Stranger Things Season 2 Review: 9 Ups And 3 Downs

Downs...

3. Too Much #JusticeForBarb

If there was any one element from Season 1 that really got blown out of proportion, it was the death of Barbara Holland. Within the context of that first season, it was clearly an issue: no attention is paid to her disappearance, in stark contrast to the furore about Will's, and it was a real misstep in an otherwise surefooted run of episodes.

That, however, became a social media campaign that really took off, and even led to Shannon Purser landing an Emmy nomination this year. Purser's fine in the role, but it's a small one, and hard to say she was deserving of the nod.

The Duffers take this further still, by laying the quest for #JusticeForBarb throughout the season. It's way too much of an overcorrect, and leads to Nancy and Jonathan undertaking a subplot that largely goes back over the same ground the pair covered in the first season, even if the characters are both enjoyable to spend time with. Barb should've been addressed in the first season, yes, but since she wasn't a small nod to it here would've done; instead, this is a rare instance where it veers too much into unnecessary fan-service.