13th February, 2026.“The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”.An Introduction.
Last week, I started watching series five of Stranger Things.
On Saturday night.
Just in case you were interested in either reading my written review, or watching the video version.
You’re still welcome to do both.
I’m also very aware that I said I’d be watching the next episode, “The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”, tomorrow night, and have my written and video reviews up by Tuesday.
But … ?
I think I’m nephew-sitting, tomorrow: so I’m going to watch the episode, tonight … then have my reviews (hopefully) by Monday.
Keep your eyes peeled!
~≈🐙≈~
Just as a side-step … ?
If you’ve read today’s Daily Teaser quiz — or yesterday’s, come to that matter — will be aware of … the Toaster Situation … !
It’s a bit too complicated to go into, here: so let me just tell you I’ve got a new toaster, due.
One that turned up, today: and works!
Good gum drops!
14th February, 2026.Part One.The Summary.
Chapter 2 — “The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver” — follows directly from last week’s episode: by showing us the gaping maw of the Demogorgon attacking Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) … then reminding us that her parents, Karen and Ted (Cara Buono and Joe Chrest), haven’t yet released how much danger their youngest daughter is in.
Until Holly manages to flee her attacker, and find her mother in the bathroom.
Despite Karen’s best attempt to protect her daughter, Holly is seized by the Demogorgon, and dragged into the Upside Down.
With Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) arriving seconds after this?
All Nancy can do is encourage Eleven to help in the only way Eleven can: by following the monster onto its home turf …
~≈🐙≈~
The scene shifts.
To show us Eleven reaching the Upside Down: and finding — and healing — a seriously injured Hop (David Harbour): well enough for him to help her track Holly’s trail to a large, impenetrable, wall.
A wall Eleven’s powers can’t see through … but that Eleven feels is hiding the missing little girl.
Back at the hospital … ?
Nancy, Mike and Lucas (Finn Wolfhard and Caleb McLaughlin) are still at Hawkins Memorial Hospital.
The three have worked out three things.
- That Holly has been kidnapped near to the date that Will Byers was originally captured.
- That Lucas needs to keep the comatose Max (Sadie Sink), company.
- And that Mike and Nancy need to talk to their equally comatose mother.
The seriously injured Karen Wheeler may just have a clue …
~≈🐙≈~
Part Two.Thoughts.
So … what did I make of “The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”?
One basic thread I noticed, is that the capture of Holly Wheeler reminded me of early episodes of the series.
Indeed, the show’s first episode was called “The Vanishing of Will Byers”: entirely appropriately, as both episodes deal the capture of a child by an unknown evil.
So … ?
This episode hinged on Holly’s disappearance: and, as the first series hinged on finding Will Byers, I suspect the rest of the series will hinge on the search for Holly Wheeler.
Which tells you how I think the series will develop — it’s going to show us the search for Holly, her rescue, and Vecna’s ultimate defeat — but not how this episode unfolds.
There’s possibly plenty I could tell you about the episode.
For a start … ?
Those opening minutes, the minutes that show us Holly’s kidnapping, and Karen’s fight to defend her daughter, are pivotal.
After all, they show us a woman determined to defend her child, and get seriously injured as a result: Stranger Things has never been afraid to show us gore, if needed, and this episode reminds us of that.
“The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver” also reminds us of something else.
That the show occasionally nods its head to other franchises.
The 1987-set episode sees Karen yell “Stay away from my daughter!” at the demogorgon: referencing Ripley’s “Get away from her, you bitch!” in 1986’s Aliens.
The utter silence as we see Nancy’s reactions to her mother’s injuries?
See her face as what she believes is her mother’s corpse, see Nancy desperately trying to wash her mother’s blood off her hands?
Had me thinking of “The Body”, the best episode of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, ever made.
Nancy is in that same, deeply traumatised, space: we see both characters trying to deal with their trauma agains a soundtrack that is utterly silent.
