First Things First…
The season premiere didn’t blow me away, but it introduces a few new characters while catching us up on the main characters’ lives nearly a year after the events of last season. It set the table nicely. Now I’m ready to dive in.
In addition to all our main characters’ storylines, one thing I’m curious about is Kali. Will this other “special” person out there continue wreaking havoc separate and apart from the main story, or will she come into our story? Will she even be in every episode?
6 Things I Like
6. “You Are Such a Nerd. No Wonder You Only Hang Out with Boys.”
Lucas’s sister is introduced in this episode and is on screen for all of 15 seconds or so. And she might be my new favorite character. She’s hilarious.
5. Evil Doctor?
I’m even more intrigued by Paul Reiser’s character now than I was after one episode.
Why is he fidgeting and gripping a stress ball as he watches the video of his session with Will? Does he care about Will? Is he actually trying to understand how to help him? Or is the Upside Down his only priority? And if so, why? Who is he?
4. Nancy’s Conundrum
Nancy seems like she’s seriously considering telling Barb’s parents the truth. But as Steve points out, they’ve obviously been threatened with jail—or worse.
I loved how this story began in the season premiere, especially since I hadn’t considered Barb’s death would still loom over the story.
Now the pressure to keep this secret is causing Nancy to drink, and it’s driving a wedge between her and Steve. She puts on quite the show at the big Halloween party.
Her uncharacteristic behavior makes perfect sense as the next logical step. I’m just a little worried she’s going to act irrationally the whole season. Even though it would still be understandable, this kind of performance can get old fast.
3. More Max
We start to get a feel for who Max is in this episode, which is good. Because I didn’t understand why the previous episode was named after her when she’s not in it that much and doesn’t do much.
We see a little of what her life is like, and why Lucas and Dustin are infatuated with her. (Even if Mike is letting his anger and sadness keep him from giving Max a chance.)
Also, they opened a new mystery loop when her brother Billy says it was Max’s fault they had to leave California and come to Indiana. What’s that about?
2. Mike and El’s Parallel Paths
There’s a good scene in the beginning of the episode where we see Will, Dustin, and Lucas each getting their picture taken by their mom in their Ghostbusters costume. And they all eat it up. But when Mike’s mom is trying to take his picture in his costume, he wants no part of it.
Then Mike gets pissy at Lucas for also dressing as Venkman.
And he’s obviously not on board with Max joining them for trick or treating. He even says…
“She’s ruining the best night of the year.”
What’s interesting is that Mike is still with his friends all day and has his family to go home to, while El is essentially a prisoner in a cabin with only a grown man to talk to. (A cool one, sure—but still…) Yet they’re both overwhelmed by loneliness and grief.
They almost connect at the end of this episode, and I still think they probably will connect sooner than later. But maybe it’s worth dragging it out longer, so it’s all the more special when it finally happens.
1. Upside Down Bleeds into Real World
Seeing the progression of the crop decay is pretty wild. I don’t know what’s happening yet or how to explain it. But it seems like the Upside Down is bleeding into the real world.
Could that happen? Would it make sense?
I don’t know. But as far as we know, no one is going into the Upside Down except at the one entrance in the lab. Yet these farms being corrupted sure seems related.
1 Thing I’m Mixed On
1. No Kali
Welp, I was wondering how they’d handle this character and storyline before I watched this episode, and now I know—apparently she won’t be in every episode.
I wanted to see some follow-up on what happened with her last time, even if they keep her away from everyone else for awhile. But I assume they have a plan, so I’ll reserve judgment.
3 Things I Don’t Like
3. The Winston Slander
Am I really the only person who considers Winston his favorite Ghostbuster? He rules! These kids were just killing him and I’m not here for it.
(Now the Three Musketeers slander I’m all for. Even if Dustin says “Seriously, I could just eat a whole bowl of nougat. Straight up.”)
2. Walking Cliché
Billy is a walking cliché at this point. The good looks… the fast car… the cigs… the being an asshole while getting every girl’s attention…
I don’t need him to be a sweetheart deep down or to have any kind of redemption arc. Steve is already filling that lane.
Billy can be an irredeemable jerk. But I hope he has more substance than this.
1. Losing Track of Time (Halfway Happy)
C’mon, how does Hopper eff up this badly? He starts marking rotted trees in broad daylight and is still out there in the pitch black. The “father figure with the heart of gold who just can’t get his shit together” is another cliché at this point.
At least we get a cool visual of the pumpkin patch dead, in the dark, with the hanging fog.
Tim Matassa
