The Duffer Brothers had a lot to live up to with the second season of their runaway hit show, and I’m happy to say that they are off to a strong start. MADMAX picks up exactly 352 days after season 1. New dynamics on old relationships shape the story, allowing for a comfortable mix of the foreign and the familiar as new characters are also introduced. It works really well. The one flaw with the episode is in the first act where it almost overuses pop music of the era. While it’s fun and sets the tone, the show has a widely known and loved soundtrack of its own that we wait almost too long to hear. But we do get an effective hook into this season’s story, and revisit plenty of beloved characters from Hawkins, Indiana. All things considered, if this is any indication of season 2 as a whole, we’re in for a treat.
