Stranger Things Review: Deliver Them to Evil
Paul Dailly
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The stakes continued to rise on Stranger Things Season 3 Episode 2 and Stranger Things Season 3 Episode 3 which both helped to solidify the fact that Stranger Things is back and better than ever.
Our characters are slowly starting to realize that there's something going on in town, and the curiosity is getting the better of them as they attempt to find out whether they're all in danger.
Hint: The town is a lost cause, and everyone should probably just get the heck out of dodge.
Joyce has the right idea in gearing up for a move. If you look at her journey throughout the series, her life has been filled with misery.
It was one thing for her son to go missing, seemingly die, and then be brought back from the Upside Down. Add in what happened to Bob on Stranger Things Season 2; then you can understand why she would want to sell up and leave.
Related: Stranger Things Season 3 Episode 1 Review: Suzie, Do You Copy?
The issues with the magnets being not so magnetic any longer are only further fueling her suspicions that bad things are going to happen to her and her family again.
It's understandable that Hopper would miss her because he's been holding a torch for her ever since Stranger Things Season 1.
They're a natural fit, couple-wise, but Joyce probably feels like every time she gets close to someone, disaster happens.
I dump your ass.
Eleven
It's almost like that's why she's reserving herself, and pushing herself forward to find out more about the latest mysteries plaguing Hawkins.
Winona Ryder and David Harbour's scenes are always delightful. They have the power to convey their emotions without so much as uttering a single word.
Returning to the power plant was not the best plan, but that place has been so deeply rooted in the evil that it was the only logical place to go.
The Russian dude is too much like the Terminator to take him seriously. He seems like he has an endless supply of energy and superhuman strength.
Related: Stranger Things Review: Bigger, Better, and More Heartbreaking Than Ever
He managed to overpower Hopper with ease. On Stranger Things Season 3 Episode 1, he managed to pick up the associate and break his neck.
If he kills any of our beloved characters, there will be hell to pay!
While Joyce and Hopper's relationship was on thin ice, another one came to an abrupt conclusion.
Eleven has always been sheltered because of her powers. She has only a small circle of friends, so I respect that Max and her now close friends.
why are all these magnets losing their magnetism?
Joyce
Eleven was right to go on the offensive with Mike. He was blatantly lying to her, and while it was all thanks to Hopper, he should have just come clean to avoid the mess he created.
This may be an unpopular opinion, but witnessing Eleven acting like a regular 13-year-old during her trip to the mall was a satisfying direction to take her story in.
Granted, she used her powers when she should have, but it was all for fun and games. Stranger Things Season 2 initially introduced Max as an adversary for Eleven, so it's great to see them work together without the boys.
It was natural that Eleven would be caught up in the moment after dumping Mike. It was a foreign concept to her, so she took great pride in sticking it to him outside the mall.
Related: Stranger Things Season 3: Is Billy a Villain?
Her decision to spy on him wasn't her brightest idea, but it confirmed her suspicions that teenage boys are all the same.
Spying on Billy allowed the girls to realize that Max's brother had changed and might have been involved in a murder.
What Stranger Things Season 3 is doing well is spreading the storylines between the characters. Billy and Max working together translated well on-screen.
They were visibly worried about Heather. What I didn't expect, however, was Nancy's loser boss being Heather's father.
We're looking at a full-scale Russian invasion, RIGHT here in Hawkins.
Murray
That came out of the left field, but this helped reveal that the Mind Flayer was rounding people up and that Billy and Heather were helping out with the operation.
Mrs. Dricsoll acting like a rat while feasting on the fertilizer was unsurprising when you think of what was happening to the rats. She's obviously also under the control of the Mind Flayer.
Obviously, this is going to cause more problems in the workplace for Nancy and Jonathan, that's assuming their boss is allowed to have a break from the Mind Flayer.
The best parts of the episode involved Starcourt Mall, Dustin, Steve, and Robin. There's something about this storyline that is a cut above the others.
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Even Robin, who is a new character, is emerging as one of my favorite. The trio working together to decipher the message was not only entertaining, but it was engrossing.
I can't be the only one who combed every single frame that included the mall after hearing the message. Now we have confirmation that the message was not sent from Russia.
That's a game-changer. There's some crazy $hit going on at the Starcourt Mall, and it has to all be linked to what's going on in town.
The trio trying to decipher clues while simultaneously trying to serve customers at Scoops Ahoy is making for some entertaining scenes.
Then there's Will. He's visibly been struggling as his friends grow up and get into relationships.
He feels alone because it's becoming increasingly apparent that his tastes no longer align with those of Dustin, Mike, and Lucas.
Him destroying Castle Byers was a pivotal moment for him. It came from rage, but it also helped him confirm that the Mind Flayer was back and giving him something in common with his friends again.
Okay, Stranger Things Fanatics. It's over to you!
What do you think is about to happen?
Stay tuned to TV Fanatic as we review the rest of the season.
All episodes of Stranger Things are available now on Netflix globally.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
