Strangers Things 2 (2017) [SPOILERS]

When it was announced that Netflix was renewing Stranger Things for a second season, fans breathed a sigh of relief, and then started asking questions? Would Eleven be coming back? What was the deal with Will? How in the hell could Nancy choose Steve Harrington over Jonathan?  However, the most important question was: Would it be any good? It goes without saying that expectations for season two were exceedingly high and I’m happy to say that it doesn’t disappoint.  Stranger Things 2 is, thankfully, not merely a rehash of the first season and does a nice job of expanding the characters and story line. It isn’t without its flaws, but I’ll get to that later.

When I posted on Stranger Things least year, my review focused entirely on the relationship between Mike and Eleven, largely because I felt that these two characters were the “heart and soul” of the  season one (plus I was amazed by  Finn Wolfhard’s and Millie Bobby Brown’s onscreen chemistry).  In season two, however, both characters are sidelined for a good portion of the series.

Mike begins the series as a shell of his former self; he is no longer the effervescent leader of the Hawkins AV Club, but rather a sulking teenager who is antagonistic towards the world.  He is openly hostile to the character of Max and resents her wanting to be a part of the group; she is a poor substitute for Eleven. This characterization of Mike has led to a lot of online criticism, most notably by Angie Han in her article for Mashable,"What Was the Deal With Mike Wheeler in 'Stranger Things 2'?"  Han writes the following:

 Outside of his friendship with Will, though, Mike leaves much to be desired. He spends much of the season missing Eleven, and while it makes sense that this young man would be traumatized by the loss of his friend, it mostly manifests onscreen as whining and moping. He snipes at most characters who aren't Will and is downright hostile to Max, going out of his way to exclude her because they "don't need another party member."

It's a jarring shift from the boy who welcomed Eleven with open arms last year. Maybe that's the point. In context, though, it makes Mike seem petty and small, as if he begrudges his friends the opportunity to find love. Or as if, like the show itself, he struggles with the concept that more than one girl character can exist simultaneously.

This is entirely true, but it also ignores a huge plot point - Mike actually plays a significant part in defeating the monster in season two.  Earlier in the article, Han writes, "In season 1, Mike just wasn't part of the gang - he was the guy, around whom much of the action revolved." Except in episode eight, where Mike is given very little do;  he can only stare helplessly as Eleven sacrifices herself to save her friends from the Demogorgon. In fact, after the bike chase that opens episode seven, Mike essentially spends the rest of the first season on the bench. Sure, we are given that charming scene where he kisses Eleven, but that's about it. In the final episode of season two, Mike is not content with just sitting on the bench and hoping for the best; he is going to do whatever he can to assure a safe return for Eleven.  It is Mike that comes up with the actual plan to clear a path to gate for Eleven and Hopper. It is also Mike that  gets the ball rolling in coming up with a plan to defeat the Mind Flyer.  And it is Mike that comes to the realization that Will is "the spy" and needs to be incapacitated. By the end of the season two, Mike is once again "the guy." Yes, he starts out as a mopey teenager, but eventually is restored to his former self. It is called a character arc.

Eleven, like Mike, is filled with angst and desperately wants to contact Mike, but is forbidden by Chief Hopper.  When Eleven was with Mike she genuinely felt like she belong somewhere, however life with Hopper is akin to being in a prison.  Hopper has hidden Eleven away in a remote cabin, but forbids her from venturing outside and making any contact with the outside world.  Hopper is certainly a far more benevolent figure than Dr.  Brenner, but he is still her jailer. The way Hopper takes care of Eleven is in sharp contrast to the way Mike looked after her.  In season one, Mike instilled Eleven with a sense of values (Friends don’t lie; a promise is something that can’t be broken; and more importantly, undying loyalty) that allowed her to grow as an individual.  Hopper, on other hand, makes her abide by three rules (keep the curtains drawn, keep the door shut unless she hears his secret knock, and never go out alone). While these rules exist to insure her safety, they don’t really offer much in terms of individual growth; in fact they actually restrict her growth, because they put her in a constant state of paranoia. It isn’t surprising that she eventually begins to resent Hopper. It’s hard to live a full life when you are only told what you CAN NOT do.

