The spoiler free review follows...
In the second episode of Stranger Things, the added 10 minutes over the pilot run are efficiently utilized, resulting in a little more back story on our characters, while our kid protagonists make an important discovery in the woods. However, not everything is okay, as a scene near the end involving a camera and a house party becomes excruciatingly awkward to watch.
Winona Ryder steals the spotlight, while Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Shannon Purser (Barbara) and David Harbour (Jim Hopper) give assured and confident performances. The score and cinematography remain awesome, resulting in another grossing chapter, albeit down a notch from the pilot.
I think I can safely say that miniseries like these benefit a lot from singular directorial work throughout, as it helps the series evolve more naturally and coherently, making it feel as if you are watching an extended movie rather than separate episodes. (Also, of course, the concurrent availability of following chapters helped the case substantially.)
The scenes involving the children are the most engrossing, with a natural chemistry between all of them. Winona Ryder as the mother in mourning absolutely excels, as mentioned above, and her scenes with Charlie Heaton (Jonathan) are raw and tear-jerking.
Verdict: 8/10 with the camera scene undermining the rest of the positive work a bit. The episode ends with one hell of a cliffhanger, though, and you'll be streaming episode 3 in a heartbeat.
In the second episode of Stranger Things, the added 10 minutes over the pilot run are efficiently utilized, resulting in a little more back story on our characters, while our kid protagonists make an important discovery in the woods. However, not everything is okay, as a scene near the end involving a camera and a house party becomes excruciatingly awkward to watch.
Winona Ryder steals the spotlight, while Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Shannon Purser (Barbara) and David Harbour (Jim Hopper) give assured and confident performances. The score and cinematography remain awesome, resulting in another grossing chapter, albeit down a notch from the pilot.
I think I can safely say that miniseries like these benefit a lot from singular directorial work throughout, as it helps the series evolve more naturally and coherently, making it feel as if you are watching an extended movie rather than separate episodes. (Also, of course, the concurrent availability of following chapters helped the case substantially.)
The scenes involving the children are the most engrossing, with a natural chemistry between all of them. Winona Ryder as the mother in mourning absolutely excels, as mentioned above, and her scenes with Charlie Heaton (Jonathan) are raw and tear-jerking.
Verdict: 8/10 with the camera scene undermining the rest of the positive work a bit. The episode ends with one hell of a cliffhanger, though, and you'll be streaming episode 3 in a heartbeat.