‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Vol. 2 Review: A Lot of Planning to Reach the Finale
3/5 plans
Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 dropped on Christmas Day. For the past week, I’ve been sitting with it, rewatching it, and gathering my thoughts on it. For the most part, I loved it. But certain scenes stick out like a sore thumb, making it an underwhelming installment to the series.
The end of volume 1 left fans with a lot to unpack. Will (Noah Schnapp) can control the demogorgans, they failed in saving the kids from Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), and there was a lot of unknowns in the air. Then volume 2 did a lot of planning. No really, every other scene was the group in Hawkins planning something.
Even when there were heartfelt moments between characters, they’d cut back to a plan in the works or someone thinking of a plan that could work. There’s nothing wrong with that, the show itself has always been a lot of planning around Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her powers. But in a three episode drop, it almost feels like we’re just filling time until the bombastic end on New Year’s Eve.
Was this all just a path to Vecna or was what happened in volume 2 leading to something more important? We don’t know but there are important things to talk about within the series still that makes these three episodes worthwhile, even if there are frustrating moments along the way.
It is still a series about love and friendship
One of the more frustrating “rushed” scenes was Will’s coming out scene. He was talking to his mother, Joyce (Winona Ryder) when Mike (Finn Wolfhard) interrupts them. Instead of deciding to tell his mother and his best friend first, he decides to just tell all of Hawkins in one town hall meeting. It has been the butt of jokes online with fans adding random characters to this mix and it does take away from what would be a heartwarming scene, if only he told his mother and Mike first.
But the reaction of his friends is what Stranger Things has always been about. Each stands up and tells Will that they will always be there for him and love him. That unconditional love and support is what made fans fall in love with the kids from Hawkins in the first place and it is moments like this that remind me why this show is so captivating to watch.
Everyone is important
Another positive about this volume is that everyone has their moment when they’re important. Steve, Dustin, Nancy, and Jonathan are all trying to stop things from within the Upside Down and show themselves as important there. In the real world, the kids of Mr. Clarke’s class are once again using his lessons to their advantage. Everyone is doing something worthwhile.
And even when it does sometimes feel like a check in with each character to see what they’re up to, it is an important moment in the show and it drives home the idea that each character is part of why they might just win against Vecna.
Still, there’s just too much planning
I wish I was kidding when I say that 90% of these three episodes are planning. They really are. Steve comes up with a plan while wearing a nice sweater, Robin is doing so with vinyls, Lucas and Erica are presenting rival plans. Everything is about what to do next without a lot else to balance it. Even Max and Holly are talking about their plan in how to escape from Henry.
All of it feels like it is building towards the finale, which is fine, but without anything to make these really that worthwhile. With the exception of Max returning to Hawkins and Will opening up. Oh and Dustin and Steve’s entire deal.
There is a lot that the final episode needs to do and hopefully it makes these three episodes worth it. Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.
(featured image: Netflix)
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