Wednesday Addams, the world’s most beloved death-obsessed teen, has returned to Netflix with a vengeance. Three years after its breakout debut, Wednesday is back for a second season, and the stakes have never been higher—or stranger. The first season of Wednesday became an instant phenomenon in 2022, racking up a staggering billion hours of viewing in a single month and launching Jenna Ortega, who plays the surly, deadpan protagonist, into global stardom. Now, as the series resumes in 2025, Nevermore Academy is once again the epicenter of supernatural intrigue and gothic drama.
According to The Independent, the show picks up after Wednesday’s eventful summer break—one spent, as only she could, tracking down serial killers. But as classes resume, Wednesday is horrified to find herself thrust to the top of Nevermore’s social pyramid, the unlikely subject of fan mail and obsessive stares. The writers, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, have doubled down on the central conceit: what if Nancy Drew was a goth with psychic powers? This time, those psychic abilities are on the fritz, and Wednesday is plagued by a terrifying premonition: her best friend Enid’s (Emma Myers) violent death.
Trying to prevent this grim vision, Wednesday sidelines Enid and launches her own investigation into the eerie goings-on at Nevermore and the nearby Willow Hill psychiatric hospital—a facility for the most outcast of outcasts. This decision puts a strain on their friendship, disappointing fans who had hoped for a deeper connection between the two. But the writers have expanded the cast of quirky companions, introducing Agnes, a wannabe Wednesday played by Evie Templeton, and a new headmaster, Principal Dort, portrayed by Steve Buscemi. The show also welcomes Billie Piper as Miss Capri, the school’s enigmatic new music teacher.
The creative team behind Wednesday has truly pulled out all the stops for Season 2. With Tim Burton returning to direct half of the season’s eight episodes, the series’ signature gothic style is more pronounced than ever. As reported by Netflix, production moved entirely from Romania to Ireland, with principal photography beginning in May 2024 and lasting six months. The team made use of Ireland’s moody landscapes, filming at Ashford Studios in County Wicklow, Charleville Castle in County Offaly, and various locations in Dublin and Roundwood. The result? A lush, haunting backdrop that feels tailor-made for the Addams family’s brand of macabre mischief.
“It’s just unbelievable, this world that was created,” said Catherine Zeta-Jones, who returns as Morticia Addams in a greatly expanded role. “We had a whole studio in Ireland and it was like our own world. We were in morning, noon, and night. I wish everybody could have come in and just be here and see it and feel it. It’s just magic here.”
The expanded scope is evident not just in the locations but in the visual details. The costume department, led by Academy Award winner Colleen Atwood and co-designer Mark Sutherland, elevated the show’s look while staying true to each character’s essence. Wednesday’s monochrome palette remains, but Ortega’s character now sports a striking ‘60s detective coat for much of the season. “It has that flap all around, from the arms up. It looks pretty cool,” Ortega told Netflix. Enid, meanwhile, has embraced a bolder, more colorful style inspired by Japanese street fashion, reflecting her newfound confidence and Instagram fame. Morticia’s wardrobe, always iconic, now features dramatic red accents and a variety of couture-inspired looks, while Joanna Lumley’s Hester Frump (Morticia’s mother and a fabulously wealthy mogul) enters the scene in extravagant, high-fashion ensembles.
The production design, too, is even more intricate. The creative team painstakingly recreated Nevermore Academy’s gates on a private estate in Roundwood to match the original Romanian location, and the new season features a reimagined courtyard (“the Link”), custom gargoyles, stained-glass windows, and a towering stone werewolf sculpture. Even the fireplaces—each with its own gothic flair—were meticulously crafted, with nods to Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe hidden throughout the set.
“Visually, we’ve always worked to stay true to Tim Burton’s aesthetic sensibilities,” said production designer Mark Scruton. “Throughout the sets, you’ll find subtle references and homages—not just to Tim’s own work, but to things we know inspire him.” One standout addition is a stop-motion animation sequence in Episode 1, produced in collaboration with Mackinnon & Saunders, the studio behind Burton’s Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie. This sequence, which took two-and-a-half months to complete, perfectly encapsulates the show’s commitment to both artistry and atmosphere.
But for all its visual splendor, Wednesday remains, at its core, a story about family and coming of age. The new season delves deeper into the Addams family mythology, exploring the complicated relationships between Wednesday, Morticia, and the newly introduced Grandmama Hester. As Gough explained, “What’s interesting about the Addams family is that prior to the ’60s TV show, they didn’t even have names. So you really had that show and the ’90s movies. People love the Addams family, but they don’t know much about them.” This creative freedom has allowed the writers to flesh out the family’s backstory, including the tragic fate of Morticia’s missing sister, Ophelia, and Wednesday’s struggle with her own Raven powers—now malfunctioning and causing her to cry black tears.
Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen) also takes on a bigger role, bringing both comic relief and crucial information from his past as a patient at Willow Hill. “He is on the outside of it all. He’s in the family, but just off on his own adventures,” said Armisen. “He and Wednesday, even though they’re related, they’re also friends and they like each other, so they help each other out.”
As The Independent notes, the show’s plot remains formulaic at times, with familiar beats from teen dramas and murder mysteries. Still, the second season benefits from a stronger family presence and Tim Burton’s unmistakable touch. The expanded world, new characters, and deeper exploration of the Addams lore keep things fresh, even as murder puns and one-liners threaten to wear thin.
Fans can expect more twists, more style, and more of the darkly comic charm that made Wednesday an international sensation. With Part 2 of Season 2 set to drop on September 3, viewers are left with plenty of mysteries—and morbid delights—to ponder.
In its second season, Wednesday proves it’s more than just a stylish teen drama; it’s a lovingly crafted universe where every detail matters, and the Addams family’s legacy continues to evolve in the most delightfully unexpected ways.
