Lady Gaga

Pop star Sabrina Carpenter hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the first time ever, but it sure didn’t feel like it.

Carpenter was the musical guest last year when Jake Gyllenhaal hosted, and at the 50th anniversary special, she performed with Paul Simon and appeared in a sketch. Whether it’s because she’s done the show both as a musician and a comedic performer (her song performances are often a mix of both) or not, Carpenter seems perfectly at ease in Studio 8H, like she’s always been there.

That served her well on an episode that started badly with a retread of a sketch that’s been done a few too many times (keyword: Domingo), and a monologue that, despite Carpenter’s charm, didn’t seem to connect with the audience.

But after that, Carpenter’s quicksilver timing and ease, plus a diverse set of sketches, put the episode over the top. She sounded just like a 12-year-old boy in a sketch about preteens hosting a podcast called “Snack Homies” with President Trump (James Austin Johnson) as a guest, sold a provocative neck pillow in a funny Shop TV sketch, performed a pretaped “Grind Song” with Bowen Yang, and was thrown out of a window as the host of a girlboss seminar. She scared a co-worker (Ashley Padilla, quickly becoming a critical “SNL” utility player) on her birthday and played a singing and dancing washing machine alongside new cast member Veronika Slowikowska.

It also didn’t hurt that Carpenter’s two playful and well-sung musical performances, for “Manchild” and “Nobody’s Son,” were showstoppers. Her love of the show was evident: she performed the former wearing a “Live from New York” T-shirt and panties with “It’s Saturday Night!” written on the back.

The best argument for inviting Sabrina Carpenter back sometime might be that she held the show together with no outside guests or surprise cameos, which hasn’t happened on “SNL” in a long time. The only exception was a short film from “Please Don’t Destroy” writer Martin Herlihy at the end of the show that may have been about racism and Frankenstein’s Monsters (yes, plural).

We’ll keep this short because the less said about this week’s cold open the better. Chloe Fineman and Andrew Dismukes returned as Matthew and Kelsey, a couple that has struggled in the past with trust issues from Kelsey’s frequent trips with her friends that usually end with a passionate affair with a guy named Domingo (Marcello Hernández). This time, they’re celebrating Matthew’s 30th birthday, but for some reason, Kelsey has flown in her girlfriends (including Carpenter) to sing some pop songs in bad karaoke style about a recent weekend they spent in Nashville. This time the songs are modeled after Taylor Swift’s “Fate of Ophelia,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary Song.” The ladies went to Nashville and of course Domingo is still around. “This is strike six,” Matthew cries haplessly. “Babe, it won’t happen again,” Kelsey promises. Let’s hope so. The Domingo sketches need to be put to rest.

Carpenter’s monologue was largely about dispelling (but not really) the notion that the singer is overly sexualized, or as she described it, a “Horndog popster.” “There’s so much more to me,” she said, “I’m not just horny. I’m also turned on.” She made hay of the controversy over her “Man’s Best Friend” album cover by joking that it was cropped and revealing that Bowen Yang and Martin Short both originally appeared on it, with Yang pulling her up by her hair and Short pushing her away from a buffet line. The monologue started to fizzle when Carpenter went to the audience for some interaction to prove she can have chemistry with anyone or anything, only to come back to the stage for an awkward bit with Kenan Thompson, who said he wanted a Cameo video for his niece. Carpenter has charisma to spare, but the monologue was too disjointed to go anywhere.

Best sketch of the night: Does making plans to see “Plans” also scare you?

Mock horror movie trailers have done well on “SNL” lately and the streak continues with “Plans,” a Blumhouse horror film featuring Ben Marshall and Carpenter as a couple horrified to realize that plans they made back on Fourth of July have suddenly come to fruition with a cousin and her husband. As their terror grows, they remember that the cousin (Sarah Sherman) talks about marathons (“The way I see it, losing toenails is a badge of honor”) and the husband (Dismukes) likes to show off 11-minute YouTube videos. They’re going to end up at a crowded ramen restaurant and then a bad interactive play. For anyone who’s ever regretted saying yes to socializing, this might be your worst nightmare.

