My Cultural Diet

After a near-perfect first season, The Duffer Brothers had their work cut out for them with Stranger Things’ second season. They manage to stick the landing with a climactic finale that finds Eleven fully embracing her powers against the Upside Down and the Mind Flayer. Unfortunately, the season takes awhile to get there, as our our beloved characters run all over the place, leading to some wasted opportunities. Case in point: Eleven’s search for her mother, which ultimately leads her to Chicago where she connects with another one of Dr. Brenner’s psychically powered test subjects, should be a major turning point for the character, but it comes off as more perfunctory than anything. But season two is not without its delights. Sean Astin is wonderful as Bob Newby, Joyce’s dweeby boyfriend who brings a nice touch of normalcy to the Byers household. There are some wonderful character moments, including a powerful scene as Joyce, Jonathan, and Mike try to reconnect with a possessed Will. And most importantly, season two reveals that Steve Harrington isn’t just some fancy hairdo; he’s also the best damn babysitter in all of Hawkins, Indiana.

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