Stranger Things season 2
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The second season of the science fiction television series, Stranger Things 2, was unleashed upon the world by Netflix on October 27, 2017. Crafted by the visionary Duffer Brothers, who also steer the ship as executive producers alongside Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Iain Paterson, this installment plunges us back into the chilling mysteries of Hawkins, Indiana.
Prepare to be reunited with Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Dacre Montgomery, Cara Buono, Sean Astin, and Paul Reiser. Joining them in recurring roles are Brett Gelman, Linnea Berthelsen, Matthew Modine, and Priah Ferguson. The season garnered effusive praise for its captivating story, profound character development, stellar production values, breathtaking visual effects, and knockout performances – particularly from Harbour, Brown, Schnapp, Keery, and Astin. It embraced a darker, more intense tone than its predecessor. However, one episode, the seventh, faced considerable criticism for its execution and placement within the season's narrative arc.
In the autumn of 1984, a year after his harrowing disappearance, Will Byers and the entire town of Hawkins find themselves once again under siege by the malevolent forces of the Upside Down. As Halloween approaches, a peculiar blight begins to afflict pumpkin patches across the town. Amidst this unsettling phenomenon, Will begins to perceive a vast, multi-limbed shadow entity, an entity the group eventually dubs the "Mind Flayer," capable of possessing him after a terrifying encounter. Simultaneously, the rest of the party, including Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, and Dustin Henderson, are terrorized by monstrous creatures known as "Demogorgon dogs," or "Demodogs." Will's family and friends, alongside Sheriff Jim Hopper, Nancy Wheeler, her boyfriend Steve Harrington, the enigmatic newcomer Max Mayfield, and the mysteriously absent Eleven, must unite their strengths to confront and contain this encroaching threat.
The cast is led by Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers and David Harbour as Jim Hopper. Finn Wolfhard returns as Mike Wheeler, and Millie Bobby Brown reprises her iconic role as Eleven, also known as Jane Ives and Jane Hopper. Gaten Matarazzo is Dustin Henderson, Caleb McLaughlin is Lucas Sinclair, and Noah Schnapp is Will Byers. Sadie Sink makes her impactful debut as Max Mayfield, while Natalia Dyer is Nancy Wheeler and Charlie Heaton is Jonathan Byers. Joe Keery shines as Steve Harrington, Dacre Montgomery embodies the formidable Billy Hargrove, and Cara Buono is Karen Wheeler. Sean Astin joins as the beloved Bob Newby, and Paul Reiser returns as Sam Owens.
In recurring roles, we see Linnea Berthelsen as Kali, also known as Eight, and Brett Gelman as the eccentric Murray Bauman. The production team, after witnessing the immense success of the first season, began developing ideas for a continuation. Initially, the Duffer Brothers envisioned Stranger Things as a limited series or an anthology, even contemplating a sequel set in the early 1990s with older characters and new faces. However, the profound connection audiences felt with the original characters, especially the children, convinced them to set the second season in 1984 and focus on their continued journey. By August 2016, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings confirmed the renewal, and on August 31, 2016, a second season of nine episodes was officially announced for a 2017 release. The Duffer Brothers revealed that the renewal had actually been decided before the first season even aired, a strategic move that built anticipation.
The writers' room was given free rein to explore any concept, leading to a wealth of ideas, some of which would later find their way into the fifth and final season. The Duffer Brothers aimed for the first two seasons to feel like a cohesive work, while also laying the groundwork for future installments. They carefully incorporated audience reactions from the first season to refine the second, understanding that the element of surprise would be different, but determined to deliver an experience that resonated with viewers' desires without necessarily giving them exactly what they expected. They chose the title "Stranger Things 2" to emphasize its status as a sequel, a decision that initially met with some trepidation from Netflix due to the often-negative connotations of movie sequels. However, the Duffer Brothers pointed to successful sequels that surpassed their originals, bolstering their confidence in the title. While episode titles were released to offer hints without revealing too much, some were later altered to avoid giving away plot points, acknowledging the keen analytical skills of the internet's fanbase.
The cast saw Noah Schnapp and Joe Keery promoted to the main cast, with Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery joining as Max and Billy. Sink's audition famously involved a bit of creative storytelling about her rollerblading and skateboarding skills. Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, and Charlie Heaton all returned. Sean Astin and Paul Reiser were also elevated to main cast status. For Reiser's character, Sam Owens, the Duffer Brothers specifically drew inspiration from Reiser's role in "Aliens," aiming for a similar sense of inherent trustworthiness that could lead to a compelling twist. Reiser's son, a fan of the show, helped him appreciate the series, making him eager to join the production. Linnea Berthelsen as Kali and Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman rounded out the recurring cast.
