If you’re like most people, you eeped with joy at the trailers of Stranger Things: Season Two. Especially if, like most people, you found yourself binge-watching season one when it was released on Netflix (or some other random, ‘totally legal’, site – that’s your business). And just for the record, you can check out our review on Season One HERE. Given that the episodes are like potato chips, you really can’t watch just one.
With season one’s close (if you haven’t watched it, please stop reading now) young Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is brought back from the Upside Down. Eleven (Millie bobby Brown) seems to have disappeared after destroying one of the Demogorgon from the Upside Down, and the Hawkins National Laboratory (the facility) is now “under new management.” With all the twists and turns having come to their eventual conclusion, everything seems to have gotten back to quasi normal in Hawkins.
So, what exactly do they need a second season for? Obviously, it’s because everything is not back to “normal.” Will is still feeling the effects of having been in the Upside Down for so long and is receiving treatment at the facility for this. Eleven is in hiding from the “new management” from the facility, and Steve (Joe Keery) is so far different from who he was at the beginning of Season One that there is some serious love thrown his way from his fans, if not from Nancy (Natalia Dyer) not to mention the bro-mance that starts between him and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) during this new season. Plus, Winona Ryder turns out yet another outstanding performance as the eternally-frazzled, living embodiment of stress, Joyce. Add to these things the introduction of five new characters, and a great side-story for Eleven, and Season Two is just as much of a twister as Season One.
Don’t ask me a thing about the new monsters. I shan’t say a thing!
Okay, you twisted my arm. Will’s connection to the UD causes visions of a large and terrifying creature known as… The Shadow Monster! Hey! What did you expect? They gave you a pretty complex name in the first season. Besides, this creature’s name may seem wahwah, but what he does is anything but. And that’s all I’m willing to say. Also, there are smaller creatures in this one, too. If you like the Demogorgon from season one, you’ll adore the demidogs in this season.
The Bottom Line:
Overall, Stranger Things: Season Two is an outstanding follow-up to Season One. It capitalizes on its momentum, keeps the spirit of the show, and gives fans everything they could want and more, including a few things they might not have even knew they wanted. Highly, highly recommended – especially if you enjoyed Season One. Of course, thanks to holiday season delays and lost e-mails from our dear editor, you’ve probably long since seen this season a couple times. – 10.0/10
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-Hannah Collins
Staff Writer: Nerd Nation Magazine
@NerdNationPress
- NERD NATION MAGAZINE - 
I enjoyed season two and enjoyed many of the character arcs – especially Steve. But I felt like episode seven totally ripped you out of the fantasy of this small little Indiana town where strange things happen. It went from feeling like Spielburg movie to a bad 80s TV show set in Chicago. What did you think? Do you think they’ll be heading towards that direction in season 3?
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Editor here. I personally wasn’t a fan of the whole side-track/”let’s introduce this other character that doesn’t really fit with anything or the vibe of the show” thing, either. But, that being said, yes. I unfortunately do think that’s exactly where they’re heading for Season Three.
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