Thoughts on Stranger Things Season 2 (strengths and weaknesses)

Season 2 of Stranger Things was great but it had a few shortcomings for me. The new season added new people and new creatures but it was hard to know how much relevance some had to the central story line. A lot of it felt like they were laying the groundwork for a third season.

These were some things I think Season 2 did very well. Steve's character growth and his babysitting of the group were some of the most entertaining parts of the show. The interactions between Steve and Dustin, then later Lucas and Max, were funny and exciting and unlike what Eleven, Jonathan, and Nancy were up to, appeared like they actually belonged. 

Will Byer, played by Noah Schnapp, didn't have much of a role in Season 1. But in Season 2, he gave a standout performance. A lot of people are saying he deserves an Emmy. There's no doubt about that. 

I loved how the show dealt with the aftermath of Season 1. The characters haven't merrily gone on with their lives after all the things that happened to them. We see how they're all still traumatized and struggling emotionally. There's a great scene where a very drunk Nancy tells Steve they killed Barb. She's been tormented with guilt and is angry that he seems unbothered by what happened. 

The biggest shortcoming was Eleven's role, or lack thereof. She spends most of her time watching TV and hiding out in Hopper's house. The interactions between Eleven, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin were some of the best moments from Season 1. All Eleven really does in Season 2 that has any relationship to the central theme is show up at the end to save the day. I did like some of her scenes like when she went to visit her mother and the back and forth between her and Hopper. Hopefully Season 3 will bring Eleven back in a meaningful way. 

Nancy and Jonathan had an excellent story-line in Season 1. In Season 2, their parts, much like Eleven's, seemed to have been written simply to give them something to do but it all felt like it was very peripheral and had little to do with the rest of the story. Their subplot attempted to make up for the fact no one seemed to care that Barb had gone missing in Season 1 (even though she was the second child to disappear in a matter of days). But it very forced and tacked on, and had little relevance to everything else that was going on. 

In Season 2, we find out that Eleven has a sister named Kali. Kali is an interesting but wasted character. The only point of her existence is the teach Eleven how to channel her anger at the end of the show. 

A new girl Max joins the show for seemingly no other purpose than to have a girl in the group, since Eleven was sadly no longer being utilized that way. Other than as a love interest for Lucas, she didn't seem to play much of a role. Like with Kali that's a pity because she could be a genuinely interesting character. She also has an abusive step-brother but it's hard to know what the point of his existence was supposed to be. 

Could Charlie Heaton's role on Stranger Things be in jeopardy?

Charlie Heaton who plays the character Jonathan Byers on Stranger Things was denied entry into the United States when trace amounts of cocaine were found on his belongings. He wasn't arrested but there are concerns the British actor may lose his work visa. If he's unable to enter the US, he'll be unable to film the next season of the show. Even if he doesn't lose his work visa, his role in the show could still be in jeopardy. What if the show's creators are concerned that even if Heaton didn't lose his visa this time, it may happen in the future? If he lost his visa in the middle of filming season 3, it could lead to costly delays and reshoots. 

It will be interesting to see what happens with this. If he loses his visa his character could be away at college. If he doesn't lose it, the creators will have to decide whether to keep him for the full season or kill him off early in the season if they're concerned about him being denied reentry again.

Heaton, an English citizen, was detained at LAX and denied entry to the country https://t.co/m8czaUE9lP

— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 28, 2017

Will Eleven Go Home In Season 2 of Stranger Things?

In Season 1 of Stranger Things, we learned that Eleven's mother Terry Ives sued Eleven's father Dr. Martin Brenner claiming he had taken away their daughter. The official story was that Ives miscarried in the third trimester. Hopper and Joyce spoke to Terry's sister who believed the official story. Hopper and Joyce believe Eleven's birth was covered up by the government. According to Buzzfeed, Eleven will make it home in Season 2. They posted a screenshot of Hopper and Joyce leaving the house. In the Season 2 trailer Eleven is shown standing at an open door. According to Buzzfeed, it's the exact same house. Does this mean Eleven comes home? To find out, watch Season 2 of Stranger Things on October 27 on Netflix.

Netflix Show Stranger Things Season 2 Trailer | #1 Trending on YouTube