Stranger Things Season 2

Overview

Sincere apologies for the long wait between my first post and this post as I got really caught up with some of my other commitments. But anyways, I have finally finished watching Season 2 of Stranger Things. So how does it measure up to the fantastic first season? Well, I think it more than lived up to the hype, and the Duffer Brothers managed to create a sophomore season that more than measures up to the heights reached by the first season.

The characters are once again the highlights of the show. The Duffer Brothers managed to allow for numerous returning characters to grow and mature naturally, while most of the new addition to the cast were also very well-written. It was just great fun to hang out with all these fan-favourite characters and watch them band together to fight off yet another supernatural threat. The production design was on point once again and really allowed the viewers to feel as if they were teleported back to the 80s again. I also thought the horror elements of the show was better done than Season 1. And again, the soundtrack was kick-ass. As for weaknesses, I felt the writing this time around did stumble a little at points, and the story never felt as cohesive as the first season. But all in all, Season 2 was still a wonderful ride to be on and I can't wait to see my favourite characters return again for the inevitable Season 3. Well, on to the cast ranking then, and once again, there will be SPOILERS for the show.

Cast ranking

17. Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman

Here is one of the two performances that I think were missed opportunities for the show. Brett Gelman, as the conspiracy theorist Murray who investigates Barb's disappearance, could have made for some of the show's funniest moments. And I will be honest, I did actually chuckle a few times at Murray's brief appearance in the first episode, although that was also partly due to David Harbour's hilarious deadpan reactions in their scene. However, I thought Gelman actually overplayed Murray's tics and paranoia in his major scenes in the later episodes, None of his antics really felt funny to me. Granted, that entire story arc with Nancy trying to expose Hawkins Lab was not one of my favourites, but this character could have been one of the funniest aspects of Stranger Things, if only Gelman toned down his approach to the character.

16. Dacre Montgomery as Billy

This is the other performance I was talking about when I was referring to the missed opportunities. Now Billy is a tricky character to pull off. On the surface, he is a jerk and bully, an even bigger one than what Steve initially seemed to be in the first three episodes of Season 1. He is constantly tormenting Steve in school and Max at home. However, he has his own inner demons as well, as he is also abused by his own father back at home. Well, Montgomery doesn't quite pull of this tricky character.

I feel as if Montgomery just focused wayyyy to much on the bully aspect of Billy. Yes, Billy is supposed to be intense and intimidating, but Montgomery lays it on a bit too thick. There were moments where Billy kinda goes into "psycho" mode and I thought he was gonna end up killing someone. It ends up making his whole performance feel really inconsistent, as the moments of him tormenting Steve feels like he's just a normal bully. But the moments of him tormenting Max are just way too intense, as if Billy is a full-on psychopath ready to kill Max's friends, although I suppose the writing doesn't really help him as well. (Why would he wanna run them down with his car?) He does have two good scenes though, one is the aforementioned scene with Buono, where I thought he was downright hilarious in playing up Billy's superficial charm. The other is when he gets "educated" by his dad on responsibility. I thought Montgomery actually found the perfect tone for his performance in that scene. I really liked how he starts out as the confident jerk, but eventually breaks down after being threatened by his dad. In the end though, this ends up as a very inconsistent performance that fortunately doesn't hurt the series that much.

15. Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler

Somehow, Buono actually gets even lesser to do this season as compared to Season 1, which is a shame, as I thought she did well with what little she had and was looking forward to see if she gets an expanded role in Season 2. In the limited screentime that Buono has though, she once again does a good job of being the supportive mother. Special mention though for her scene with Billy in the final episode though, as that was one of the most hilarious sequences of Season 2, and Buono aced that scene. Here's hoping that Karen might finally get an expanded role in Season 3.

14. Linnea Berthelsen as Kali

Ah yes, let me get in my quick thoughts on Episode 7, the episode that has received so much criticism online. Well, it definitely was my least favourite episode of the season. However, I still rather liked it, if only because we get to see more of Millie Bobby Brown's amazing acting abilities. The whole concept of that episode was also pretty interesting actually (I was kinda hoping they would explore more on the other gifted kids), and I am actually glad to see Eleven going on a sort of journey of self-discovery and sorta spiralling down a darker path. I guess if the episode was placed earlier in the series, then perhaps there might not have been so much negative reception.

