‘Stranger Things 3’ Review: Stronger and More Explosive the Third Time Around

We’ve seen the residents of Hawkins, Indiana fight off the threats of otherworldly beings to their last breath. With this resilience, however, comes a massive price on their heads. It seems like the enemies will never stop coming after them. Stranger Things 3 is a testament to this, if not an elevation to where the Netflix show was in 2016. The Demogorgon is dead, and the Shadow Monster is holed up and sent back to its realm—at least, that’s what Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) and her friends thought. The ’80s easter-egg filled show returns with a positive (but dark) force to it; this time with bigger threats and a whole new look on how things would fare from here on. Stranger Things 3 further cements itself as a pop culture staple that will never be considered as anything less from here on.

Season 2 saw Eleven closing and destroying the Gate, with The Mind Flayer presumed gone. But the creature has something up its sleeve and aims to take back what was deprived of it. The Mind Flayer’s presence this season makes for a total upgrade from the past two seasons of Stranger Things, with more ferocity and violent tendencies that only the Duffer Brothers can execute well enough for you to shit your pants.

A forewarning: minor spoilers ahead.

Divided Yet United

One of the notable strengths of Stranger Things is its ability to show teamwork and brilliant strategy between all the hero kids of Hawkins. In the third season, though, they are left to fend off each minor plot point to get to the grand showdown later in the season. In other words, the group is divided, but it doesn’t feel like they’re disconnected from each other. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) returns from summer camp and feels absolutely forgotten by his friends. It’s this very feeling that drove Dustin to explore on his own, ending up with Steve (Joe Keery) and series newcomer Robin (Maya Hawke).

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Meanwhile, Elle, Max (Sadie Sink), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) each deal with things more ferocious than the Mind Flayer itself—teenage love. We also have Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) handling the investigative side of things, as both of them work for the Hawkins Post. Elsewhere, we’ve got Chief Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) setting out on a journey to uncover why Joyce’s fridge magnets keep falling off (of course, it’s something related to the new threat that’s feeding itself in Hawkins).

They may be separated, but it’s something that works for the story, allowing us to see different facets of the Mind Flayer’s influence and giving audiences something to unpack in each sequence.

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Last season’s breakout duo was Dustin and Steve, and Stranger Things 3 capitalized on that relationship. This time, their chemistry stands on firm ground, especially with Robin’s addition to the team. And with the Hawkins kids undergoing various teenage conundrums, the show takes the romance up a notch. Mike and Eleven’s relationship seems to drive a wedge between Hopper and his adopted daughter, driving the Hawkins Chief of Police to deal with things in awkwardly. Lucas and Max’s relationship also contributes to how the kids work as a group of close friends, with Max’s pieces of advice seeming like a threat to the boys’ friendship. Eleven and Max’s relationship is also put right at the forefront, and its a nice way of helping Eleven expose herself to the world.

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Nancy and Jonathan’s relationship is explored in the third season, with feminist elements sprinkled healthily throughout their narrative. Nancy works for the paper, but she’s not a reporter. Instead, she’s reduced to a servant girl whose sole purpose is to cater to the needs of the paper’s staff—a group of white, sexist men. But the good thing about Nancy and Jonathan’s side of the story is that it doesn’t force the feminist ideals right up your face. Instead of focusing on the issue directly, the narrative is built to lift Nancy’s character up and show us that the best way for her to achieve equality in this situation is to face the threat indirectly yet forcefully, almost like a blitzkrieg type of warfare. She never fought back but did things on the sideways that ultimately led to her persecutors’ demise. Jonathan was used as a relationship predicament, but it worked so well into Nancy’s narrative that you can’t cancel them from each other (despite both having different views on how to handle the sexist abuse). The empowerment in this season was subtle but immensely powerful.

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Hopper and Joyce’s side of the ordeal further digs into the deflated romance that was implied in the last moments of Stranger Things 2. Throughout the season, the romantic tension is felt, with both parties trying desperately to separate themselves from that truth. Eventually, though, things become clear for Hopper and Joyce that both agree to take things to another level. But it’s this situation that carries the emotional weight of the season finale to heartbreaking proportions. They are joined by conspiracy theorist slash private investigator Murray (Brett Gelman) and Slurpee-guzzling Russian scientist Alexei (Alec Utgoff)—another breakout character who got the Barb and Bob treatment this season (Hopper unlovingly calls him Smirnoff here). Their side of the story had the grander investigative elements, as they are the ones to discover that the Russians are desperately trying to re-open the Gate.