While many might object that the show waits eight episodes to reunite Mike and Eleven, I think it was the right call by the Duffer Brothers. If they bring Eleven back into the fold too early, then there’s a good chance that the Mike/Eleven relationship completely overwhelms the narrative, thus giving little room for the rest of the characters to develop. The idea of doing a sequel is to expand the characters and the universe, that would be pretty hard to do if Stranger Things 2 is yet another season of Eleven going on adventures with the boys. The Duffers achieve this by essentially removing Eleven from the narrative and having Eleven go on an adventure of self discovery. It also allows for Mike to have a character arc instead of going through the exact same journey as the first season. Plus, if Eleven is reunited with Mike earlier in the season, their kiss at the end of episode nine has far less impact.

There’s been a huge divide among the fans over episode seven “The Lost Sister,” that revolves completely around Eleven’s attempt to contact Kali; another one of Dr. Brenner’s test subjects who managed to escape the laboratory. There are people that argue this episode isn’t necessary and is merely filler; while others resent it because it isn’t their “version” of Stranger Things, which apparently revolves around Eleven having adventures with the boys. I think this episode is absolutely necessary, because it’s where Eleven’s values are put to the test.  Eleven takes a bus to Chicago and finds that Kali is the leader of a punk gang that dabbles in crime. Kali wants to use Eleven in to seek out vengeance against all the men that wronged them; her philosophy is very simple – get your enemies before they can get you.

Much like Hopper’s three rules, Kali’s world view is extremely limited and can only result in a violent end. Kali represents what Eleven could have become had she not met Mike.  Eleven is tempted by Kali, but can’t bring herself to commit cold blooded murder. Eleven only kills in self defense or when her friends are being threatened; it’s completely different than breaking into a person’s house and killing him without an ounce of remorse. Especially since said guy (a former orderly of Brenner’s) isn’t really much of a threat.  It’s only after this descent into hell that Eleven realizes where her true place lies.The uglier Eleven's journey becomes the more nostalgic she (and the audience) gets for her time with Mike and the boys. I understand the backlash against the episode, because other than Eleven, the characters are completely unappealing. It is also humorless, which makes it seem longer than it actually is. I'm sure most fans will skip this episode when they rewatch season two.

Mike and Eleven have less than five minutes of screen time together, but Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard sure make these brief moments count.  When they are reunited at the end of episode eight, it’s extremely difficult to hold back the tears.  It is amazing how this brief moment can still have such an emotional impact; given that we know minutes in advance their reunion is about to happen.  The gang is under siege by the Demodogs and are trapped in the Byers home; suddenly a Demodog is thrown throw the front window and is killed instantaneously. We know Eleven is about to make her grand entrance and seconds later she walks through the front door, looking all bad ass. Yet, upon seeing Mike, her bad ass exterior melts away and we are shown her more vulnerable side. The looks on Mike and Eleven’s faces says everything - this is the first time in the entire second season that these two characters experience genuine joy.  It is also fitting that it isn’t until Eleven sees Mike that she is able to smile. There’s a point of view from Eleven’s perspective and the camera slowly pans across the characters until, finally, Mike emerges from behind Hopper.  The camera zooms in a Mike, thus isolating him from the rest of the characters – turning it into personal moment between Eleven and him.  She smiles at him and he smiles right back. Sure, it's paying service to the fans, but it is an incredibly effective moment. 

There is an interesting theme throughout Strangers Things 2 that good intentions often lead to bad results. Hopper is not a malicious man and he genuinely cares about the welfare of Eleven, but by forbidding her to contact Mike he has done considerable harm to both of their psyches. It also turns Eleven into a ticking time bomb; it's only a matter of time before she is going to explode. The longer Hopper keeps her away from the Mike the angrier she become. At a certain point Hopper should have realized that reuniting Mike and Eleven would be worth the risk, because it's only possibly way to diffuse the situation.  Again, Hopper's intentions are good, but his approach towards raising Eleven is completely unhealthy; her only contact with the outside world is the television. When Hopper takes it away, she naturally flips out.  Her diet consists of TV dinners and Eggos; not exactly a nutritionally balanced meal. Hopper’s “hard love” approach towards Eleven works for a while, but once she rebels there is very little he can do about it. David Harbour, needless to say, is excellent. While Hopper has a tough exterior, he is vulnerable on the inside. His tough act is his way to trying to hide the pain of losing a daughter. He is overprotective of Eleven, because he doesn't want to lose another loved one. The irony being that he nearly drives her away permanently (and to a life a crime) because of his inability to loosen the leash.

