It’s been confirmed by Gomez Addams actor Luis Guzmán that his character will dance in Wednesday season 2, giving the Tim Burton series an opportunity to pay homage to one of the most iconic scenes from 1991’s The Addams Family over three decades later. Wednesday was a breakout success when it premiered on Netflix in 2022, and to no one’s surprise, the series was renewed for a sophomore installment in January 2023. Wednesday was unique for focusing on the Addams family’s eldest daughter as she learned to control her preternatural powers at Nevermore Academy while solving a murder mystery along the way.
Wednesday’s dance in season 1 became an overnight sensation, causing various Wednesday dance TikToks and Instagram Reels to bombard social media seemingly instantly. However, with Guzmán admitting that Gomez will dance in Wednesday season 2, it’s possible the iconic Wednesday dance will soon be old hat. There are plenty of great and memorable moments in 1991’s The Addams Family, and Burton has tried to pay attention to those in Wednesday. Bringing the original Wednesday Addams, Christina Ricci, into the cast was a great touch. However, Burton could be using Gomez’s dance scene to defer to the film yet again.
Gomez’s Wednesday Dance Could Revive The 1991 Addams Family’s Mamushka Scene
One of the best scenes in The Addams Family is when Gomez and Fester dance the mamushka, and it’s possible audiences will get to see a version of it in Wednesday season 2. In The Addams Family, the offbeat clan decides to have a massive going away party for Gordon/Fester after Dr. Pinder-Schloss declares he must leave the family again. In truth, this is a ruse for her to sneak into the Addams Family vault, but the party goes off without a hitch. Morticia stops the festivities and Gomez invites his estranged brother to dance the “mamushka” with him, a timeless Addams family tradition taught to them by their cousins.
What ensues is a catchy folk tune with a dance to match, though, this is The Addams Family after all, so there are some sharp objects involved. After much fun clapping, stomping, and dancing, part of the dance sees some sword juggling between Gomez and Fester, ending the number with Fester swallowing a sword. The scene ultimately became an iconic standout moment from the movie. If Burton chooses to pay homage to the mamushka, which is arguably in Wednesday season 2’s best interest, it won’t have the same narrative impact due to the Fester plot thread in the movie but could become as memorable as Wednesday’s season 1 dance.
Gomez’s Dance Scene Can Beat Wednesday Season 1’s In An Exciting Way
Not only could a mamushka revival rival the Wednesday dance from season 1’s popularity, but it could actually surpass it since the mamushka includes something Wednesday’s dance didn’t: singing. While the mamushka doesn’t feature a full song, the final part of the dance saw Raul Julia’s Gomez Addams burst into song to accompany the catchy folk tune. If Burton truly wants to honor the 1991 Addams Family movie, then the song should be a part of the sequence. However, Guzmán stated he’d be sword fighting and dancing in Wednesday season 2, so there’s no word on the singing.
Wednesday hasn’t really included any singing thus far, which was arguably the right choice as there was little in season 1 to necessitate it. Viewers who grew up on The Addams Family would be more than happy to see the mamushka make a return to the screen, as Gomez has proved he can rival Wednesday‘s dance scene. Hopefully, the mamushka will receive some new life and due attention from a new audience, and it’s possible that the entire Addams family could be involved this go around, rather than just Fester and Gomez. Ultimately, Wednesday season 2 will reveal if the mamushka will happen or not.