Also good: The neck pillow monologues

The Shop TV sketches wouldn’t work so well if Padilla and Mikey Day didn’t do such a good job infusing their characters Bev and Rhett with such practiced professional panic when things go awry, as they’ve done before. Carpenter appears as Virginia Duffy, a crafter who’s designed an ergonomic pillow that looks just like a giant vagina, which comes in different colors. “Why would you bring the pink one?” asks an exasperated Rhett. By the time the faux fur lining is added and Rhett tries on the neck pillow, culminating in an unwanted baby sound effect, Shop TV has done it again. Bonus points for Johnson as Tim Tucker, who appears at the beginning of the sketch with a trick-or-treat pail in the shape of Jesus Christ’s head. “Trick or treat, smell my feet, walk with Christ down the Halloween street,” he chants.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Did you see ‘Saw’? He did not

New cast member Tommy Brennan discussed moving to New York and growing up in Minnesota, but it was the return of Hernandez’s Movie Guy character, who wants to talk about scary movies but has seen absolutely none of them. “Everybody saw ‘Weapons!’ I have to tell you, I was not one of those people,” he says. Movie Guy expresses that horror movies often tell you what they’re about: with “Scream,” “everbody scream!” With “Smile,” “everybody smile!” How about “Saw?” “Everybody saw! But not me, I did not see.” He goes on to touch on why Stewie from “Family Guy,” “Shrek” and others are also scary (even if he hasn’t seen them). “‘One Missed Call’ … is this a movie about my mother?”

POP superstar Lady Gaga gets a bit emulsional in a photoshoot to promote her new makeup range.

The 39-year-old US singer completely doused herself in beige-tinted paint in the advertising campaign for her beauty brand Haus Labs.

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She launched the firm in 2019, and the range has 51 different shades of foundation — all vegan.

Her sold-out Mayhem Ball tour will reach the UK later this month. Let’s hope she’s brought an extra coat.

Earlier this month Gaga was forced to cancel a show and issue an emotional apology to gutted fans.

Barely an hour before she was due on stage in Miami, she shared a message on her Instagram Stories saying that she had no choice but to cancel the concert.

Gaga wrote: “Hi everyone, I am really so, so sorry but I need to postpone tonight’s show in Miami.

“During rehearsal last night and my vocal warmup tonight, my voice was extremely strained and both my doctor and vocal coach have advised me not to go on because of the risk it poses.

“I want to be hardcore and just push through this for you but I don’t want to risk long-term or permanent damage to my vocal cords.”

She continued: “There is a significant risk based on all our combined experience with a show like ours and as you know I sing live every night.

“And even though this was a hard and agonizing decision I would be more afraid of the long term implications on my voice.”

She then begged her fans to understand the position she was in, writing: “I hope you can forgive me and accept my sincerest apologies for any disappointment, let down, inconvenience.

“I am so, so sorry, I tried so hard to avoid this, I take serious care of myself to be able to put on this highly demanding show.”

Gaga concluded: “I love my fans so much, respect you and hope you can accept my sincere, regretful apology.”

The announcement was made at 8pm ET, 45 minutes before she is usually on stage.

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LADY GAGA dominated the MTV VMAs – winning four gongs out of 12 nominations and performing her new single The Dead Dance on stage for the first time.

She is now the third most awarded artist in the ceremony’s history with 22 gongs — one more than Madonna.

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Gaga is now just behind Beyonce and Taylor Swift who are tied on 30 awards each.

Despite putting on the best performance of the night, Bizarre can reveal the superstar wasn’t actually inside the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, when she appeared on stage.

