Based on the show’s track record, you may have been expecting the new season of Stranger Things to be jam-packed.
Instead, you’ll find a season that is well-paced and breathable, although a bit muddled at times. (You’re less likely to have to rewatch this season or a recap to keep up than with the previous seasons).
Whereas the previous seasons were very full-on— full on with the drama, and full on with the danger—the new season has shifted the focus, allowing the personal storylines to shine through while keeping viewers on edge thanks to the danger bubbling right below the surface. It helped that there was quite a bit of foreshadowing; we, the viewers, saw the threats and had to (im)patiently wait for the cast to realise what we already knew.
As a result of this season being not as full-on, it made events much easier to follow. This breathability allowed for the characters to be fully fleshed out, showing the bits that are sweet, funny, and super annoying (they are kids, after all). This shift was buoyed by the addition of new character Robin (Maya Hawke) — who is arguably one of the better fleshed out and most likeable characters on the show — and the expansion of the role of Priah Ferguson’s Erica, who really teaches us that you can’t spell America without Erica.
However, the element of this season that may surprise you the most, in a good way, is the ’80s nostalgia. While the show is set in the ’80s, for the most part you could easily forget that aspect and picture it in any later decade. This season did a good job of truly evoking the decade. From the music to the brands in the Starcourt Mall that have gone either digital or completely disappeared in this Amazon-era to the cheesy ’80s movies that awaken some childhood memories, the show screamed ’80s in the most appropriate of ways—loudly, flashily, but oh so appealingly.
This season is not perfect though. The show still has so many things that remain unexplained; questions that, in its third season, really shouldn’t be unanswered. What is the Upside Down really and what is its history? What is the Mind Flayer’s goal? What happened to the other kids (like Eight) that were a part of Project MKUltra with Eleven? And WHAT in the world are the Russians’ motive? Why would they deliberately want to open another Realm that they clearly cannot control? Some things just are never clear. It’s interesting to see how a show that did such a great job of capturing the essences of puberty, parenthood, and friendship in one season could create such one-dimensional, unnamed, and unmemorable characters like the featured Russians. And while this season thrived on bettering the storylines of the Scoops Troop, it did little for bettering the world the show is set in.
Nonetheless, if you’re already on board you’ll probably still be eating up the next season of Stranger Things, if not to have your questions answered, then at least to hear the sweet, melodious voice of Dusty-bun.
