In the season finale of Season 2, the gate to the Upside Down must be closed to stop the "monster" from spreading further through Hawkins. It's up to a recently-returned Eleven to close the gate, with the help of Hopper as backup. Joyce, Jonathan, and (for some reason) Nancy must exorcise the monster's presence from Will using bikram yoga. The rest of the boys, Max, and Steve head into the tunnels to distract the monster by burning up a portion of it while Eleven finishes the job. Billy has his own movie going on where he's been looking for Max all night and this ends with a confrontation with Steve. After the mission is accomplished, everyone heads to the school dance in typical 80's fashion. Eleven is still in hiding but makes an appearance, much to the joy of Mike. The two share a kiss as credits roll.
This kind of ended with a dud in my opinion. It was fine but lacked a certain energy and tension that I wanted from it. I didn't feel Eleven's pain as she attempted to close the gate, I didn't feel Will's pain as he struggled with the demon. There were definitely some bits I liked, but overall it was just okay.
Season 2 Thoughts: This series feels as if it's going to be subject to the law of diminishing returns. The newness and originality that gripped us all in Season 1 is no longer present and the show is left to fend for itself with its plot lines and actors. The acting is just as good as the previous season, possibly even better. But unfortunately for us, the characters are not as well written and feel largely under-developed. Mike feels repetitive and mopey; he's definitely my least favorite character of this season. And that's not the actor's fault, it's the way he's written. Eleven no longer has that new wonder of the outside world, she is wiser now and has a better understanding of her powers. One of the things that made her interesting was her child-like innocence and her lack of control; these traits are quickly disappearing as she matures.
One of the relationships I did enjoy was between Dustin & Steve. These two had a great rapport together, Steve taking on the role as psuedo-big brother for Dustin as the season went on. I also think Charlie Heaton (who plays Jonathan) is very underrated in his portrayal; he's one of the best parts of Season 2.
I still don't know what to make of Max & Billy. They seem underdeveloped, like the Duffer brothers were going to toss them in here and figure it out later. They don't really add much to Season 2 besides a love triangle between Max, Lucas, & Dustin. Maybe the creators thought they needed a strong female lead with Eleven gone. If that's the case, give her more to do.
Season 2 felt more repetitive and more directionless than the first one. The nostalgia factor in this one is at an all time high and goes way over the top with the references, winks, and nudges that the Duffer brothers insist on giving us. While definitely not a bad show, I think that the hype train is out of control regarding this. Come on guys...
This kind of ended with a dud in my opinion. It was fine but lacked a certain energy and tension that I wanted from it. I didn't feel Eleven's pain as she attempted to close the gate, I didn't feel Will's pain as he struggled with the demon. There were definitely some bits I liked, but overall it was just okay.
Season 2 Thoughts: This series feels as if it's going to be subject to the law of diminishing returns. The newness and originality that gripped us all in Season 1 is no longer present and the show is left to fend for itself with its plot lines and actors. The acting is just as good as the previous season, possibly even better. But unfortunately for us, the characters are not as well written and feel largely under-developed. Mike feels repetitive and mopey; he's definitely my least favorite character of this season. And that's not the actor's fault, it's the way he's written. Eleven no longer has that new wonder of the outside world, she is wiser now and has a better understanding of her powers. One of the things that made her interesting was her child-like innocence and her lack of control; these traits are quickly disappearing as she matures.
One of the relationships I did enjoy was between Dustin & Steve. These two had a great rapport together, Steve taking on the role as psuedo-big brother for Dustin as the season went on. I also think Charlie Heaton (who plays Jonathan) is very underrated in his portrayal; he's one of the best parts of Season 2.
I still don't know what to make of Max & Billy. They seem underdeveloped, like the Duffer brothers were going to toss them in here and figure it out later. They don't really add much to Season 2 besides a love triangle between Max, Lucas, & Dustin. Maybe the creators thought they needed a strong female lead with Eleven gone. If that's the case, give her more to do.
Season 2 felt more repetitive and more directionless than the first one. The nostalgia factor in this one is at an all time high and goes way over the top with the references, winks, and nudges that the Duffer brothers insist on giving us. While definitely not a bad show, I think that the hype train is out of control regarding this. Come on guys...