The other example of good intentions gone awry is Bob’s advice to Will. Bob is a nice, well meaning man who is completely clueless to the danger Will is in; he naturally assumes that these visions Will has experienced are nightmares.  Therefore, he reasons that the best way to stop these nightmares is for Will to stand his ground and tell his tormentor to go away. Unfortunately, Will’s tormentor is not a nightmare, but a living, breathing entity.  Steve’s advice to Dustin for getting girls also falls under this category of good intentions gone bad. Steve tells Dustin the best way to get girls is to act indifferent and to have a great hair do. Dustin takes this to heart and goes to the Snow Ball with a new, big hair do, and a devil may care attitude, and is completely rejected by the girls at the dance. He sits alone and finally realizes that this tactic might work for Steven Harrington, but not him. Thankfully, Nancy comes along to lift his spirits.  

This leads me to my favorite part of Strangers Things 2 – the pairing of Steve Harrington and Dustin. Joe Keery and Gaten Matarazzo make for a wonderful double act. The great thing about this relationship is that while the two of them are polar opposites – Steve is a jock and Dustin is a nerd – they still manage to form a deep bond with one another. They often speak in analogies that neither of them understand (Steve uses sports terminology, while Dustin makes gaming and scientific references). Yet, despite all of this Steve becomes like an older brother to not only Dustin, but the rest of the gang – in episode nine he is the unwitting ringleader of the group and is hijacked into being their protector. Steve may talk tough, but you get a sense that he would willingly risk his life to protect these kids. It is a great, and totally unexpected, piece of character development for this character. Hell, if season three consists entirely of Steve and the gang fighting evil, I will be entirely satisfied. 

In a span of a few episodes, Steve went from being my least favorite character to one of my favorites. It is amazing how a season can change your perspective on a character; in season one I liked Jonathan and was indifferent towards Steve, now it is the exact reverse; I like Steve but find Jonathan to be fairly boring.  The Steve/Dustin pairing is also a good showcase for how to effortlessly incorporate humor into an otherwise serious show; the humor springs from the character’s reactions to one another and feels natural to the story. It’s easy to believe that a socially inept nerd like Dustin would seek dating advice from cool guy Steve Harrington.  He goes from being a dumb jock to essentially being the “Brand” of Stranger Things.  In The Goonies, Brand is Mikey’s older brother who becomes the reluctant guardian of Mikey and his friends.

I can’t make a reference to The Goonies without bringing up Sean Astin as Bob, Joyce’s boyfriend and manager of the Radio Shack.  At first glance, Bob comes off as being a complete dweeb.  He is kind hearted, but he is still a total dweeb. Jonathan fails to understand what his mother sees in Bob, but it’s really not that difficult to understand why Joyce would date him – Bob is a nice guy, with a stable job, and genuinely wants to do the right thing.  He also accepts Joyce and the baggage that comes with her. He attempts to bond with Jonathan and Will, and when the shit hits the fan he is still by her side.  He is the total opposite of Joyce’s ex-husband, Lonnie – who is a self serving douche bag.  Winona Ryder and Sean Astin don’t exactly light up the screen with chemistry, but that’s not really what this relationship is about. 

In true Stranger Things fashion, we begin to realize that there is more to Bob than meets the eye and that he is braver than he, and the audience, ever expected.  The casting of Sean Astin is a bit gimmicky – a symbolic passing down of the torch from Mikey of The Goonies to Mike of Stranger Things. It is no coincidence that it is Mike who eulogizes Bob and is determined to preserve his legacy as “founder of the AV Club.” Bob is a genuinely likable character and  when he is killed off in an unceremonious fashion, it feels like a slap in the face.  It’s seems doubtful that Joyce genuinely loved Bob, but it is clear she was fond of him, and feels slightly responsible for his death. Can Joyce ever catch a break?

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Noah Schnapp’s heart wrenching turn as Will. In season one, Will is missing for most of the story and his limited screen time didn’t give the young actor much to do.  In Stranger Things 2, Will is, essentially, possessed by the Mind Flayer and as the season progresses his humanity begins to fade away.  There are scenes where Schnapp has to not only play Will, but also the Mind Flyer as well and he is genuinely creepy in these moments. One moment he’s a preteen boy desperately calling out for help, the next he is an ancient evil that is hell bent on destroying the world. 

