The first season of Stranger Things gained incredible popularity by word of mouth. The Netflix Original series blended elements of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy, and became a phenomenon that captured the hearts of geeks from around the world.
It wasn’t just the acting or the writing that made us fall in love with Netflix’s drama, but its homages to 1980s films like Carrie, E.T., and The Goonies.
Do the Duffer Brothers — Stranger Things‘ creators — have what it takes to live up to our expectations for Stranger Things 2? It’s time to find out.
Back In Hawkins, Indiana
The second season picks up a year later, starting in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, during October 1984. The show takes us deeper into the lives of the first season’s returning characters, including Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), Will Byers (Noah Schnapps), Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), and Jim Hopper (David Harbour).
New Characters Join Stranger Things 2
We also get to meet new characters, including Max (Sadie Sink), Billy (Dacre Montgomery), Dr. Owens, and (Paul Reiser), Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman). And there’s Bob Newby, a Radio Shack manager and love interest for Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder).
New characters like Sadie Sink have great potential, but it’s challenging when Eleven is in the spotlight. We still don’t know much about her, but it seems like she’s there just to cause drama among the group.
The Crew Is Back Together
Photo credit: Netflix
Will was rescued at the end of Stranger Things Season 1, but that doesn’t mean Hawkins, Indiana, is safe.
In Stranger Things 2, our favorite crew returns. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) are back together. Mike misses Eleven like crazy but she’s nowhere to be found…Mike’s also not happy that Dustin and Lucas allowed Mad Max join their crew.
Love Triangles
Dustin and Lucas crush on Mad Max (Sadie Sink). Steve gives Dustin girls advice. “Ignore her, it’ll make her want you more.” Nancy (Natalie Dyer) is dating Steve (Joe Keery), but continues to glance at Will’s brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). Things heat up between Nancy and Jonathan, causing Steve to get jealous.
Joyce (Winona Ryder) is overprotective about Will most of the time, but Bob Newby (Sean Astin) helps distract her from her own anxieties. Hopper starts off as a bitter old man, but he ultimately wants to save Hawkins, Indiana. During Stranger Things 2, there’s also a lot of sexual tension between Hopper and Joyce. While nothing has happened between the two, we’re hoping to see some action in Stranger Things 3.
Will Is Haunted By A Shadow Monster
Will (Noah Schnapp) has PTSD vision episodes, but it’s hard to wake him up. Why? Because he’s battling the shadow monster that’s strangling him with its tentacles. Thanks to these PTSD episodes, Will becomes the center of attention — even more so than Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven.
Hopper has been hiding Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) since Stranger Things Season 1 ended. Mike’s not too happy about that.
A Happy Ending For Hawkins, Indiana
Unlike the first season, Stranger Things’ 2 finale ends on a happy note. After surviving another nightmare in the Upside Down, the kids are enjoying themselves at Hawkins school dance. But what they don’t know is that shadow monster still exists —and it’s still scary.
Overall, the Duffer Brothers did an outstanding job on Stranger Things 2. Despite some of the flaws in the new characters, the Duffer Brothers gave us another great nine episodes of television, worth binge watching.
