In “Addams Family Values” on Wednesday and Pugsley are sent to a caricatural conservative summer camp (Camp Chippewa). There, the other children constantly engage in the brothers and sisters, while adults try to punish them for their inability to “integrate” in the group in general. This societal exclusion is not the worst part of the experience either, because Wednesday is also forced to participate in a racist play on the theme of Thanksgiving – which it does, only to reverse expectations and teach everyone an unforgettable lesson.
This is classic on Wednesday: it pretends to melt just to introduce chaos when you expected the least, wiping the joy worn by those who adopt (and apply) such problematic ideologies. Season 1 “Wednesday” echoes it directly when she continues to play the cello after secretly exploding the statue of Joseph Crackstone, while encouraging chaos on the scale of the city around her.
“Call of the woe” adopts a more stimulating and ironic approach, with Wednesday assisting a summer camp, Camp Jericho, only to collect clues on its mystery. Camp Jericho, however, has nothing to do with the Chippewa camp, like the new director of Nevermore, sleeps (Steve Buscemi), wants to promote the pride of the occasion and encourage these aberrant values to express themselves without fear of being ostracized or shameful. Integration into standards does not seem to be a priority for Dort, which explains why he is irritated when the master of the Cadets of Phoenix and his group arrive, saying that he has reserved the same area for camping purposes. Before their arrival, however, the outsets are seen happily installing tents decorated in a creative way and doing what they want, including Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez) trying (and failing) to hide his pet zombie with prying eyes.
While Camp Chippewa feels really suffocating for Wednesday and its allies, Camp Jericho places parias and standards on an equal footing, where this status quo is challenged with an intense game of capture the flag. It should also be noted that “Addams Family Values” presents that the Chipper camp guides Gary (Peter Macnicol) and Becky (Christine Baranski) as being malicious behind their joyful facades, while “Wednesday” inverse this by making a speech of team consolidation that feels authentic and more effective in contrast.
Although the standards end up obtaining the shortest end of the stick, “Wednesday” uses dark humor to introduce lightness and pleasure – a feeling that has been supported throughout the two seasons of the show (so far) with a large effect.
Season 2 of “Wednesday”, part 1 is now streaming on Netflix, season 2 arriving on September 3, 2025.
