Wednesday’s romantic life was getting in the way of the series showcasing far more interesting storylines.
The Big Picture
- Season 1 of
Wednesday
was a massive hit for Netflix, becoming the platform’s second most watched series ever. - The love triangle subplot in Season 1 received mixed reviews, with fans anticipating its removal in Season 2.
- Season 2 of
Wednesday
will focus less on romance, leaning more into horror and mysteries while introducing new characters.
When Netflix first announced they’d be making a show about Wednesday Addams, fans of both the original television show from the 1960s and the cult classic 1990s films were understandably skeptical. Would the streamer be able to pull off a remake featuring the classically kooky family? The series succeeded by first zeroing in on Wednesday as the centerpiece of the story. Although all the main characters from the originals would make appearances (including Gomez, Morticia, and Pugsley), Wednesday would focus on the macabre teenage girl herself, played by Jenna Ortega. Plus, the show would take place at Nevermore Academy, where Wednesday would try to fit in with her classmates (despite her morbid and cold personality). By blending a coming-of-age story with some seriously dark supernatural vibes, Wednesday was destined to be a hit and win over all of those initial skeptics. The inclusion of a romantic love triangle was seen by some as an unnecessary aspect to an otherwise fantastic series, and those who believe that will be happy to know that that love triangle is going bye-bye.
Wednesday
- Release Date
- November 23, 2022
- Creator
- Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
- Cast
- Jenna Ortega , Hunter Doohan , Christina Ricci , Percy Hynes White
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 2
‘Wednesday’ Became a Runaway Hit for Netflix
Season 1 of Wednesday debuted in November 2022, and within three weeks of its release, had grown to be Netflix’s second-most watched English-language series ever (reaching around 150 million households with 1 billion viewing hours). The series also received 12 Emmy nominations (and four wins) and two Golden Globe nominations (for Best TV Comedy Series and Best Actress for Ortega). Many critics praised Ortega’s deadpan delivery, the series’ gorgeous cinematography, and the visionary Tim Burton‘s direction of four episodes. But some critics believed that the show was formulaic, especially when it came to the series’ romantic storyline. The love triangle between Wednesday, local barista Tyler (Hunter Doohan), and mysterious classmate Xavier (Percy Hynes White) ended up feeling like more of a tired trope when so much of the rest of the series felt fresh and fun. The good news for fans is that it seems like the focus on Wednesday’s love life will soon be a thing of the past.
Season 1 of ‘Wednesday’ Was Bogged Down By Its Love Triangle
Wednesday spent most of Season 1 trying to survive life at the unconventional Nevermore Academy (a boarding school that consists of teenagers who just happen to be sirens, werewolves, and other magical creatures). Despite her best efforts to remain a loner and hone her cello and fencing skills, Wednesday formed a close friendship with her roommate, a sparkly, girly girl named Enid (Emma Myers), who was the exact opposite of Wednesday in every way. Wednesday also had psychic visions of strange attacks and deaths occurring on campus and was drawn into the complicated mystery of what was really taking place at the school. But in between her attempts at crime-solving, Wednesday had time to get ensnared in a love triangle between Tyler and Xavier. Tyler originally seemed like a safe ally, and Xavier appeared to be hiding something. The tables were turned by the end of the season, but not before Wednesday often became completely distracted by their attention.
Instead of focusing on her goal of solving the deepening mysteries at Nevermore (or even on her academics or many hobbies), Wednesday seemed to fall into the age-old YA theme of getting caught between two guys. This predictable teenage plot felt misaligned with who Wednesday is: a fiercely independent and self-assured girl. So, fans are rejoicing now that it seems that the love triangle will be 100 percent over. It was recently announced that White will not be returning in Season 2. Percy Hynes White’s presence in the second season has been debated after White faced allegations of sexual misconduct (which the actor denies), with some rumors saying he was written off, while other reports alleging that his option had been extended with the main cast. Ortega announced that the show simply decided to drop the romantic arcs for Wednesday, opting to lean into more of the horror aspect of the show.
‘Wednesday’ Season 2: Cast, Teaser, Plot, and Everything We Know So Far
The woeful child returns with a doubly woe-some second season.
‘Wednesday’ Is Now Set Up For An Impressive Season 2
Although the rumors surrounding White have resulted in some switch-ups with the cast, fans are actually thrilled that the romantic aspect of Wednesday’s life won’t be as much of a focus. It seems like Ortega herself echoes this sentiment. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon last year, Ortega said the team was going to “up the horror aspect, and get Wednesday out of the romantic situation, and just let her be her own individual and fight her own crimes.” This is an exciting shift that could allow the series to improve even more going forward. Along with this change, there will also be some new, exciting names added to the cast list, including Steve Buscemi as a series regular and guest appearances by Christopher Lloyd (who played Uncle Fester in the Addams Family movies), Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous), and Thandiwe Newton (Westworld).
Without wasting her time chasing boys, who knows what antics Wednesday will get into with these new characters? And there are plenty of other exciting storylines that can be explored. Fans love the connection between Wednesday and Enid, as well as with her other intriguing classmates (like siren Bianca). Because Ortega has already teased more ‘action and horror’ in Season 2, it’s likely that fans will be treated to a brand-new spooky mystery that Wednesday will need to solve (with the help of Thing most likely).
Netflix hasn’t announced an official release date yet for Season 2 of the series (it likely won’t be until 2025), but production has just begun in Ireland. With the same co-showrunners as Season 1 (Miles Millar and Alfred Gough), chances are the same magic that was captured in Season 1 will also be delivered in upcoming episodes. Plus, by steering clear of any romantic plot lines in the immediate future, Wednesday can focus on what she does best: using her psychic visions to decipher clues to whichever haunting mystery she’s trying to solve. Wednesday can work on finding her place at Nevermoor, while still leaning into what makes her truly unique (what other teenage girl loves to write ghoulish stories or play cello under the moonlight?). Season 2 can continue to bring in characters that are beloved in the franchise, while introducing new fan favorites.
Season 1 of Wednesday is available to stream on Netflix.
This article was originally published on collider.com