{"id":9626,"date":"2017-11-02T15:02:52","date_gmt":"2017-11-02T21:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/?p=9626"},"modified":"2017-11-02T18:19:14","modified_gmt":"2017-11-03T00:19:14","slug":"beyond-strange-stranger-things-season-two-review-and-thoughts-from-directors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/2017\/11\/02\/beyond-strange-stranger-things-season-two-review-and-thoughts-from-directors\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Strange | \u2018Stranger Things\u2019 Season Two Review and Thoughts from Directors"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Graphic by Darrian Bagley<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The second season of the Netflix original series \u201cStranger Things\u201d was just released \u2014 with perfect timing before Halloween. Brothers Matt and Ross Duffer co-wrote nine new episodes and conducted \u201cBeyond Stranger Things\u201d in which they detail the production of the show alongside the producers and actors. Warning: spoilers. Watch this after you binge \u201cStranger Things.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The series picks up where season one ended: diving into the main characters\u2019 personalities and relationships and giving an in-depth view into the alternate world referred to by the characters as the \u201cUpside-down.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The visual effects and cinematic scenes improved with this new season, as the show grew from a practical look to a digital vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew the visual effects were going to be a way more essential part,\u201d executive producer and director Shawn Levy said in \u201cBeyond Stranger Things.\u201d \u201cWe upgraded from just one part-time special effects designer to a full time special effects team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In the first season, viewers see the characters for who they are at the surface, but in season two, fans get personal insights into their perspectives caused by their traumatic experiences. <\/span><\/p>\n

Eleven\u2019s powers no longer come as a surprise, but viewers are shown the full extent of their reach. Steve develops from an 80s jock into a likeable leader, and Will continues to deal with the consequences of his past endeavors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor a while it was like Steve was the king of everything,\u201d Ross Duffer said in \u201cBeyond Stranger Things.\u201d \u201cBut then people realize how he has his own struggles, and can be an outsider in his world.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The relationships planted in the first season intensify and get audiences emotionally involved. The whole season brings a range of emotions from anticipation and fear to laughter and surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Duffer brothers also add new, characters that further enhance the dynamic of an already stacked cast. Sean Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee in the \u201cLord of the Rings\u201d films, plays Joyce\u2019s boyfriend Bob, and turned out to be a better character than the writers had anticipated. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to get rid of Bob,\u201d Matt Duffer said in \u201cBeyond Stranger Things.\u201d \u201cI loved the extra flare he added to the show.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStranger\u2019s Things\u201d is one of those Netflix originals that\u2019s very hard to look away from, and makes it almost impossible to stop watching. It\u2019s a thrilling, grabbing and exceptionally improving series that the writers hope to continue with \u201cat least a few more seasons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStranger Things\u2019\u201d slow-building sophomore season balances moments of humor and a nostalgic sweetness against a growing horror that\u2019s all the more effective,\u201d Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus said. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  The second season of the Netflix original series \u201cStranger Things\u201d was just released \u2014 with perfect timing before Halloween. Brothers Matt and Ross Duffer co-wrote nine new episodes and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15070,"featured_media":9628,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15070"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9626"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9626\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelink.harding.edu\/the-bison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}