Stranger Things 2: Review

Hey everyone! It's been a while but what better way to return than reviewing Stranger Things 2, the sequel to the widely loved Netflix original series Stranger Things. Does the second season keep up the standard or does it turn the show upside down? Find out now by reading my Stranger review! no wait that sounds weird, im not reviewing strangers I promise. Take two... Find out now in my Stranger reviews things! nope that didn't work either. There's a good punny title in there somewhere i'm sure. You get the point, read on to see my view on the shows highly anticipated second season!

Things only get stranger...

**Oh and huuuuuge spoiler warning if you have not seen the entirety of the show thats currently out and available. Theres also a few puns. You've been warned** 

When Will they give this kid a break!? Once again Will Byres has a horrid time because the evil of the upside down just won't let him go. The season kicks into action almost immediately by showing audiences the residue of the upside down is still very much looming in the dark and unknown. Will is very much an outcast off the back of last years events and is struggling to fit in. The shadow monster then uses his body as a vessel to help conduct a larger plan, which they never actually explain. It is, however, safe to assume that it was evil and people were in a lot of danger.

Who ya gonna call?... Jim Hopper!

The dynamic between the kids is great once again, I really enjoyed how the show didn't just rely on season one themes like the groups interactions. We know these kids now and we love em'! They build on the mystery, intelligence and they even expand the group with a new member, Max! Mike has changed since Eleven's disappearance last season which causes friction purposeful to the plot but not boring or too elongated. Plus it kept fans waiting for that all important reunion. Although the show didn't rely on past themes, it does stick to the same DNA that made season one successful. The kids start Dustin off their thinking caps and figure out what needs to be done. With only nine episodes, the seasons plot moves along intensely, pushing the show to it's Max whilst still having character building/developing moments that don't feel forced at all. This creates a very cohesive season where everything feels in place and nicely timed.

One of my favourite arcs of the season was Steve Harrington. The all popular school Jock turned all caring babysitter played a pivotal role in the show. Its moments that scale the huge wider-picture Demogorgon invasion down to a tale about a small town that really makes stranger things work. Last season it was just the main kids, but this season it was the dynamics between groupings of characters like the Max, Dustin, & Lucas love triangle, the adventures of Nancy & Johnathon, the father-daughter tales of Hopper & Eleven and the babysitter Steve Harrington. These subplots and arcs kept the show interesting and engaging whilst also furthering the shadow monster plot. Oh and quick shoutout to Lucas' sister, she was so funny in the few scenes she appeared in.

Speaking of the plot, it's a little strange. Good but strange. There's a big ass monster in the upside down that seemingly wants to kill everyone and uses Demo-dogs as its minions but it's never truly explained more than that. We see the Shadow monster but at the same time we don't really. The stranger thing, is how show almost uses a 'smoke and mirrors' tactic to make audiences feel like there's a real danger but distracts them away from fully questioning what the end game actually is. This means the season ends with fans having so many questions. SO MANY. What does the evil in the upside down want? What is the shadow monster? How intelligent are Demogorgons? Is Hawkins the only place this is happening? Where are the other kids like Eleven and Eight? And thats just to name a few.

The show features a super wide range of easter eggs and nods to the 80's of course as its the time which the show is set. Theres too many to list but i'll share a few of my favourites. The music is always a nice touch, some classically popular songs are played throughout, most featuring in the final episode at the Snowball. In the fifth chapter titled 'Dig-Dug', the range are playing an old arcade game called dig-dug. At first this may seem like nothing but 80's fun however the point of the game involves going deep into tunnels underground and battling monsters. In chapter nine, Nancy and Steve are digging through junk at the Byers' house to find anything useful, its hidden by distracting dialogue but Steve picks up Christmas lights. Yep! Stranger things just easter egged itself by referencing a throwback to season 1's famous scene where Joyce communicates with Will.

Ok so overall does the season stack up? Of course it does! It was very enjoyable, it expanded the stranger things world very well without losing its roots or DNA. There weren't any side plots I was not interested in and all characters developed really well. The two main cast additions fit the world well, Max immediately felt like a true member of the party and Billy... well... he was an ass but they gave us an insight to why he's like that and im excited to see where his arc takes him next season. The only major gripe I have with Stranger things 2 is chapter Seven. Yes, its basically Eleven's soft spin-off episode. In my opinion, it didn't fit the theme, feel or vibe of the show. I wasn't interested in Eight's story, the weird gang she was with or what their mission was. It felt like a weirdly edgy attempt at an X-men TV show that i wouldn't watch. With all this being considered Stranger Things 2 gets a Blog of Steel rating of 9/10 Aaaand Bob's your uncle!... actually no, Bob's dead, let's have minute of silence for the founder of the AV club.

Next season im hoping to see different groupings of characters, less of the stuff we saw in chapter Seven, the expansion of the knowledge of what the upside down is and what the Shadow Monster actually wants. Most importantly though, I want the show to keep the same DNA and keep it close to the characters rather than the plot. I'll leave you with one very interesting question... What will happen with the Demo-dog that was left in the fridge?... you have to remember, he likes it cold.

Well that's my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it! Agree or disagree with my thoughts? Let me know by commenting below or tweeting me @Cashman_97. If you haven't already, subscribe by email in the box at the top right of the page or click that follow button to follow me on google+. Use the buttons below to share this post to various social media sites. Until next time Stranger Thinglings!