In fact Gaga secretly recorded her performance across town at Madison Square Garden, where she was performing on her Mayhem Ball tour, and shot it four times to make sure they had the perfect take.

Gaga pushed back her performance there by 90 minutes in order to walk the red carpet at the VMAs before racing back across town to get on stage.

A source said: “Gaga was adamant she wanted to be involved in the VMAs but obviously cancelling her show at MSG was never an option.

She and her team worked with MTV for weeks in order to get in two places at once.

“As soon as she won Artist of the Year she raced backstage for pictures and then drove to MSG. It was full on but if anyone could pull it off it’s Gaga.

“During her show she performed with some of her Moonmen — she’s so proud to be still winging awards.

“It was a really special moment, especially as her mum and dad were in the crowd.”

As she picked up the Artist of the Year gong, Gaga gave a shout-out to her fiance Michael Polansky and said: “To my partner in all things, Michael.

“Creating this year with you was a beautiful, beautiful dream, and you have been my partner every step of the way.

“I dedicate this to you too, my love. I wish I could stay and watch all these amazing performances, but I have to go back to Madison Square Garden.”

Feeling reflective the superstar went on to admit she wants to be performing until 2045 and feels like New York has shaped her into the artist she is today.

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Gaga said: “I hope in 20 years when I have written lots more albums that I will still be back here. I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel that this is where I grew up because it made me so much of who I am.

“I think about what [my music] would have sounded like if I hadn’t grown up here.

“I feel like when you are from New York it kind of grows roots in your veins. You have this understanding of life and community, it’s very strong. It’s a feeling. I can’t quite describe it as it’s a feeling.”

Now Gaga is on a roll, the wheels are in motion for her to come to the UK for four headline shows at London’s O2 Arena.

The gigs, along with two more in Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, sold out in seconds.

And if her performance in New York was anything to go by, us British fans are in for a treat.

IT’S RAINING MEN FOR SABRINA

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SABRINA CARPENTER wowed fans with a seriously sexy and rain-soaked  rendition of her new single Tears.

And there was something for everyone, as she was surrounded by a troupe of very attractive male dancers dressed as policemen as well as drag queens.

During the evening, Sabrina won three MTV VMAs and used her performance to call for the advancement of trans rights.

Speaking on stage, the Manchild singer said: “This world, as we all know, can be so full of criticism and discrimination and negativity.

“So to get to be part of something that can make you smile, make you dance, and make you feel like the world is your f***ing oyster, I’m so grateful to do that.”

NIGHT’S YUNG FOR AEROSMITH

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HOMEGROWN star Yungblud led a special tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne after his death in July.

The punk rocker was joined by Aerosmith legends Steven Tyler and Joe Perry for a medley of the Black Sabbath singer’s hit singles Crazy Train, Changes and Mama, I’m Coming Home.

Speaking on the carpet, Yungblud  revealed he was wearing Ozzy’s cross necklace (which Ozzy had given him, inset above) as a mark of respect.

He added: “It’s a big moment to honour someone you love.

“I’m wearing his cross tonight. I love him and always have. I hope he’s up there with a drink watching tonight.”

Teasing his future plans, Yungblud, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, added: “There is a new project coming in two weeks… I’ve not said that yet.”

As the cameras cut away from the singer, to Steven Tyler’s impressive guitar solo, Bizarre watched as Yungblud turned his back on the audience and sipped an alcoholic drink, looking up to the emotional montage of the late rock legend.

Over the past few years Yungblud had grown close to Ozzy and his family. He was one of the star acts at Black Sabbath’s homecoming gig in Birmingham earlier this summer.

Yungblud revealed to Bizarre that he learned of Ozzy’s passing via a text from the heavy metal legend’s son Jack Osbourne. The singer said: “You get to know someone personally, who you love and then they leave.

“I was texting him, then his son Jack texted me and said, ‘He’s gone’.

“Being around the family and being at the funeral, the amount of love there. That family are real as f***.