Anyways, onto Berthelsen's performance. Well, I will preface it by saying that Berthelsen, and by extension the rest of the gang members, all have a hard task to try and not get outacted by Millie Bobby Brown. Berthelsen's performance has quite a few shaky moments, like her lashing out at Eleven or when she is trying to help Eleven unlock the full potential of her abilities. However, in her quieter and more tender scenes with Eleven, I thought Berthelsen actually did very well in showing Kali's joy at finding a kindred spirit. She did well at showing the connection between Kali and Eleven, and really brought out the "sister" element of their relationship. I also thought her final scene was great, as she really showed the sadness and devastation of Kali as she is separated from Eleven yet again. All in all, this was still a pretty good performance despite some slight overacting, and I actually wanna see more of Kali hopefully in Season 3.

13. Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler

Well, this is one of the two performances out of all the reprises where I feel Season 2 was a slight downgrade compared to Season 1, mostly because of that really terribly acted scene where Nancy is drunk. It also doesn't help that she is involved with the two least interesting aspects of Season 2, that being the storyline to expose Hawkins Lab for their involvement in Barb's death, and the Nancy-Jonathan-Steve love triangle. Well, I will be honest, I really wasn't interested in the whole love triangle thing. For one, the writing behind Nancy and Steve breaking up happens a little too fast. Dyer's chemistry with Charlie Heaton's Jonathan is still quite good though, and I guess it still sorta works in the end when they get together. Aside from all that though, Dyer does hit all the correct emotional beats of her character's arc and is more than decent in portraying her determination at bringing justice for Barb. I just feel her performance in the later episodes became a bit too static. I actually thought she was at her best though at the start of the series and was great at showing how much Nancy is struggling with taking part in the cover-up of Barb's death. Here's hoping that the writers can move on with the character of Nancy and give her some more interesting story arcs in Season 3.

12. Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers

(Happier times with Bob and Joyce)

And here is the other performance that felt like a slight downgrade to me. Ryder's loud moments and scenes in Season 2, especially the ones with Paul Reiser's Dr Owens, kinda felt like a rehash to me of her similar scenes in Season 1. There were also once again some pretty overacted moments. I also never felt like she hit the same emotional highs in her freak-out scenes like she did in Season 1 with the "NYU scene" with Lonnie. However, her quieter scenes are once again the highlights of her performance. Her scenes with Will are great once again as she really nailed both the love and concern she has for her child. She also had some really good scenes with David Harbour's Hopper as the two reminisced about their old times and showing the connection between the two tortured and flawed characters. What I liked most though were her scenes with Sean Astin's Bob. Ryder and Astin really did a great job of capturing the sheer joy of their relationship together and made for an extremely endearing pair to watch. Honestly, their moments together in the first few episodes of the series were some of my favourites and it's a damn shame we wouldn't get to see more of them together in Season 3.

11. Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair

(Hands down, funniest scene of the entire series)

Kinda hate ranking him this low, as I thought McLaughlin actually improved quite a bit from Season 1. I thought he never had any shaky moments in Season 2 like he did in Season 1, and I also thought he did well with the additional material he had. First off, he once again has great chemistry with the other boys, but especially with Gaten Matarazzo's Dustin. The scenes of the boys just hanging out together and messing about are great fun. He also has some truly hilarious moments with his on-screen sister that made me chuckle out loud. However, the best part of his performance are his scenes with Sadie Sink's Max. I thought McLaughlin did a pretty good job of capturing both Lucas' awkwardness around and fascination with Max. I especially liked his scene in the arcade with Max, where Lucas is trying so hard to convince Max that everything he told her was the truth. Definitely the weakest out of all the child actors, but McLaughlin still gave a really good performance and it's good to see him maturing as an actor as well.

10. Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers

Well, here's hoping that Heaton can sort out that whole cocaine possession fiasco. I really hope he isn't banned from entering the US permanently, cause it would really suck to see Jonathan get written out of the show over something like this.

Anyways, Heaton once again does a great job of playing the introverted Jonathan. Despite being saddled with that lame love triangle and the least interesting story arc, I thought Heaton did his best to make things interesting. He still had some good chemistry with Dyer's Nancy and his scenes in Murray's house where he is struggling with his feelings for her made for some pretty hilarious moments and was far more funny than any of Brett Gelman's antics. That said, his best moments by far are still his scenes with Noah Schnapp's Will. His scenes with him in the initial episodes were great as he and Schnapp really sold the brotherly relationship and their banter and laughter together really reminded me of my own bantering with my younger brother. He really sells Jonathan's love for his brother, which made his concern for him in the final episodes that much more affecting. I really thought Heaton aced the scene where Joyce tries to flush the monster out of Will. Heaton was extremely moving in that scene as he really shows how much pain Jonathan is in from seeing his brother suffer. I just wished Heaton had spent more screentime with the kids or with the main story.

