Pros of this season: MBB as El will always hold a special place in my heart, and she maintains her record of pitch-perfect performances as ST's continued leading lady, but it was high time that some other actors got the chance to step up to the metaphorical plate this season and knock it the fuck out of the park--think Joseph Quinn as new fandom favorite (to massively understate it) Eddie, as well as Jamie Campbell Bower, Sadie Sink, and Caleb McLaughlin. It was also high time that we got some back story regarding Hawkins Lab to really grasp onto, and to better understand how we got to where we are in the "present" of 1983-1986, where the majority of the series takes place. Also *love* what the Duffer Brothers did for Kate Bush (who must be cloud nine rn, seeing a song of hers be jettisoned to a popularity never seen when it was first released over 30 years ago) and Metallica this season. And right on schedule (given the kids' ages at this point), the season is beginning to confront the issue of what closeted, gay teens in the 80s were going through. They've spent the past three seasons hinting at Will absolutely being some brand of not-hetero (I personally went for "asexual"/"aromantic" initially whereas now I think he's both demisexual/demiromantic and gay--anyone else peep the subject of his school project in California? Alan Turing?), and while I think Will deserves to realize he can do a lot fucking better than Mike, it's nice to see that all of that a-hint-a, a-hint-a-ing they've been doing for the past seasons is actually having some payoff.

Cons of this season: While El's journey is moving and so many are able to relate to her in spite of her supernatural back story and abilities, for GOD'S SAKE, DUFFER BROTHERS, LET THIS CHILD'S HEART REST. The brand of bullying we see her deal with this season hits way too fucking close to home. More serious criticisms: - I can't stand Mike. I can't FUCKING stand him. I could write an (at least) five paragraph essay about why he sucks. - Please, just stop with dragging out the Jonathan/Nancy thing. It's dumb and tropey and I hate it. - Unless they have an explanation hiding in their back pocket for S5, they created a whole plot hole with Spoilerthe Upside Down being "frozen" in 1983 on the day Will went missing. How does that work, when Will was able to interact with Joyce's Xmas-lights-alphabet-wall? The painted letters should not have been visible to him. Also in S1, when Joyce and Hop go in to find Will, there is a blood stain on the floor in the hallway where Nancy and Jonathan caught the Demogorgon in a bear trap. But the happenings in Rightside-Up Hawkins should not leave physical evidence in the UD based on this new info given this season about the UD being "frozen" on the day of Will's disappearance.