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*SPOILERS AHEAD Season 5 of Stranger Things opens with “ Crawl, ” an emotional and ominous premiere that sets the tone for a final season already shaping up to be the darkest yet. The episode blends grief, new mysteries, and escalating threats as the characters try to navigate a Hawkins that’s barely holding together. Dustin’s emotional state is one of the earliest and strongest threads in the episode. It’s clear he’s still deeply struggling with life after Eddie’s death. H

*SPOILERS AHEAD The episode opens with the kids and the military forming the most unlikely squad you’ll ever see as they descend into the tunnels beneath the old Well House on Neibolt Street. It’s claustrophobic, it’s grim, and the whole place feels like it’s breathing. The combination of terrified kids and tense, trigger-happy soldiers sets the mood immediately: nobody is getting out of here unshaken. Out of nowhere, Matty strolls back into the story like he didn’t disappear

* SPOILERS AHEAD Episode 3 of It: Welcome to Derry continues to turn up the tension while finally connecting more of the dots between this chilling prequel and the iconic It films — and even other corners of the Stephen King universe. Fans of the network know we’re suckers for a good flashback, and this episode delivered exactly that, offering a deeper look into the terrifying roots of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. We’re now starting to see just how this series ties into It