Highlights
- Wednesday season 2 should focus on character development and avoid YA tropes like love triangles and school dances.
- A more mature, grown-up series can be achieved by emphasizing academics, friendships, and a scarier tone.
- Eliminating voiceovers and having Wednesday behave maturely without being overly sarcastic will help the show feel more adult.
Netflix‘s series Wednesday is an entertaining look at what would happen if the iconic Addams Family character attended a boarding school for unique students, but the show has more YA tropes than it should. After premiering in November 2022, the series starring Jenna Ortega became incredibly popular, which led to a season 2 renewal. While there are going to be some new characters who will likely shake things up and create tension, fans are also curious about how Wednesday’s character will evolve.
Wednesday season 2 needs to move beyond the love triangle of season 1 and the spotlight should be on Wednesday’s personal development, not on her love life. In general, Wednesday season 2 needs to feel more grown-up. Here’s how the second season can present a more mature Wednesday and feel like a more adult series.
How Can Wednesday Season 2 Move Beyond YA Tropes?
Wednesday season 2 can feel like a more mature, grown-up series by focusing on Wednesday’s character development. While season 1 had some scenes of Jenna Ortega’s character sitting in class, she never seemed focused on academics. If Wednesday finds a hobby or thinks about what she wants to do when she’s finished high school, that would help make her feel a bit more serious than she does in season 1.
Even though the dance scene in Wednesday season 1 allowed Jenna Ortega to show her memorable moves, there should be no school dance or other activities in Wednesday season 2. The YA trope of a big dance feels right for some movies and TV shows, but another storyline like this one would feel too corny. However, Wednesday season 2 will hopefully have a scarier tone. If the show has plotlines about Wednesday’s friendship with Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers), the stalker she hopes to uncover, and scenes with some fan-favorite Addams Family members, that would work. The series has to strike the right tone between allowing Wednesday to act her age while not feeling too young and silly.
Wednesday season 2 should also get rid of the voiceovers. While this is not a trope that is specific to young adult novels, TV shows, and books, it can feel cheesy, and it might be overdone if used again. It would be possible to show Wednesday in full investigative mode without using voiceovers.
In the season 1 finale, “A Murder of Woes,” Wednesday explains what’s coming next, and she alludes to the fact that Jenna Ortega’s character will find her stalker. She says:
“Unlike my novel, not every thread has been tied up, not every question answered. Secrets are still lurking in the dark corners of Jericho. Were Laurel Gates and Tyler just pawns in a bigger game? Will today’s stalker become tomorrow’s nemesis? I know the suspense is killing you.”
As long as the character behaves maturely and doesn’t act too sarcastic toward the adults in her life, from her family to her teachers, the tone of the new episodes will feel more adult. Of course, Wednesday has to stay true to her bitter self, as anything else would be unsatisfying. But she should experience some growth and be a little more polite. If Wednesday season 2 will have a dark vibe, as Jenna Ortega said in an interview, then the voiceovers won’t work anymore and will make the show feel too happy.
What YA Tropes Were In Wednesday Season 1?
There were several YA tropes in Wednesday season 1, including the cliques at Nevermore Academy and the secret society involving Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White) and Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday). Since Xavier isn’t returning to Wednesday season 2, there will hopefully be less of a focus on the different social groups at the school. Since Joy Sunday is reprising her role, there could be a storyline featuring Bianca and Wednesday working together on the mystery at large. It feels a little silly to see the cliques at the boarding school considering that the students are supposed to feel like this is the only place where they feel accepted.
Wednesday season 1 also featured a love triangle between Xavier, Wednesday, and Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan). Although Xavier’s absence means that this love triangle doesn’t exist anymore, Wednesday shouldn’t go out with Tyler again, and she shouldn’t date anyone else. Tyler being The Hyde should remove him as a love interest.
There is also the YA trope of a character being an outsider, which might be the only one that would still work in Wednesday season 2. Since this is Wednesday’s main personality trait, it wouldn’t make sense for her to suddenly feel like she fits in and is part of the crowd.
Leave a Reply