Netflix’s Stranger Things 2 was released on Oct. 27, and the new season answered all of the questions that season one left viewers asking. The boys, Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas, were back together in Hawkins, Eleven’s fate was discovered and there was finally justice for Barb.

The strongest aspect of season two was the formation of multiple unusual relationships. After Nancy left Steve, the jock, for Jonathan, Steve banded together with Dustin and became a father-like figure for the boys. Sheriff Hopper also took Eleven under his wing to protect her from the employees at Hawkins Lab, which brought out Hopper’s sensitive and protective side.

There were also new characters introduced. Billy and his stepsister Max moved into town, and these characters added a unique element to the season. Billy served as a bully and a contradiction to Steve’s new character. Although Max’s character seemed like an excuse to add a girl into the group of boys, she played a strong part in the story when Dustin hid a dangerous creature in his room to impress her.

The main downfall of the season was Chapter Seven: The Lost Sister. It seemed like the purpose of the episode was to make Eleven realize that she belonged with the boys in Hawkins, but having an entire episode dedicated to a side story seemed irrelevant to the season.

Although Will and Eleven’s reunion frustratingly didn’t happen until the end of the eighth episode, the anticipation was something that kept me engaged throughout the season. Putting off this reunion also allowed Mike and Will’s relationship to grow stronger because they were both feeling uncertain.

Overall, I would give Stranger Things 2 4.5/5 stars. The new relationships and reunion of Mike and Eleven were strong points in the season, but the entire episode dedicated to a side story was frustrating and distracting from the main story. I would definitely recommend Stranger Things 2 to any fans of the first season or anyone who enjoys sci-fi or adventure films.