Don't Be A Stranger

I finally got around to watching Stranger Things 2.  I'd enjoyed Stranger Things, but didn't feel the need for a sequel.

There was a reason, of course.  The oldest in the book.  The original was such a success that Netflix wanted more.  Like Game Of Thrones and The Walking Dead, Stranger Things had caught the zeitgeist.  And as long as the numbers stay high, we'll get to watch the Stranger kids grow up.  After that, Stranger Things: The Next Generation.

Even if it wasn't necessary, I enjoyed the sequel.  I forgot how much fun the characters are, not to mention the 80s atmosphere.  The four boys are a good group, each with his own personality.  Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin is the most memorable, carrying a lot of the comedy, not to mention a fair amount of pathos, but they all get a chance to score.

Then there's the high school triangle of Steve, Nancy and Jonathan.  Actually, the strangest thing in the first season was how Nancy ended up with Steve and not Jonathan.  I was disappointed the second season "fixed" that oversight, though Steve has become such a fun character that they still made sure to give him plenty to do.

The two main adults--the top-billed players--Winona Ryder and David Harbour, are fine.  Harbour has a lot more to do, including his connection to Eleven, though Winona still spends most of her time fretting.

Millie Bobby Brown, the revelation from season one as Eleven, isn't handled as well this time around.  She spends way too much time separated from the gang.  And her detour to Chicago wasn't the greatest idea.

There are some new characters. Best is Sadie Sink as Max, the new girl in town.  I guess the producers understood the boys club needs the intrusion of a girl so the sparks can fly.  Established actors Sean Astin and Paul Reiser are also fine, trailing behind them wisps of The Goonies and Aliens.

The other new characters don't play as well. Max's brother Billy is a bit too nasty, even if he is the villain.  And Kali, who has her own special powers, seems to be in another series.

But overall, lots of fun.  At the end, when all the good guys get together to defeat the Upside Down (for now), it's exciting.  And Barb's parents finally get some closure.