The showrunners of Wednesday preview the storylines in season 2 as the Netflix series awaits renewal. Tim Burton steps into the Addams family world in Wednesday, directing the first four episodes of the fantasy drama which sees Jenna Ortega in the title role. Her version of the iconic character is expectedly dark, expelled from high school and enrolled in Nevermore, a school for monstrous misfits. She struggles to fit in there as well, but she doesn’t mind. Folding in elements of mystery and horror, Wednesday becomes a witness to several murders that she feels compelled to solve.
Although it has yet to be renewed, showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar speak to TV Line about what to expect if Wednesday season 2 happens. The duo note that, while the intention is for the focus to remain on Ortega, who has been roundly praised for her lead performance, the hope is to show more of her relationship with her mother Morticia (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones). On a more immediate level, it’s promised that Wednesday’s uncompromising worldview will be challenged as she continues to grow and evolve. Their quotes are included below:
Gough: The series is really about a girl who sees the world in black and white, and learning there are shades of gray… I think like any relationship or any friendship, it can get complicated by other factors. It’s never going to be smooth sailing. And it’s really her learning to navigate the ups and downs of friendship.
Millar: We felt like we just touched the surface with those characters and the actors are so amazing in those roles. Catherine is, I think, an iconic Morticia. The relationship between Wednesday and Morticia is also essential to the show, and the idea that Wednesday is trying to forge her own path outside the family is important.
Why Wednesday Season 2 Could Be Better Than Season 1
The strongest asset for Wednesday, aside from the Burton tie-in, is Ortega herself. She stood out in the Scream reboot from earlier this year, emerging as one of the favorite characters, and she’s shined with her projects both in and out of the horror genre. It helps, as well, that the young actor is surrounded by an accomplished supporting cast that includes the likes of Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Gwendoline Christie, and Christina Ricci. Even though Ricci does not reprise her role as Wednesday from the 1990s movie, it’s a knowing casting choice that appeals to both new and older audiences.
That sort of assured casting bodes well for a second installment of the Netflix show. Not everyone survives the Wednesday season 1 finale. But if the show’s a hit, and if the episode count remains low, it could attract some other big names to fill in the absences. The writers could also zero in on the aspects of the show that worked, like the relationship between Ortega’s character and Enid (Emma Myers).
As far as what didn’t work, reviews have expressed an agreement that the show can come across like a CW project, with all the negatives that entails and none of the positives. In other words, at its worst, Wednesday can feel like a generic teen drama, with its love triangles and muted mystery. But another run of episodes could address those concerns, essentially steering away from them and leaning into what works.
