By: Renee Martin, Emmaus High School – Emmaus, PA
Stranger Things 2
The hype for Stranger Things 2 was real — and how could it not have been?
With Netflix putting out teaser trailers that generated more than 300,000 mentions on Twitter, and the actual show garnering a 95 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a MTV’s 2017 Show of the Year, season two was bound to be a hit.
With a group of outcast pre-teens, a telekinetic and an underworld of Demogorgons, the Duffer Brother’s sci-fi formula could only be a success.
Although with the continuation of the series, many people were a bit concerned that Stranger Things 2 would fall victim to the fate of other good shows and movies: unnecessary sequels. However, that is not the case for Mike and his crew. The show manages to pull off what so many others cannot — a quality follow-up that gives off the same vibe that made people fall in love with the show in the first place. The continuation of the plot not only adds on to the story, but it also clears up misconceptions from the previous year.
If you don’t want anything to be spoiled about this season, it’s best if you stop reading and turn on Netflix.
A multitude of fans wanted the writers to finally bring justice for Barb. In the first season her death was grossly overlooked and given hardly any screen time. So when a resolution comes about, viewers are not disappointed. Nancy and Jonathan (Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton), who uncover evidence that brings down the feds who are responsible for Barb’s death, finally get together. And that was definitely a much needed storyline.
The most intriguing part of the show by far is the dynamic performances put on by the young actors. The talent in the cast is evident from their Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series as well as an MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Actor in a Show won by Millie Bobby Brown.
With a new season also brings forth new characters: Sadie Sink as Max Hargrove, Dacre Montgomery as Billy Hargrove, and Sean Astin as Bob Newby. These characters bring out a sense of being an outsider looking in to the small town of Hawkins. They struggle to grasp what exactly is going on around them.
The Hargroves also bring new conflicts for the kids to face. If you felt Will wasn’t a big part of the gang last season don’t worry, Noah Schnapp delivers what the audience didn’t get to see last year. Schnapp’s tremendous acting performance captivates and enchants viewers along with fellow co-stars Finn Wolfhard and Caleb McLaughlin.
Good things seem to come in pairs this season with Eleven and Hopper (Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour) as well as Dustin and Steve joining forces (Gaten Matarazzo and Joe Keery). These duos both start out shaky but eventually learn to get along. Watching them figure out how to work together is great comic relief at times, but it can also make the viewer upset when they go through hardships together.
Throughout watching the 12 episodes I was floored by just how much the directors cared for the show. They give nods to similar horror franchises, such as “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Beetlejuice,” and “Ghostbusters,” throwing in easter eggs for the fans of the show while simultaneously catering to casual viewers.
Due to the highly believable enactment at many points during the 12 episodes it’s easy to forget that nothing on screen is real. You feel so compelled by the characters story that reality seems to fade away and they are indeed in grave danger. Watching one episode at a time is nearly impossible with the sheer addictiveness of Stranger Things.