Episode Grade: (7.7/10)
The parent-student conference at Nevermore brings the Addams family in town where they get caught up in a thirty-year-old case. Upon further investigation, Wednesday unearths key pieces of information that might very well be connected to the present-day monster hunt.
Plot (39/50)
This episode was mainly driven by the parent-student subplot which gave us a glimpse into the students’ strained relationships with their parents. On a bigger scale, the return of Morticia and Gomez Addams coupled with the coroner’s mysterious suicide brought the 30-year-old murder case of Garrett Gates back into focus. Gomez Addams’ arrest for the murder of Garrett spurred Wednesday into investigative action. She discovered that her mother was the one who killed Garrett, but that it was in self-defense as Garrett had gone to Nevermore to kill all the outcasts. Wednesday and Morticia then put pressure on the mayor, who had decided to cover up the incident as sheriff 30 years ago. Gomez was subsequently cleared of all charges and released from prison. The tie-in of the murder case was a good way to both solve that mystery and advance the normie-outcast storyline that’s been brewing. Right now it kind of looks like Thornhill is Garrett’s sister that was believed to have drowned years ago, and that she’s back for revenge. This would mean that the monster and normie-outcast storylines are not one in the same. Eugene being in a coma is a tried and tested way to not kill the character off but also extend the plot by not having him be of any help for now. Generally speaking, this was a fun mini-mystery episode that had some inoffensive, if not particularly intriguing, twists on its way to a feel-good resolution. It effectively sets up the normie-outcast tensions as a central issue as we approach the end of the season.
Character Development (12/15)
There was a decent amount of development in this episode that was hurt by the inconsistency in Wednesday’s character. I understand that she’s not as stone-cold as she puts off, but her tenderness in this episode was surprising nonetheless. Again, I understand that when facing tough situations people (especially family) come together, but she has serious issues with her mother, and the way they reconciled at the end felt a bit rushed. With that said, their interactions leading to that reconciliation were done well as they shed a bit more light on Wednesday’s insecurities. The parent-child relationships were a theme in this episode, of course, with Enid, Bianca, and Tyler all facing challenges with their respective parents. Bianca, in particular, was essentially bullied by her mother, much like she bullies others. Surprise, surprise… Wednesday’s survivor’s guilt with regards to Eugene was appropriate. Weems and Wednesday clashed again after Wednesday discovered that Weems is a shapeshifter. Weems claimed that her intentions in covering up Rowan’s murder were pure as her priority is and has always been to protecting the outcasts. Weems is using the same logic the mayor is using: keep the peace no matter the cost. Despite their efforts, the peace doesn’t look like it will hold for much longer.
Theme/Messages (3/5)
- Again, open communication can so wonders for fractured relationships.
- Parents may always want what’s best for their children, but they rarely know what’s actually best for them.
- Peace at what cost?
Acting (11/15)
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) excelled once again. I wasn’t sure what to think of Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia) in the first episode, but after seeing more of her in this episode, I’m not a fan of her work here. She’s gone with the same over-the-top approach Gwendoline Christie (Weems) has gone for, and I just can’t buy into it.
Cinematography (13/15)
- The opening montage with the transitional shots from today vs. 30 years ago was done well.
- Cool shot of the Addams family dressed in black against the white backdrop of Dr. Kinbott’s room (9:56)
- The sequence that followed with the focus panning across the family’s individual expressions in silence as we hear the clock ticking was good as well.
- Another great color-contrast shot of Wednesday against the backdrop of Eugene’s brightly-lit hospital room (14:25)