First Things First…
It’s been a couple of months since I finished Season 1, and I’m excited to dive back in. I liked the ways they used the finale to set up the new season — with Hopper leaving waffles in the woods, and Will coughing up slugs and seeing visions of the Upside Down.
I’m guessing Eleven makes her way back quickly, even though she seemed to be vaporized after killing the Demogorgon.
Besides that, I’m not sure what to expect. Do they go back to the Upside Down? Are the gates into it still open? And with Dr. Brenner gone, how will the villains shake out this season.
6 Things I Like
6. A Sense of Normalcy from Bob the Brain
Sean Astin is one of two famous actors I had no idea were in the show — both of whom I enjoyed in this season premiere. I’ll get to the other shortly…
But as for Bob…
Him loving Kenny Rogers and cracking up at Mr. Mom was hilarious.
He’s played for laughs, and he’s used as an example of “normal” that the “freaks,” Jonathan and Will, don’t want to be like. (More on that shortly, too.)
But for as much of a tool as he’s portrayed as, normal is what Joyce needs in her life after the ordeal with losing Will.
I doubt they’re a good match long term. In fact, I wonder more than ever after this episode whether Hopper is her endgame.
But for now, Bob seems like her perfect match.
5. New “Big Bad”?
Paul Reiser is the second actor whose name I was surprised to see in the opening credits.
I liked his character here. At first he seems like a good doctor — great bedside manner, understanding, engaged, asks Will questions about his visions and seems to believe everything that happened to him in the Upside Down.
He’s also good with Joyce and Hopper after the appointment. He’s honest when he tells them to expect Will to get worse before he gets better and when he says they’re still learning about PTSD. (And I’m glad they’re acknowledging that that’s what Will is suffering from.)
But apparently it was too good to be true.
As soon as he tells them he’s on their side and needs them to trust him, you know he’s not trustworthy.
I don’t know if he’s replaced Matthew Modine as the Big Bad — although the fact that he sits back and watches a guy take a flamethrower to one of the gates to the Upside Down tells me it’s a distinct possibility.
If that’s the case, he’s already a more charismatic villain.
4. Mike’s Trauma
With so much focus on what Will has been through, most of the people around Mike seem to be missing how hurt he is.
His parents recognize how much trouble he’s caused. And they have some sympathy, but it doesn’t extend very far.
Dustin keeps asking Mike why he’s on that one channel on the walkie-talkie, which means he either isn’t accepting that Mike is still so upset over El being gone, or (more likely) he’s oblivious.
Finn Wolfhard is really good at playing Mike as the leader of their group, but also conveying real heartache. And at his age here, it’s easy to feel for him — especially every time he looks over at or sits in El’s little tent in the basement.
3. A Friend for El?
It doesn’t seem likely.
But the cold open really worked for me.
Obviously, kicking off the season with no recognizable characters, I had no idea where it was going. I didn’t even pick up on the fact that Kali has powers until I saw that she basically created a mirage that caused the one cop to slam his brakes and led to their car crashes.
I also like that Kali and her crew don’t come back for the rest of the episode. I’m enjoying the intrigue of knowing one of El’s predecessors at the lab is running amok out in the world (or at least out in Pittsburgh) without knowing how she’ll factor into the bigger story yet.
2. Misguided Hope
“For the first time in a long time, we’re hopeful.”
Barb’s Mom
It never occurred to me that Barb would loom over this season. Or that the people who aren’t “in the know” regarding the Upside Down — including her parents — would have no idea she’s dead.
Even when I realized who Nancy and Steve are having dinner with, I thought they were going more in a consoling way — to be with her dead best friend’s grieving parents.
It hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized they still hope Barb is alive.
Nancy’s conflicts in Season 1 are mostly about her relationship with Steve and possible feelings for Jonathan, along with growing into a young woman and figuring out who she is. I liked her well enough, but I wasn’t too into her story or character.
But this conflict she’s facing is instantly intriguing.
Does she tell the truth?
If she does, not only will she break Barb’s parents’ hearts when they find out she’s dead — they’ll also learn she died alone and terrified.
That seems cruel and horrific.
But to let them cling to false hope while she knows Barb is gone is cruel too.
1. FREAK!
“You’re a freak! But what? Do you wanna be normal? Do you wanna be just like everyone else? Being a freak is the best, alright. I’m a freak.”
Jonathan
It’s good to see Will at the center of the story on screen, since he spent most of last season in a central role off screen.
I said coming in that I was excited about where his story might go, based on what they set up in the Season 1 finale. And this delivers.
They’re not shying away from his PTSD, which is really important. But I particularly like the way it’s manifesting so far, with his visions of a storm, and him feeling an evil presence.
He says, “I felt this evil, like it was looking at me.”
But he also tells the doctor he gets the sense that the evil doesn’t want to kill him but everyone else.
Which makes me wonder… is he the evil?
2 Things I’m Mixed On
2. Mad Max
The episode is named after the new girl in school, Max. But nothing is particularly interesting about her yet.
I mean, the boys are intrigued because she’s a girl who skateboards and plays video games (and dominates, to be fair). But there are so many more compelling things happening already.
I’ll still give it a chance to play out. Max could turn out to be awesome. She’s just an odd choice to name the episode after because the episode isn’t about her.
1. Welcome Back, El
There was never any drama about whether El would return. So I’m glad they don’t draw out her being gone.
But having her show up at the end of the episode in Hopper’s cabin fell flat for me.
Could be the lack of surprise.
Could be because this isn’t the reunion I care about.
It actually didn’t occur to me until right now as I’m writing this that she’s a surrogate for the daughter Hopper lost. So they’ll probably be good together. But I didn’t find this powerful.
1 Thing I Don’t Like
1. Lovesick Steve
I might be nitpicking. I’m glad Steve isn’t the same douchebag he starts the series as. But he’s kind of pathetic here.
I mean, there’s this:
“And if I took it, you know, I could be around for your senior year. Just to look after you a little bit. Make sure you don’t forget about this pretty face.”
His insecurity… and especially his fear of going away to college while Nancy is still a senior in high school, is a pretty big cliché. I didn’t even realize he’s a year older than her. But now that I know it, I wish that wasn’t the case.
Tim Matassa
