20 Best TV Episodes Of 2017
8. Stranger Things - The Spy
With the exception of the seventh instalment, episodes 6, 8, and 9 serve as a great final run of Stranger Things 2, and choosing between them isn't easy. But if you're going to plump for one, it should be the episode that gave us 2017's most surprisingly brilliant character pairing.
The Spy offers up almost every element that makes Stranger Things so great. There's no Eleven, but we do get a number of genius character moments, real humour, warmth, 80s references, supernatural scares, and some thrilling action.
With the season nearing its endgame, the episode moves the plot forward with a sense of urgency, but never rushes its character beats. It gives us the best moment yet between Jonathan and Nancy as they finally give in to their desires, complete with the "pull-out" gag. It gives us another stupendous turn from Noah Schnapp, further confirming his status as the acting MVP of this sequel, who ranges from quiet and vulnerable to shrieking with rage.
It gives us a tense, scary sequence as Steve attempts to take on the demodogs with his trusty baseball bat. And, of course, it gives us Dustin and Steve becoming friends and bonding over Farrah Fawcett spray.