I have seen the unholy maggots which feast in the dark recesses of the human soul, by which I mean I have seen many a hit television series struggle to avoid a sophomore slump once they are renewed for a second season. Highly anticipated follow-ups to beloved first seasons of new shows are often plagued by innumerable obstacles, from industry hindrances to behind-the-scenes drama. Perhaps there is no better recent example than Wednesday, Netflix’s deliciously morose teen mystery-drama, executive produced by Tim Burton, set in the glum world of the famed eponymous daughter of The Addams Family. Wednesday’s premiere season was such a runaway hit in 2022 that it still reigns supreme as Netflix’s most popular TV show season of all time. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing: Though fans clearly loved the show, that didn’t stop critics from complaining about its resemblance to CW-esque teen soaps; it didn’t stop the show’s own star, Jenna Ortega, from critiquing the writing; and it didn’t stop an onslaught of sexual misconduct allegations from being launched against one of its main players. In plain terms: Wednesday Season 1 was a smashing success onscreen, but it was also something of a mess off of it. Could its long-awaited follow-up—the first half of which cheekily premiered this week on a Wednesday, no less—live up to all the promise of the first season?
I’m happy to report, upon viewing all four episodes of Season 2, Part 1, that not much has changed in the fictionalized version of Jericho, Vermont—except for one massive omission. The fallout of the first season’s various controversies has claimed a victim: romance. And it’s actually pretty badass.
Wednesday (the character) as well as Wednesday (the show), if you’ll recall, ended Season 1 all but screwed in the romance department. After finding her footing as a new transfer to the school for gifted outcasts, Nevermore Academy, Wednesday made her first foray into dating, only for that relationship with local normie Tyler (Hunter Doohan) to crash and burn when it turned out that (spoiler alert!) her boyfriend was the homicidal Hyde monster murdering townsfolk left and right. Sure, he was being controlled by the rather dastardly botany teacher played by Christina Ricci (who played Wednesday in the Addams Family movies of the early ’90s), but he still ended the season detained and headed for a lifelong sentence in the local psychiatric hospital.
Of course, a girl as morbidly charming as Wednesday, who is just as impassive as she is whip-smart, wouldn’t have just one paramour waiting in the wings. The first season saw Wednesday seesawing between her feelings for Tyler and her growing closeness to her psychic artist classmate, Xavier (Percy Hynes White). After Wednesday’s relationship with Tyler proved doomed, the show seemed to hint at a future, likely endgame, coupling between Wednesday and Xavier. However, this narrative future was dashed when Hynes White faced a quagmire of allegations of sexual misconduct, involving multiple women, in a series of now-deleted tweets. Hynes White vehemently denied the allegations in a statement posted to his Instagram Stories, and there haven’t been any subsequent reports of formal legal action regarding the matter. The allegations, in addition to the simultaneous emergence of alleged insensitive social media posts and at least one video showing the actor using a racial slur, did significant damage to his reputation. In 2024, Hynes White revealed that he would not be returning for Season 2, and while no definitive reason was given for his departure, it isn’t hard to put two and two together. His character’s absence is explained early on in the second season with the school’s new principal, Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi!), explaining that Xavier had transferred to an academy in Switzerland.
So what’s a girl to do when her first boyfriend turns out to be the monster who ran around fatally wounding her classmates, and her potential second boyfriend transfers to a school some 4,000 miles away? Well, some fans were hoping that a sapphic romance between the doomy and gloomy Wednesday and her perky, colorful werewolf bestie and roommate, Enid (Emma Myers), would bloom. Instead, Wednesday is left with no romance this season, while Enid is the one juggling two guys in her love life: her first-season love interest, a gorgon named Ajax (Georgie Farmer), and a new, very handsome werewolf named Bruno (Noah B. Taylor).
Outside of the increased number of celebrity cameos and small roles that could rival even those of The Bear, the lack of a romantic plot for our lugubrious heroine is the biggest change so far between Wednesday Seasons 1 and 2. Hell, it might even be the only major narrative change, and it’s surprisingly refreshing for two reasons. First, this move subverts the expectations of a CW-esque teen drama, a microgenre which might as well have “delightful, yet seriously contrived love triangle” as a foundational tenet. But it’s a move that makes sense in this case! As a writer’s room, why deal with the hot potato of engineering a romance with the right character (and actor) when trying to mount one failed so miserably the first time around? Why force it, especially when the main character is canonically against companionship? Besides, Wednesday is preoccupied with much more important things this season. The mystery dominating the first season intrigued Wednesday because all deathly mysteries intrigue Wednesday, and she just so happened to be the new face in a new town full of new secrets. But, as she herself describes at the start of this season, she “already know[s] where the bodies are buried” at Nevermore Academy. Instead, this time around, Wednesday has a vested stake in the central mystery because it involves the potential death of her best friend, Enid. Who has time to think about boys when the only real and true friend you have might die, especially when you think you might be the cause?
In addition to breaking from teen drama stereotypes, leaving out a bothersome love triangle also makes room for more interesting character dynamics to flourish and deepen. Season 2 of Wednesday zeroes in on two other complicated relationships that were merely skirted around earlier. The first is that of Wednesday with her mother, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and thank the high heavens for this development, because it means we are treated to more of Zeta-Jones and her incredible costumes. The second bond Wednesday explores more deeply this season is her relationship with herself and her powers of clairvoyance, which are increasingly on the fritz this season, posing a real danger to her own well-being. For a fun cherry on top, this season has also made room for Wednesday to hilariously deal with fame, and her absolute disgust with it, after her school-saving heroism in the first season made her something of a campus celebrity. Heavy is the head that wears the gothic crown.
When the minds behind Wednesday planned out their first season, I doubt they knew that this would be where the show would wind up. But, despite the number of trials and tribulations over these past three years, Netflix still shows no signs of slowing down the Wednesday train. Part 2 of this season premieres on Sept. 3, and the show has already been renewed for a third season, with tentative plans for a future spinoff. Only time will tell how long the showrunners will be able to keep the mysteries of Jericho alive while both remaining comfortingly derivative and coloring outside the narrative lines. For now, though, it’s enough to see Wednesday blessedly single and in her happy place: on the brink of total ruin, just how we like her.
