Episodes 1-4
Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) is back at Nevermore Academy. Totally irked by all the attention she's getting from saving the school last semester, she's not quite as chummy with her ever upbeat lycanthrope roomie, Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers), Wednesday is also on a downer because her younger brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) is joining her at the Academy and her parents are also staying close as they've been asked by the new Principal Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi) to get more involved in fundraising for the school of Outcast students.
On the second evening of the new term there is a special bonfire event at which Wednesday is meant to be student guest of honour but she basically ruins the proceedings by giving a less than gracious speech. As they leave the event, Enid is annoyed about Wednesday's general attitude and in a bid to confront her, grabs a shoulder. Instantly black tears appear and Addams goes into convulsions. It's a premonition that Sinclair has died at the hands of a mysterious hooded figure. Later, when she's revived, she vows that the cloaked assassin has to be found and stopped.
The extended Addams Family take a much bigger role in this series, including Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen) who pops in Ep 4. You get more of a feeling of the overall family dynamics at play as Wednesday is constantly rebelling against her mother. Meanwhile, Morticia is trying to mend a rift with her own mom, Hester Frump (Joanna Lumley). Gomez (Luis Guzmán) is generally trying to keep the peace and Pugsley is getting into his own trouble - as while investigating an old legend, finds a brainless zombie with a clockwork heart (that he names Slurp) buried in the woods. Finally Thing, the dismembered right hand and loyal family servant is constantly alert and ready to help in any crisis.
There are handful of new student characters introduced this time and are worked nicely into the story. They play key roles in Ep 3 when just about the entire academy go to camp for team building only be confronted by a couple of dozen well-drilled scouts and their Marine Corps like scout leader that are determined to take over the camp for themselves. Thandiwe Newton as Dr Rachael Fairburn is the last major new character of note as she plays the chief psychiatrist at Willow Hill Psychiatric Facility (a location that appears throughout the series but looms large in Ep4).
This season has a different feel to the first where Jenna was in just about every scene and did so much eye acting. She has a lot more dialogue now and the ensemble cast get significant stuff to do. It feels more thought-out as the dynamics between the students, faculty and those outside the academy play out. I binged all four episodes in one afternoon but only found out after it's shocking end scene that they're splitting the season with a short break and the concluding 4 episodes are only dropping in the first week of September. (There's a trailer for those final episodes right at the end). It's just like that twisted Tim Burton to keep us hanging!
Episodes 5-8
There are no crucial spoilers in the following! There's a wonderfully gothic climax of which the creators of Hammer House of Horror would be proud. There was so much plot crammed into these final four episodes, with very little exposition needed. Each scene moves on the various story arcs swiftly with superb performances all-round as every major character have crucial parts to play. There's even an excellently-cast Miss Havisham-like cameo from Lady Gaga!
Jenna Ortega continues as our darkly dramatic lead after scraping through the events in episode 4 by the skin of her teeth. I was happy that all members of the Addams Family get their moments in the spotlight as I felt the heavyweights of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán, as her parents, were definitely wasted in Season One. There's a lot more reference back to when they were young students at Nevermore Academy and how their interactions with those other older characters are shaping the events of now.
The sets are definitely more lavish this season and that comes to a peak during a Venetian style masked gala on a crucial night that involves just about everyone. The quirky abilities of the various 'Outcast' characters are beautifully interwoven into the ramped-up edge of your seat action. Along the way, some of the other big cast names meet their demise in entertainingly epic ways and some even bring an uncharacteristically sly grin to the usual mono expressive face of our heroine.
There's a great teaser to Season Three in the epilogue which I can't wait to see! If you were waiting for Episodes 5-8 to drop before seeing the whole series than I think you can look forward to a brilliantly spooky binge watch! Grab that bucket of your favourite popcorn and I guarantee that you won't be able to take your eyes off the screen. All in all, a super 'well done' to Tim Burton and everyone involved in bringing us this absolutely excellent second season!
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