Season 2 of 'Stranger Things', one of Netflix's better shows in its prime with a fine first season, got off to a promising if slow start with its first two episodes. Before kicking into gear with the excellent previous episode and the season went from strength from there, with one exception. "Chapter Four: Will the Wise" had a really intriguing idea and was very excited to see how it would build upon what was seen before and how it would deepen the mysteries.
"Chapter Four: Will the Wise" does this building incredibly well, deepens the story just as well in a way that is remarkably dark and leaves one truly excited for further developments to the plotting and character writing. It is every bit as good as "Chapter Three: The Pollywog" and perhaps even better, due to less of the cliches and the occasional thing that slowed things down. Luckily, it continues the story progression seen in the previous episode instead of being a case of too much set up or filler.
Really not much wrong here, though the Jim moments didn't seem as necessary to the plotting as everything else, while developing him as a character more.
Have nothing to fault everything else for. All the cast are uniformly great, children and adults. Millie Bobbie Brown is always fantastic on the show, as are her fellow young cast members, and Winona Ryder has come on a long way from the first season (not as melodramatic). All the character interactions are terrific in all the subplots, Jonathan and Nancy's subplot could have been time wasting but was very nicely done and wasn't dominant. It's the mystery development that takes centre stage and that is a triumph as is Eleven's development.
Furthermore, "Chapter Four: Will the Wise's" production values are superb. Very stylish and atmospheric, with some truly beautiful images that one can't believe such high quality comes from a Netflix show. Not to mention the highly impressive special effects that put a good deal of big budget films in recent years to shame. The music has a wonderful 80s nostalgic vibe while also being quite haunting, enhancing the atmosphere beautifully.
Writing is thought-probing and has a lot of brains and heart. The humour is gentle but amusing, while there is a poignancy (without being too sentimental) and tension. Throughout "Chapter Four: Will the Wise" has creepiness (being one of the creepier and darkest episodes of Season 2 and of 'Stranger Things' even), intriguing mystery, inventive sci-fi, affectionate nostalgia in a 'Stand By Me' like way and emotional impact. The mystery again is even deeper and more complex than before but is always intriguing and never confusing. The ending is incredibly suspenseful and makes one excited for what happens next in subsequent episodes.
In conclusion, excellent. 9/10.
