Chapter II Woe Is The Loneliest Number – The episode begins with the police searching for Rowan Laslow (Calum Ross). Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) asks Sheriff Donovan Galpin (Jamie McShane) how Rowan’s body could be overlooked. He tells her that the search party worked all night. She assures him that the monster killed Rowan right in front of her. He suggests it could be one of the students at her school. Principal Larissa Weems (Gwendoline Christie) describes his comment as offensive. He admits to not caring before reminding her of the three slain victims in the morgue. She says it was a bear attack according to the mayor. He tells her that he doesn’t agree.

After suggesting Rowan’s a runaway, Weems says the parents haven’t spoken with him. Wednesday sarcastically says dead people are notorious for not returning calls. Sheriff Galpin asks why she and Rowan were in the woods. She claims to have entered the woods to investigate a noise when she encountered the attack. She tells him that she sent Bianca for help. He suggests a formal statement at the police station. Weems warns him to play nice or the mayor will hear about it. With Weems gone, Wednesday says someone wants Rowan’s murder covered up. He tells her to not play games. She assures him that he knows better when Deputy Ritchie Santiago (Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo) introduces Rowan.

Dr. Valerie Kinbott (Riki Lindhome) asks Wednesday if she concocted Rowan’s murder for attention. Wednesday tells her that she’s bound to believe she lied. Kinbott assures her that it’s okay to be confused. Wednesday says don’t try to lure her into a psychological trap. Kinbott says she’s only trying to help her learn how to process her feelings.

While leaving Kinbott’s office, Wednesday encounters Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan). When she informs him that everyone believes she made it up. He admits to believing she’s telling the truth.

Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers) admits to being happy about her decision to stay because Thing’s (Victor Dorobantu) neck massage is “killer.” Wednesday assures her that she saw the monster kill Rowan. Enid tells her that Rowan shares a room with Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White). Wednesday asks what’s the Edgar Allen Poe Cup. Enid says it’s a no-rules competition that takes place inside a canoe and on foot.

Wednesday stares at a sketch when she notices a unique watermark in the upper right-hand corner. When she requests a meeting with Rowan, Weems says he’s been expelled. She says Morticia Addams (Catherine Zeta-Jones) had dangerous psychic visions at her age. She tells her to choose a club before the day ends.

Wednesday orders Thing to monitor Rowan’s activities. She asks Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday) if she spoke with Sheriff Galpin while she was passed out. Bianca admits to not trusting “normie cops” before asking what’s her vocal range. When Wednesday demonstrates her vocal range which turns out to be silent, a student’s glasses and Weem’s glass dome crack.

Xavier demonstrates bow-shooting but misses his target. Wednesday asks when he saw Rowan last. He admits to seeing him at the Harvest Festival before saying he noticed his things were packed. He asks what’s going on between her and Tyler. She assures him that it’s nothing more than him giving her a ride out of town. He warns her that Tyler and his friends are “jerks.” After tossing an apple into the air, she pulls back her bow. Xavier watches as the arrow strikes the apple before hitting the bull’s eye.

Wednesday joins the beekeeping club where she is greeted by Eugene Otinger (Moosa Mostafa). As he explains the basics, she disappears.

After reminding Rowan of his trying to kill her, Wednesday asks where the sketch came from. He hops in the car before a girl drives away. Thing hangs onto the bumper.

Marilyn Thornhill (Christina Ricci) drops Rowan off at Burlington Station. When he enters the restroom stall, Morgan (Michael Okele) emerges. Thing enters the restroom to find it empty, no Rowan. Morgan shapeshifts into Weems.

Wednesday demands to know how Thing lost Rowan in the restroom. She assures him that a “lefty” would’ve never let her down.

Wednesday watches Xavier transform his sketch into a real spider. She crushes the spider with her hand. Bianca and Wednesday have a Dendrophylax lindenii “Ghost Orchid” face-off.

Tyler asks Sheriff Galpin if he thinks a creature exists in the woods. Sheriff Galpin asks what topics are being covered in his therapy. Tyler admits they discuss his mother. Sheriff Galpin informs him that he won’t be back for dinner. Tyler suggests they could grill out as he pulls out of the driveway.

Wednesday asks Enid to be her decoy at the beekeeping club. Enid suggests asking Thing before remembering she disrespected him. She tells her that she’ll consider helping if she apologizes to Thing.

Wednesday tells Thing that she’ll watch her tone when speaking to him from now on. When she orders him to get to work, he doesn’t budge. She says whatever he wants, she’ll get it. Thing tells her that she has the traits of a serial killer. She says there is no way she’ll give in to his “emotional blackmail.” Pulling out Rowan’s sketch, she warns Thing that she’ll be blamed for something terrible.

Eugene gives Enid a lesson on the history of honey.

Wednesday’s looking around the woods when Tyler pulls her behind a tree as Sheriff Galpin approaches. She says when Rowan utilized telekinesis to choke her, a monster killed him. Reaching for Rowan’s glasses, she has a psychic vision of Rowan and Xavier in an argument. Rowan utilizes his telekinesis to toss Xavier against the wall. He removes a page from the book, “Nightshade Society.”

