Netflix’s Wednesday isn’t just a gothic teen mystery—it’s an Easter egg goldmine for Addams Family fans, Tim Burton devotees, and pop culture obsessives alike.
From blink-and-you’ll-miss-it design details to clever callbacks to past movies, comics, and even fashion icons, the show is packed with spooky surprises hiding in plain sight.
Whether it’s Thing’s battle scars or Wednesday’s hauntingly pale makeup, every frame has something to dissect.
So if you thought you caught all the secrets lurking in Nevermore Academy… think again. Here are 20 Easter eggs from Wednesday seasons 1 and 2 that you might’ve missed—but definitely won’t forget.
Wednesday’s Dead-ish Make-Up Look
Ever notice how Wednesday always looks like she just stepped out of a Victorian crypt? That’s no accident.
The show’s makeup artists used cool, blue-toned foundation and subtle gray contouring to drain the warmth from Jenna Ortega’s face—literally. The goal? To make her look slightly… dead.
Not zombie-level, but just lifeless enough to give her an otherworldly, ghostlike aura.
Combined with her never-blinking stare and all-black wardrobe, the effect is spellbinding. It’s goth glamour at its most extreme, but also a brilliant way to reflect Wednesday’s icy exterior and morbid personality.
Snap Twice to Open the Door
When Wednesday and Thing unlock the secret Nightshades lair with a double finger snap in season 1, it’s not just a stylish choice—it’s a deliberate throwback to the iconic Addams Family theme song.
Those two snaps were the backbone of the original series’ opening music, and this clever callback blends nostalgia with plot.
It’s also a great moment for fans who grew up with previous iterations of the Addams clan. What looks like a quirky gesture is actually a secret handshake with decades of franchise history.
Plus, watching it open a hidden door? It just makes the Easter egg that much sweeter.
Wednesday the Archer
In season 1, Wednesday takes up a bow and arrow—and absolutely dominates. But this isn’t just a cool “girl with a weapon” moment. It’s actually a clever callback to earlier Addams Family adaptations where young Wednesday was often seen practicing archery (sometimes using her brother Pugsley as the target).
In both the 1991 film and classic comics, her love of dangerous hobbies was a core part of her creepy charm.
The Netflix series modernizes that vibe, turning her archery into a moment of skill and strategy—without losing that deliciously sinister Addams edge.
Wednesday vs. the Pilgrims
On Wednesday, our goth heroine absolutely despises Pilgrim World and everything it represents. That might feel like edgy teen rebellion, but it’s also a brilliant callback to Addams Family Values.
In that film, Wednesday delivers one of the most iconic monologues in teen cinema, torching the rosy myth of Thanksgiving at summer camp.
In the Netflix version, as she takes down the town’s historical reenactments and exposes its twisted legacy, she’s channeling that same rebellious spirit.
It’s not just satire—it’s tradition. Only Wednesday Addams could turn hating colonialism into a family legacy. Puritans, beware—she’s been over it since the ’90s.
Nevermore’s Gargoyle Code
Nevermore Academy is covered in gothic flourishes, but those creepy gargoyles aren’t just for vibes. Look closely and you’ll see that each gargoyle represents one of the school’s supernatural cliques – vampires, werewolves, sirens, gorgons, and more.
It’s a small world-building detail that adds to the mythology of the school. You’re not just seeing stone statues—you’re seeing mascots for an entire monster-based caste system.
These stone figures give us a glimpse into Nevermore’s long, eerie history and the social dynamics that power its elite halls.
Pugsley’s Locker Rescue Callback
Pugsley’s first scene in season 1 shows him stuffed inside a locker, red string around him, apple in his mouth—disturbing, right? But it’s also a direct nod to the original 1991 Addams Family film.
There, Pugsley was frequently the target of Wednesday’s bizarre (and sometimes murderous) experiments. Now, the show flips the script by having Wednesday save him instead.
