Beware: Spoilers Ahead!
Going into Season 2 of Stranger Things, I wasn’t too sure what to expect—especially because of how things ended with Eleven in Season 1. Is she alive? Is she dead? Will Mike ever get to see her again? So seeing that she’s back and safe with Hopper was a great start to the new season (even if she has to follow Hopper’s “stupid” rules). I thought it was absolutely adorable to see a softer side of Hopper again—particularly after he had bonded so much with Joyce and Will in the first season—so it’s becoming clear that he really is a compassionate character.
I felt this season was a lot more intense and became more of a thriller—whereas Season 1 was more of a suspenseful detective series. There’s a noticeable evolution in the plot and its portrayal over the seasons; in Season 1, they’re mainly trying to figure out what they’re fighting, but then in Season 2, the goal is to destroy the Demogorgon. Doing so, however, brought the unfortunate demise of the short-lived fan favorite, Bob.
In the brief time he was onscreen, Bob won our hearts through his humor, innocence, and kindness. At the time, he was exactly what Joyce and Will needed; he tried to connect with Will, unbeknownst to him the dangers he would get involved in. When he did learn what Will was going through, he did all he could—sadly meeting his end shortly thereafter. I loved Bob as a character and already miss him—though it was ultimately necessary for him to die in order to keep the show unpredictable and evoke an emotional response from the audience.
While Bob’s advice caused Will to become a spy for the Demogorgon, the Party (and their newest addition, Max) do their best to rid Hawkins of evil—until Eleven is able to break free and save the day. When she does, her reunion with Mike is priceless. The show had built up the tension the entire season, so it was thrilling to see them finally meet again.
In the finale, everything begins to meet a resolution. Dusty gets his Farah Fawcett hair spray, Lucas gets to dance with Max, and Mike and Eleven are reunited. However, when the shot pans out, there is a frame of Hawkins Middle School in the “upside-down.” While I am glad there was no extreme cliffhanger, it leaves plenty of unanswered questions for Season 3 to address. I thought it was a bit gorier of a season, but I still loved the Party and their cute little matching Halloween costumes. Overall, Stranger Things has pleased the Netflix crowd yet again, and now we must wait patiently for Season 3.