9. Sadie Sink as Maxine "Mad Max"

Max is the new addition to the group, and being the only girl, of course she catches Lucas and Dustin's attention. Sink actually doesn't really play Max as being all that friendly in her initial scenes and I really liked the sass and sarcasm she brought to the role, even after being accepted to the group. Now, it really isn't easy playing a child character who is supposed to be sassy as it can easily come off as annoying, but I really have to give Sink credit as I thought she made the sarcasm feel natural to the character of Max and more importantly, added to the humour of the series. As mentioned in McLaughlin's review, their scenes together are pretty great as Sink actually does a great job of showing how Max slowly warms up to Lucas. All these leads to a great scene where Max sorta breaks down in front of Lucas while they are trying to re-capture Dart in the junkyard. I thought Sink really nailed this big emotional scene. On a side note, I really like her few scenes with Finn Wolfhard as well as she really showed a different side to Max, as for once Max is trying to impress someone else instead of the other way round.

Her scenes with Dacre Montgomery's Billy are also pretty good, as she once again brought that sass and sarcasm but correctly tones it down and I thought she was pretty affecting at showing how afraid of Billy Max is. Which makes her final confrontation and standing up to Billy that much more satisfying. All in all, Sink really makes Max quite the memorable new character and a really worthy addition to the group.

8. Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler

It kinda feels weird to see Mike, who was one of the main characters of Season 1, get sidelined to almost a secondary character in Season 2. In fact, I would guess Dustin might even have more screentime than Mike? Anyways, despite Wolfhard's relatively limited screentime this season, he was once again great. Like McLaughlin, he no longer has any shaky moments this season and really nails every emotional beat of his character. He is appropriately withdrawn and quiet in the initial episodes as Wolfhard really shows how much Eleven's departure has left a void in Mike and how much he is hurting. I especially liked how he played Mike's coldness towards Max not as him being truly unfriendly or cold, but rather as an almost defense mechanism of Mike and it's like he's lashing out at any newcomers for fear of losing them as well like Eleven. When something goes wrong with Will though, Wolfhard does a great job of showing some passion return to Mike as he becomes determined to help Will. Despite being sidelined for a few episodes, I still thought Wolfhard nailed every little moment he had, especially the "It's a trap" scene.

His money moments though are in the final episode where he finally reunites with Eleven. Wolfhard is fantastic in that moment in Episode 8's ending where he shows Mike's shock, joy and relief all come out at once upon seeing Eleven. As good as that was though, he is simply astounding in his next scene with Hopper, where he unleashes all his pent-up emotions and simply breaks down. He flawlessly transitions from one emotion to another in that scene and absolutely nails it. It really helps him earn that final sweet scene with Eleven at the Snow Ball. Here's hoping that Mike gets more to do in Season 3, as Wolfhard is really proving himself as one of the best young actors right now.

7. Paul Reiser as Dr Owens

Paul Reiser, whom I have only seen in Aliens and Whiplash before, plays the head scientist who replaces Matthew Modine's Dr Brenner. Despite first appearing as an extremely friendly and patient doctor who seems to be helping Will, I have to admit I didn't really trust the character of Dr Owens. After all, Reiser played a similarly helpful and friendly character in Aliens who turned out to a backstabbing coward. This is actually really smart casting and actually works very well in creating the mistrust in the audience which really helps us relate to both Hopper and Joyce as they too don't know if they can trust Dr Owens. I have to admit, Reiser is pretty great at playing up this mistrust as well. On the surface, he does an excellent job of just being the really nice and kind doctor who seems determined to help Will. At the same time though, I really liked how he laid on the charm just slightly too thick at times which really made me question whether he was putting on a facade. When Hopper starts to notice things going wrong, I also liked how Reiser played Owens as perhaps brushing off Hopper's claims a little too quickly.

