You Reap What You Woe

This episode is a decline from the previous. The writing and dialogues are terrible. Gomez and Morticia don't have any personality similarities to The Addams Family characters, and their acting is probably the worst on the show.

During the flashback, Gomez was struggling in a sword fight, yet in the original Addams Family he was always known as an expert swordsman.

Did the writers ever watch the original?

I like Guzman as an actor usually, but this isn't the same character as previously portrayed (perfectly) by John Astin and Raul Julia.

Overall I enjoy Wednesday and Thing as characters, but this isn't The Addams Family, it's basically Riverdale with a Addams twist.

Im also curious what role Tim Burton actually had in this show, not much it seems.

This is the episode where you get to know the family dynamics of Addams family. Where in adversities they bond together and what previous episodes have portrayed are actually an act of love. Sideline stories keep on merging and makes the episodes ever so interesting.

The best thing about series is it gets the time to build the character arch. This time it tries to get sympathy for bianca. From the first episode it has portrayed her as Wednesday's arch rival. This time it shows why she has so much bitterness. The stereotyping of Eugene is bit uncomfortable though. It continues in this episode as well . However the way Wednesday perceive Eugene as his best friend and his better assets shows the creators are trying to find some remorse in it.

And finally thing does what thing did . He is the "hand of the queen" in adams world. Moving smoothly.

Interesting episode where the Addams parents take center stage. It is definitely interesting to see their younger selves in the very same institution where we have been discovering secrets about. However, I think the flashbacks should have been more extensive and detailed to give us a better grasp of the backstory and setting. Many convenient information was provided as exposition where I myself would have loved if they had took their time to present the younger versions of the Addams parents and their relationships with the other students so it didn't come as "forced" the eventual animosities that catapulted the events that unravel here.

But I see that as more of a personal filmmaking preference of mine. The show remains as interesting as always through the development of its story. Nevertheless, you can feel the absence of Tim Burton's direction here. There aren't as many wacky shots, framing, staging nor other visual flairs nor character comedy as in the previous episode. The show is beginning to focus more on its serious drama-mystery than the dark comedy, macabre imagery and self-aware nature the show stood out so much for. This isn't Riverdale, this is isn't Chilling Adventures of Sabrina; the show was unique and genius in its absurdist approaches at the Addams-in-the-real-world shtick. But it always maintained a grasp of the cleverly constructed mystery and drama behind the amazing world-building.

It seems the show is beginning to stagnate a bit or in other terms starting to prioritize other aspects of it that are not the ones that make the show unique. The show is unique because it presents a pretty "straight forward" narrative built on mystery-teen-drama through a unique Tim Burtonesque lense of self-awareness and over-the-top romanticised macabre, cynical and even a smidge of sadistic reaction to all the events that unravel. While every other Non-Addams character is interesting in their own way, they don't stand out as great as the nature and personalities of the Addams. I'd just hate for this traits of them to diminish as they become as two dimensional as the other characters can end up being. Lets not forget there's yet a lot of things we haven't seen yet and I hope we get to them in the wacky and over the top way the Addams are known for. I'd just hate to see the show devolve into a cookie cutter teen-supernatural-mystery drama featuring the Addams. There are great performances, fantasticly well-fleshed-out characters, rich and engaging School and town backstory and I hope they keep up the narrative with the same gusto as the previous episodes. And never forgetting that black comedy, that is the cherry on top.

Ohh ffs it's not 10 seasons of the X files. Why in season 1 half way through do we need new writers? The previous four episodes were amazing, this episode is an utterly pointless backstory story. Tedious and plodding. Completely lacking all the pacing and narrative of the first four episodes. This could have easily been integrated rather than been a stand alone story. Terrible directing. I'm praying e6 gets back to the delights of 1-4. Ok I'm now watching e6. Seriously worried we have gone from snappy fresh teen detective series into Riverdale soap opera cringe boring tedium. Hope I'm wrong. Burton has left the building.

Edit. Thankfully it pulls itself back together for the final few episodes.

Wednesday finds out about her parents time at Nevermore.

This is another visually impressive episode with fairly good character moments.

The story is reasonably interesting, with some good backstory revealed by certain characters telling stories at key moments and a convenient vision from Wednesday.

I think for fans of the Addams Family, it depends what you think of the show's portrayal of Morticia and Gomez as to how much you are likely to enjoy this episode, as they are the main focus. Personally, I think they are used well by the writers and Catherine Zeta-Jones is perfectly cast. I slightly struggle with Luis Guzmán's quieter take on his character, probably because I'm used to the louder, more dominant personalities of John Astin and Raùl Juliá. Maybe he will grow on me.

The characters Enid and Bianca have B and C plots that continue the theme of teenagers difficult relationships with parents. One is a bit of a clichéd arc about the pressure of expectations and being an individual, whilst the other is somewhat more mysterious and intriguing.

As ever, the visuals are excellent. I particularly like the transitions from certain characters faces in present time to their younger selves in and out of the flashback scenes.

For me it's a 7.5/10, but I round upwards.