By Michael Au
In an age when sequels and prequels are mass-produced to snatch money from consumers, it is rational to fear that the sequel to “Stranger Things” would repeat this phenomenon.
Fear – this could have been the emotion many felt on campus on Friday, Oct. 27. The campus
experienced a “catastrophic” power outage, thus many students were unable to watch the new season of “Stranger Things” on the release date. However, the crisis on Friday has passed, and it is time to process the much-anticipated second season of “Stranger Things.”
The nine-episode season could have been rushed and botched, but still be released to make a quick dollar from its colossal fan base.
But this is not the case.
Season two reuses the formula in which the audience follows the children, the teenagers and the adults as they attempt to resolve the mystery of the Upside Down. Just like the first season, these three story arcs converge for quality entertainment.
Joyce Byers resumes her role as the loving protector of her children. Chief Hopper continues to be the town’s guardian. Each character’s motive is consistent with their motives in season one. The significant difference between the first and the second seasons is the new episodes are more ambitious and cinematic. The characters have all suffered from the events of the first season, and they have all grown older and wiser – the same can be said about the tone of the show.
Fear is the theme of this season, and every character faces a trial of their own.
Season 2 contains a piece of every genre.
To the thrilling mystery of the Upside Down, to the bildungsroman that most of the characters undergo, season two is bold, and most important of all, it makes the audience care. Every character has their own story arc, thus every audience member has a character they can emotionally connect with. New characters never felt hamfisted and each was appreciated.
The witty humor is back. The synthetic soundtrack is back. And the lovable cast is back.
Which leads to the conclusion – Strangers Things 2 carries the same momentum of season 1, if not more. It immerses the viewer with bright characters, and the mysterious-yet-captivating nature of its story. It is one of the more recent TV shows that entraps the viewer into the defining pastime of the 21st century – binge watching.
Season 2 is enchanting – there is very little to criticize – and triumphs as one of Netflix’s finest series.