Wednesday: Season 1/ Episode 3 – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

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As we come to learn about the efforts Principal Weebs has made to integrate, or assimilate, the children into Jericho, Wednesday learns about its founder’s connection to her family.

Aired (Netflix)	11/23/2022
Episode Title	Friend or Woe
Director(s)	Tim Burton
Writer(s)	Kayla Alpert
Introduced This Episode
Mayor Noble Walker	Tommie Earl Jenkins
Ajax Petropolus	Georgie Farmer
Joseph Crackston	William Houston

Recap

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.

This Secret Society Is A Disappointment – Wednesday, Xavier, Bianca

Wednesday discovers she was kidnapped by a neutered version of the Nightshades, which might still be exclusive, but is more of a social club than anything noteworthy. Because of this, despite Xavier vouching for her to join, Wednesday passes to Bianca’s delight.

Outreach Day – Mayor Walker, Principal Weems, Wednesday, Ajax, Enid, Xavier, Tyler, Eugene

One of Principal Weems’ goals at Nevermore is to improve normie and outcast relations, to start a new chapter in Jericho, and maybe also her students’ lives. For some, like Enid, the idea of volunteering for a day in Jericho is exciting. As for others? Not so much. Wednesday isn’t much for volunteering, Xavier hates having to work at the Weathervane, where Tyler works, but with Wednesday’s investigation leading her to need more information on Joseph Crackstone’s journal, what a better day than Pilgrim Day?

So, to get to where she needs to be, she swaps with Enid her job assignment, which Enid protests to, since it would mean working at Uriah’s Heap, an antique store. However, when she learns her Gorgon crush Ajax will be there? She is giddy. Even though Ajax is so obtuse he doesn’t understand she is flirting till she outright says she is.

This leads to what should have been a date but someone sabotaged Ajax, and with seeing his own reflection, he turned to stone, and Enid was left heartbroken. This will be a problem for Wednesday since, while Enid is annoying, she has found herself growing fond of her, and also Eugene. Someone who gets bullied by the same boys who tried to mess with her, so Wednesday beats them up and has Eugene join her investigation.

One which Xavier and Tyler find themselves aiding with pointing her in the right direction but there ends up being nothing within the town to aid Wednesday, so she finds herself having to head back to the woods, Cobham Woods, to be specific, to find the old meeting house in hopes that Crackstone’s journal could be there to provide some much-needed answers.

And while Wednesday is being a detective, Principal Weems is schmoozing with Mayor Walker. Why? Well, to solidify a bond. One that isn’t romantic but political since it seems Nevermore Academy donated handsomely to the former Sheriff’s campaign, and with that comes privileges. Perhaps mainly in the form of Mayor Walker telling Tyler’s dad to look the other way when things happen, but with Principal Weems often standing beside the mayor during various presentations that day, maybe the deal is about more than protecting those who attend Nevermore?

Only A Addams Can Mess With An Addams – Mayor Walker, Principal Weems, Wednesday, Joseph Crackston, Thing

Unfortunately, that deal may have been blown up by Wednesday, in a literal sense. You see, while trying to find Crackston’s journal, she comes upon the old meeting house, and thanks to Thing, she seeks a vision and gets one showing Goody Addams, the silver-haired girl we saw in the last episode, appear, and we learn her entire family was burned on the assumption of being witches or other types involved with the devil. Luckily, Goody escaped, but it doesn’t seem she got to exact her revenge.

So, Wednesday and Thing do that on her behalf by causing an explosion and having the bronze statute set ablaze. But, with causing such a commotion, Principal Weems has to deal with Mayor Walker and so many others who are upset. And it seems now she questions whether Morticia screwed her over on purpose or not.

Things To Note

Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. While I get Wednesday has no desire to speak to her parents, what about Pugsley? Why hasn’t she checked in with him?
2. Did Principal Weems like Morticia or feel like she lived in her shadow?
3. Is Marilyn a normie and a spy?
4. A Gorgon can turn themselves into stone? That doesn’t make sense…
5. Was the plan for Nevermore Academy always a means to help the outcast who live and are educated there to learn how to integrate with normies?
   1. Why was that piece of land chosen, considering all the places in the world they could have settled and built up? I mean, it isn’t like all outcasts are poor or that Nevermore seems to do scholarships. So why not be in a more favorable place where they could use all the shared wealth to build all the amenities needed? It doesn’t seem the people of Jericho have the attitude of, “We don’t like them, but that doesn’t mean outsiders can mistreat them.”
6. So Rowan attacked Wednesday over an image that likely was of Goody and not Wednesday?

What Could Happen Next

1. Xavier and Tyler’s beef being developed
2. A Larissa and Morticia flashback to understand their relationship better
3. Thing being caught by Principal Weems

Review

Notable Performances or Moments

1. Wednesday becoming protective and bonding with Eugene and Enid – to the point of harming, or threatening harm, towards others

Highlights

Principal Weems v. Wednesday

From what it seems, Principal Weems and Morticia weren’t as friendly as the two made it seem. Morticia maybe thought they were, since Weems wasn’t necessarily a threat, but I think Weems didn’t like being number 2. Heck, in terms of Gomez and this talked-about murder charge, I bet you Weems masqueraded as him and tried to frame him to get at Morticia.

So when it comes to Wednesday, maybe there was an attempt to start a new chapter, but with her being as brilliant as her mom and maybe as much of a troublemaker as Gomez, Weems is triggered. Thus making this her chance to get the win she didn’t get in the past and to be triumphant over an Addams.

On The Fence

Xavier’s Crush on Wednesday & The Mystery Element

Anything and everything which pushes “Wednesday” to feel like it exists within the “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” universe doesn’t work all that well. Boy trouble just doesn’t click, and neither Xavier’s crush, or Tyler’s, brings anything positive or notable to the show. Then, with this mystery, as much as it opens the door for Wednesday to show off her wit or intelligence, there is a need to question is this the best use of the character?

And mind you, it isn’t like we’ve gotten to see an official take of Wednesday beyond what Christina Ricci provided since the Melissa Hunter version of Wednesday Addams got shut down, but still. I can’t be the only one who wants a recognition that Wednesday is strange, a teenager, and is dealing with issues, while not having her fit into a generic template of what young adult shows follow.

I mean, taking note how into history and language Wednesday is, couldn’t they have picked up on the long-established storyline of how the Addams family has been persecuted? Wednesday couldn’t have just turned 18 and sought freedom outside of a school environment? Maybe lived with Cousin It, or us get to know the extended Addams family and had the same journey of self-discovery this show seems to want, but in a way that isn’t built on the writing style seemingly, everyone is using?

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