Filming commenced in November 2016, with table reads beginning the previous week. The production officially kicked off on November 4, 2016. On November 14, photos emerged of the cast on set in Atlanta, featuring familiar faces and hints of the new characters. Filming for the final two episodes began in early April 2017, with scenes shot in Woodland, Georgia, a location familiar from the first season. The season officially wrapped on June 3, 2017.
The soundtrack for Stranger Things 2, composed by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of the electronic band Survive, was released digitally on October 20, 2017. Dixon and Stein described their approach as introducing new compositional styles while revisiting familiar themes, creating elements necessary to support the story while remaining true to the sound of the first season. The first track, "Walkin' in Hawkins," was released on October 12. The season also continued its tradition of utilizing period music from the 1980s to evoke nostalgia and firmly establish the story's setting, with over fifty pieces of music spanning from 1936 to 1985 featured.
The nine-episode season was released worldwide on Netflix on October 27, 2017, in Ultra HD 4K and HDR. A teaser for the season, announcing the release date, aired during Super Bowl LI. Alongside the season, Netflix launched "Beyond Stranger Things," an aftershow hosted by Jim Rash, featuring cast and crew to delve into the development and mythology of the series. The season was later released on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on November 6, 2018, exclusively at Target, with vintage VHS-inspired packaging.
Stranger Things 2 was recognized by Parrot Analytics as the most in-demand digital original series globally in 2017 and earned a place in the 2019 Guinness World Records. In terms of viewership, Jumpshot data indicated it was the seventh-most viewed Netflix season in its first 30 days. Critically, the season received an overwhelmingly positive reception, with Rotten Tomatoes awarding it a 94% approval rating and Metacritic giving it a score of 78 out of 100. Critics lauded its character development, nostalgic charm, and darker tone, though some noted minor narrative similarities to the first season. The show's impact was significant, leading to a surge in demand for Eggo waffles, Eleven's favorite snack, prompting Kellogg's to collaborate with Netflix on marketing efforts.
The second season of the science fiction television series Stranger Things, marketed as Stranger Things 2, was released worldwide on the streaming service Netflix on October 27, 2017. The series was created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as executive producers along with Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen and Iain Paterson.
This season stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Dacre Montgomery, Cara Buono, Sean Astin and Paul Reiser. Brett Gelman, Linnea Berthelsen, Matthew Modine, and Priah Ferguson also appear in recurring roles. The season received highly positive reviews, particularly for its story, character development, production values, visual effects, performances (particularly those of Harbour, Brown, Schnapp, Keery, and Astin), and darker tone compared to the previous season. However, its seventh episode was widely criticized for its execution and placement in the season.
== Premise ==
In the fall of 1984, one year after his disappearance, Will Byers and the town of Hawkins, Indiana, once again find themselves as the target of the Upside Down. A mysterious plague begins to consume pumpkin patches around the town during Halloween season. During this, Will perceives a large and many-armed shadow entity, which the party eventually names the "Mind Flayer", that is able to possess him after an attack. Meanwhile, the larger group, including Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair and Dustin Henderson encounter "Demogorgon dogs" or "Demodogs", which terrorize the citizens of Hawkins. Will's family and friends alongside Jim Hopper, Mike's sister Nancy, Nancy's boyfriend Steve Harrington, Californian newcomer Max Mayfield and a missing Eleven, must join forces to contain the threat.
== Cast and characters ==
=== Main ===
Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
David Harbour as Jim Hopper
Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven / Jane Ives / Jane Hopper
Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair
Noah Schnapp as Will Byers
Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield
Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler
Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers
Joe Keery as Steve Harrington
Dacre Montgomery as Billy Hargrove
Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler
Sean Astin as Bob Newby
Paul Reiser as Sam Owens
=== Recurring ===
Linnea Berthelsen as Kali / Eight
Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler
Catherine Curtin as Claudia Henderson
Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair
Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman
Karen Ceesay as Sue Sinclair
Arnell Powell as Charles Sinclair
Jennifer Marshall as Susan Hargrove
Will Chase as Neil Hargrove
Tinsley and Anniston Price as Holly Wheeler
Cynthia Barrett as Marsha Holland
Chester Rushing as Tommy H
Kai L. Greene as Funshine
Randy Havens as Scott Clarke
Susan Shalhoub Larkin as Florence
James Landry Hébert as Axel
Anna Jacoby-Heron as Dottie
Gabrielle Maiden as Mic
Rob Morgan as Officer Powell
John Paul Reynolds as Officer Callahan
Chelsea Talmadge as Carol
Madelyn Cline as Tina
Abigail Cowen as Vicki
Matty Cardarople as Keith
Tony Vaughn as Principal Coleman
Charles Lawlor as Mr. Melvald
Aaron Muñoz as Mr. Holland
Pruitt Taylor Vince as Ray
Matthew Modine as Martin Brenner
== Episodes ==
== Production ==
=== Development ===
With the critical and viewership success of Stranger Things after its first season's release in July 2016, speculation on a possible second season was raised. The Duffer Brothers initially intended for Stranger Things to either be a standalone miniseries or an anthology series. They also considered the possibility of setting a potential second season (which they referred to as a "sequel") in the early 1990s and featuring an older version of the characters, along with all-new characters, who are drawn back to Hawkins after supernatural events begin occurring again.
