Stranger Things 2 Release Is Here, All Episodes Now Streaming On Netflix

Stranger Things Season 2, which is officially dubbed Stranger Things 2, has finally arrived. It's now available to stream on Netflix, and as is typically the case with its original series, the entirety of the season has been released at the same time.

The much-anticipated season is a bit longer than the first, as it consists of nine episodes (up from eight). The choice to avoid the word "Season" was a deliberate decision on the part of creators Matt and Ross Duffer, who have shared that Netflix was originally hesitant about the idea. "When we started describing it as a sequel, Netflix was like, 'Don't do that, because sequels are known to be bad,'" said Matt. "I was like, 'Yes, but what about T2 and Aliens and Toy Story 2 and Godfather II?'"

Ahead of the second season's release, it's already been confirmed that Stranger Things will return for Season 3. The Duffers had previously suggested Season 4 would be the show's last, but director Shawn Levy has gone on to say a fifth season could happen. "Hearts were heard breaking in Netflix headquarters when the brothers made four seasons sound like an official end, and I was suddenly getting phone calls from our actors' agents," he said. "The truth is we're definitely going four seasons and there's very much the possibility of a fifth. Beyond that, it becomes I think very unlikely."

For those eager to get a sense of what to expect, our first Stranger Things 2 reviews are already available. You can head to our roundup to see them all--along with breakdowns, Easter eggs, and more--or jump right into our Stranger Things 2, Episode 1 review.