By Kitty Atherton, Third Year, Philosophy
Recently, it feels as though there’s been a distinct whiff of 2016 in the air. Trump is back, I’m fairly sure I saw a fidget spinner in a lecture, and, naturally, Stranger Things has returned.
As per the now-standard Netflix formula, the new season has been split across multiple release dates in a transparent attempt to maximise hype and subscriptions. More audaciously still, Netflix has scheduled the release of the final four episodes for Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve - apparently assuming we have nothing better to do. Having said this, I did enjoy Volume 1 of season 5. Although it has somewhat lost the charm of earlier seasons, and has the definite sheen of overproduction that all Netflix shows seem to (think artfully dishevelled hair and perfect glowing skin no matter the circumstances), Stranger Things manages to remain watchable. Diana Ross’s song ‘Upside down’ was a witty and enjoyable touch, and guaranteed to spawn into a TikTok trend of some kind. And we get to see significant development of some of the side characters; Nancy and Will’s little sister Holly Wheeler (Nell Fischer), trapped in some form of the Upside Down is a new addition with her own plot line, and I have to say it is one that I look forward to.
Not to mention Karen Wheeler’s (Cara Buono) fantastic character arc. From her short lived dalliance in season 3 with the gorgeous Billy (Dacre Montgomery), Karen Wheeler has moved on to bigger things. In a scene where the demogorgon is about to kidnap her young daughter Holly, Mrs Wheeler is seen transforming from ABBA listening, white wine drinking, quintessential 80s mum into a ferocious protector - hiding Holly in her bubble bath and fearlessly attacking the demogorgon with her smashed wine bottle in her nightie, offering one of the shows most compelling scenes yet. I think we all cheered for Mrs Wheeler at that point.
A character I do take issue with however, is Maya Hawke’s Robin. Initially, I found the rapport between her and Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) quite funny (‘quite’ being a key word here), but frankly it has gone on far too long. She seems to have become a caricature of her own character, with every sentence dripping with sarcasm and consistent, poorly timed quips punctuating what could have been an emotional scene. I think the word I’m looking for to describe Robin is ‘cringey’- and not in a bearable Emily in Paris kind of way. It’s a shame, because Maya Hawke is a good actor and Robin’s character definitely had potential that is undoubtedly wasted on comedy relief.
Amelia Jacob
Other characters are pretty unremarkable; sadly, Winona Ryder seems to have lost her 90s style tortured alternative angst that she is so loved for. I hope in volume two we see her character back to a season one Joyce Byers, who’s desperation to see her son returned to safety shone as a highlight of the earlier seasons. Nancy Wheeler’s (Natalia Dyer) plot lines have always been one of the most entertaining, but I’m tending to find her striding about with her jaw set in determination slightly tedious this time. What the Duffer Brothers are failing to do is allow for real development of some of their most loved characters; they find something that the audience likes and then bashes them over the head with it until we can no longer stand it. How about a different side of Nancy this time? Please?
I think my final comment is that the show just doesn’t feel original anymore. I wonder if Netflix’s style of overproduction has taken the joy out of television, or perhaps it is the Duffer Brother’s consistent recycling of plot devices (another cliffhanger?!). I think that it is without a doubt that Stranger things will end with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) saving the day by holding out her hand and screaming with her iconic one-sided nose bleed, and it is without a doubt that I will watch it anyway.
Featured Image: IMDb / Stranger Things
What did you think of volume 1 of Stranger Things S5?
