【The Impotent King (2005) in English Subtitles】

Stranger Things 2will drop in a matter of days,The Impotent King (2005) in English Subtitles and we couldn't be more ready. While the plot is still largely under wraps, critics received all nine episodes in advance from Netflix and are now free to share their initial thoughts.

The verdict? Predictable, probably; Stranger Things 2is nothing face-melting, but it's enjoyable and worthwhile nonetheless. Come for the hype and the arbitrary nostalgia – stay for the cast and the finale.

For more on what critics thoughts of Stranger Things 2, read on.

Does it hold up?

Maureen Ryan, Variety:

Until Stranger Things 2really gets going — and that takes a while — it trails an air of self-consciousness that veers into strained fan service at times. The good news is, the show’s core cast remains an extremely versatile and effective ensemble, and once the story kicks into a higher gear about halfway through the nine-episode season, a lot of the old magic returns.

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter:

Stranger Things 2is quite good and, if your expectations are in check, largely satisfying. The Duffer Brothers fall into very few traps of self-importance or self-awareness and they deliver a second season with an expanded assortment of '80s influences, an expanded cast of instantly embraceable characters and some expanded Stranger Thingsmythology without the bloat that inevitably dooms sequels.

Julia Alexander, Polygon:

Stranger Things 2grapples with trying to remain faithful to its predecessor season, as a linear TV series needs to do, while also reimagining itself as separate spiritual successor. The writers have imprisoned themselves in this self-imposed labyrinth that, for the most part, they manage to navigate around successfully, adding to the complex storyline. When they do stray from the path, however, and attempt to introduce a secular arc that doesn’t fit within the confines the Duffer brothers created, that’s when Stranger Things 2fails.

Alan Sepinwall, Uproxx:

The whole thing could very easily fall prey to all the worst symptoms of sequelitis, but despite some bumps along the way — one bad storytelling choice in particular — Stranger Things 2largely justifies its existence.

Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair:

Everyone, kid and adult, is dragged back into an adventure of sorts, calling on knowledge of nerdy arcana—and plenty of small-town, blue-collar gumption—to figure things out. Same as last season, only weighted by a year’s worth of expectation...much of it plays like a lukewarm rehash, with a bit more red meat thrown in to cover up the mustiness. It’s a classic sequel form, really.

The cast

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter:

It's that ensemble that still makes Stranger Thingshum. Matarazzo and McLaughlin may have a little extra exposure this season and their ability to resist getting hammy remains admirable. Schnapp was off-screen most of the first season, but assimilates immediately and he and Wolfhard do well when the plot intensifies. The writers have wisely focused on the things that make Steve likable and the things that make Nancy badass and both actors benefit. In two seasons, Stranger Thingshas yet to reach the limitations of its diminutive stars and it's the coming-of-age side of the story for which I have an insatiable appetite.

Maureen Ryan, Variety:

This season, [Will] is at the center of the narrative — even more so than Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven — and Schnapp proves more than up to the task of portraying Will’s deepening distress. Much is asked of this young actor, and he delivers powerfully in a range of challenging situations that would be confusing for any family.

Alan Sepinwall, Uproxx:

The new season leans even more on Harbour, and he shoulders all of it — as do Ryder, Astin, Reiser, and all the younger actors. As much as it’s about nostalgia, Stranger Thingsis a testament to the power of good casting, and also to learning more and more how to write for the performers you’ve cast.

The ending

Kelly Lawler, USA Today:

Later episodes are near carbon copies of the first season's climax, heightened by a bigger threat. For devoted fans, the similarities might be a comforting feature, not a bug, but they also feel a little tiresome, and raise questions about the series' long-term sustainability. Writers can't simply place Will in danger again and again.

Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter:

Some repetitiveness of plotting and the lack of thematic value found in the period setting aren't quibbles that kept me from tearing through all nine episodes almost as quickly as I received them. The first few chapters may have some tablesetting slowness, but they have strong cliffhangers pushing from one episode to the next, building to a breathless finale.

Alan Sepinwall, Uproxx:

I had an enormous smile on my face for a lot of the new episodes, and particularly the last two, which turn out to be a tighter and more exciting climax than we got last time around...even the various slow burns converge into a huge, thrilling flame for the season’s climactic hours.

Maureen Ryan, Variety:

And as it wraps up Season Two, [Stranger Things] summons some of its most propulsive and emotionally effective storytelling.

Stranger Things 2premieres Oct. 27 on Netflix.