Beyond Strange

CAIRO - 11 January 2017: When Stranger Things first came out on Netflix in July 2016, it was an unexpected hit that quickly drew in legions of fans around the world. And once its second season was released last October, fans were in their seats bingewatching for hours, to finish up to eight episodes at once.

Directed by Matt and Ross Duffer, the series is set in the fall of 1984, bringing back nostalgic recollections of some signature eighties movies such as E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Audiences have been wowed by its peculiar magical plot and supernatural forces that keep them on the edge of their seats. Its second season has earned a 94 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, just a few points down from its 96 percent rating for season one. The irresistible drama is currently one of the top viewed Netflix shows worldwide, and more remarkably in the Middle East.

Even more complex and detailed than the first season, with its drama, science fiction and great jumpy moments, season two is the perfect mix of horror, excitement and comedy. It combines jokes with frights, family moments and loads of fun. The Duffer brothers certainly have succeeded in making season two even darker and scarier without losing the nostalgia of the 1980s.



Here in Egypt, Stranger Things 2 has been a huge hit and is today one of the top 10 shows on Netflix Egypt. “I am impressed by the incidents where the imagination is mixed with comedy, especially when it is played by the character of Dustin Henderson,” says Netflix subscriber Saad Mustafaa Ismael.

What really helps the second season is that it witnesses many developments on its own, so even if you didn’t see the first season, you would still enjoy it. Frequent flashback scenes introduce viewers to the main characters. However, some viewers believe that certain characters should have appeared more. “When we take a closer look at some characters like Dustin, Max and Billy, for example, I’ve always wanted to see more of them on my screen,” says Aya Ibrahim.

Season two also sees some huge character developments. As the main faces have ventured into the Upside Down World, Hopper became ill shortly after being trapped in the tunnels, while Dustin had some of that weird floating stuff sprayed in his face. Lucas and Dustin are also captured by the affection of the newcomer Max. The season does give some characters more spotlight. Will, for example, had disappeared in the Upside Down World for the entire first season and wasn’t seen much on screen. In the second season his mind is controlled by the “Shadow Monster,” making him unable to remember anything after returning from the Upside Down World. “All characters played their roles pretty well and gave more dynamics to the plot,” Ibrahim says.

But while some fans like the change, others haven’t been as enthusiastic. “In this season, they focused too much on Will’s fantasies and drawings, which were dragged out and boring most of the time,” says viewer Nouran Moussa.

Other fans were disappointed certain roles, such as that of Eleven’s, were not properly developed and that the finale was unfortunately predictable. Spoiler alert: The season ends with a lovely snowball scene as the camera slowly turns, revealing the Upside Down and the “Shadow Monster.” Fans are left to wonder at the meaning and whether Hawkins is in for Round two next year.

“They kept it open in a nice way to prepare for season three and also satisfied almost everyone at the same time,” Ibrahim says.