However, following the release of the first season, they realized that the likability of the characters – especially the children – was key to the series' success, and they decided to set the second season in 1984 and focus on the same characters. By the end of July, the Duffer Brothers had outlined a plan for such a season if it was green-lit, and Netflix's CEO Reed Hastings said in early August that the company "would be dumb not to" renew Stranger Things for a second season. On August 31, 2016, Netflix announced it had renewed Stranger Things for a second season of nine episodes, to be released in 2017. The Duffer Brothers revealed that the series had been renewed for a second season before the first was released. Regarding the decision to wait more than a month after the first season was released to announce the renewal, Matt Duffer said, "it actually ended up working because it had built up to this fever pitch. I guess that's what [Netflix] were intending to do all the time."
=== Writing ===
The success of the first season led the Duffers to let their writers' room propose any idea they could come up with out of desperation for ways to expand the show. However, Ross Duffer stated in the WGFestival 2022 that thanks to the writers proposing more ideas than necessary, they were forced to drop some. Several of the unused ideas for the season were later included in the fifth and final season. The Duffer Brothers wrote the second season to make the combined first and second season feel like a complete work, but set elements in place to go forward with additional seasons if they were green-lit. While most of the story for the second season had been decided before the first season aired, the Duffer Brothers took in the audience reactions from the first season to adjust some of the details within the second season. They knew they would not have the same element of audience surprise as when the series aired anew and were aware fans wanted to see certain elements, but Ross said "...the point is not to give everyone what they think they want. Because I don't think they really know what they want."
The Duffer Brothers felt that the second season should be treated more like a sequel rather than a continuation, and thus opted to call the second Stranger Things 2. This approach had some trepidation from Netflix, since the company felt movie sequels typically have a bad reputation, but the Duffer Brothers pointed out that there had been many successful sequels that surpassed the original film, and felt confident with this name. Despite revealing episode titles for the season in the announcement teaser in order "to provide some hint of where we were going in season two without giving anything away," Matt Duffer stated that some of the titles would change since there were some things "we didn't want to put on there because we felt like it would give too much away," and because "people are smart on the fucking internet" with fan-created "videos analyzing the chapter titles... right on a lot" of how the titles related to the plot of the season. In early October 2017, the Duffer Brothers revealed the final titles for the first six episodes of the season.
=== Casting ===
In October 2016, it was announced that Schnapp and Keery had been promoted to the main cast for the second season, after each recurring in the first season, and that Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery would join the main cast as Max and Billy, respectively. In order to get the role, Sink told to the crew while auditioning that she knew about rollerblading and skateboarding; Sink actually knew how to do the latter but not the former, reflecting years later during an appearance in Jimmy Kimmel Live why did she think lying would help her nail the part as the two things weren't quite the same as she thought. Ryder, Harbour, Wolfhard, Brown, Matarazzo, McLaughlin, Dyer and Heaton also return for the season. Sean Astin as Bob Newby and Paul Reiser as Sam Owens are also part of the main cast in the season. For Owens, The Duffer Brothers had referred to the character in their pitch to Netflix for the season as "Paul Reiser", and specifically alluded to Reiser's character Carter J. Burke in Aliens, with Ross referencing James Cameron's casting choice for that film, saying, "[Cameron] thought people would inherently trust [Reiser] and it would be a twist". Reiser's son was a fan of Stranger Things, and gave his father an early appreciation of the series so that when the production called his agent about the role, Reiser was excited for the part. Joining them in recurring roles are Linnea Berthelsen as Kali / Eight and Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman.
=== Filming ===
In the first week of November 2016, table reads for the season started. The season was officially confirmed to be in production on November 4, 2016, in a social media post. It was accompanied by a photo of some of the cast members at a table read.
Filming of the season started on November 7, 2016. On November 14, 2016, photos of the cast on set in Atlanta were published. Seen in the photos were the main cast of kids and teens from the previous season, minus Millie Bobby Brown and Natalia Dyer, though a body double for Nancy appeared to be present. Chelsea Talmadge, who portrays the recurring character Carol, was also present. None of the new cast members were spotted, but the names Max and Billy were seen on the cast trailers, implying that newcomers Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery were present that day.
