So, what’s going on here? Apparently the Russians have come all the way to Indiana because of its Upside Down-friendly environment, bribed the odious Mayor Kline, used Starcourt Mall for cover, and are in the process of opening the portal and extracting some kind of toxic substance for an unknown (but presumably not peaceful) purpose. This is not good news! Even worse, they discover what the Russians are up to: reopening the portal to the Upside Down. After a long, thirsty morning stuck in the elevator, broken up only by Steve accidentally peeing in the cabin, they make two terrifying discoveries: (1) The vials of green liquid are filled with some pretty toxic stuff, and (2) there’s a vast underground bunker filled with Russian soldiers and scientists working beneath an unwitting Hawkins.
They make a soft landing, but there’s not a lot to feel good about when they do figure out where they are. “Chapter Five: The Flayed” picks up exactly where Chapter Four leaves off, with the mall sleuths screaming on their way down to parts unknown. The fourth, er, chapter of Stranger Things 3 ends with Dustin, Robin, Steve, and Erica making a screaming descent into Starcourt Mall’s basement (or sub-sub-sub-sub-basement) via a fast-moving elevator. Nothing captures that better than the transition between the previous episode and this one, if the word “transition” even applies.
It’s been said before - including in a previous season-three recap - that the Duffer Brothers know how to make shows for binge-watchers who can’t wait to find out what happens next.