Since the first season of "Stranger Things" was released on July 15, 2016, fans have been hooked, making "Stranger Things 2" one of the most anticipated television sequels of 2017.
After the sequel’s release on Oct. 27, it was difficult to go on social media without hearing about the series or its cast in one way or another.
With the popularity and critical acclaim of season one, "Stranger Things 2" was released to positive reviews, but comparisons inevitably arose with factions distinctly favoring one over the other.
Students at ASU had strong opinions about the series and had no problem sharing their thoughts on the pop culture giant.
Camille Kott, business senior, thought that “Stranger Things 2” kept the positive momentum from the first season going with top-notch writing, and points toward a bright future for the show she said.
“A big thing for me going into season two was seeing justice for Barb, and the Duffer brothers did not fail to deliver,” she said. “At the end of season two the door is left wide-open for anything to happen, they could do a full season delving into the Lab or write in a timeskip — there’s just so much room for greatness.”
Kott also professed her love for both seasons but especially the second’s dynamic characters.
“Throughout the show you’re introduced to characters thinking one thing, and you form judgments, but then the narrative does a 180 making you rethink everything,” she said. “In season two, it’s so easy to hate Billy until you see his demons. My favorite part was seeing the evolution of Steve into team mom — his growth from season one is one of the best parts of the show.”
Senior management major Edward Hernandez said he thought the second season dropped the ball on major plot points from season one and had hiccups that made parts hard to watch.
“For me, season two played too much on 80s nostalgia," he said. "It used it as a crutch when the plot lacked substance. A lot of season one was left unresolved, and it seems the storyline just picked up and moved on. It’s hard as a big fan to probably never have those doors be closed.”
Hernandez did enjoy the more ominous villain featured in season two but thought the showrunners could have done more. He was also very critical of the season’s seventh episode.
“I think the Demodogs were kind of lazy on the creators' part. They could have made some more dynamic henchmen for the Mind Flayer,” he said. “I really could have done without the episode with Eleven’s sister. The concept of a new location, and the Lab’s history are both great but didn’t work well together.”
One student, Allen Wilburn, a computer science senior, wasn't too wowed by the second season but watched the whole thing all the same.
“I can see the structure for a great concept. I feel like the show pulls influence from a lot of established horror franchises and plays off of people’s nostalgia,” Wilburn said. “Regardless, I’m excited to see what they do with season three because they’ll have to take it in an original direction or risk becoming stale, as you can only play off nostalgia for so long.”
It seems as if "Stranger Things 3" is highly anticipated by fans and naysayers alike, but it comes amid some scandal.
Actor Charlie Heaton missed the "Stranger Things 2" red carpet premiere due to possession of narcotics, and due to the nature of his offense will most likely not be allowed back into America. This could prove very problematic for the show, as it is filmed in the United States.
Season three is slated for a late 2018 or early 2019 release.
Reach the reporter at aalmouai@asu.edu or follow @zamurai_96 on Twitter.
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