"Wednesday" Season 2 Delivers Goth, Growing Pains, and Genius!

The first 4 episodes of the second season of Tim Burton’s "Wednesday" is back in black, and this time it’s even more unapologetically morbid. Netflix’s beloved Addams Family spinoff returns with heightened horror, deeper relationships, and an even sharper Jenna Ortega at the center of it all. With Part 1 debuting August 6 and Part 2 coming September 3, the series proves once again that Ortega is not just playing Wednesday Addams; she is Wednesday Addams. There is no one else on the planet who has the look, vocal ability, and drive that Jenna Ortega has in playing Wednesday. 

With the second season of "Wednesday", Ortega moves beyond standout performance and into icon territory. Her choice of projects in the last few years, from joining the Scream revival to Ti West’s slasher X, proves Ortega is interested in becoming quite the scream queen, and "Wednesday" secures this. She is not just the talented lead but now serves as an executive producer, fighting behind the scenes to ensure Wednesday’s voice is consistent, emotionally rich, and true to her gothic core. Ortega pushed to remove clichéd romantic subplots, refocused the show on director Tim Burton’s strength — the macabre — and even rewrote lines that did not ring true to her character. The result is a Wednesday who feels more dangerous, whip-smart, and controlled than ever. 

Her commitment is holistic. Ortega learned cello, fencing, German, and even archery to prep for Season 1. In Season 2, her physicality, dry affectation, and cold eyes are even more refined. Wednesday may be the ultimate outcast, but Ortega’s performance is magnetic enough to make every Gen-Z viewer feel seen. 

By choosing to leave the Scream franchise and focus fully on "Wednesday", Ortega signaled that she is not just playing in the horror genre; she aims to reshape it. Her decision reflects her priorities: full creative control, genre-defining roles, and a commitment to authenticity. 

As for the supporting cast of "Wednesday", they remain a key part of its success with younger audiences. Emma Myers, fresh off her role in the smash hit A Minecraft Movie, returns as Enid Sinclair, Wednesday’s bubbly, baby-werewolf roommate. For fans who loved their “yin and Yang” chemistry of Season 1, the deeper exploration of that bond is both emotionally satisfying and relatable in Season 2 so far. Moosa Mostafa (as Eugene) and Joy Sunday (as Bianca) also return and round out a group of quirky outcasts who bring humor, loyalty, and style to the morbid eccentricities of Nevermore. New addition Steve Buscemi brings an oddball gravitas as the new head of Nevermore Academy, giving the show a fresh adult foil in the absence of Larissa Weems. 

Filming in Ireland this time around gives the show’s world a slightly different, moodier look. But the themes do remain firmly in place: outcasts versus normies, the legacies of colonialism (particularly in its depiction of the historical conflict between the settlers and the indigenous people of the town of Jericho), and navigating young adulthood while literally and figuratively haunted. Even with murder and monsters at every turn, the show’s truest stakes remain interpersonal -- how to keep your people close while still maintaining your own identity. 

If Season 1 flirted with the macabre, Season 2 tries to dive headfirst into it, but the plunge is not always smooth. While the creative team promised more horror and fewer romantic distractions, particularly at the behest of Ortega, the darker tones sometimes feel like they come at the expense of momentum. The pacing can drag, especially towards the midseason finale, and some of the new plotlines feel underdeveloped compared to the freshness of the Season 1 mysteries. 

Visually, the show remains very strong, and filming in Ireland lends a new layer of gothic charm. However, sometimes the supernatural stakes feel muddled, but the central mystery does not quite lack the urgency that made Season 1 such a breakout hit. Wednesday’s psychic visions return, and while they often are windows into her steely emotions, they do sometimes feel like nothing more than convenient plot devices. 

The show never fully loses its bite, though, and that’s thanks almost entirely to Ortega. Even when the script wavers, her performance cuts through. Her sharp delivery, her uncanny physical stillness, and her total commitment to the character give the series a much-needed anchor. Ortega makes you believe in Wednesday Addams, even when the world around her feels a bit undercooked. 

"Wednesday" Season 2 still offers plenty of Tim Burton style so far, but it does not always stick the landing. Fortunately, Jenna Ortega remains the show’s lifeline, a singular talent who keeps the pulse strong even when the plot starts to falter. She is truly an icon in the making, and "Wednesday" is just a step towards that apex.