Minority Mindset

Holly Wheeler is played by Nell Fisher in Stranger Things Season 5.

Throughout its five seasons, Stranger Things has consistently shown that anyone in Hawkins can rise to the occasion and be a hero. This time, it’s Karen Wheeler who steps up. In the second episode, “The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler,” Karen bravely fights a Demogorgon, repeatedly stabbing it with a broken wine bottle to protect her daughter, Holly. Though Holly is ultimately taken to the Upside Down and Karen is seriously injured, the information Karen shares with Nancy and Mike proves crucial in helping them and their friends get closer to defeating Vecna, their ongoing enemy.

Crime dramas often explore interesting sides of law enforcement and criminal behavior, which can lead to compelling stories. However, it’s difficult for these shows to stay consistently exciting for more than one season. The ones that do manage to maintain that level of suspense are truly exceptional and worth checking out.

Season 5 of Stranger Things has received positive reviews. Jen Chaney of TV Guide praised its broad appeal, noting it’s “great at connecting with viewers of all ages,” and gave it a score of 9 out of 10.

The episode received negative reactions from both critics and viewers because it felt out of place in the season. Though important for developing Eleven’s character, it paused the main story at a bad time – right after a major cliffhanger where demogorgons invaded Hawkins Lab, trapping several key characters. This episode focused heavily on Eleven meeting Kali, slowing down the pace significantly. Kali didn’t reappear until much later, in Season 5, Episode 4, titled “Sorcerer.”

Seriously, I can’t stand Rodrigo worrying about how he looks next to Kory. Rodrigo is incredibly handsome and in great shape – he’s strong and clearly takes care of himself. It’s ridiculous he’d feel insecure! Kory seems way too focused on appearances and dieting, and honestly, not very interested in actually connecting with Rodrigo. Plus, Kory’s outfit at the party was just… a lot. Rodrigo is clearly the more attractive and confident one.