Chapter Five: Shock Jock

Volume 2 starts and just as I expected nothing really improves. In fact it somehow feels even worse. Everything drags painfully and that would not be a problem if the script was any good or if we had at least some meaningful character conversations but everything feels bland and empty.

Dustin and Steve are still bickering and it has become extremely annoying. Nothing feels like a real threat anymore and after five seasons the show is still introducing new characters without removing anyone. At this point we are already conditioned to believe that nothing is truly dangerous.

There are countless moments in this episode where someone appears to be in extreme danger only for a last second miracle coincidence or someone's sudden help to save the day. This has been stretched for far too long and it is getting frustrating.

I said it before and I will say it again the writing is a huge issue this season.

Even though over 100 people disliked my review of the last episode I am actually glad it made some viewers look at the show more critically and objectively. I am still a fan and I am still watching and I will most likely rewatch the whole show again at some point. But we have to acknowledge when something has clearly been downgraded and right now the issues are impossible to ignore.

I think everything in this episode is great and I'm not complaining about the story it tells but this episode must've been a mess to edit because of how much stuff they crammed into it. Episode 5 and 6 really have a lot of great stuff but don't have enough time to explore it all without making me forget about what came before when it switches plotlines every 2 minutes. Once again, I love this episode but because I loved everything else, I thought I'd mainly talk about this one negative as my review because everyone else is singing its praises already and I needed to address this glaring pacing issue that isn't helped by the editing.

After reading negative reviews, I set my expectations very low and was even afraid it would be dragging, slow, and filled with bad acting.

But I actually enjoyed it. I understand where people are coming from, and especially in the first episode the school scenes feel a bit forced. That also has to do with the fact that the actors are now clearly adults who still have to portray teenagers.

That aside, I had no issue with the pacing. I like how the show switches between action and emotional moment, and sometimes even some light hearted, humor. If you truly care about these characters more than just the action, some of the dialogue will definitely move you.

On the other hand, I think another problem is that the internet has set the stakes so incredibly high that for most people it would be impossible for the season to live up to their expectations. I personally don't think this is the best season, and is it the perfect final season? Probably not. But how does one create a perfect season to this epic series?

I do think it's still a solid and enjoyable season that balances tension-building, action scenes, and emotional moments quite well.

If you're looking for a purely action-driven season that lives up to the highest of your expectations, it might not fully satisfy you-but if you're still invested in the characters, it's definitely worth watching.

Not great acting overall in this episode or really this whole season. I believe that Holly and Max's story is the only reason this season still has a chance, and why I'm even giving this episode a 7/10. This season has felt off since the beginning. The dialogue isn't there; it was never the strongest in previous seasons, but it really lacks here, especially in this episode.

This episode felt like a mess. Some scenes were incredible, while others were very hard to watch. Overall, I'm giving this episode a 7/10 solely because of how much I love Henry's, Max's, and Holly's story.

I hope they fix this problem with steve and dustin AS SOON AS POSSIBLE what are they doing to my favorite friendship. It just seems so out of character for steve to say that. Other than that not the worst ep but a bit of a slower one not full of much, a good buildup for the rest of the vol though on to it.