Stranger Things S01E06 Review: Don't Split the Party

Stranger Things, Season 1, Episode 6: The Monster

A pretty cool entry that sets up the final act of this show. Again, solving the mystery of the Demogorgon is just a small part of the show, the catalyst that causes everyone to do what they to. A good chunk of Stranger Things' strength comes from the characters themselves. 

First up, we get the follow-up to last episode's flashback (do love the scenes of 11 alone in the vast blackness), and the revelation in this one that Brenner sent in 11 into that weird sensory deprivation tank once more to have her make contact with what we now know as the monster/the flea/Demogorgon. But in the process, the Demogorgon attacks and freaks her out, causing her to create the very first gateway that Hawkins Lab has under their facility. We also learn a bit of 11's parentage, how her mother, while pregnant, was subjected to some of those same sensory-deprivation tests, which... doesn't explain her superpowers, but perhaps explains why 11 is so sensitive to the Upside-Down.

Which kind of makes Brenner as the bigger bad -- not a particularly large twist, as now he makes his move to re-abduct 11 from the kids, as well as being revealed to have been behind the manipulation for 11 to be conceived and take her away to torture her. We get to see Terry Ives, 11's mother, through Hooper and Joyce's eyes as they try to get a word out of her... and she's just catatonic.

We follow the end of the previous episode and wrap up the cliffhangers there. Nancy thankfully doesn't get killed by Demogorgon (the Demogorgon?) but sees it and seems to realize just what the whole parallel universe thing is all about. That's a bit disappointing in the action scenes department, but on the other hand I do like Nancy and I do like the fact that she survived. 

And then, in "Bullies in this town are scum #1", Steve, seeing Nancy and Jonathan sit together in her bed (not even the actual compromising part, which is the two of them sleeping together -- not sex, but sleeping on the same bed) and ends up spray-painting Nancy-the-slut or something to that effect all over town. Like, I take back all my talk about Steve being somewhat-decent, because the man is a grade-A cunt. I get that he's angry, but maybe talk to your girlfriend before quite literally humiliating her in public where everyone can see? And also mocking the family of the kid whose brother was just buried the other day? Yeah, Steve, I do hope the Demogorgon eats you.

Nancy and Jonathan's triumphant stockpile of bullets and bear traps ends up interrupted as Jonathan gets thrown into jail for assaulting Steve and a police officer, but it does leave the Nancy/Jonathan group prime to comparing notes with Hooper/Joyce. So yeah.

In "Bullies in this town are scum #2", the two fuckers from Mike's school show up and hold a fucking knife to poor Dustin's face, and tell Mike to JUMP OFF A CLIFF. What the literal hell, man? Actually, I take that back. Steve isn't the best candidate for Demogorgon fodder, he's angry for a reason at least, even if it's vapid pride and jealousy. These two fuckers really don't have much in lieu of reasons. Thankfully 11 is there to stop Mike from turning into an actual dead body in a lake, breaks one of the bullies' arms (yes!) and group-hug with Mike and Dustin.

Mike, Dustin and Lucas have 'split the party', to use the D&D lingo that Dustin used in the episode proper. And it's actually a cool bit that makes sense. Emotions are running hot for all involved, and Lucas refuses to have anything to do with 11 -- completely sensible, considering the girl threw him into a car. Despite Dustin suddenly putting his foot down and acting as the mediator of the group -- telling Mike that Lucas is jealous, and also the one that instigates the 'make-up', and also tells them to not split the party because they'll get massacred like a previous D&D campaign. They are split, however, for at least the duration of this episode. Lucas goes on a pretty cool one-man solo journey to hunt down the gateway, and finds that it's within the fenced walls of the facility. I did love how he doesn't just give up on Will and goes on his own thing despite butting heads with his other friends. 

So yeah. With the government people from Hawkins bearing down on our heroes, it's a bit interesting to see how things will work out for them, and if our heroes will actually get a chance to compare notes.