The other pairings in the show, Jonathan/Nancy and Lucas/Max, didn’t really interest me as much.  After season one so much fuss was made by the fans about “Justice For Barb” that the Duffers gave in and made this into an entire subplot – Nancy and Jonathan are determined to blow the lid off the Department of Energy which has the town of Hawkins in its grip.  They naturally go to a conspiracy theorist, Murray, for advice, after having successfully recorded Dr. Owens into admitting the Department’s complicity in Barb’s death.  This subplot is less about “Justice For Barb” and more about consummating Nancy and Jonathan’s complicated relationship.  Brett Gelman as a Murray is a bit too much for my taste (this is an example of forced humor).  

The pairing of Lucas and Max is cute, that is really the only thing I can say about it. Both Caleb McLaughlin and Sadie Sink are first rate performers, but they don’t exactly light up the screen the way Finn Wolfhard and Millie Bobby Brown do (but then again very few child actors do).  Still, it is fun to watch Lucas bungle his way around Max in the early going and steadily gain confidence as their relationship grows.  The best  thing about Max is her willingness to call out the boys on their bullshit and hold her own when things take a turn for the worse. I’m sure there were fans hated this character (“SCREW MAX! WHERE’S ELEVEN?) but I thought she was a nice addition to the cast.  I’m also glad the Duffers refrained from turning Max into a potential love interest for Mike – NO MORE LOVE TRIANGLES, PLEASE! I already had enough with Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve. 

Then there’s Dacre Montgomery as Max’s abusive stepbrother, Billy.  He is the human villain of the piece and Montgomery is wonderfully vile in the role. As my sister put it so eloquently Billy is, “the perfect douche nacho from the 80s. Down to the creeper mullet.”  He has little regard for human life (he nearly runs the boys with his car) and is more interested in his looks than he is in making in friends.  In many, Billy represents what Steve was in danger of becoming had he not changed his ways.  Steve was fairly douchey in season one and a downright bully at times, but he saw the error of his ways, and redeemed himself in the end. I never really bought the transformation, but I applauded the Duffers for subverting the dumb jock stereotype.  Even Billy isn’t entirely one dimensional; he lashes out at Max and his friends because his father lashes out at him. It is one long vicious cycle.

There are few things I genuinely disliked about Stranger Things 2. In season one, I thought Joe Chrest (as Ted Wheeler) was the weakest link in the casts; his bumbling, over the top characterization seemed more fit for a Zucker brothers movie than a science fiction series. Unfortunately, he’s far worse in Strangers Things, because not only is Ted clueless, but extremely lazy to boot. There’s little substance to this character and he is the type of comic relief stumbling block that popped in old horror movies. It is also unfortunate that the character of Karen Wheeler has been reduced to a caricature of a frustrated house wife – she spends her time gossiping on the phone and reading trashy romance novels while taking a hot bath. The scene where she openly flirts with Billy is cringe worthy and is at odds the character we saw in season one. Also, where is baby Holly? Is she destined to be the Chuck Cunningham of Stranger Things? The sibling that mysteriously disappears and is never mentioned again. 

I also hate the writing in the scene where Billy and Steve get into a fight, because the boys just stand around and DO NOTHING. I felt this was a complete betrayal of the characters? Are these the same boys we have been watching for the last two seasons? You know the same boys that were willing to take the Demogorgon head on (even if was in futile fashion); that just seconds ago were devising a plan that put their lives at risk so they could buy Hopper and Eleven sometime. Remember when Mike jumped off a cliff to save Dustin? Yet, when Steve is getting beaten to a bloody pulp by Billy, they stand aside and scream at the top of their lungs.  The Hawkins AV Club that I know would have done something here, like a group rush Billy and pin him to the ground, or throw objects at the mullet wearing asshole.  This scene drove me nuts! I get that it’s supposed to be about Max finally standing up to her stepbrother, but it comes at the expense of the boys.

The writing is a bit contrived a times; the one day that Eleven decides to disobey Hopper and visit Mike at the school she immediately stumbles upon him having a conversation with another girl. Seriously? Of course Eleven stumbles upon this scene mere seconds after Mike and Max were having a conversation about her. It's a bit of stretch. 