“The dream is to have kids and a family like that. There’s no gimmicks. It’s authentic.”

TATE’S IN TRAINING TO WED

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TATE McRAE appeared to be using the VMAs as a dry run for her own wedding.

The singer wore a sheer white dress with a statement train that was so long she needed two members of staff to carry it like bridesmaids.

Tate is thought to be single at the moment, but after watching her red-hot performance of Revolving Door and Sports Car in this two-piece we imagine she won’t be short of offers.

ARI: MIC’S TUTU TALL

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ARIANA GRANDE may be small but she took home some of the biggest gongs of the night.

She picked up the award for Best Pop and Video of the Year for her Brighter Days Ahead.

Despite not being a performer, Ari was given her own dressing room backstage to cater for her three wardrobe changes.

The superstar arrived in a fitted polka dot number and ended things in a white ballerina tutu.

During her time on stage, Ari seemed overcome with emotion at her wins, before joking that the height of the mic got taller each time she took to the stage.

MARIAH’S MEDLEY

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MARIAH CAREY returned to the VMAs stage for the first time in two decades to pick up the Video Vanguard Award and to perform a medley of her hits.

And, naturally, the notorious diva made sure the luxuries were laid on before she even stepped foot in the Big Apple.

Insiders said Mariah flew in via private jet, which had been decked out with white roses and cashmere blankets.

After laying low for a couple days at her sprawling £16million penthouse in Tribeca, Mariah and her glam squad then spent most of Sunday getting her red carpet-ready.

MTV bosses were on alert for the infamous diva to be hard work, but I’m told everything went smoothly . . . even if she did keep a wide berth from almost every other star.

Mimi opted to swerve both the red carpet and on stage VIP seats, instead zipping in and out via the backdoor.

She was handed her gong by Ariana Grande. Mariah told Ari: “I love you. I’m so grateful for you and I’m beyond proud of everything you’ve achieved, girl.”

It marked the first time the We Belong Together singer has ever won a coveted Moonman.

RICKY WINS LATIN ICON

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RICKY MARTIN proved he’s still got it with a hip-thrusting medley of his biggest hits.

The Latin pop king belted out Livin’ La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon Bon, Maria, The Cup Of Life along with two Spanish tracks.

Ricky, who also picked up the first ever Latin Icon award, was hoisted high above the crowd to kick off his medley before an outfit change mid performance.

A beaming Ricky told fans: “I’m addicted to your applause that’s why I keep coming back.”

Later this year he will tour Australia with support from Rita Ora. It’s been a long time since he played the UK so hopefully dates over here are not far off.

This article contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of “Wednesday.”

In a world where teenagers grapple with accusations of withering attention spans and a lack of motivation, Wednesday Addams managed to rouse from a coma and made the back-to-school scaries feel even more like a mind trip by … summoning Lady Gaga?

“Wednesday” returned for the second half of its sophomore season on Netflix this week, picking up right after Part 1’s ominous cliffhanger to reveal its moody teenage protagonist evaded potential death and that she was ready to dive back into the twisty world of deadly family secrets, monsterly situationships and friendship woes.

In the middle of the new threats and old mysteries are the show-stopping contributions from the pop superstar (and honorary mother to all outcasts, including her legion of Little Monsters, as her fanbase is called). Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, made a roughly two-minute appearance as Rosaline Rotwood, a deceased professor at Nevermore, the school for outcasts that Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) attends, with second sight capabilities that trigger a Freaky Friday/body-swap interlude between Wednesday and her estranged friend Enid (Emma Myers). The multi-hyphenate artist also provides the song “The Dead Dance” to score what’s poised to be another social media dance trend akin to Ortega’s viral Season 1 moves to the Cramps’ “Goo Goo Muck.”

The Times spoke with creators and showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar to break down the season. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

You know where we have to start: Lady Gaga. Tell me the origin story of this casting.

