The return of ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘ The Walking Dead’

WHILE most people are looking forward to the upcoming Holiday season, for me it has already begun for Halloween is actually my Christmas. Whether you opted to be in a group and wear costumes for candies this week or chose to be alone with spooky movies and some snacks, I hope you had a great time celebrating my favorite holiday.

Now, what better time to bring back two creepy TV hits and fan favorites than Halloween?

dark little darling, “Stranger Things” season two, rolled out on October 27. We’re such huge Stranger Things fans in the Philippines that Netflix brought in Millie Bobby Brown aka Eleven for Asia Pop Comic Con 2016. This year, the entertainment company brought Noah Schnapp (the formerly disappeared Will Byers) and Joe Keery (high school stud Steve Harrington) and introduced newcomers Sadie Sink and Dacre Montgomery as step siblings Max and Billy.

I was actually at a meeting in the function hall beside this year’s Stranger Things panel at APCC and it was constant mayhem, noise, cheering, screaming and applause.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure how Stranger Things could sustain itself after the novelty of the ‘80s nostalgia angle had worn on— certainly it was a big draw for the series: the Dungeons and Dragons game, Radio Shack, the music, the synthesizers for the credits, the Choose Your Own Adventure font and the inspiration taken from the

To check in, I decided to view the second episode (appropriately titled), “Trick or Treat, Freak.”

One of the strengths of the show is really its cast, along with the names above, we certainly have to mention and round out Will Byers’ crew of four: Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Galen Matarazzo (Dustin) and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas). Of course, let’s not forget ‘80s icon Winona Ryder who is now joined by Sean Astin (Goonies, Lord of the Rings) and Paul Reiser.

The further explorations into the characters and their relationships with each other have so far helped keep viewers hooked for this new season.

Meanwhile, the season eight opener of “The Walking Dead” on October 22 in the US and October 23 in our part of the world marked a milestone for the show. TWD 801 is the 100th episode.

Last season, I joined a bunch of quitters who felt the show was just too grim to make an effort for (our world is grim enough) and that the plot was just going around in cycles, not really looking at any kind of end game. Despite this divorce, I did actually take a lengthy peep at the last episode of season seven and the first of season eight. I think the producers and show runners took notice of the drop in viewership last year and went in a different direction this time around.

the “all out war” and we’re looking at more action and a rallying of the troops. We’ve had to say goodbye to a beloved character, Glenn, who Steven Yeun has since gotten involved in projects in the anima genre both here and in South Korea. Sonequa Martin- Green aka Sasha is now the lead in the new Star Trek series, “Discovery.”

The first eight episodes wrap up November 26 and the show returns on February 2018. TWD 8 airs every Monday on Fox.