What really separates Strangers Things from other science fictions shows (most big budgeted movies) is the warmth these characters have for one another. They are all flawed individuals that often made bad decisions, but they are filled with compassion. It's really  that "small" moments (like Steve giving pointers to Dustin, or (in season one) Mike gentle assuring Eleven that she is "not the monster") that has ingratiated the series to so many fans. Let's hope the Duffer Brothers remember this when season three comes along. The last thing I want to see is Strangers Things turn into a mindless action series where characters shout stupid catchphrases while battling a CGI atrocity.


Credits
Cast: Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Chief Hopper), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven/Jane), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sean Astin (Bob), Sadie Sink (Max), Dacre Montgomery (Billy), Paul Reiser (Dr. Owens), Linnea Berthelsen (Eight/Kali), Brett Gelman (Murray), Aimee Mullins (Terry Ives),
Amy Seimetz (Becky Ives), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Joe Chrest (Ted Wheeler).

Directors: Matt & Ross Duffer, Shawn Levy, Andrew Stanton, Rebecca Thomas.
Writers: Matt & Ross Duffer, Justin Doble, Jessie Nickson - Lopez, Kate Trefry.
Nine episodes (55 min)

Stranger Things (2016)

(Warning: There are some minor spoilers in this post. Read at your own risk.)

I usually avoid writing about current popular culture, because there is so very little that can be added to the conversation. The Netflix series Stranger Things has become such a massive success that already fan theories and fiction have sprouted up all over the internet. It has been the subject of many entertainment websites, and social media, that there is little more that can be said. However, I immensely enjoyed the series to the point that I feel compelled to write about it. It’s a show that manages to stick with you after having watched it and leaves you wanting more.   Stranger Things is essentially the Duffer Brothers tribute to the early works of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King (with a few other references thrown in). It perfectly captures the look and feel of the early 80s. However, this is not the historic 1980s as we know it, but rather the cinematic 1980s that was prevalent in movies like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and The Goonies.  The children communicate via walkie-talkies and ride their bicycles across town, while their parents remain oblivious to the chaos engulfing the neighborhood.  If this series was set in modern times, the children would constantly be bombarded with text messages from their parents. Also, the boys wouldn’t have to go the science teacher, Mr. Clarke, for information about alternate dimensions; they could just look it up on Google. 

However, nostalgia is not enough to explain how Stranger Things has resonated with audiences of different ages. A person in my age group might view  it through a nostalgic lens, but that is certainly not the case with any one under the age of thirty. Plus, there have been many 80s nostalgic pieces in the last decade, but most of them have been quickly forgotten. They certainly didn’t inspire any fan fiction. Stranger Things is the best type of homage – it pays tribute to movies of the 1980s, while still functioning as its own story. You don’t need to be familiar with the early movies to understand what is happening in the show.  The references help enhance the story, as opposed to the other way around. 

It is also a positive sign when the least interesting aspect of the TV show is the monster.  The characters in Stranger Things are so compelling  that at times you wish the damn monster would stop getting in the way. The Duffer Brothers maybe Spielberg imitators, but they make for some excellent students. Like Spielberg, they understand the importance of likable characters. The majority of Spielberg imitators (i.e. Roland Emmerich) often get so hung up on the special effects that they completely ignore the human element. Their focus is entirely on the action set pieces that their characters tend to be on the cartoonish side (see Emmerich’s 1998 Godzilla. On second thought, don’t). 

The best thing about Stranger Things is the naturalistic performances by its child actors.  They are not one dimensional catchphrase generating machines designed to elicit “AWWWWS” from the audience; they look and act like genuine 1980s children. It’s great to see Winona Ryder in a starring role again and David Harbour is terrific as the flawed, but determined police chief, but it’s the children that steal the show.  Millie Bobby Brown has been singled out for her performance as Eleven (justifiably so, as she is terrific), but Finn Wolfhard is equally good as Mike. I could probably write an entire novel about Stranger Things, and maybe I’ll return to it in a future entry, but for now I would like to focus on the relationship between Mike and Eleven as it is the heart and soul of the show.