Gough: It all grew out of the viral dance from the first season. Some fan, who should collect a lot of money, put Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary” [over the dance] — because it was “Goo Goo Muck”— and suddenly the dance became its own, whole new thing. We’ve always been huge Lady Gaga fans. And if there was anybody who was the ultimate outcast, it would be her. We just started a conversation with her and her team … is there a way for her to be involved in Season 2? We found this character — because obviously, she’s very busy and touring — that could be a small role, but it’s an impactful one. Out of that grew “The Dead Dance,” a song that she had which we heard a year ago and loved it. They’re like, “She’ll hold it for the show.” And we were like, “Oh my God.”

Millar: When we heard the lyrics, it was almost like she had written the song for the show. And we had this moment in Episode 7, which we’d always planned — we never wanted to repeat ourselves with Jenna doing a dance — but it feels like music and the show and dancing are integral now. To not scratch that itch creatively in Season 2, I think the audience would have been so disappointed. So it felt like, how do we honor the incredible Rave’N dance in Season 1, which became such an iconic moment, but do it in a way that’s different and celebrate new characters? That’s why we came up with the idea of the gala and seeing Agnes [Evie Templeton] and Enid come together. They’ve been antagonistic, and it felt like a beautiful moment of female friendship and blossoming and this incredible Gaga song was just like the icing on the cake.

I was expecting a long courting process when you’re trying to get Lady Gaga — like, writing letters.

Gough: The process wasn’t fast, but it was always very pleasant and complimentary. Everybody wanted it to work. I think that’s where we were starting from, is everybody wanted it to work.

Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams and Lady Gaga as Rosaline Rotwood. (Helen Sloan / Netflix)

There’s a lot of discussion right now about gaps between seasons, and obviously there were some factors that caused the gap here — namely the strikes, but also other projects. How do you feel about that, especially knowing the fan base skews younger? Is it harmful to maintaining that relationship with the material?

Millar: We certainly never wanted a three-year gap. I think the show feels like an event movie, in a weird way, so I think people are prepared to wait, but it’s not ideal. It’s something that we would never want ourselves, as viewers. It’s been gratifying that people have come back in the way they have, and we definitely feel their love for the show, but we had obstacles in terms of getting to that place, coming back. No one’s to blame. It’s just the reality of the strike and everything else. Now the focus is coming back quicker. We rolled right from production into the writers’ room; now we’re rolling right into production [on Season 3 in October]. We’re definitely on a faster cadence, and that’s certainly the plan moving forward.

That said, as hopefully you see on screen, it is a huge show. We have over 3,500 visual effects shots. We’re still finishing [the finale] this week. There are still shots that are going to be dropped in that monster fight on the roof, the fight in the clock tower. The most complex visual effects in the show actually is Professor Olaf, which is the Christopher Lloyd character. But that takes a lot of time and trial and error to get to the point where I think the show looks as good as it does. Certainly our imperative is to get the show back faster; I know Netflix has that goal and wish as well.

Gough: Our goal is we’ve got to create the best show we can create. As Miles said, it takes us a certain amount of time. When you get in your head like that, you can’t actually do your best work. I can guarantee you that’s something that the Netflix marketing department thinks about a lot. They certainly try to keep fans engaged online and through other ways. And the Netflix Houses now that have those [fan] experiences. Can you translate that and keep engagement? You’re right, there’s a lot of shows and movies out there and you want to be able to stay in the zeitgeist in that time when you’re not in the zeitgeist. But for us, at a certain point, we just got to create the show, try to keep all the noise outside.

In the space between Season 1 and 2, Jenna was pretty vocal about not connecting with the character choices from the first season. I’m curious how you felt as it happened? And what has “Wednesday” taught you about how to work with actors and how to consider their opinions or perspective about the material?

