TV Review: Stranger Things Season 2

"One of TV's simplest pleasures."

(aka The Kids Aren't Alright.)
Release Date: Oct 27th.
Country: USA.
Rating: NR.
Written by: Matt and Ross Duffer.
Directed by: Matt and Ross Duffer.
Starring: David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Winona Ryder, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, and Charlie Heaton.

Like us, we're pretty sure that you've been itching to return to Hawkins, Indiana since the finale of Season One, and if you haven't made the journey yet, just what in the hell are you waiting for?

Get going!

When we last saw our favorite crew from Hawkins, Indiana, Eleven sacrificed herself to save Will from the Demogorgon, which left Mike heartbroken; Hopper was leaving waffles in a box in the woods; Nancy was back with jerky Steve, leaving Jonathan in the cold; and Will coughed up a slug and had a vision of the upside down, which left things on an ominous note.

AND BARB WAS STILL MISSING.

One year later, and Will is known around town as zombie boy, and the fact that he's having strong visions of the Upside Down don't make his life any easier; Mike is still missing Eleven; Hopper's got a secret hidden away in a remote cabin; Joyce is dating Samwise Gamgee; Nancy, Steve and Jonathan are in a love triangle; and a new girl named Max and her asshole brother have just moved to town.

WHAT IS UP WITH THEM?

After it becomes apparent that something from the Upside Down is using Will to cross over into their world, our gang of unlikely heroes once again has to find a way to save Hawkins, and their friend.

DON'T OPEN THAT BOX.

Season One of Stranger Things gave us plenty of 80's nostalgia, pop culture references, and creepy atmosphere that made it a special, and different, watch. This time around, all of that gets amplified and then some, while the relationships between the characters power the show into a comfy zone that we don't get from most other TV offerings.

We don't want to spoil too much of the plot, but suffice it to say that:

• Bob was awesome.
• Dustin and Steve stole the show.
• Eleven's dramatic return was a kick ass moment.
• The last two episodes had way more feels attached to them than we expected.
• Watching David Harbour play Hopper makes us believe that he could actually make for a good Hellboy.
• Max was a good addition to the gang, and we still think there's more to her brother than has been revealed so far.
• The Snow Ball scene was all kinds of cool, and illustrates just why the show is so good.
• The soundtrack rocked.

POOR WILL...

I'm not sure why the Duffers decided to introduce the subplot about Eight and her band of Emo edge lords, but it felt like filler to us. Sure, it gave El's story some much needed context, but it really didn't amount to much.

UM...

Alright, so in Season One, we hated Steve. This time around though, Steve became a boss, and his friendship with Dustin made him our favorite character, so... it sucks that he's all alone at the end while Nancy cozies up to Jonathan!

Steve is the man, and he deserves better!

HOW COULD YOU DO HIM LIKE THAT!

The Demogorgon brood chew there way through plenty of people, some of which gets bloody.

AWW, HOW ADORABLE.

Not that kind of show.

AH, THE AWKWARDNESS OF TEENAGE ROMANCE.

Every scene with Dustin and Steve. Honestly, their awkward buddy Cop routine was the highlight of the season. They need their own spin-off series.

"PULL MY FINGER."

There's less of a primary focus on Eleven, and it's definitely darker, but if you liked Season One, then Season Two should delight the hell out of you, albeit in different ways. We can't wait for Season Three.

A

Season Two of Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix now.

The lovely ladies of Hawkins., Indiana.