Granted: I don’t think “The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler” is on a par with TV’s finest forty-four minutes.
But … ?
“The Vanishing … ” is a very good episode, with scenes that hit some incredible highs.
~≈🐙≈~
Part Three.An Observation.
Bar mentioning Aliens, or Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, what else can I tell you … ?
One … ?
Language!
Swearing!
Or, at least, fairly mild swearing,
Both Nancy and Mike use the word ‘Goddamn’ in an argument towards the start of the episode.
Which had me smiling, to be honest.
It had me thinking of the (minimal) swearing used on US soaps, back in the 1980s: on shows like Dallas or Dynasty: where — from what I recall — ‘Goddamn’ is the swearword of choice.
I don’t remember hearing the phrase “Damnit, JR”, but my memory tells me it was frequent: to tell us the characters were upset, and look edgey, without offending anyone.
That’s possibly beside the point: or possibly my entire point.
The word’s there, I think, to show us that Mike and Nancy are under severe stress: but that the producers did not want younger viewers getting ideas.
Even if the effort makes the Nancy and Mike look like parody soap stars, and ignores the blood all over the carpet!
~≈🐙≈~
15th February, 2026.
Part Four.Other Observations.
There’s other things I noticed: probably more than I could list, here.
But the fact this episode seems to echo the show’s first?
Is emphasised by Lucas: when he tells reminds Mike and Nancy of the date, a date very near to when Will was captured.
The other thing that caught me?
Was a word.
We’re told that Holly’s imaginary friend, Mr Whatsit, is wearing a vest.
No: not the underwear that the British English terms describes.
What’s called a vest, in American English: what we’d call a waistcoat, in the UK.
It’s one of those terms that — much like chips, pants or car — has different meanings in American or British English.
The American use of ‘vest’ is one I happened to recognise, because it’s one that’s struck in my mind for years … because I like wearing waistcoats.
Had the term, ‘vest’, been used by British characters, in a British show, it would have annoyed me, mightily, as it’s the wrong word.
But fictional Americans using it in a US show?
Not an issue!
~≈🐙≈~
There’s other things I can mention there.
I mentioned, in my review of “The Crawl”, that we’d seen Eleven’s development: from frightened child to confident young adult and guerrilla soldier.
But there’s a scene in this episode where she treats Hop’s (David Harbour) injuries, that shows us she has abilities as a healer.
And that Hop … ?
Has more history that we would have assumed a small town sheriff could have: especially at this show’s beginnings.
“The war” is a phrase Hop use, implying the Vietnam War: his decision to trust Eleven with the fact he has been in combat in America’s most divisive war?
Tells us he’s come to trust his adoptive daughter.
~≈🐙≈~
16th February, 2026.Part Five.Finally.
With all that said?
What did I make of “The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”?
I have to admit, I’m struggling to find words for this episode.
But think I can safely say it’s a very good episode, indeed.
One potential downside?
Is my belief that this episode’s big reveal — that Mr Whatsit is a psychic projection of Vecna’s — has come an episode or so too early for my taste.
Spinning out the big reveal could have played well, I think.
On the upsides?
The episode has nods to both Aliens, and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, tells us more about various characters …
Ands shows us an absolutely riveting performance from, Natalia Dyer as Nancy.
Thus far?
This second episode is both watchable … and very good!
“The Vanishing Of Holly Weaver”★★★★
~≈🐙≈~
Part Six.Until Next Time.
That, for now, is where I’m leaving things.
But I will thank you for reading this post: or watched the video version, if that’s what you’ve done.
Before I go, I’ll tell you one last thing.
I’m going to be watching the next episode of Stranger Things Five, “The Turnbow Trap” on Saturday, 21st February: and will have my written and video reviews, up by next Monday: at the very latest.
Feel free to have a look at the rest of my content, to subscribe to my YouTube channel, and follow Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.
I’ll see you next time.
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