Gough: We’re not going to speak to some of that because we’ve spoken to it in previous interviews, but I think our philosophy has always been — from “Smallville” on down “Into the Badlands” — it is a collaboration and a conversation with the actors. We always say movies is a party, but a television show is like a family. They have to feel ownership. We had that with Jenna in Season 1 — she read all the scripts, she gave notes. She’s continued to do that in Season 2. She’s taken a more active role in terms of being in production meetings and understanding the marketing perspective and just having all of that. She’s a generational talent and she’s going to have a very long career, and the career will be more than just acting. Actors are the keeper of the world and they have to be able to [understand] their characters. We’ll take a good idea from anybody. You just want them to be engaged and to have good ideas and be thinking about their characters. It’s something we learned from John Wells, who we met with very early on, before we started running “Smallville,” to get his advice. That’s what he told us. As a creator, you have to have the vision for the show, but you have to be open to these ideas and funnel them through.

Enid (Emma Myers) and Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) in “Wednesday.” Season 2 explores the growing pains of the polar-opposite friends: “The end of Season 1, Wednesday made a friend, but then it’s like, OK, how do you be a friend?”

(Netflix)

Is it fair to say you took some of it into consideration because there was less of an emphasis on a love triangle, at least with Wednesday? We really see things build in the friendship between Enid and Wednesday.

Gough: The thing is, if your first boyfriend turns out to be a monster, there was never going to be like, “Oh, I can’t wait to dive back into a romance” idea. The show’s been in our head for six years; it was always like, Season 2 was once bitten, twice shy, especially if you’re Wednesday Addams — or once bitten, twice stabbed. That felt like the natural evolution. Again, she’s not a character who was, even Season 1 [boy crazy] and it worked great. People were invested and intrigued and wanted to know. I can tell you from having daughters — because most times it’s portrayed as the girls are loving for the boys. That’s not true in every situation. With my two daughters, it’s the boys who’ve been way more interested in the girls, and then they eventually come around or think, maybe I’ll do it. If you look at Season 1, Xavier and Tyler were way more interested in Wednesday. Wednesday had no interest and any time she even delved into what you would see as romance — she went to the dance because she thought he was a suspect. Wednesday never does anything because she goes with the flow. She’s either backed into a corner or it’s going to help her in her larger case. Even in that love triangle, we never betrayed Wednesday. She was never starry-eyed for either boy.

Millar: That love triangle worked, actually, very well. It’s the dramatic backbone of the season and leads Wednesday — because I think Wednesday, as we like to say, is often wrong; she is someone who just is very headstrong, and I think that’s what makes her so intriguing, that she’s complex and flawed. That’s an interesting thing for teenage female protagonist, who often aren’t that. It’s the journey of a teen; with Season 2, we can change it, and Jenna was in an agreement with that. It’s been a very successful partnership in terms of the steering the course of the character, and where she goes and how she behaves and what she says.

What were you interested in exploring between the Enid-Wednesday dynamic in Season 2? And how did you arrive at the body-swapping idea?

Gough: The end of Season 1, Wednesday made a friend, but then it’s like, OK, how do you be a friend? That’s something that she is still very Wednesday [about] and she still has her preconceived notions of Enid, which is, “I can’t tell her the secret, I have to save her. I can’t include her — she’s weak, she’ll lose her mind.” She doesn’t think that Enid can handle it, so she doesn’t really see her friend. With Enid, it’s even the case with Ajax, and moving on to Bruno, which is Ajax saw her one way, and she’s not that girl anymore.

The body-swap episode was a way to explore that so that they could see [what it’s like] literally walking a mile in somebody else’s shoes — in this case, their bodies — and seeing what it is that they appreciate about each other. It’s an idea that’s sitting there — they’re so polar opposites and they’re both such good actors that they’ve created characters with such specific quirks and body movement and cadences and things like that. To then put the one in the other, it just felt like, why wouldn’t we do that?

