).
Extra substantive textual content may very well be present in Principal Dort’s amped-up assist of outcasts (as a method to bolster fundraising). Possibly there’s a significant critique coming, targeted on academic establishments’ self-serving assist of LGBTQ causes and DEI initiatives — which are completely happy to fly the rainbow flag when it’s making the varsity cash, however much less inclined when it may price them federal funding — however I’m unsure that’s the place his arc is headed.
Additionally curious: Wednesday repeatedly insists that “folks don’t change,” a declare that ought to butt up towards her teenage perspective contemplating how a lot is consistently altering for her and her classmates. The cynicism fits her in addition to her hand-tailored uniform (presumably with stitching by Factor), but it surely’s but to be seen if it’s an earned perspective a lot as a useful one. In any case, what’s the best strategy to arrange a shock killer or last-second twist? Simply insist, from begin to end, they aren’t going to occur.
Definitely, this child won’t ever change. Not Wednesday. She’s totally different.
Grade: C+
“Wednesday” Season 2, Half 1 premieres Wednesday, August 6 on Netflix. Half 2 premieres Wednesday, September 3.