It’s a clever role reversal for longtime fans—and a great example of how Wednesday updates the classic sibling relationship without losing the original’s macabre charm. The apple’s just the creepy cherry on top.
Cousin Itt Lives (Sort Of)
While Cousin Itt doesn’t appear in person on Wednesday, fans spotted a sneaky tribute to the furball relative in the form of a portrait hanging in the secret Nightshades lair.
It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, but there he is—tall hat, sunglasses, and all.
This background nod reminds us that the Addams universe is expansive, even if the show’s focus is firmly on Wednesday’s journey. The family is never too far behind.
Girl Scout Shade
When Wednesday sarcastically tells a character she could eat Girl Scouts for breakfast, it’s not just a sharp one-liner—it’s a recycled gem from the 1991 Addams Family movie.
In that film, Christina Ricci’s Wednesday asks a real Girl Scout if her cookies are “made from real Girl Scouts.” The show takes that iconic line and gives it a new twist, bringing the Addams brand of dark humor into the modern era.
It’s wickedly funny and perfectly in character, especially for fans who appreciate callbacks that bite as hard as Wednesday’s one-liners.
Poe Hints Everywhere
Nevermore Academy isn’t just a spooky-sounding name—it’s a love letter to Edgar Allan Poe.
From the raven imagery in Wednesday’s visions to the Poe Cup tournament and the author’s actual portrait hanging in the principal’s office, this place is dripping in literary references.
Poe’s dark, brooding energy haunts the halls in more ways than one.
For a show about outcasts and gothic drama, there’s no better patron saint than Poe. It’s the kind of layered world-building that makes rewatching a must – especially if you’re a lit nerd.
Poe Cup Boat Names
The annual Poe Cup is a competitive race through Nevermore’s water tunnels—and it’s also packed with subtle Easter eggs.
Each boat is named after a classic Poe story: The Black Cat, The Gold-Bug, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The Cask of Amontillado.
These references are more than decorative—they fit the show’s overall mood of gothic danger and literary flair. It’s a deep cut that’ll make literature fans smile. After all, what’s more Wednesday Addams than turning English class into a death race with glowing skulls and monster attacks?
Wednesday’s Name Origin
Morticia explains in season 1 episode 1 that she named her daughter Wednesday because “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.”
That line is straight out of the classic nursery rhyme that also inspired the character’s name back in Charles Addams’ original cartoon days. The rhyme – dating back to the 19th century – feels like a dark prophecy, especially given Wednesday’s sarcastic, death-loving personality.
This little moment may seem like a throwaway line, but it’s actually steeped in Addams Family lore. It’s also a perfect example of the show’s layered writing: equal parts spooky, literary, and weirdly sentimental.
Burtonesque Architecture That Speaks
Look closely at Nevermore Academy and you’ll notice that it practically breathes Tim Burton.
From the cobweb-shaped stained-glass window in Wednesday and Enid’s room to the gnarled trees curling toward the sky like skeletal fingers, the set design is full of nods to Burton’s signature aesthetic.
It echoes his work in Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, and Sleepy Hollow. Every building feels off-kilter in the best way—moody, magical, and slightly macabre.
It’s not just a backdrop; it’s a gothic playground that adds personality to every scene.
Shakespeare’s Shadow
Wednesday and Enid live in Ophelia Hall, a subtle but powerful nod to Shakespeare’s Hamlet (in fact, all four Nevermore houses are inspired by Shakespeare’s characters).
Ophelia, famously driven to madness and death, is a dark and tragic figure—just the kind of reference you’d expect from this show.
The allusion adds a layer of literary melancholy to Wednesday’s arc, especially considering her obsession with death.
It’s a sly signal that Nevermore Academy isn’t just a supernatural school—it’s a gothic boarding school steeped in centuries of death and drama.
If you’re catching Shakespeare vibes, you’re not wrong—this is Wednesday, after all.
Steve Buscemi’s Poe-Inspired Wig
In season 2, Steve Buscemi joins the cast as the mysterious Principal Dort, and his look is more than a little familiar.