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Of Malls and ’80s Tropes

Stranger Things 3 also expands its mythos and outdoes itself in terms of villain narratives and not-so-likely occurrences that raises the stakes. As the Mind Flayer takes the residents of Hawkins for his own literal physical gain, another looming threat also surfaces, and it’s one that won’t seem like it from the get-go. It’s amazing how the Duffer Brothers made Starcourt Mall a definitive highlight this season, with most of the action and conflict occurring in the infamous hangout place. Hell, even the finale is titled “The Battle of Starcourt.” The mall acts as an agitator of all sorts— in what is seen as a harmless hangout place comes a secret so massive that it could endanger the lives of everyone in one snap.

Starcourt Mall spurs both outrage and intrigue from our residents. For one, the mall was responsible for killing small businesses, something that plagued the townsfolk. For two, it’s actually a secret facility that’s being used to cover up the Russians’ attempt to re-open the Gate. The way the mall works as a central part of the narrative—often capturing the ’80s mall culture and aesthetic—provides further depth to the story. Of course, the mall scenes wouldn’t be complete without direct references to different ’80s pop culture tropes; from in-store workout sessions to record stores and old school theaters. It’s amazing how something so mundane becomes an integral part of Stranger Things 3’s narrative.

Nailing the Landing: A More Ferocious ‘Stranger Things’ Enemy

The Mind Flayer doesn’t seem as gigantic as season 2, but it’s definitely scarier and hungrier for blood. It’s a distinct upgrade from the previous monster foes that our heroes had to face, and its intentions are more apparent: Eleven has to be wiped out from the face of the earth. That’s where Billy (Dacre Montgomery) comes in, who’s actually a commendable villain for the third season. The Mind Flayer uses him as it’s main conduit and henchman, rounding up different residents to serve as the monster’s food. Billy’s psyche is heavily destroyed, if not for the last minute attempt from Eleven to reach out and turn him back to their side. Billy has more use now than last season’s; he’s not reduced to a typical ’80s bully anymore. In fact, his influence permeates the entire account of Stranger Things 3. And towards the end, his character undergoes a drastic personality shift that would leave you dumbfounded.

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The horror elements of the show also achieve significant feats, and it’s a perfect mirror of what it wants to be. Stranger Things banks on the ’80s nostalgia as one of its main influences and the show never failed to put that advantage front and center. This time, it doesn’t hold back. It courses through every vein of each episode, and one could not help but look back to the great era and remember how it drastically made an impact on today’s pop culture. It’s horrific in that it doesn’t rely too much on jumpscares or the monsters, but the fear that one feels when everything you know and love will all be taken from you in an instant. That’s how intense the scares are this season, even if there’s a suspension of disbelief.

The Minor Duds

Of course, the show also comes with iffy moments and “meh” elements. Priah Ferguson’s Erica was particularly irritating, often acting like the complete opposite of comic relief. Her snappy and obnoxious attitude was completely pointless and doesn’t add anything of value to the team’s efforts to uncover the mall’s deepest, darkest secrets. Take her out of the premise and we’re good. It’s almost like Linnea Berthelsen’s useless addition to Stranger Things 2—she has character, but not enough juice to matter in the greater perspective of the story. Seriously, fuck Erica. Another minor hiccup of Stranger Things 3 has to do with the Russians as the grand orchestrator of all things monster in Hawkins. The villainry was present, but it wasn’t solid enough to par with the sinister Hawkins Lab. It almost feels as if it was used for comedic effect, having Russians secretly infiltrate the country to open up the gateway to otherworldly hell. They had a major contribution to the Mind Flayer’s plans, but it’s not as impactful as the monster itself, let alone Billy and the army of the flayed.

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‘Stranger Things 3’ Overall Verdict

Stranger Things 3 more than lives up to what the previous seasons established. It’s grander in terms of story and more heartily executed. With everything that the kids have been through, this is where it all kind of culminates. There’s a significant amount of nicely-done ’80s tropes, as well as the fun and comedy that only the kids can deliver well. There’s also more heart into it, with relationships being tested and friendships being renewed. The fact of the matter is that Stranger Things 3 delivers something that feels entirely fresh yet oddly familiar. The emotional investment we’ve had since we first saw the show will take a slightly painful turn, culminating with a sad finale that will absolutely rip your heart out.

With all the stakes raised and challenges overcome, Stranger Things 3 is stronger and more explosive the third time around.