Millar: We’ve had moments of real darkness this season; we just need to have an episode where the audience is going to have the best time and it be a great ride. I remember we were on set and it was the moment where Enid wakes up in [Wednesday’s] body and starts screaming. Jenna can scream nonstop. She was screaming all day, but it was so incredible to hear. You didn’t know who it was really. It was complete transformation. It was definitely a challenge. It was more than halfway through the season, they were tired and it was a real testament to their resilience and professionalism that they really just went for it.

Gough: They would record each other doing the line so that they could hear. They studied like two A students. They really put everything into it.

The Addams family plays a bigger role this season. From left, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), Gomez (Luis Guzmán) and Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez).

(Helen Sloan / Netflix)

You brought the Addams family further into the fold this season, particularly giving attention the mother-daughter dynamic between Morticia and Wednesday — their parallels, their tension.

Gough: The show‘s a comedy, it’s a satire, but it always comes down to [being] a family drama. Season 1 even went back Wednesday’s ancestor, Goody vs. Crackstone; then it was Gomez and Morticia vs. the Gates family. It all comes down to family secrets in this show. We wanted to expand that. The feedback we also got was people love the Addams Family and they’re intrigued by them because there’s no real mythology for the Addams Family. They didn’t have names until the TV show in the ’60s. Then you got a couple movies in the ’90s. People love them, but you don’t know much about them. For us, it’s great because it’s the opposite of “Smallville.” It is a clean slate where you can build the family tree. And we do it with the blessing of Kevin Miserocchi, who runs the Addams Foundation.

You got a taste of it in Season 1, with Morticia and Wednesday, and then you saw it in the Parents’ Weekend episode. But then the idea of Morticia is here, and what does that do? And the idea of this mother-daughter relationship, which especially in the teenage years, can be very fraught. They’re a lot more alike than they want to admit, on both ends. To take that very universal idea and relationship that a lot of people have experienced, but put it through the prism of the Addams Family with Morticia and Wednesday, and they solve their fights with swords and there’s more life-and-death sort of circumstances — that felt like a fun way to do it and a way to open up the show.

Millar: We really wanted to give Jenna some relief as well; she was in every scene of Season 1. It was a creative opportunity for us to explore different characters and to really expand the world of the show.

Thing, performed by Victor Dorobantu, and Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in “Wednesday.” The rogue appendage received a backstory in Season 2.

(Netflix)

I loved getting an origin story for Thing.

Millar: The first thing you see of Slurp is this gloved hand coming out of the ground. We thought, “Oh, everyone’s going to know immediately; it’ll be the worst kept secret in Hollywood.” It’s been really gratifying because that’s such a great twist, if we could pull it off — it’s right in front of your face the whole time.

We talked about [whether Thing] should be attached to someone who is so evil. Obviously, he’s flawed. He’s often doing things for the right reasons; they’re sort of deranged reasons. But Isaac Night [Owen Painter] is a flawed character, but he’s also the noble genius as well. That was a debate. We had some other options we explored and went down the road with, but ultimately we thought it was this idea of transformation of seeing a zombie who then becomes human and the comic foil of Pugsley [Isaac Ordonez] choosing him like a pet dog, and then he starts eating brains — it just sounds so insane, but actually it make sense in the show.

Now I want to know the path you didn’t take with him.

Millar: We had a whole backstory for him, which is he was in a circus and he fell in love with a circus performer. It was a very much more sweet story, rather than this one, which is much more macabre, sort of inspired by Frankenstein, zombie movies.

What can you tease about Season 3? Will there be more Lady Gaga? Things ends with Enid being seemingly trapped in wolf mode and there’s Wednesday’s psychic vision of Ophelia, Morticia’s sister.

Millar: We’re in the middle of [writing] Season 3 now. Our lips are sealed. We can’t say anything, but obviously the end of Season 2 does set up that Ophelia will be coming to feature in Season 3. We’ll say that much.

By this time next year, will we have a Season 3?

Gough: I can’t say anything to that.