Liam Hoofe with a spoiler free review of Stranger Things season 2…
Netflix has released a great number of excellent TV shows over the last few years, but none have quite nestled themselves into popular culture in the same way that Stranger Things has. The show’s first season, released in 2016, was a massive word of mouth hit, becoming a cultural phenomenon and even earning itself several Emmy nominations this year. The show’s second season, arguably Netflix’s most anticipated arrival of all time, dropped this past Friday and has no doubt been binged the world over since.
The first question most people are going to be asking about Stranger Things 2, is whether or not it is as good, if not better than the original. The answer to that, is, yes. Stranger Things season 2 is a big step forward from the first season, developing the characters, the story and the show’s mass appeal, while still remaining as digestible and binge-worthy as it has always been.
The events of the show’s second season take place one year after the end of the first. Will is struggling to adapt back to life in Hawkins, being bullied at school, and plagued by visions of the Upside Down, Eleven is still nowhere to be seen following her bravery at the end of the first season, Mike is still reeling from the loss of his best friend, and the rest of the boys are goofing around just as much as before. Hawkins, it becomes very clear, is very much a different town following the events of last season, there is an air of loss lingering over the whole town, one that has created a paranoia in the air.
Season 2 also has plenty of new characters to throw into the mix. With no Eleven around, there is a new girl on the scene this season – Max. Max instantly catches the boys attention when she defeats Dustin’s high-score on Dig-Dug at the local arcade and it isn’t long before she is the hot topic of conversation among the group. She hasn’t arrived alone, either. Accompanying her to her new town is her psychotic step-brother, Billy, a mullet wearing, mustachioed jock, who feels ripped straight from any 80’s teen movie. While, initially, the characters make for an interesting addition to the show, they never felt fully developed for me – Max is very much ‘nerdy tough girl’ 101 and her brother is just never explored enough. That being said, the show does have a unexpected delight in the arrival of Jim, Will’s Mother’s new boyfriend. Every scene Jim is in, he steals – his sweet, and lovable naivety often makes for some lighter viewing amid all the chaos that is ruling over Hawkins.
The beating heart of the show, though, is, of course, the four central boys. With Will back in the real world this year, the gang are finally reunited and like any good 80’s film, it is the relationship between these boys that is the real standout of the season. Dustin and Lucas also feel much more padded out this season, with the two getting their own little sub-plot, which is highly amusing. The only one of the boys who seem to have taken a step back this year is Mike. Mike’s relationship with Eleven was a big part of the show’s first season and this year he feels lost in the mix, a little; almost relegated to the place of a sidekick. It’s a shame, as Finn Wolfhard, the actor who plays Mike, was such a revelation in the recent It adaptation, and it would have been nice to see more of what he has to offer.
One character who really shines this year, however, is Detective Hopper, who, for my money, is the most competent detective in all TV. While it would have been easy to pursue the grizzled, chain-smoking, small-town detective cliche, Stranger Things really pads out his character this year and many times in the show, he feels like the season’s protagonist. David Harbour is an actor with serious rising stock at the moment and this season served as a nice teaser for his upcoming turn as Hellboy.
The biggest draw for all of Stranger Things has undeniably been the fact that it is swimming in 1980’s nostalgia, and Season 2 manages to take up that up a notch. From the second episode, entitled Mad Max to constant references to the 1984 election, upcoming cinema releases, soundtrack choices and visual nods to 80’s classics, season 2 will more than satisfy those hoping to relive their glory days. In my, often derided opinion, this was occasionally a hindrance for the show’s first season, with it occasionally coming off as derivative, but season 2 rises above that, feeling much more like an original show paying a loving homage, as opposed to directly taking stories and characters from the time period.
Without talking about the plot too much here, let me also add that the show does an effective job of answering all the lingering questions from the show’s first season, while also effectively adding new layers of mystique for its second outing. The season’s narrative arc is much more innovative than its predecessors – with the show using a much different take on the idea of a central antagonist. Sure, there are some plot threads that don’t work as well – a teenage romance storyline which runs through the whole season is distracting if nothing else, and there is one very exposition-heavy episode which really doesn’t fit in with the rest of the season. On the whole, though, the 9 episodes here are stronger than those from the first season – with the season’s closing episodes being the show’s most exciting and emotional yet.
Verdict: Stranger Things season 2 manages to live up to its hype, surpassing its predecessor and further establishing its status as one of the most binge-watchable shows on TV right now.
Rating: 8/10
What did you think of Stranger Things Season 2? Let us know in the comments (no spoilers, please!) and let Liam know on Twitter @liamhoofe
