BY NAMITA DOGRA SUDAN*
If Harry Potter’s Hogwarts was your childhood and Stranger Things’ Hawkins feels like home, then Nevermore Academy is about to be your new obsession. Netflix’s Wednesday mashes together the magic of Harry Potter and the monsters of Stranger Things, but with more eyeliner, sarcasm, and a gloriously gothic vibe.
The Story
At the center is Wednesday Addams, the morbid daughter of the Addams Family, sent to Nevermore Academy, a school for supernatural “outcasts” like werewolves, sirens, and psychics. Here, she finds herself wrapped up in solving mysterious murders, navigating psychic visions, and uncovering long-buried Addams family secrets. Season 2 picks up with even darker twists: a new principal (Steve Buscemi), Poe-inspired horrors, and a web of dangers that only Wednesday can face.
Hogwarts, Hawkins… and Now Nevermore
Like Harry Potter, this world is split between “normies” and magical outcasts, with a special boarding school as the heart of the action. Both stories feature monsters, mysteries, and protagonists whose names define the franchise. But where Harry Potter is grand, cinematic, and very British, Wednesday feels sharper, moodier, and unapologetically American.
From Stranger Things, the show borrows the monster-of-the-week energy. Hawkins has Eleven; Nevermore has Wednesday. Both are girls with strange powers, battling horrors adults can barely comprehend. At the core of all three? Kids versus monsters—an evergreen formula.
Star Power
Season 2 doesn’t just lean on its core cast, it turns up the celebrity wattage. Lady Gaga drops in for a playful cameo, while Catherine Zeta-Jones, who popped up briefly as Morticia Addams in Season 1, now steps into a much bigger role in the main storyline. Together, they bring extra glamour to the gothic chaos.
Jenna Ortega: The Queen of Deadpan
Jenna Ortega owns this role. Her deadpan delivery, razor wit, and flashes of vulnerability make Wednesday more than just a spooky cartoon goth. Emma Myers’ Enid is the perfect foil, her rainbow-bright loyalty keeps the gloom balanced. Their oddball friendship remains the emotional core of the series.
Season 2: Creepier, Wilder, and Over the Top
Season 2 leans hard into horror and spectacle: CGI monster battles, gothic family drama, psychic visions, and that now-famous “Freaky Friday” body-swap episode where Wednesday and Enid trade places. It’s chaotic, but often in the best way.
The Flaws
For all its gothic charm, Season 2 sometimes tries to juggle too much. With so many subplots and character backstories, episodes can feel a bit rushed or overcrowded. Netflix’s split-release strategy also hurt momentum, viewership for Part 2 dropped by 43% compared to Part 1. Audience scores (76–86%) landed a little lower than critics’ (83–87%), showing that while the season is still beloved, not everyone was thrilled with the pacing.
Final Take
It may not have Potter’s grandeur or Stranger Things’ 80s-style horror, but Wednesday doesn’t need to. With Burton’s gothic visuals, Ortega’s killer performance, and just the right amount of star-studded flair, it’s carved out its own place in pop culture.
If Harry Potter is the school fantasy you dreamed of, and Stranger Things the monster hunt you cheered for, Wednesday is the sharp, sarcastic reality check you never knew you needed.
Rating: 3.75/5 stars
While the series delivers gothic charm, inventive plot twists, and standout performances, it falls slightly short of being truly binge-worthy. The missing grandeur of a Potter-like spectacle, combined with Netflix’s decision to release the season in two parts, interrupts the flow and leaves some storylines feeling overcrowded. Still, it’s an engaging watch for fans of dark humor, supernatural mysteries, and a magnetic lead in Jenna Ortega.