Mike is descended from such child protagonists like Elliott from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Mikey from The Goonies, Sean from Fred Dekker’s The Monster Squad,  and Sam Weir from the TV show Freaks and Geeks – he is a socially inept nerd that has very little contact with girls, a small circle of male friends, and is defined by his loyalty. He also possesses a keen intellect and is open minded towards outsiders. This last point is important, because if Dustin and Lucas had their way, Eleven would have been immediately turned into the authorities. Mike, even though he doesn’t know her, is willing to give her shelter for the night and protect her from the “bad people.” It also speaks volumes about Mike that even at the lowest point in their relationship (he believed that she lied to him about Will) he is still willing to shelter her in the basement and refrains from telling his parents about her.  He doesn’t have a vindictive bone in his body. 

The character of Eleven has two cinematic influences: E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial  and Charlene “Charlie” McGee from Stephen King’s Firestarter. There is a crucial difference between Charlie and Eleven;  Charlie was raised by her parents, who helped keep her powers in check, and has actual interactions with the outside world.  Eleven, on the other hand, has spent her entire life as a test subject in a science laboratory.  She has never had any meaningful interactions with people.  She is an even bigger introvert than Mike, albeit unintentionally.  After she escapes from the lab, she devolves into a feral state – she can barely speak and is forced to scavenge whatever food she can find. Yet, despite her fragile appearance, Eleven is the most powerful character in the entire series – she has telekinetic powers and can break necks with just a simple snap of her head. There has been some criticism over the body count that Eleven racks up throughout the course of the series, however, it is important to note that Eleven only kills people when she and, more importantly, her friends are being threatened.  You would be wise to tread lightly around this girl, or she will make you pay.

I said that Millie Bobby Brown was "terrific,” but that is an understatement – she is absolutely phenomenal.  In lesser hands,  Eleven could have been an absolute disaster; a typical child actress would have Eleven bugging out her eyes and waving her hands around in a spastic manner every time she uses her powers. Or, the filmmakers might resort to a lot of cinematic trickery to cover up the limitations of their child star; in Firestarter whenever Charlie (Drew Barrymore) uses her powers the camera will zoom in on her face and her hair will start to flutter (it looks like she's standing in front of a fan), and then, just to clue in the audience that things are about to get REALLY serious, we are bombarded with rapid close ups of Charlie's eyes and whatever person/object she is unleashing her wrath on. There are also a lot of impressive pyrotechnics on display.   The Duffer brothers (and Shawn Levy) never resort to this and allow for Brown’s performance to speak for itself.  Their direction is far more restrained than Mark L. Lester's was for Firestarter; the moment when Eleven makes Troy, the school bully, piss his pants is a great example of this. Mike is standing on the right front of the frame, in a close up, while Eleven is stationed in the center of the frame, out of focus, in the background. While everyone laughs at Troy’s “accident,” Eleven remains perfectly still the entire time.  She is the only still person in the frame and our eyes immediately are drawn towards her. We don’t need zoom in or rapid close ups of Eleven’s eyes to help connect the dots; her body language tells us all we need to know.

The most impressive aspect of Brown's performance is how she's able to communicate so much by doing so very little; she's able to say more with just the slightest tilt of her head than most actresses are with pages of dialogue. It's also a nice touch on Brown's  part that Mike, with the exception of  Benny, is the only character Eleven smiles at throughout the entire series. In episode four, the kids are at a school assembly and Dustin smiles at Eleven, but it doesn't even register with her; she wears a somber face. Later in that scene, after Eleven makes Troy piss his pants, Mike looks back at her and she flashes him a smile.  There are actors that are only as good as the material they are given and then there are the special kind that can transcend the material and take it to a higher level; Brown falls in the latter category.  On paper, there really isn't much to the character of Eleven and, yet, Brown is able to inject so much life into Eleven that she completely outshines her co-stars.

I’m going to go all pretentious college professor by suggesting that Stranger Things is largely about the battle for Eleven’s soul between Dr. Brenner and Mike. This is reiterated in the fact that Brenner and Mike are the two most influence people in her life. They are the only two characters that can actually carry on a conversation with Eleven.   Dr. Brenner is the closest thing to a father figure Eleven has (she calls him “Papa”), but he is very clinical in his treatment of her and is only interested in her powers.  Mike, on the other hand, is a far more compassionate and emotional person; instead of coldly referring to her as a number, he gives her the nickname of “Elle.” Mike is Elle’s moral compass. Again, she has spent her entire life locked up in a science laboratory and  has been raised to be a weapon; the concepts or right and wrong are foreign to her.  Mike’s biggest contribution is that he instills a simple code into Elle, “Friends always tell the truth/Friends don't lie.”  This is a phrase that Elle will repeat back to Mike multiple times throughout the series.  The writers do a great job of visually linking Mike and Eleven; in episode three he gives her a watch to help keep track of the time, and she wears it until episode seven when she gives it back to Mike for safe keeping before she goes into "the bath."

