Stranger Things 3 is, if anything, the series’ darkest season to date. It’s gory, gross, and there are fairly dark themes about conformity and identity lurking beneath the surface. The show has become scary, in the same way that many ’80s blockbusters played fast and loose with the sort of content they’d throw at audiences. And in the sixth installment, ‘E Pluribus Unum,’ director Uta Briesewitz has a lot of fun relishing in that horror.
But let’s get the bad out of the way first: this controversial Hopper arc. It’s terrible, and genuinely tone deaf in a way that feels awfully surprising given how socially conscious most show runners have been as of late. Not only that, the subplot just feels like the character assassination of a fan favorite. Hopper was always one of the show’s most lovable characters, and his relationship with Elle was one of the series’ highlights. To waste him for a whole season on this angry shtik is incredibly frustrating. This arc is perhaps at an all-time worst in this episode, where David Harbour goes incredibly over-the-top with his material in a way that suggests he’s going for laughs. But none of the jokes land. This whole subplot is a huge weakness in an otherwise great episode, and will undoubtedly be the blemish on a terrific season of television.
The secret strength of this season, however, is the intelligent way the characters are split up in groups to further their separate subplots along. The best of the bunch is the Scoops Ahoy! duo and their younger companions, Dustin and Erica. This foursome have been the clear highlight of season three, and their adventures remain a complete joy, even as it takes a somewhat violent turn in the sixth chapter. Priah Ferguson and Gaten Matarazzo play off each other wonderfully, and exhibit some of the best comedic abilities in the cast. Ferguson in particular is such a welcome addition to the cast, after her memorable (but brief) turn in the second season. While Erica isn’t really given the sort of dimension that the older characters are given, we saw new insights into her personality in this installment that helped make the character even more fun.
It’s Joe Keery and Maya Hawke that really make this episode work and add some tension to it. The Russian invasion subplot is a fun breath of fresh air from the same old sci-fi stuff we’ve seen before, and there is genuine suspense in watching Steve and Robin try to get their way out of trouble. Both actors do a wonderful job selling the brutality of the episode, but also help forge a believable human connection between their characters, and even manage to make a few jokes. They’re perfectly dialed into what Stranger Things has always gone for: broadly appealing blockbuster filmmaking, but with genuine stakes.
Of course, the main set piece of the episode finds the main party facing off against the Mind Flayer, and attempting to figure out what role Billy plays in the evil scheme. This leads to a dreamy flashback sequence in the Upside Down, which features some absolutely stunning visuals, before leaning a bit too heavy on the CGI as it approaches its climax. Without venturing into spoiler territory, Billy’s backstory isn’t the most surprising thing, but it helps color his character in an interesting way and creates undeniably effective drama. At its core, Stranger Things has always been about the power that family and friends can have in saving you from darkness, and while this particular arc may be a bit on-the-nose, it works far better than Hopper’s, which counts for something. Also, Stranger Things is, well, many things… subtle is not one of them.
By the time the episode reaches its delightfully gross cliffhanger of a conclusion, viewers will be counting down the five seconds before the next episode autoplays. Stranger Things is the absolute best argument in favor of binge viewing, and ‘E Pluribus Unum,’ absolutely delivers in terms of entertainment. It could really use to cut the added weight of its adult characters, though.
Stranger Things Season 3 Episode 6, ‘E Pluribus Unum’ is now streaming on Netflix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcnHOQ-cHa0&t=35s
