The First Stranger Things Season 3 Reviews Are In – The Verdict?

If you're anything like us, you've been waiting for the start of Stranger Things 3 since about four seconds after season 2 disappeared into the underworld of Netflix, and that was nearly two years ago!

Season 2 dropped on October 27, 2017. An apt date as the Halloween vibe was very strong in that season. Season 3 we've known for some time would appear on July 4th, American Independence Day. The trailers have only reinforced the importance of that date in the American calendar, a summer day of celebration, swimming in pools and lakes in the sunshine, barbecues, parties and perhaps a bit of midsummer romance?

But, with expectation mounting, we want to know if Season 3 will be any good! Well, in an unusual move for Netflix, they've allowed certain reviewers to watch the new season on the understanding they don't reveal any spoilers. (We asked, apparently Netflix don't like us enough to let us watch a preview – sort it out Netflix dudes!)

We were assuming season 3 had to move things on a whole lot, especially as many people felt season 2 had been a bit of a letdown. The gang of kids are getting older and heading towards adulthood. We couldn't just have another season of kids on bikes running round Hawkins, so we're pleased to get a sneak peek...

Over on Slashfilm,  Chris Evangelista is full of praise for season 3.

Setting the scene, Hopper has assumed the position of Eleven's dad, and is getting frustrated by the blossoming romance between Mike and Eleven. Hop is pretty keen on Joyce, who remains upset about the somewhat nasty destruction of her previous love interest gentle Bob in season 2.

But the affairs of the heart pale into insignificance besides affairs of the dark, as the mind flayer from season 2 is still in their 'hood and apparently is after revenge.

Season 3 also sees the issue of the burgeoning number of regular characters that ballooned in season 2 handled by grouping them up. So Dustin, who became best buds with Steve in season 2, hangs out with him in the mall with his new colleague Robin. Lucas's sister Erica makes more of an impact this season, and joins this mall group.

Mike, Lucas and Will stay solid in their own group, whilst Eleven spends a lot of time with her new best friend forever Max.

Meanwhile Nancy and Jonathan are working at the local newspaper.

So, despite all these different groups doing their own things, the Slashfilm review says that all the different plot threads are united in a satisfying way:

Okay, we're sold. That would be enough, but there's more...

Caroline Franke writing in Variety points out that she can't reveal many details:

She goes on to point out this is no bad thing, the less Stranger Things fans know going into season 3, probably the better.

What she does reveal is that she feels season 3 does a much better job than season 2 does.

Her review finishes on this promising note:

Ben Allen from Radio Times is again very positive about season 3 and really ramps up our expectation:

Ben's review reveals we'll be hearing hits from 80s stalwarts such as Madonna and Yacht Rock gurus Foreigner, and also things three of the 80s films the season pays tribute to are The Terminator, Red Dawn and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Ben's review acknowledges that season 3 does a good job of tapping into what their fans want, something that perhaps they were too obvious about in season 2, and improve it in the new season:

Writing in USA Today, Kelly Lawler mentions that the Duffer Brothers have worked out that doing the same thing for the third time wasn't going to cut it for Stranger Things fans, and gives us a hint of some of the terrors that await: 

She continues her review talking about the way the new season picks up on "transitional moments in adolescence" with the relationship dramas of the teens, whilst Will tries to hang on to childhood, and Dustin feels adrift from his friends after spending time at summer camp.

Her review finishes on a positive note about how the writers have combined the key characters and the monsters of Hawkins in a developing way without straying too far from the key elements of the show. "Eventually, repeated infiltrations of the Upside Down into Hawkins may start to get old, but Season 3 proves monsters and telekinesis aren't the only reason 'Stranger' is worth watching."

Meghan O'Keefe reviewed the season 3 at Decider.com and clearly loved it. In fact, she thinks it's the first season that actually lives up to the blockbuster hype of the show.

"It's always been a fun show; at worst, Stranger Things has been a merely fine show. Now it is a bananas summer delight, full of grisly scenes, hilariously absurd set pieces, and a sauntering confidence in its own storytelling."

It sounds like we're in for a bit of a darker ride than the previous two seasons: "There are scenes of pure gross out horror — gooey, bloody, and wrong — that made me gag out loud. The battles now are bloodier, the supernatural creatures more monstrous, and the jump scares are far scarier."

You'd hope with a darker tone we can expect a few lighter moments too to balance things out? Meghan certainly thought so: "Stranger Things Season 3 not only doubles down on this bromance (and ropes a few funny ladies in, too), but shows off a comedic ease we haven't seen before. This season has the sharpest jokes, the most laugh-out-loud moments, and one insane sequence that feels like nothing Stranger Things has dared do before."

Meghan is also a big fan of an improvement in the way the show handles females characters, saying it is "inspiring to see a vibrant cast of female characters brought to vivid three-dimensional life." Saying there are improvements here across the board, but it's Eleven who shows the biggest development, the girl who started life as a laboratory experiment showing real emotional development.