“Stranger Things” Season 2 Review

This review contains light spoilers for Stranger Things Season 2.

“Stranger Things” remains one of the most popular Netflix originals.
Photo By Netflix

“Stranger Things” is back with the much-awaited second season to Netflix’s surprise smash-hit series. While it treads similar tropes as the first season, Season 2 delivers a thrilling story that pays homage to virtually every sci-fi film of the 80s that is held together by its excellent cast of characters.

    Season 2 picks up almost a year after the events of the first season. While the small town of Hawkins and its oblivious residents seem to be mostly back to normal, “Zombie Boy” Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is having a hard time shifting back to a normal life after his traumatic experiences a year earlier. As his “visions” of the Upside Down persist, he finds himself caught between Hawkins and the nightmares of the Upside Down, pulling him back into the sci-fi thriller that is “Stranger Things.”

    While Will and his battle with the Upside Down takes the forefront of Season 2’s plot, he is joined by the usual cast of characters and some great new additions. Now downtrodden by the disappearance of Eleven (Milly Bobby Brown), Finn Wolfhard’s Mike finds purpose in helping Will overcome whatever it is he’s going through, while seeking answers for himself. While Mike took the spotlight of the D&D party in the first season, Season 2 gives some much-needed screen time to Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), who are both charming and hilarious throughout every episode.

    With the addition of new kid on the block Max (Sadie Sink), the existing party dynamic is shaken up even further, causing Dustin and Lucas to fight for her attention and Mike to be reluctant of letting another girl in the party with Eleven still out of the picture. Max is a great addition to the party, and it is interesting to see an outsider slowly become introduced to the stranger things of Hawkins, Indiana.

    The adults of Hawkins are also joined by some fresh faces, such as Joyce Byers’s (Winona Ryder) nerdy boyfriend Bob Newby, played by beloved 80s actor Sean Astin, and Dr. Owens (Paul Rieser), who now runs the Hawkins Lab in Dr. Brenner’s absence. Bob’s naïve and good-natured personality is a great counterpart to the now deeply paranoid and jaded Joyce, and Dr. Owens provides an interesting character that is more than just the evil government scientist fans have come to expect. But with everything the scientist of Hawkins Lab did last season, it is understandable to question the good doctor’s motivations.

    Since the characters are the highlight of the show, Season 2 spends a large amount of time fleshing out their relationships with each other, creating some interesting pairings throughout the show’s 9 episodes. Winona Ryder once again delivers as the over-protective mother Joyce, with her relationship with Will becoming even more endearing now that he is back in the picture. Similarly, Chief Hopper (David Harbour) finds himself looking after the superhuman Eleven, creating a father/daughter dynamic that is one of the most compelling relationships of the season. Even Dustin and Steve Harrington (Joe Kerry) form an unlikely bromance, serving as yet another highlight of the season. However, some characters don’t really develop much further, with Nancy and Jonathan pretty much being in the same boat as they were in Season 1.

    Season 2 starts off a little slow to set up its characters and the conflict of this season, but never did it have me bored or begging for action. However, when the action does start, it is even more thrilling than that of the first season, as the show takes the supernatural dangers of the Upside Down to new heights, resulting in some terrifying monsters that prey upon the people of Hawkins.

    This action is once again accompanied by an incredible Retro Synthwave soundtrack by electronic duo Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of S U R V I V E. While oftentimes soothing or lively, the soundtrack takes the audience to some places that are just as unnerving as the show’s visuals. Soundtracks just do not get any better than this.

While Season 2 kept me enthralled all the way through, the show is brought down a bit by an unnecessary arc started in Episode 1 and followed through with in the entirety of Episode 7. While it does develop the character of Eleven and expand the series past the small town of Hawkins, Episode 7 interrupts the flow of the more engaging plotline of the rest of the series with a story that feels wildly out-of-place.

    However, one episode was not enough to bring down an otherwise incredible season of television. From its opening moments to its satisfying conclusion, Season 2 of “Stranger Things” lives up to the high expectations left by the beloved first season, and cements itself as one of the best ongoing series Netflix has to offer.