Stranger Things season 3 re-review: Netflix hit pulls magic trick to blend genres in episode 1 & 2
We begin our journey through Stranger Things season 3 - latest re-review
- Summer has arrived in Hawkins, but it is not all sunshine and smiles.
- Our Stranger Things season 3 re-review journey begins here.
- But how well did the show reintroduce itself for a third time?
The start of autumn may have officially arrived in the UK, but summer is just about to begin in Hawkins, Indiana. My re-review project has reached the third season of Netflix’s juggernaut hit and it's time for re-introductions and a trip to the mall.
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The Cold War looms heavy over the new season as the stakes are raised once again and the show leans even more into its 1980s vibes. See my re-review of season three episode one and two here.
Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy?
Synopsis: Summer brings new jobs and budding romance. But the mood shifts when Dustin's radio picks up a Russian broadcast, and Will senses something is
Just like the second season, Stranger Things kicks off its third batch of episodes with a trip outside of Hawkins, Indiana. However, this time around it is an international visit - as Russian soldiers work on a mysterious project somewhere cold and snowy.
The Cold War has hovered in the background in the early parts of the show, which makes sense given the 1980s setting. We saw Eleven spot a Russian during an initial foray into the Upside Down in season one, while she was mistaken for one in the second series.
However, the conflict between America and Russia is going to factor in more over the coming seasons. It is not the main thrust obviously, but it does feature more prominently - particularly when (spoilers) Hopper ends up in a Siberian workcamp.
But that remains just a background element in the premiere, which is interested in bringing its characters into their teenage years. The actors have noticeably aged and do look like teens in this batch of episodes.
Unsurprisingly then, their interests have started to age up. Mike and Eleven’s puppy love is starting to grate for both Hopper as well as their friends, while Max and Lucas have settled into a relationship.
Dustin’s return from summer camp serves as a great way to introduce the audience to these changes. He is back after a month and everything has changed, including the group dynamics.
It is a clever way to give the viewers an audience surrogate and allow for exposition in a natural way. Plus it continues the trend of grouping arcs and storylines in characters.
Similar to season two, this premiere expands the scope of Hawkins itself. We get the community pool, a rundown spooky factory, and most important of all - the mall.
Despite being over 50 minutes long, it is a breezy and fun way to draw the audience back in while already laying the groundwork for the overall season. Will’s Upside Down senses are tingling, the Russian experiments are messing with the power at the mall.
Chapter Two: The Mall Rats
Synopsis: Nancy and Jonathan follow a lead, Steve and Robin sign on to a secret mission, and Max and Eleven go shopping. A rattled Billy has troubling visions.
Not for the first time, Stranger Things blends different genres to brilliant effect in this episode. It swings from horror to coming-of-age teen comedy and conspiracy spy thriller in just the space of 50 minutes.
The Duffer Brothers walk a very tight rope, if the balance was off even just a little bit it could have been a complete disaster but they pull off a minor miracle in this episode. A gripe with the second season was how slow the overarching plot was, taking about three or four episodes to actually kick in.
Personally, I didn’t mind it because I just enjoy spending time with the characters and in this world. But for season three they manage to blend the groundwork of the season’s arc - Billy doing the work of the Upside Down and the Russians in Hawkins - with a teenage comedy-of-errors plot.
Mike’s attempts to follow Hopper’s newly laid down laws about spending time with Eleven instantly go wrong and provide the perfect excuse for a fun trip to the mall. For the first time Eleven and Max get to bond and just be teenage girls, while Lucas’ attempts to help Mike patch things up go wonderfully wrong.
It feels like a sitcom in the best possible way. Dustin and Steve’s friendship is reignited and kick starts the conspiracy thriller part of the season, as they try to decipher Russian with the help of new addition for season three Robin (Maya Hawke). I’ll dive deep on Robin later in the series.
Plus we get the horror elements from Billy’s increasing possession by the forces of the Upside Down. It is also interesting that an important element from season four is actually introduced here.
We get the ominous ticking grandfather clock sound when he is teleported to the other realm. Something that becomes very important for the penultimate season.
Overall, I think this is a stronger pair of episodes to kick-start a season. Although, perhaps, it doesn’t let you luxuriate in the characters the way the early part of series two did.
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