It is also important to note that Mike leads by example. The ending of episode six (where Elle saves Mike though levitation) is probably the highlight of the series, because we get to see Elle in full bad ass mood, but it also overwhelms this very simple fact: Mike is willing to risk his life to save his friend Dustin.  The school bully, Troy, has Dustin in a grip and threatens to cut out his teeth with a switchblade if Mike doesn’t jump off a ledge hanging over the lake. This is a deadly jump and most likely will kill Mike, but he goes through with any ways because it will save a friend. Luckily for Mike, Elle happens to arrive just in time to save him.  Self sacrifice isn’t a phrase you will find in Dr. Brenner’s vocabulary, but it is very much ingrained into Mike. It's not surprising then that Eleven openly rejects her amoral "Papa" at the end, especially after having experienced genuine love from Mike. 

I mentioned before that the word “terrific” doesn’t do justice to Millie Bobby Brown’s performance, well that also applies to Finn Wolfhard's portrayal of Mike. He is also a phenomenal performer that is able to take a basic archetype (the gawky nerd) and transform it into a fairly complex character. It also helps great that Millie Bobby Brown and him have great onscreen chemistry; it isn't surprising that multiple Mike/Eleven video tributes have popped up all over Youtube. The latter part is important; individually the two of them could give great performances, but if there is zero chemistry between the two of them the entire show falls apart.

There are two scenes that highlight just how good Wolfhard is:

1) In episode four, after the boys have given Elle a makeover to make her more “girlish” (they put her in a blonde wig and have her wear a dress), Mike is completely taken aback and comments, “Pretty!” He then tries to cover it up by adding, “Good!”  What I love about Wolfhard’s performance is that you can see the light bulb go off his head when he first lays eyes on the “new” Elle – he has officially discovered girls. I also love the little smirk that comes across Elle’s face after hearing Mike’s compliment

2) In episode eight, Mike attempts to explain his true feelings to Elle and, after words have failed him, gives her a quick kiss on the lips.  The sincerity of the performance helps this scene out immensely; I like how frustrated Mike gets at his inability to explain the concept of a girlfriend to Elle. He stumbles over his words and is almost ready to drop it until Elle throws the phrase “Friends never lie”  at him. After even more stumbling, he just goes for broke and kisses her on the lips.  Elle's reaction is priceless: she takes a deep breath and then smiles. It is a sweet moment that is underlined by tragedy; this is the happiest moment in Elle’s life, but it is incredibly short lived. 

I cannot stress enough how good Finn Wolfhard and Millie Bobby Brown are in the scene (and the entire series), they completely sell it. It is the kind of scene that in the hands of lesser actors could either be extremely laughable or painful. In the hands of Wolfhard and Brown it is a genuinely moving scene.  It’s enough to reduce even  the meanest old man into a whimpering mass of tears. 

Credits:

Cast: Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Chief Jim Hopper), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Matthew Modine (Dr. Martin Brenner),  Joe Keery (Steven Harrington), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Randall B. Havens (Mr. Clarke), Rob Morgan (Officer Powell),  John Reynolds (Officer Callahan), Joe Chrest (Ted Wheeler), Mark Steger (The Monster), Peyton Wich (Troy), Cade Jones (James), Sharon Purser (Barbara), Catherine Dyer (Agent Connie Frazier), Chester Rushing (Tommy H), Chelsea Talmadge (Carol), Ross Partridge (Lonnie Byers).

Creators: The Duffer Brothers
Directors: Matt & Ross Duffer, Shawn Levy (episodes 3 & 4).
Writers: The Duffer Brothers, Justin Doble, Paul Dichter, Jessica Mecklenburg, Jessie Nickson – Lopez, Alison Tatlock.
Running Time: 42 – 55 minutes (8 episodes).