‘STRANGER THINGS 2’: READY TO BINGE

No one expected the massive success of last year’s hit Netflix original show, “Stranger Things,” including series creators Ross and Matt Duffer. But, thanks to the rapid following the show has gained after its premiere, “Stranger Things 2” is poised to make an even bigger and more exciting return when it becomes available to stream on Friday, Oct. 27.

As many may have noticed, this new installment is being teased more as a sequel rather than a typical second season. The first look fans had at the return of the hit show was at this summer’s San Diego Comic-Con, with a 3-minute trailer filled with various references from its 1984 setting while backed by the especially appropriate tune, “Thriller,” by Michael Jackson. The trailer ended with the show’s iconic, bold-looking title which felt more like a movie trailer than a television series.

Since Comic-Con there have been additional teasers promoting the second installment along with several poster artworks that cleverly recreate movies popular in the 1970s-80s such as “Jaws,” “Stand by Me,” and so on.

Amidst the ongoing Harvey Weinstein allegations, actor Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler in “Stranger Things,” has recently dealt with similar struggles regarding his own agent.

Wolfhard left his talent agency, APA, after his agent, Tyler Grasham, was accused of sexual harassment and assault against several young actors. The situation was brought to light after Blaise Lipman, a filmmaker who worked with Grasham as a teenage actor, revealed that Grasham supplied him alcohol and sexually assaulted him. He and other former actors decided to speak out in response to the recent #metoo campaign that has unfolded online, regarding numerous actresses sharing their stories of sexual harassment in the industry – along with other women who have been harassed elsewhere. Grasham was fired by the Los Angeles-based talent agency on Oct. 20.

Nearing the release of “Stranger Things 2,” critics were able to get an early look to see how well it would fair compared to the success of the first season. It’s easy to say there are some big expectations for the sequel, but many early reviews refer to it as both exciting and satisfying.

This thrilling sci-fi drama makes a timely return, arriving just before Halloween. The Duffer brothers were asked about how long the show will last after rumors floated around that it would be ending after four seasons. Executive Producer Shawn Levy said, “The truth is we’re definitely going four seasons and there’s very much the possibility of a fifth. Beyond that, it becomes I think very unlikely.”

“Stranger Things 2” features a total of nine episodes for those who plan on diving into the sequel with the intention of binge-watching.

Advocate Staff