Stranger Things 2 (2017) Review

Stranger Things 2 (2017)

Season 2 of Stranger Things follows Will Buyers, who, after his escape from the Upside Down, is possessed by the Mind Flayer, forcing Eleven to come out of hiding, stronger than ever, to finally close the rift beneath Hawkins Lab. 

I think I can speak for most when I say that Stranger Things Season 2, while still quite good, has always been the most forgettable of the series thus far (and the primary reason I’m left rewatching the show before jumping into Season 4). Picking up almost a year later, Will is back from the Upside Down, Eleven miraculously survived her confrontation with the Demogorgan, and most of the Party have moved on, set aside Mike, who’s obviously left longing for Eleven. The issue is, most of this season stays stagnant on that information right there. Sure, Will suffers from PTSD like symptoms following his return and is soon possessed by the Mindflayer, which has latched onto him like a virus, but that’s about it, as everyone is left wondering—is it happening again?

The biggest real change we get, and one that sadly seems necessary, though it’s easily the worst and most out of place part of this season, is Eleven’s journey of self discovery; finally meeting her mom and traveling to Chicago to meet her “sister”. Kali and her crew of outcasts are such a small footnote in this season and the show in general but they serve a purpose in unlocking the more powerful, dark side tendencies in Eleven, so that she can save the day and close the gate between realities. I foresee this impacting her character throughout the rest of the series, just below the surface. 

Season 2 sports another solid cast, starring Paul Reiser, Brett Gelman, Linnea Berthelsen, Dacre Montgomery, Sean Astin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, and Millie Bobby Brown. Brown once again has her moments, but I’d say we all feel like Harbour this season—annoyed and wishing she’d drop the stale, caveman talk already. Thankfully, Keery and Astin really carry the load of this season and do excellent work with minimal screen time. 

Stranger Things 2, directed by the Duffer Brothers, is another solid, albeit possibly darker season for the show, that tries to recapture much of the mystery and lurking evil of the first to fair effect, as the Mind Flayer never fully feels defeated, just given a temporary cage. 

8.4/10