However, when shit starts to hit the fan, I love how Reiser, and the Duffer Brothers, pull the rug from under the audience. The twist is that there is actually no twist, and Dr Owens is really just a decent man and not some evil scientist with some secret schemes. I love how he really doesn't switch up his performance from before and instead just continues to emphasise the decency of the man. I especially loved his scene where he expresses outrage at his fellow scientists for not giving a damn about Will's life. When the lab goes into lockdown, Reiser appropriately shows Owens to be just like the other characters and really expresses the fear in him. I like how he helps the others escape before himself, once again emphasising the goodness of the man. I have to admit, I was really delighted when it is revealed that Owens was merely hurt and not killed and I really look forward to him returning for Season 3. 

6. Joe Keery as Steve Harrington

(Steve in full action hero mode)

The redemption arc is complete. Steve has now gone a full 180 from his first impression as a jerk to just being a flat-out hero in Season 2. I really have to give credit to the Duffer Brothers for the ingenious idea of pairing Steve up with the kids as that really made for some of the best moments of the series. But let's not take away anything from Keery's performance, as he is excellent in showing how much Steve has really changed for the better and nails both Steve's dramatic and comedic scenes. Firstly, like Dyer and Heaton, he has to deal with the lame love triangle, but I honestly thought Keery was the best performer out of the three in terms of really selling the complexity of the situation. He is really great at showing just how much Steve cares for Nancy and his best scene was actually Dyer's worst scene. Although she severely overacts in the bathroom rejection scene, I thought Keery was actually quite moving in showing how much Nancy's words hurt Steve while at the same time showing that he doesn't really understand where her rage is coming from. I also really enjoyed his scenes with Dacre Montgomery's Billy, as I found his slightly confused and at the same time annoyed reactions towards Billy's aggression pretty hilarious.

As for his scenes with the kids, they were all great, but especially those with Dustin. Keery's comedic chemistry with Gaten Matarazzo is just amazing. Everyone of their interactions together is just comedic gold. I really love how Steve goes from being initially so hilariously reluctant to help Dustin, to becoming a full-blown badass when fighting the Demogorgons. What I liked most though was how he shows that despite all of Steve's bravado and bluster, he is still human after all and his underlying fear really helps add to the tension of the scenes in the junkyard. On top of all that, I really loved his moments of giving "advice" to Dustin, as on one hand they are really hilarious moments. However, Keery adds to these moments by showing the nice guy side of Steve coming out as he genuinely wants to help Dustin and that he has sorta taken Dustin under his "wing" so to speak. Honestly this is just a fantastic performance that really adds to Steve's character progression from Season 1 and Keery is fast becoming one of my favourite actors on the show. I am really hoping that Steve and the kids get more interactions together in Season 3.

5. Sean Astin as Bob Newby, "Superhero"

(Sucks he won't be back, and yes that pun was intended)

Quick rant, but why on Earth are TV series always casting Sean Astin as their main cast only to kill him off after one season??? (Spoilers start) The Strain did this as well, which really bummed me out too (Spoilers end) Do they not wanna keep Samwise Gamgee hanging around for awhile more???

But anyways, Astin is simply a joy to watch onscreen here as the ultimate geek Bob Newby. This kinda character could honestly come off as super annoying or boring, but Astin really brings him to life marvelously. The sheer enthusiasm and energy he brings to the role of Bob is just amazing to watch, and he really does his best to sell every single one of his one-liners or jokes. His chemistry with Winona Ryder is also spot-on, really selling the happiness and joy of their romance and making every one of their scenes together great fun to watch. I particularly enjoy the moment where he suggest moving out of Hawkins to Joyce, as in that moment he really brings out both Bob's innate shyness yet at the same time showing his love for Joyce. What I loved most though was the genuine decency and earnestness to help that he brings to Bob. I really enjoy all his attempts at trying to connect with Will and Jonathan, and the highlight being his "advice" to Will about confronting his fears. Honestly, despite knowing what Bob is saying to Will is technically pretty terrible advice, I really love the earnestness Astin brings to that scene, showing that Bob is only ever trying to help Will overcome his fears.

