Something strange is coming your way in 2017…
Are you ready to rip a new Upside Down in joy?
So you’ve heard: everyone’s must-see show and Netflix smash-hit ‘Stranger Things‘ is returning for another season. We’re already stocking up on the Eggos in preparation for summer-time 2017. There will be a mass disappearance of ‘Stranger Things’ (and Eggo-reliant) mortals from time and space as we happily throw ourselves into the indulgent eighties galaxy of the Duffer brothers.
That’s right—’Stranger Things’ has officially been renewed for a second season and we could not be happier. It was unmistakeably this year’s spring chicken, taking both the social media viewership by storm as well as pretty much sweeping the board all-around. It would’ve been near insane for Netflix not to renew the show for a second season. But that doesn’t mean we weren’t scared for a moment we’d never be able to revisit everyone’s new mum Winona Ryder whilst simultaneously brooding for an Eleven-esque child (Millie Bobby Brown).
If you’ve been living under a rock, pop on ‘Stranger Things’ and join us in time for next year’s catatonic binge-watch. If you’re just excited and want to bask in the glow of all things strange in light of today’s news, us too! Luckily for you, we were so excited we spewed up this article ala Will-Byers-and-the-Monster-vomit.
Where did season one leave us?
Aside from now feeling like we’d wasted our childhoods in, well, not being Millie Bobby Brown—’Stranger Things’ has sprouted a huge, diverse international fanbase. Some viewers might have gotten all fuzzy and nostalgic; others suddenly wanted to be an eighties kid. It was also the year of Matthew Modine’s silky evil hair, and a wild witch-hunt for the most wanted boy of the moment (Noah Schnapp).
We were sucked into the world of Upside Downs and government baddies and really brilliant outfits and hair. Moreover, Joyce’s end-goal careened to a warm end as she was reunited with Will; the boys were overcome with relief; Natalia Dyer’s Nancy was undoubtedly left in one of the harder places come the end of season two, silently reeling from the loss of Barbara. Juxtapose her tricky situation with her younger brother’s (Finn Wolfhard), whilst also plonking her in some serious teenage angst—we wonder what Nancy of season two will be like.
The biggest ‘oh my God’ moment was surely held by Chief Hopper (David Harbour). Harbour’s character worked so brilliantly because he was so understated. It was something that every outlet seemed to pick up on and love. So when Hopper played his hand at the end and remains, at this moment, our closest link to Eleven, excuse us while we pick our jaws off the ground. We’re just keen.
What happened to Eleven? We are getting her back, right?
Whilst the Duffer brothers told EW that our beloved Goonie-gang would be returning, Millie Bobby Brown’s kickass chica held a more uncertain fate:
[We didn’t think anthology]. I think we talked like a larger time jump where the kids are older now and it’s a different decade. That’s something we batted around from the very beginning. But for us, there’s still more story here [in the 1980s], there’s still things that are unresolved […] We don’t know about Eleven. We leave that up in the air.
Furthermore, In the same interview, the Duffer brothers spoke of expanding the world beyond Hawkins, new characters, and new relationships. But before everyone runs away to sharpen their knives, they also hinted that we hadn’t seen the last of the Upside Down.
We obviously have this gate to another dimension, which is still very much open in the town of Hawkins. And a lot of questions there in terms of, if the Monster is dead, was it a singular monster? What else could be out there? We really don’t go in there much until they go in to find Will at the end. So we’ve opened up this doorway, and to us it’s exciting to talk about, like, what else is behind there? There’s a lot more mystery there to be solved.
Surely this, by extension, means we won’t have seen the last of Eleven? We can hope!
That’s it. I’m fifty-pages into my ‘Stranger Things’ thesis.
That’s the spirit. Season one left us with a blaze of unanswered questions and mind-bending fan theories. It’s embraced the viewers’ imaginations with a combination of plausible-sounding science infused with some good old-fashioned, whomping story-telling. Yes, it’s a potent mixture, but it makes the very long-sounding wait ’til summer 2017 a little easier.
We’ve got you, though.
- Netflix threw us a bone in the form of a teaser trailer – what do you make of it? Are they possible episode titles?
- In case anyone needed a really cool theory on the ending.
- What’s your theory on the finale? There’s approximately fifty billion different ones circling out there. Was the Upside Down a complete parallel dimension? Or was it within the same plane of existence, of reality, as Joyce Byers and Hopper and Karen—only…slightly askew?
- We get more Cara Buono (hopefully) on our TVs!
- Millie Bobby Brown singing.
- Our season verdict.
- Justice for Barb!
- On that note—wow. Shannon Purser’s Barb really struck a chord with viewers.
- Have you been endlessly entertained by this logo maker yet?!
- Keep tabs on TV After Dark’s twitter for more ‘Stranger Things’ news, articles and tweets!
