"Don't walk or bike home. I know!"
A brand new season, and it’s October 1984, nearly Halloween, with The Terminator showing in cinemas and Ghostbusters merchandise abounding. It’s also a time of musical ferment reflected in the soundtrack; yes, we get Devo’s “Whip It”, as one might expect, but we also get, er, the Scorpions.
A year has passed and, as children do, the boys have adapted- except Will, who is being treated for PTSD by a shrink who, mercifully, knows the truth, but whose symptoms are much more physical as he still has a clear link to the Upside Down- and at one point glimpses in the distance a huge, spider-Like creature. Things have changed- Joyce has a new goofy boyfriend, Bob, played rather interestingly, given the obvious influence of The Goonies, by Sean Astin. It’s interesting, though, that Hopper takes a close interest in Will’s treTment nevertheless. He also investigates a field of poisoned pumpkins which, by the rule of Chekhov’s Gun, will certainly turn out to have been important.
Mike’s teachers have made a clear decision to be strict with him, to the point of forcing him to donate away lots of toys, “just a loaf of plastic” that we as viewers know will increase in value and so we tend to take his side, even those of us who are parents ourselves- he had to throw away Man at Arms and even the Millennium Falcon!
The boys are obsessed with arcade games now, and there’s a new girl in town from California- Max- Who is the new high scorer on all the important games. She will obviously be significant. Mike, though, is missing Eleven, and tries to reach her on the walkie talkie every day. He would hardly be pleased to learn she’s secretly living with Hopper, although he’s the only adult who knows the truth who is in a position to do so, but what happened to her? And why hadn’t Mike been told?
Just as shocking as the end is the beginning; there’s a young woman in Pittsburgh, aiding a getaway from a robbery, who had similar powers and “008” on her arm...
We also get to see Dustin’s home, we see that Nancy is still with Steve although a subtle love triangle with Jonathan is still humming along and, heartbreakingly, Barb’s distraught parents have hired a private eye- selling their house for the cruelty of hope.
Lots of irons in the fire, and a promising start.
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