He also appropriately switches up his performance when he starts to see things take a darker turn. Astin really nails his major scene where Bob steps up and earns the "superhero" title to his name. Every fearful reaction and look that Astin does in that sequence is spot-on and really adds to the nail-biting tension of that incredible sequence, which really makes the final outcome such a gut-punch. Honestly, knowing the final fate of the character, Astin really goes far above and beyond what is needed for the character and creates one of the most endearing characters of the show. It really sucks knowing that Bob won't be returning for the future seasons

4. David Harbour as Chief Jim Hopper

Now I should preface this review by saying that I think some of the writing around Hopper falters slightly. For one, why the heck would he risk going into the hole by himself without backup??? But even though the writing falters, I never felt like Harbour's performance ever faltered. He is consistently great in portraying every facet of this complex character. First, just like in Season 1, Harbour is once again great at being the badass action hero we follow through the story. The same gruffness, courage and determination is back again. He also has some great scenes with Winona Ryder and Paul Reiser. With the former, he does well in portraying the care and concern he has for Joyce and also the subtle connection he forms with her. With the latter, I really like how Harbour and Reiser develops the relationship between Chief Hopper and Dr Owens, going from antagonistic to grudging respect eventually to a friendship.

However, the crux of his performance comes with his scenes with Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven, as Hopper has sorta taken in and adopted Eleven. Both Harbour and Brown really do an amazing job at selling the complexity of their relationship. On one hand, they do a great job of making their happier scenes together really heartwarming. I particularly enjoy their little exchanges during their mealtimes. However, when the conflict inevitably arises, Harbour is really just phenomenal at showing the "tough love" Hopper enforces on Eleven. Harbour actually smartly doesn't shy away from showing that Hopper is probably not the best dad in the world, but he nicely undercuts all that with small moments of showing how Hopper is also hurting from Eleven shutting him out. My favourite probably comes right after their big fight, where Harbour has an amazing moment when Hopper almost forgives Eleven but instead tells her to clean up the mess. 

As good as those small moments were though, his two standout scenes come later in the series. The first is an outstanding sequence where Hopper tries to reach Eleven over the radio and breaks down, apologising for everything that he has done. Harbour is just great, conveying the full extent of the regret and heartbreak in Hopper over all the wrongs he has done to Eleven. The second one is when he and Eleven are driving towards Hawkins lab. Here, Harbour is just brilliant as he goes through the full spectrum of complex emotions, from Hopper's regret and sadness to eventually revealing just how much he is afraid of losing Eleven as he does not want to lose another loved one again.

3. Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin

(Four puffs of Farrah Fawcett spray)

Well, seems like the Duffer Brothers really responded to fan's love of Dustin, as he really got a boost in terms of screentime, to the point where I think he kinda takes over Mike as the main child character. Matarazzo doesn't disappoint with his performance though despite the increased screentime and story material. On one hand, he is still the funniest out of all the child actors, with him nailing every single one of Dustin's one-liners or comedic moments. He also has excellent chemistry with every one of his onscreen partners, be it his on-screen mother or Max or Steve or Lucas. His scenes with his mother are downright hilarious, as are the scenes of Dustin trying so hard (and failing) to impress Max. However, his performance goes beyond being funny though as he really does hit some high emotional beats as well. I really have to give Matarazzo full credit for making Dustin's relationship with a CGI creation absolutely believable and heartwarming. Matarazzo really sells those scenes amazingly and helps bring to life the creature Dart. Not only that, he actually makes you care for it as well by showing just how much Dustin really connects with and cares for Dart. However, he believably transitions from love to outright horror when he realises just what kind of creature Dart really is, which brings me to the best part of his performance.

To help combat Dart, Dustin enlists Steve's help. Like previously mentioned in Keery's review, Matarazzo's comedic timing and chemistry with Keery in Dustin and Steve's scenes together are fantastic. Every back-and-forth exchange between Dustin and Steve are hilarious, and really makes their odd-ball pairing work. However, their scenes together don't just consist of purely comedic scenes. I really like how Matarazzo emphasises on Dustin's naivety while talking to Steve about girls, which really allows the audience to understand why Steve would start to sympathise with Dustin and kinda take him under his wing. Furthermore, I actually thought Matarazzo was pretty affecting in the moments when he sees that Max and Lucas are getting closer. All of these add up to that fantastic pep-talk in Steve's car in that final episode, with Matarazzo showing Dustin at his most confident, which of course makes it all the more hilarious when his friends end up laughing at his hair. It gets worse for Dustin though when all the girls he asks to dance with blows him off, and Matarazzo is amazing at showing how much the rejections really hurt Dustin, and he is actually pretty moving in that short moment where we see Dustin breaking down before Nancy comes to his rescue. This performance is really just a fantastic showcase for Gaten Matarazzo who really should be getting some award recognition in my opinion.

2. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers

After being missing in most of the first season, Noah Schnapp finally gets some juicy material to work with in Season 2, and oh my does he deliver. There's no other way to say it, Schnapp simply delivers a phenomenal performance. First off, he is great at showing that Will has never fully recovered from his time spent in the "Upside Down" and there is this disconnect with others that he portrays in Will, even in the scenes with his mother or friends. Every scene where someone insults Will or alludes to his traumatic experience in someway, Schnapp is fantastic in showing that every reminder somehow is bringing Will right back to those terrible memories and that his life will never be the same ever again. However, as good as he is in the scenes of Will struggling to return to a normal life, he is downright amazing in any sequence where Will switches between dimensions and end up in the "Upside Down" again. Schnapp is astounding in showing the crippling fear that grips Will whenever he returns to the "Upside Down" and sees/senses the monster. It really is masterful work as Schnapp so realistically brings to life Will's fears and really makes you feel for his character's plight.

However, his best scenes I feel are any of his breakdown scenes, where Schnapp essentially shows just how tortured and broken Will is by all these constant visions that he experiences. He truly aces every single one of his big emotional scenes and never once did he ring a false note with his performance. What really makes his performance special though are the small flashes of optimism Schnapp brings to Will, particularly in the "advice" scene he has with Sean Astin's Bob. Schnapp is so moving in this scene as he shows Will gaining some semblance of hope again through Bob's words of encouragement, which makes the end result that much worse as he ends up being sorta possessed by the monster. Here is where his performance becomes a bit more static, as Will essentially becomes like a puppet for the monster. To Schnapp's credit though, he is appropriately sinister and creepy when the creature "takes over", and heartbreaking when he shows the real Will. I especially loved his scene in the shed where Will is being interrogated, as he is once again amazing and heartbreaking at showing the real Will struggling to break through the creature's control, and then switching seamlessly to being the cryptic and sinister "Will puppet". Honestly, if there is any justice, Schnapp should be a lock-in for that Emmy nomination, as he thoroughly deserves all the awards in the world for this astounding performance.

1. Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven

Well this should be no surprise, but my MVP for Season 1 is once again the MVP for Season 2. Brown carefully doesn't rely on the same bag of tricks she used in Season 1 and smartly shows how much Eleven has matured and progressed since Season 1. Yes, she still nails the sassiness and bad-assery of Eleven, particularly in scenes where she uses her powers, or that hilarious "mouth-breather" moment in Episode 7. However, more than anything, she always shows that Eleven is still a child despite learning and maturing so much since Season 1. Any scenes where Brown gets to show Eleven's emotional vulnerability is a surefire highlight of the series. On one hand, she really nails the loneliness and sadness in Eleven over not being able to reunite with Mike, which really makes their eventual reunion that much more satisfying. More importantly and impressively, Brown really carried the entire story arc of Eleven looking for her mother and of course, Episode 7. That entire storyline is basically a showcase of Millie Bobby Brown's talents, and thankfully she doesn't disappoint. She is extremely moving in showing Eleven's joy at reuniting with her mother, as well as sorrow at having found out how she ended up in her current state. She is also great in her scenes with Amy Seimetz (who is really good in her limited screentime). And of course Episode 7, where she really carried the episode on her shoulders. From her hilarious naivety when interacting with the gang (really like Eleven's new look), to flawlessly portraying her struggles with her morality and descent to a darker path, to selling that sisterly relationship with Linnea Berthelsen's Kali, and finally that heartbreaking reaction of hers upon seeing the visions of  Hopper and Mike. Brown really aced every facet of her character in Episode 7.

And then of course, there are her scenes with David Harbour's Hopper. Brown and Harbour really do wonders together in selling the complex relationship between Hopper and Eleven. She is just wonderful at showing how Eleven is slowly learning to be a normal kid, what with her "word of the day" and all. Their happy scenes together, and especially the flashbacks, are just heartwarming to watch. However, just as how Harbour doesn't shy away from Hopper's own failings as a good parental figure, Brown doesn't shy away from showing that Eleven can kinda be a brat at times, after all, she is still a kid at heart. Their quarrel and subsequent falling out is flawlessly handled by both actors, making their eventual reconciliation (and Hopper's adoption of Eleven) so satisfying. Like with Schnapp, Brown better be a lock-in for that Emmy nomination, otherwise I am pretty sure there might be riots on the streets.

Moving on...

Well once again I have to apologise for the long wait between posts. I am working on getting up the Game of Thrones cast reviews for season 1, hopefully I can stick to the schedule of one week per post.