Stranger Things season 2: release date, number of episodes and full file
Season 2 · File · Release, episodes, runtimes
Season 2 dropped on Friday, October 27, 2017, two days before Halloween, with nine episodes instead of eight and a rising budget. It beat the first season's audience records. Here is its full recap sheet.
The essentials
- Release date: October 27, 2017
- Episodes: 9, from 46 to 62 minutes
- Total runtime: about 7 hours 25 min
- Filming: November 2016 to June 2017, in Georgia
Contents
A release timed to Halloween
The season was ordered on August 31, 2016, six weeks after the first one dropped, and announced with the titles of the nine episodes, which launched a year of theories. The October 27, 2017 date was chosen to coincide with Halloween, which the season stages in its second episode. The promotion was much heavier than for season 1: a trailer aired during the Super Bowl, posters in the streets.
The unofficial title, “Stranger Things 2,” displayed like a movie sequel, set the convention of numbers for the later seasons.
The 1984 T-shirt, for the second season.
In the shopWomen's Max's Mixtape T-shirt39,90 €See the product
The nine episodes
| No. | English title | Original title | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MADMAX | MADMAX | 48 min |
| 2 | Trick or Treat, Freak | Trick or Treat, Freak | 56 min |
| 3 | The Pollywog | The Pollywog | 51 min |
| 4 | Will the Wise | Will the Wise | 46 min |
| 5 | Dig Dug | Dig Dug | 58 min |
| 6 | The Spy | The Spy | 52 min |
| 7 | The Lost Sister | The Lost Sister | 46 min |
| 8 | the Mind Flayer | The Mind Flayer | 47 min |
| 9 | The Gate | The Gate | 62 min |
The 62-minute finale is the longest on the show until Season 4. Episode 7, shot in Chicago and Pittsburgh, is the only one set entirely outside Hawkins.
Making of
| Post | Detail |
|---|---|
| Creators | Matt and Ross Duffer |
| Directors | The Duffers, Shawn Levy, Andrew Stanton, Rebecca Thomas |
| Music | Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein |
| New actors | Sadie Sink, Dacre Montgomery, Sean Astin, Paul Reiser |
| Filming | Atlanta and its region, plus Chicago and Pittsburgh for episode 7 |
| Estimated budget | about 8 million dollars per episode |
Andrew StantonThe director of WALL-E and Finding Nemo, at Pixar, directed episodes 5 and 6. He is one of the few outside filmmakers to have directed the show.
Audience and awards
Season 2 was watched by nearly 16 million American households in its first three days, according to independent measurements, a record for the platform at the time. At the 2018 Emmy Awards, it received twelve nominations and five craft awards, including the one for the soundtrack. David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown were nominated for the second time.
Season 3 was ordered on December 1, 2017, a month after the release.
Where and how to watch it
Nine episodes, almost eight hours: season 2 is a two- or three-night watch. Fans advise not skipping episode 7, often criticized, because it explains where Eleven comes from and sets up season 4. The original version with subtitles remains viewers' favorite, for the voices of the kids whose voices are breaking.
Markers
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 31, 2016 | Season 2 ordered |
| November 2016 | Start of filming |
| February 2017 | Super Bowl trailer |
| June 2017 | End of filming |
| October 27, 2017 | Release of the nine episodes |
| December 1, 2017 | Season 3 ordered |
The Max figure, the newcomer.
In the shopLego Max Mayfield mini figure and her vials14,90 €See the product
The season fact sheet
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Renewal announced | August 31, 2016 |
| Start of filming | November 7, 2016, in Atlanta |
| End of filming | June 3, 2017 |
| Teaser | Aired during the Super Bowl, on February 5, 2017 |
| Release | October 27, 2017, all 9 episodes the same day, in 4K and HDR |
| Directors | The Duffers (4), Shawn Levy (2), Andrew Stanton (2), Rebecca Thomas (1) |
| Soundtrack | October 20, 2017, Lakeshore and Invada |
| Physical edition | Blu-ray and DVD in a VHS-style case, exclusive to an American distributor, November 6, 2018 |
The reception numbers
Nielsen, which was then starting to measure the platforms, counted in the United States 15,8 million viewers for the first episode in the three days after release, including 11 million adults 18 to 49. The ninth episode had already gathered 4,6 million over the same period, a sign that many had watched the season in one sitting. Parrot Analytics ranked the season as the most in-demand digital series in the world in 2017, which earned it a mention in the Guinness World Records 2019.
Critics followed: 94% favorable reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for 151 reviews, 78 out of 100 on Metacritic. Rolling Stone judged that the characters shone more than the plot, and that the Snow Ball finale made the season a story of teenagers “finding their way toward adulthood.”
The promotion: a Super Bowl and episode titles
The teaser aired during the Super Bowl, on February 5, 2017, announced the release date and showed the kids as Ghostbusters; it was the first time the show bought the most expensive advertising on American television. As soon as the renewal was announced, the Duffers had revealed the titles of the nine episodes, “to give an idea of the direction without giving anything away,” warning that some would change. Several did in fact change between the announcement and the release.
With the season came Beyond Stranger Things, an after-watch magazine hosted by Jim Rash, where the Duffers and the actors commented on the making and the mythology. Unlike shows of the same type, it was designed to be watched after the whole season, not after each episode.
The nine episodes in one sentence each
-
1. MADMAX
A year later, Max arrives in Hawkins, Will sees the shadow, Dustin finds Dart.
-
2. Trick or Treat, Freak
Halloween: the Ghostbusters, Billy, and Will snatched by the shadow in the street.
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3. The Pollywog
Dart molts, Will faces the shadow and is possessed.
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4. Will the Wise
Will draws the tunnels; Hopper finds them in a pumpkin field.
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5. Dig Dug
Hopper trapped underground, Joyce and Bob read the map, Nancy and Jonathan at Murray's.
-
6. The Spy
Will sends the soldiers into a trap; Steve and Dustin against the Demodogs at the junkyard.
-
7. The Lost Sister
Eleven in Chicago with Kali and her crew.
-
8. The Mind Flayer
The assault on the lab, Bob's death, Eleven's return.
-
9. The Gate
The exorcism, the tunnels on fire, the gate closed, the Snow Ball.
The Season 2 poster.
In the shopMax Mayfield tracksuit jacket71,90 €See the product
TakeawayReleased October 27, 2017, nine episodes. Nearly 8 hours, shot between November 2016 and June 2017. A 62-minute finale, one episode in Chicago. Five technical Emmy Awards, including the score.
Frequently asked questions
When did season 2 come out?
On October 27, 2017, two days before Halloween.
How many episodes does Season 2 have?
Nine, from 46 to 62 minutes, about 7 h 25.
What is the first episode of season 2?
"MADMAX," 48 minutes, which introduces Max Mayfield at the Palace Arcade.
Which episode is set in Chicago?
Episode 7, “The Lost Sister,” devoted entirely to Eleven and Kali.
What was season 2's first big promo hit?
A teaser aired during the Super Bowl on February 5, 2017, which announced the release date and showed the children dressed as Ghostbusters.
Does Season 2 exist on DVD?
Yes, in the United States, in a Blu-ray and DVD box set whose case imitates a period VHS, released exclusively at a retailer on November 6, 2018.
What is the longest episode of season 2?
The ninth, “The Gate,” a little over an hour. The other eight run around 50 minutes, which makes a season of about 7:25 in all.