Scary shows like Stranger Things demand decent sound. The built-in speakers on your TV just won’t cut it when it comes to tension-building waterphone music. So if you haven’t watched Stranger Things Season 2 yet, we have a couple recommendations.
(One might be considered a SPOILER, sorta, but not really.)
Recommendation #1: Buy this Sanyo Sound Bar (or another external speaker)
For whatever reason, internal TV speakers have always been and will always be crap. And when it comes to an atmospheric thriller, especially one with a “bitchin’” 80s soundtrack like Stranger Things, you’ll want something better.
Recommendation #2: Skip Episode 7, “The Lost Sister” altogether
Stranger Things S02E07 isn’t just the worst episode of the series. It’s the worst episodes of any otherwise excellent show of all time. We won’t spoil anything about it outright, though “spoiling” such a putrid mass as “The Lost Sister” is an oxymoron. Suffice it to say that the episode:
- Does almost nothing to advance the plot
- Introduces a host of new characters that will do almost nothing meaningful other than spew astonishingly bad dialog
- Might irreparably damage your opinion of the show and investment in the main story, such that the rest of the season will feel like a poorly executed parody of itself
- Sucks so hard
A few trolls – err, devil’s advocates – online have tried to defend the episode, saying it provides crucial information and motivation for a particular character. Matt of the Brothers Duffer even attempted to justify it, saying, "Whether this works or not, we need this building block in here or the whole show is going to collapse. It’s not going to end well.”
Don’t heed their paper-thin justifications. You have the choice to never watch “The Lost Sister” for the rest of your life, even if Stranger Things enjoys a Cheers-like 11-season run. Many of us who did watch it wish we could unsee it. Don’t make the same mistake we did.
No matter which path you choose, please don’t watch the show (or anything, really) on your TV’s internal speakers. The episode is written, acted, and directed like shit – it doesn’t have to sound that way.
