On Aug. 31, a short teaser of “Stranger Things” season two was uploaded to YouTube. Within a few days the 56 second video racked up nearly three million views.
Thousands of comments from “Stranger Things” fans flooded the Netflix channel in immense anticipation of the 2017 release.
This viral effect comes as no surprise to anyone who binge watched the series over the summer. It was a wild, weird ride that made it nearly impossible for viewers to part with their couches and beds for the duration of the eight part series.
With the eerie “Stranger Things” theme song playing in background, the trailer begins listing off the titles of each episode of the new season, starting with “Madmax” and progressing to “The Lost Brother,” the series finale.
Following the last episode title reads, “In the fall of 1984…the adventure continues.” Like the hundreds of threads and videos speculating the future plot scattered all over the web, I can’t help but wonder, could “In the fall of 1984…” be a hint to season two’s first episode?
What exactly do we know in the concluding minutes of that last episode that will let the adventure continue in season two?
(Warning: spoilers lurking ahead.)
After being kidnapped and warped into the Upside Down dimension, Will is safe and back with his family and friends. But what about that black worm he hacks up in the sink?
Has this virus he contracted from Hawkins Lab followed him home? Is it contagious? Could Will’s mother, played by the notable Winona Ryder, end up being the one that is in need of rescue?
It seems as if Will’s rescue was only scratching the surface of what is going on with Hawkins Lab. There is still no real understanding or solid theories — from the character’s perspective anyway — of how to control what exactly is going on with the Upside Down.
What about all the mysterious eggs that Chief Hopper stumbles across while in this mysterious world? Armies of the tyrannical ‘Demogorgans’ to come in season two? Seems appropriate.
My prediction: Chief Hopper’s daughter mysteriously returns to Hawkins, either in reality or the Upside Down World, along with Eleven’s homecoming to her disillusioned mother.
The endless amount of questions being asked by “Stranger Things” audiences is an active reminder of how meaningful screenwriting is still thriving and hasn’t been overtaken by the cinematic gaze of kitschy, gaudy CGI and the aesthetic worth of flat lead characters.
Hopefully we see more of this in 2017 with second season of Stranger Things.
Matt Manfredi can be reached at [email protected] or @matthewmanfredi on Twitter.
