Here We Woe Again

School's back in and Wednesday's back at Nevermore Academy. This time Pugsley's joining her. She returns to find that she's quite the celebrity due to her saving the school. There's also a new school principal who has some interesting ideas. Moreover, Wednesday has a stalker.

I really enjoyed Season 1 of Wednesday. Refreshingly original, quirkily funny and entertaining while still being quite dark with an outstanding performance by Jenny Ortega it was a fantastic experience.

Coming up to Season 2 I was worried that S2 wouldn't be able to replicate the freshness and quirkiness of S1, that much of the allure of S1 was the novelty of it and that this would wear off with S2. Thankfully, I needn't have worried.

S2 picks up perfectly where S1 left off with the same quirky, dark, fresh vibe. No resting on laurels as the series forges ahead at a good rate. We already have a degree of mystery and intrigue due to the stalker and another plot.

Jenny Ortega is as good as ever, as is Emma Myers as Enid. Steve Buscemi is a great addition as Principal Dort.

Looking forward to the remainder of the season.

Regardless of how you feel about the first season of Wednesday's story, humor, or genre the one thing that to me was undeniably fantastic was the shows cinematography and art direction and how beautifully they fit into and enhanced the directorial sensibilities of tim burton. Season twos start has a lot going for it and while im certainly looking forward to where they will go with this season i cant help but be a bit put off by the change in visual approach. The first season felt like it was shot by a photographer, there was artistry in how far they pushed the contrast while maintaining visual fidelity, or how focal depth felt considered and wielded as a tool to provide visual clues or obfuscate a mystery; season two looks like it was shot by a competent camera man, who rather than collaborating with the director is just getting the shots hey are told to and making sure they are in focus. Maybe its a new art director or an over reliance on the post production team but there is something noticeably off about the look of this episode.

Season 2 starts with a good premise and the some interesting character variation.

The successful formula of Wednesday's humorous interaction with others alongside an unfolding mystery looks to be replicated. This can work if the mystery is good and the characters continue to entertain. So far I am relatively hooked into finding out what will happen. Wednesday's relationship with Enid was one of the strongest aspects of the first season so what happens here is reasonably compelling.

Seeing more of the Addams family is interesting approach considering it is a Wednesday show. I like the inclusion of Pugsley at Nevermore and the additional screen time allotted to Morticia. Hopefully the writers have plenty of good material for these characters.

Steve Buscemi is a worthwhile addition to the cast. His introduction is good and hopefully the material he has is consistent.

Visually it's another Tim Burton feast that mixes gothic beauty with the macabre. The scene with the Scalper and creepy dolls sets the tone perfectly.

Jenna Ortega really fits into the role and knows the character well enough to showcase not only her recognized dark humour and behavior, but the nuances and subtleties of her very nature as well. The first episode has Tim Burton's trademark all over it and builds a compelling mystery along with greatly entertaining sequences and a very dynamic pace.

While watching I have the feeling the script and dialogue was written by someone with not much experience. The lines often seem unrealistic. Yes, Wednesday has its own dark style, but at least in previous season this looked real, in this new season it just seems fake and it does not take you away in its world. After watching the first episode, I don't feel curious to see what happened next and this was definitely not the case for season one.