Wednesday and Thing look for “Nightshade Society” in the school library. Marilyn says it was dissolved years ago. They discuss feeling like outsiders.

Thing and Wednesday search Rowan and Xavier’s room where they find a mask hidden in a secret compartment underneath a bed. Xavier emerges from the bathroom to answer the door for Bianca. She suggests he was worried about Rowan harming Wednesday. He says she doesn’t try to manipulate him. She reminds him that they were good for each other.

Frantic, Enid informs Wednesday that Yoko Tanaka (Naomi j. Ogawa) cannot participate in the Poe Cup because of a severe allergic reaction. Wednesday assures her that Bianca’s responsible before suggesting they beat her tomorrow.

Wednesday tells Bianca that she’s not better than everyone just her. Weems fires the weapon to start the race. A guy standing on the dock dives into the water at Bianca’s nod. He crashes one of the canoes into a large buoy. Spotting the scale’s tail in the water, Thing activates a net, trapping him inside.

Wednesday heads into the woods while Thing distracts a couple of guys dressed in jester costumes. When Thing entices the guys to follow him, Enid digs her claws into their canoe.

When Wednesday reaches for her team’s flag, she collapses on the ground. In a vision, she meets another version of herself. She says, “You are the key.” She comes through as Bianca grabs her flag.

The jesters’ canoe takes in water as The Black Cat rows past. A scale stops the canoe from moving until Thing stuns him. Large spears rip a hole in the side of Bianca’s boat. It takes in water as The Black Cat rows to victory.

Wednesday sits beside a statue when she spots the Nightshade Society symbol. Enid approaches to invite her to hang out later. Wednesday tells her that she’ll consider it. Weems informs her that she and Morticia were the last to win the Poe Cup for Ophelia Hall.

Wednesday says the riddle is unique as each line is a riddle. She solves the riddle as “SNAP TWICE.” Snapping twice, the Edgar Allen Poe statute moves back to expose a secret passage to a hidden library. She opens the “Nightshade Society” book to the missing page. Someone hits her as the episode comes to an end.

 

Wednesday Synopsis

After an extensive police search, Rowan’s body wasn’t found. Wednesday stuck with her story, a monster killed Rowan in the woods, even after he resurfaced.

Wednesday’s forced to see a therapist. She discovered later that Tyler sees Kinbott as well. Tyler confessed that he believed her story about Rowan.

Weems informed Wednesday of her mother’s psychic visions, which she described as “inaccurate” and “dangerous.”

Wednesday, per Weems’ order, joined the archery club. She utilized the opportunity to investigate Rowan. Xavier claimed to have not seen Rowan since the Harvest Festival. He warned her to be cautious around Tyler, the “jerk.” She demonstrated her extraordinary archery skills

Thing followed Rowan to a Burlington Station restroom where he shapeshifted into a man, Morgan. He shapeshifted into Weems while walking through the station. Wednesday scolded Thing when she found out. Thing confided in Enid about feeling disrespected by Wednesday. He later refused to do her bidding until she promised to take a different approach when speaking to him. She opened up about her concerns about being set up for something terrible.

Sheriff Galpin refused to talk to Tyler about his mother. Tyler’s suggestion to hang out later falls on deaf ears.

To throw Weems off her trail, Wednesday convinced Enid to take her place at the beekeeping club. She and Tyler find Rowan’s glasses in the woods. Her psychic vision displayed Rowan tearing the drawing from a “Nightshade Society” book. Marilyn informed her that society no longer existed.

Wednesday and Thing discovered a mask in a hidden compartment underneath Rowan’s bed. They overheard Bianca ask Xavier if he was concerned for Wednesday safety. She tried to convince him that Wednesday’s was manipulating him.

Wednesday replaced Yoko for the Poe Cup. After some back and forth, The Black Cat reaches the finish line as Bianca’s canoe fills with water.

Wednesday discovered a secret library secured by an Edgar Allen Poe statue. The “Nightshade Society” book with the missing page was hidden on the shelf.

 

Wednesday Review

The show is void of many aspects that pushed “The Addams Family” to a roaring success in the 60s and 70s. Wednesday’s dull, gothic demeanor was to be expected but her special abilities were taken to the next level.

In the original story “The Addams Family, Morticia apparently was from a bloodline of witches which is where her psychic abilities came from. Wednesday targeted her cruelty toward Pugsley through strange experiments. Her uncanny strength was demonstrated on her father, Gomez, through a judo hold. As far as here supernatural powers, they were minimal at best.

They possibly failed to capitalize on “The Addams Family” brand. I commend the crew for exceptional cinematography. The editing, camera work, and lighting are of the highest quality.

I like the fact, the show humanizes Thing with real feelings and the courage to stand up to Wednesday.

The episode deserves a 6.5. Get more Wednesday recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link.