Stranger Things: S2, E1

It is October 28, 1984.

The Pittsburgh police chase with its band of punkish thugs causes a reminisce of the cult film The Warriors, but the similarities end there. It's unclear whether their robbery is connected to Hawkins, but when a girl named Eight utilizes a deflection tactic to evade the cops, we're compelled to think something's up. With a simple utterance of "boom" she brings a barrier down to block the path of the cruisers, no doubt a byproduct of Papa's unsavory experiments.

Cut to Hawkins.

The boys converse over walkie talkie to the "Kids" theme and we're right at home again. They impulse plan to meet at the local arcade, which is where we initially get an idea of the residual effects of Will's hiatus in the upside-down.

He seems to very literally slide back into it at a moment's notice, never certain as to when he'll make his way back out. If that's not enough, he is forced to undergo regular brain scans and psychiatric evaluations.

Eleven is back. In curls. Living with Hopper. While we watch her acclimate to a limiting, closed off new life, flashbacks explain her brief feral period when she was missing in action.

Newcomers to the cast include the peppy Mad Max, a new student who befriends the boys. Sean Astin plays Joyce's new boyfriend, a Radio Shack consultant whose trendy JVC camcorder catches some interesting things on film.

ST continues to deliver on-point period flavor and charisma as the town of Hawkins becomes increasingly more afflicted by netherworld demons, Will Byers being the portal with which these entities may access it.