Guess what kiddies? Stranger Things is back for a second season, and this time around we’re in for a bigger monster wrapped up in even bigger mysteries to top the cliffhangers from season one. Is Eleven really gone? Who’s eating all those Eggo waffles Chief Hopper leaves out? Is Will really okay? Can we get some justice for Barb?
Every episode of season two was released on Oct. 27, so maybe you’ve already binge-watched the whole thing, or maybe you’re pacing yourself due to some freakishly high self-control. Whatever your situation, we can all agree that Stranger Things is just so. damn. good. Without any season two spoilers, here’s why: Competent Kids and Competent Adults You know when you watch a show and the kids are smarter than the authorities, so the mystery takes forever to solve (looking at you, Riverdale)? Thankfully, this is not the case for Stranger Things. While our main protagonists (Lucas, Dustin and Mike) might be just a pack of meddlesome kids, they are also smart, resourceful and open-minded; lucky for them, so is the top cop in Hawkins. Yes, Chief Hopper seems kind of unreliable at first, but he actually turns out to be kind of a badass. When the situation calls for it, he’s really good at getting into places he shouldn’t be, as well as kicking butt and taking names all over that creepy “research facility”. The end result: highly suspenseful mysteries with really satisfying payoffs. We Believe Joyce Byers You might have noticed that the Byers family is a bit peculiar. Joyce doesn’t fit in with all the other moms, and Jonathan is a bit of a loner at school, always hiding behind his camera lens. So when Will’s mysterious disappearance sparks (literally) a series of strange, luminescent signs that could lead to finding him, his mom Joyce goes into a frenzy, buying and filling her house with anything electrical to hear Will’s voice from the Upside Down. Strange? Yes. But despite the Byers family being the odd ones out in Hawkins, they are super fierce in their devotion to finding Will, no matter how bizarre the circumstances or the means. In the end we’re able to sympathize with the Byers family, and their strangeness becomes endearing and actually necessary to follow the mystifying clues that Will leaves behind.
Schoolyard Bullies Get Schooled Another reason we all love Stranger Things is that it takes on some of the qualities of some of our favourite childhood movies also focusing on mystery. Stand By Me, E.T., The Goonies, and now Stranger Things all feature a pack of curious kids, whose adventures are marred by something in common: bullies. What’s great about Stranger Things is that all the meanies eventually get their comeuppance. On a couple of occasions, Eleven protects Mike, Dustin and Lucas from the two bullies who are constantly tormenting her three friends, and in an impressive display of telekinesis, breaks the bullies arm and prevents him from forcing Mike to jump off a cliff. The takeaway: being unusual does have its upsides! Mystery-ception While the main catalyst for Stranger Things is Will’s disappearance, there is of course a whole lot more secrecy to the show. In fact, almost every character has a sub-plot going on. When we’re not worried about what happened to Will, we’re trying to piece together all the other little clues the writers slip into each episode: who (or what) is Eleven? What’s the purpose of the Hawkins Laboratory? What’s Chief Hopper’s backstory? Will Nancy and Jonathan ever become a thing? All these sub-plots cover different conflict areas (such as the supernatural, personal, and romantic) ensuring that there’s something for everyone to hang on to as the plot moves along, no matter how strange or conventional your tastes.