His shaggy, parted hairstyle mirrors that of Edgar Allan Poe himself—a visual nod that ties directly into the school’s themes and aesthetics.
Buscemi’s character, full of cryptic advice and poetic menace, feels like a living embodiment of Poe’s ghost. The styling is subtle, but deliberate—reminding us once again that nothing in this show is accidental.
Between the Poe Cup, the Raven mascot, and now this, Wednesday continues to prove it’s goth academia done right.
Uncle Fester’s ID Chaos
Only Uncle Fester could make international law-breaking seem so charming.
In season 2, we learn he has 33 fake IDs and 18 passports—one of them literally labeled “Fester Fiesta.”
It’s a perfect nod to his chaotic, globe-trotting vibe from the earlier films, where he’s constantly getting into (and out of) trouble with zero explanation.
The sheer number of fake identities isn’t just a funny gag—it also shows how Fester navigates the world as an Addams: completely off the grid, utterly weird, and totally himself.
And yes, the actor, Fred Armisen, posed for every single one of them!
Thing’s Scars Tell a Story of Loyalty
If you look closely at Thing throughout Wednesday, you’ll notice he’s covered in stitches, burn marks, and tiny scars. These aren’t just makeup flourishes—they tell a silent story.
Thing has clearly been through a lot, and his battered appearance is a stark contrast to the pristine version we saw in earlier Addams Family adaptations.
In Wednesday, he’s not just comic relief—he’s a fiercely loyal companion who’s literally been pieced back together. The scars give him depth, suggesting off-screen adventures and a devotion that goes way beyond hand gestures.
A Fester-ly Familiar Face
Season 2 blesses us with a twisted little cameo: Professor Orloff, Nevermore’s longest-serving teacher… whose head is literally preserved in a jar.
But look (and listen) closely—that’s Christopher Lloyd, aka Uncle Fester from the iconic Addams Family and Addams Family Values.
It’s the ultimate nod for longtime fans, letting one generation’s Fester live on—albeit without a body—in the world of Wednesday.
It’s creepy, kooky, and perfectly weird. Burton and team clearly knew how to make the Addams legacy come full circle—preserved and proud.
Christina Ricci’s Character Name is an In-Joke
Christina Ricci—who famously played Wednesday Addams in the 1990s films—returned in the Netflix series as Marilyn Thornhill, the botany teacher with a twisted agenda.
But that name isn’t random. Marilyn was actually the name of the normal cousin on The Munsters, a rival spooky sitcom from the 1960s often compared to The Addams Family.
It’s a sly, ironic nod: Ricci, once the face of creepy-kooky perfection, now plays a seemingly sweet outsider hiding something sinister.
Her character name is a wink to horror TV history and a cheeky reversal of roles—because in Wednesday, no one is ever what they seem.
Grandmama’s Haute Couture Homage
You might expect Grandmama Frump (Morticia Addams’s mother) to rock a classic witchy look—but in Wednesday, her style takes a high-fashion turn.
Her striking black-and-white hair and avant-garde wardrobe were inspired by none other than fashion icon Daphne Guinness.
Known for her eccentric, gothic-glam looks and towering hair, Guinness is a modern muse for Hester Frump’s aesthetic. The costume and hair departments modeled Grandmama’s entire vibe on Daphne’s edgy elegance, giving the character a refined, couture twist while keeping her mystical roots intact.
Uncle Vasco’s Shrunken Head Looks… Familiar
If you caught yourself staring a little too long at the shrunken head statue in the Addams Family cottage – specifically Uncle Vasco’s – you’re not alone.
That miniature macabre decoration has a striking resemblance to none other than Luis Guzmán, who plays Gomez Addams in the Netflix series.
And that’s no coincidence. The design team intentionally modeled Uncle Vasco’s head after Guzmán’s actual likeness as a cheeky nod. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment that’s both hilarious and a little creepy.