Stranger Things 5 Review — Episode 2: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler

Rating: 9.3/10

TYLER, Texas (TXAN 24) — Episode 2 raises the emotional stakes immediately, centering on the Wheeler family as they’re hit with a double blow: an attack that shakes their home and the disappearance of young Holly.

Mike and Nancy try to keep themselves steady while also attempting to piece together the expanding mystery of how to find and ultimately defeat Vecna/Henry.

Their desperation adds a strong human heartbeat to a season already running on high tension.

Will, meanwhile, begins to assemble parts of the puzzle in ways that hint he may play an even more critical role than anyone realized; and that’s saying something, considering how important he already was across the first four seasons. His connection to the Upside Down continues to evolve, suggesting that the final season is positioning him closer to the center than ever before.

Max remains in a coma, and Lucas’ emotional scenes with her unconscious body are among the most heartfelt moments of the episode. His hope, his fear, and his refusal to give up add a heavy dose of heart to the chaos unfolding elsewhere.

Inside the Upside Down, Eleven and Hopper push forward with their own plan, only to slam into unexpected obstacles; the kind that make it clear the enemy is always several steps ahead. Their scenes balance intensity with unease, hinting at the complexity of the threat they’re up against.

What makes this episode work is how it balances movement and mystery. There are bursts of action that keep things exciting, but it also takes time to tie together questions fans may have lingering from Episode 1 and even from prior seasons. At the same time, it opens new threads that will clearly matter as the final story pushes deeper into its endgame.

The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler delivers urgency, emotion, and forward momentum: a strong follow-up that continues to tighten the noose around Hawkins and everyone in it.