Stranger Things 2 Review: Was season 1 better than season 2?

  On Oct. 27, Stranger Things 2 was released by Netflix. The show was created by The Duffer Brothers, and its first season was very well received by audiences. Season 2 has been highly anticipated after the release of the first in mid-2016.

  Last season ended with Will being rescued from the Upside Down. He’s being haunted by a shadowy figure, and the Upside Down hasn’t necessarily taken its leave on Hawkins.

  Having returned from the Upside Down, Will is trying to lead a regular life, with the support of his friends. Will was a very big part of the show this season, after being absent from most of the first. This worked really well with the other characters.

  The attention given to the characters’ growth and struggles elevated a season that, while suspenseful, was pretty repetitive from a plot standpoint— the lab screwed up, Will was victimized, monsters escaped, Eleven saved the day.

  An attribute that contributed to season 2 being the best season is that Dustin Henderson had a bigger role in the season. The character best portrayed in the new season was Dustin,  because he had his own problems and intended to solve them by himself, then eventually he recruited Steve Harrington to be his partner in crime.

  Some viewers are upset with the fact that certain characters trumped others’ screen time, and thought that minor characters should have had a bigger role.

  “I like season 1 more, because the characters had equal screen time and that created a better storyline,” Junior Elena Richmond said. “It helped me get more into the show and gave more details and a better backstory about the characters.”

  Other viewers felt that the amount of time that Will was on screen was a good decision. They also agreed that the ending was a good way to tie the scenes together.

  “My favorite part about season 2 is how in-depth they went with Will’s storyline, and how they developed relationships between Will and the other characters,” Junior Ashley Hinojosa said. “I like how Mike and Eleven go to Snowball together at the end of season 2 and how well edited the whole snowball scene was shot.”