Stranger Things — Season 3 Review
by KJ Proulx
A few years ago, Netflix was known for their hit shows like Orange is the New Black or House of Cards, and while both of those were great, I found that when Stranger Things hit the streaming service, I truly became a Netflix fan. Not that every season since the first has been the greatest of all time or anything, but the premise is a joy to watch. Season three has recently been released and while I don’t think it’s the best that this show has had to offer, I do believe it’s an improvement over season two.
Similar to the previous season, this one begins with Will sensing that the threat may not be resolved just yet. Steve now works at an ice cream parlour in the Starcourt Mall, Dustin, recently back from Summer Camp, gets tangled up with him and a couple of new characters down in a Russian facility under the Mall, and the rest of the kids pretty much continue to be themselves in terms of their investigative curiosities. The Upside Down is in full force and with the help of the Russians, it may be an even greater threat for them to face than ever.
There are almost too many characters to dive into throughout a review, but I’ll simply say that the best dynamics between characters was either Jim and Joyce or Steve and Dustin, but those have always been fan favourites anyways. Eleven probably has the most to struggle with throughout the course of this season, but all in all, everyone is given more than one time to shine. Even Billy is given a much bigger role this time around and I thought his character worked as a great bridge between the characters and the Upside Down.
As aforementioned, I do prefer this season over the previous one, but I will say that I was worried during the first three episodes because I found the pacing of the show to be a little off. The second half of this season is some of the most engaging stuff this show has had to offer yet, but it did take a little while for it to really get me engaged. Still, even during the few slower episodes, I was still loving these characters and the situations they were finding themselves in. On top of that, the writers have once again paired the right characters together to create fun on-screen chemistry.
In the end, this third season of Stranger Things leans very heavily on feeling familiar to the previous seasons and there may be times when you feel like you’ve seen a lot of this before, but it’s just an undeniably fun ride. I have minor issues with it overall, but those are nothing compared to how well-made each and every one of these episodes is. Stranger Things still remains one of Netflix’s most enjoyable television shows, in my opinion. While a fourth season isn’t necessary, I would more than gladly watch it. This season is absolutely worth your time, especially if you’re already a fan.
Rating: 4.5/5
Check Out the Trailer for Season 3 Below:
