Stranger Things Quick Review - Chapter Two: The Vanishing of...

Who could it be?

Episode two of Stranger Things 5 has been one of the most speculated about elements of the season...and we were basically all correct about what it was going to be.

Spoilers ahead if you have not seen episodes ONE AND TWO of Stranger Things 5.

The Sweet

So, yes, this episode kicks off with the vanishing of...

Holly Wheeler. To the surprise of absolutely nobody! But that's fine, because that sequence ruled. Ross Duffer teased this episode's cold open a while back, and it lived up to the hype. The tension that had built up during The Crawl was paid off beautifully with this ten-minute long thrill ride as a Demogorgon viciously attacks the Wheeler household. I love the slow, intense build as Karen realizes that Holly is telling the truth while Ted stalks through the house, trying to investigate what all the flickering lights are about. The sequence also has some serious consequences as the Demogorgon just annihilates Ted and Karen (but somehow does not kill either of them) and takes Holly, seemingly to Vecna.

One of my best friends actually pointed this out, but in episode three of season one (titled Holly, Jolly), the Demogorgon actually almost takes Holly when she was just a baby. I have no idea if that is meant to be a full circle moment, but I actually think we will find out. If that is truly a full circle moment, this is some incredibly genius writing by the Duffers.

The final moments of this episode are just as dread-inducing as the first moments, albeit for a completely different reason. I said this in my review of The Crawl, but from the first moments of this season, there's this impending sense of doom, and that continues here. You really feel the dread and danger in the final moments as it is revealed that Holly's unsettling imaginary friend is actually Henry Creel. I don't know the implications of this. I don't know what it means. But I am incredibly, incredibly intrigued.

This episode also continues to give each of our characters some great moments and interactions. We knew Will was going to be a focus of this season, but I really love the arc that they're setting him on. Joyce does not want him putting himself in danger, but he does not want to sit around and do nothing while Holly is stuck in the Upside Down. That's a great way to utilize his character, and I hope they continue to put him in the forefront of this season.

Speaking of Will, pairing him up with Robin was a stroke of genius that I did not expect. Stranger Things loves its unexpected duos, and Robin and Will might be the newest one on that list. Robin's cooky-ness allows for her to help Will escape from Joyce's demands that he stay put and stay safe, and that just creates this fun, engaging friendship that I really enjoyed. They are also the two gay characters on the show, so I am curious to see how they approach that element. Will is closeted to seemingly everyone, so maybe he'll open up to Robin later down the line.

Natalia Dyer was also a standout in this episode. The acting in Stranger Things has always been great, and there are even some highlights that I didn't mention in The Crawl. Gaten Matarazzo has been bringing a real emotion to Dustin through these first two episodes. Nell Fisher is fantastic as the new version of Holly Wheeler. Millie Bobby Brown is giving us the best version of Eleven since season one. But the best performance thus far is absolutely Natalia Dyer, who really hits the emotions in a more subtle way than you'd expect. There's a scene at the beginning of this episode where she is washing Karen's blood off her hands, and you see her slowly break down. It is heartbreaking to watch, and all of it is due to Dyer's fantastic performance.

I also think this episode is doing a really good job of building out the mystery of this season that may tie back to the mysteries of the whole show. Why was Will kidnapped? Why was Holly now kidnapped? What is the Upside Down? What is Vecna's endgame? All of these questions are kind of raised by the characters in this episode. The Duffers have said that this season was going to be a combination of seasons one and four, and that's what it feels like so far. It has the massive scope and epic feel of season four with the small-town, eerie mystery of season one. I am curious if that will stay throughout.

The Sour

This episode was also great, but there were a few more problems here than there were with episode one.

First off, I was not a huge fan of Hopper and Eleven's interactions. Not because they weren't good. I actually thought the dialogue was pretty solid and Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour are both fantastic. It just felt like it was rehashing beats from the past. As great as Hopper's backstory is, we've seen it. We know that Sarah died. We know that he's afraid of losing El like he did Sarah. So him telling her that does not really have the emotional weight it should, because we've already felt that before.

Secondly, I was a little bit frustrated that both Karen and Ted survived. Now, I haven't watched episodes three and four yet. I have no idea if anyone else dies. I have no idea if Karen and Ted even make it through volume one. But as of right now, it still feels like the Duffers don't have the balls to truly kill anyone major off. And Karen and Ted aren't even major characters, but if they had died, it would've really left a mark on the beginning of the season. I understand that we at least need Karen alive for the reveal of Vecna being Holly's imaginary friend, but they could've found another way to do that if Karen had died. I don't know. It just feels like somebody has got to go at some point.

Finally, I do think the questions that this season are raising scare me. I have all the faith in the world in the Duffers and the rest of the creative time behind this show. It's Stranger Things. The entire show is fantastic and has always been really good about giving satisfying answers to mysteries in the past. But these mysteries are so complex and so consequential to the entire plot of the show that it makes me really nervous. So who knows? This is a concern I will address more as we inch closer to the final major reveals.

Final Thoughts and Score

The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler was a slight step down from The Crawl, but it delivered a thrilling cold open, a very unsettling plot development, and continued great character work. Sure, there are some repetitive beats, but the good just far outweighs the bad.

I am still going Sweet here. Age range is 15+.

SWEET N' SOUR SCALE

Sweet (Great) Savory (Good)

Sour (Bad) Moldy (Terrible)

"The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler"

"Stranger Things 5"

Fun Factor: 9/10

Acting: 9.5/10

Story: 8.5/10

Characters: 8.5/10

Quality: 9/10

Directed by Matt and Ross Duffer

Rated TV-MA for strong bloody violence, frightening themes and imagery, language, thematic elements

Premiered on November 26, 2025

57 minutes

Millie Bobby Brown as Jane Hopper / Eleven

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair

Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson

Noah Schnapp as Will Byers

Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler

Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler

Joe Keery as Steve Harrington

Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers

Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley

Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers

David Harbour as Jim Hopper

Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay

Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler

Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler

Sherman Augustus as Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan

Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield

Jamie Campbell Bower as Henry Creel