By early April, the final two episodes had commenced filming, shooting scenes in Woodland, Georgia seen previously in Season 1. Filming for the season officially wrapped on June 3, 2017.
=== Music ===
The soundtrack album for the second season was released digitally on October 20, 2017, via Lakeshore and Invada Records. The soundtrack was composed by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of the electronic band Survive. On the soundtrack's composition, Dixon and Stein together said that the score for the season introduces "new styles of composition, while still revisiting old themes when appropriate ... We've created new elements that are necessary to support the story, but still want to remain true to the sound of Season 1." The first track from the soundtrack, "Walkin' in Hawkins", was released on October 12.
As was customary with the first season, the second season utilized period music primarily from the 1980s to evoke a sense of nostalgia amongst viewers while further solidifying the story's setting. In all, over fifty pieces of music were used for Stranger Things 2, with release dates spanning from 1936 all the way until 1985.
== Release ==
The second season, which consisted of nine one-hour-long episodes, was released worldwide on Netflix on October 27, 2017, in Ultra HD 4K and HDR.
=== Marketing ===
A teaser for the second season, which also announced the release date, aired during Super Bowl LI.
=== Beyond Stranger Things ===
With the release of the second season of the series, Netflix also released Beyond Stranger Things, an aftershow hosted by Jim Rash. The guests of the aftershow are composed of cast and crew from the series, including the Duffer Brothers and the series' stars, to discuss the development and behind-the-scenes production of the series and its larger mythology. Unlike previous after-shows created by Embassy Row, such as Talking Dead and Talking Bad, Beyond Stranger Things is intended to be watched after a screening of the entire current season.
=== Home media ===
The second season was released on a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack exclusively to Target retailers on November 6, 2018, in vintage CBS-FOX VHS-inspired packaging.
== Reception ==
=== Audience viewership ===
==== Nielsen ratings ====
Nielsen ratings records viewership data for those who viewed the series on a TV set, the data does not account for mobile, tablet or PC devices.
==== Other data ====
The second season has been recognized by Parrot Analytics as the most in-demand digital original series of the world in 2017 and is included in the 2019 edition of Guinness World Records. In August 2017, the marketing analytics firm Jumpshot determined the season was the seventh-most viewed Netflix season in the first 30 days after it was released, garnering slightly more than 20% of the viewers that the second season of Daredevil received, which was the most viewed season according to Jumpshot. Jumpshot, which "analyzes click-stream data from an online panel of more than 100 million consumers", looked at the viewing behavior and activity of the company's U.S. members, factoring in the relative number of U.S. Netflix viewers who watched at least one episode of the season.
=== Critical response ===
On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season has an approval rating of 94% based on 151 reviews and an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Stranger Things' slow-building sophomore season balances moments of humor and a nostalgic sweetness against a growing horror that's all the more effective thanks to the show's full-bodied characters and evocative tone." On Metacritic, the second season has a normalized score of 78 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
In a review for Rolling Stone, journalist David Fear praised the second season's character development, going so far as to say it shined more than the narrative: "...By the time you get to the John Hughes finale, in which the school's winter dance ties up numerous loose ends, you realize that Stranger Things 2 has not only been crafting a story about kids fumbling through and finding their way into young adulthood, but that those parts feel more interesting than any Upside Down, et al. shenanigans ... if the second season has anything on the first, it's that these characters now feel less like they stepped out of E.T. outtakes and more like the actual teens who were in the audience watching it and dreaming."
Linda Holmes of National Public Radio also praised the season's character development, saying in her review, "There is much to be grateful for in the work given to the returning cast. Dustin and Lucas have the opportunity to be fleshed out a bit more — which is especially welcome with Lucas, who wasn't given a lot of solo time in the first season to demonstrate exactly what role he plays in what Dustin calls the "party" made up of the boys and Eleven. Perhaps the most unexpectedly successful move on this front, though, is to continue to build out Steve beyond Obstacle Boyfriend, in part by giving him some contact with people besides Nancy to work with."
Holmes also expressed misgiving, noting that the narrative structure was at times copying from the first season's plot line, but overall found this iteration to be enjoyable despite its shortcomings.
=== Commentary ===
One of the most notable impacts of the series has been an increased demand for Eggo waffles, as they are shown to be Eleven's favorite food in several episodes and are seen as a representation of the series. The Kellogg Company, which manufactures Eggo, had not been part of the production prior to the first season's release, but recognized the market impact of the series. It provided a vintage 1980s Eggo television advertisement for Netflix to use in its season two Super Bowl LI commercial, and is looking to become more involved with cross-promotion.
=== Accolades ===
== References ==
== External links ==
Stranger Things season 2 on Netflix
Stranger Things at IMDb
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