Woe Is the Loneliest Number

Still on our pre-Season 2 binge, my teenage daughter and I dove straight into Ep 2, and the show hasn't lost a step.

Jenna Ortega continues to own every frame as Wednesday, sharpening her deadpan delivery into a weapon. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán take more of a back seat this time, but Gwendoline Christie's formidable principal remains a standout. Emma Myers as Enid (the relentlessly cheerful roommate) starts to shine here, her sugar-sweet energy clashing hilariously with Wednesday's perpetual gloom.

The plot deepens with more of the central mystery bubbling up, mixing murder investigation with teen rivalries and Burton's gothic flourishes. There's a satisfying rhythm now: a dash of sarcasm, a pinch of peril, and a slow-burn sense that the school is hiding more than just quirky classmates. My daughter's hooked on the boarding-school intrigue; I'm enjoying the sly humour and careful character layering.

It still flirts with teen-soap territory, but Ortega's magnetism and the clever, creepy tone keep it firmly in must-watch territory.

Another solid 8/10 from both generations in our house.

The second episode of this new Netflix show is a big step up from the pilot. It fits into the story with a lot less trouble and seems to have a little more fun now that the hard work of setting up the world and introducing the characters has been done for the most part.

I can see that the writers tried to make a story in which the audience can feel something, but the story is about how the main character grows up, and she is not "Wednesday Addams," even though she may look like her. I can see that the writers tried to make a story that the audience could feel something about.

As mysteries are unravelled one at a time in this episode's narrative, you will find that your attention is piqued. The storyline of this episode piqued my curiosity quite a bit. Although I now have an explanation, it merely creates more questions. To put it another way, the storyline of this episode is not worse than the one that came before it. When seen at the appropriate time, the gags are intriguing in and of themselves as well.

The visuals are really appealing to the eye. Both the cinematography and the way the colours were changed stood out to me as particular strengths of the show.

Super disappointed in the Gomez character He's a fat, pudgy toad. Not the sophisticated, upstanding, poised and stoic figure he's supposed to be. Expected so much more from the father figure from the regular show. Love Morticia! She is the most beautiful, poised, elegant woman in the entire show. Wednesday plays the in the role most excellent way. I have watched the Addams family series from when I was a small child and loved every single episode. I guess to pervert the original character to a toad ( Gomez) is disrespectful way to show the real character of someone. I'm sorry to rant, but expected more realistic.

Although it's still not fantastic, the second installment in this new Netflix series is manifestly an improvement upon the first, easing in to the story with far less difficulty & enjoying itself a bit more, now the unenviably hard job of world building / obligatory establishment is mostly completed.

However, I'm still not entirely convinced the creators are fully embracing the "Addams Family" concept, nor are they demonstrating their ability to understand why the joke (that their entire premise is based upon) is funny; Wednesday, Morticia, Uncle Fester & Gomez etc. Are all utterly depraved, sadistic & derive enjoyment from things you'd typically associate as being "sinister" - hence, we laugh at the absurdity of their behaviours & reactions to situations a "normal" person would normally find unsettling - due to how unusual & peculiar their actions are. Therefore, it's amusing seeing how their family interacts in a concentrated space, as they're utterly unrelatable & equally, cannot relate to us. In summary, the humour's borne from the fact that they subvert expectations (in a tongue-in-cheek manner) & defy the conventions most others would abide by in any fictional tale being told.

The creative decision to make the title protagonist sympathetic is resultantly a total contradiction & defeats the basic point of her entire characterisation, so although I understand their desire to cultivate a narrative which audiences can emotionally invest themselves in, the plot centres around the development of a lead who (though they may resemble her) is arguably not "Wednesday Addams".

Wednesday investigates the mystery relating to Rowan.

This is a strong episode that mixes intrigue and character moments.

This chapter drip feeds certain information nicely before finishing on a compelling moment that makes you want to find out what happens next. Generally, it involves a number of interactions between Wednesday and other characters, plus the central event of the Poe Cup, which are all quite entertaining.

The tone of the episode is firmly established as Addams characters in a very Hogwartz type environment, with a nice amount of tributes and reference to the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Nothing feels original, but it still works well for me.

So far, I find certain characters more interesting than others, but Jamie Ortega's Wednesday carries it well enough to keep me watching. What I preferred about this one is that it focuses on using her intelligence to resolve problems, as opposed to the obligatory Hollywood martial arts and spectacle.

Again the visuals are excellent, with cinematography and art design that is very memorable.