The Duffer Brothers have bestowed upon us the long-awaited second season of Stranger Things. It’s time to sit down in a dark room and binge-watch this (much darker and scarier) season with all the lights off.

The benefit of Stranger Things on Netflix is that it’s easier to be successful with an audience, because all episodes are there at once and viewers can go at their own pace. What also helps the show is its ability to emulate that 80’s style with nods to the biggest creators in the genre, such as Stephen Spielberg and Stephen King.

The 80’s aesthetic emulations of Spielberg and King helped Stranger Things become one of the most unique, fresh, and creative shows in recent years. The end of season one left my brain entirely upside down.

Season 1 spoilers to follow:

To recap, The boys and Eleven (mostly Eleven) fought off the Demogorgon. Eleven sacrifices herself and manages to destroy the monster, but at the cost of her vanishing. while this is happening, Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour) are trying to find Will in the Upside Down. After the whole ordeal is “over,” Hopper places a stack of Eggos in snow-covered box. Then we see Will regurgitate a mysterious being, presumably from the Upside Down.

How’s Season 2?

Stranger Things 2 feels like nostalgic mythology. There were so many moments where I felt utterly transported – forgetting where I was for a brief moment. The suspense and mystery throughout the show invite you into a cave of wonder.

There are new characters, and while some watchers might not think much of them, I thought they were fantastic. There is Maxine (Sadie Sink) – the tough skater girl new to Hawkins Middle who adds a little more gender balance to the gang. There is also her brother, Billy (Dacre Montgomery), who is dark and violent, and dresses like the cringey rebellious guy you found a picture of in your mother’s yearbook next to the doodled hearts. To add a little more to the mix, Sean Astin plays Bob – the Radioshack guy who knows everything about technology.

The characters have had a year to contemplate the traumatic events of season one, and have slipped into a state of denial. Even Will, who is haunted by the ghost of the Upside Down, is treated as if he has PTSD. The characters have a sense of familiarity, yet they are almost reborn because of their shared trauma. In a way, you fall in love with the characters all over again. While Joyce was the icon of season one, Will (Noah Schnapp) steals everyone’s spotlight in season two. Another aspect of season two is the evolution of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who rips your heart out every time she comes on screen.

It’s very hard to deny this show’s greatness. Check out my spoiler review coming soon.

9.0/10 – Amazing

Stranger Things 2 is familiar, but that doesn’t take away from its charm. With absurdly good performances all around, the show didn’t miss a beat in its sophomore season.