[ethereal music playing]

[Cara Buono] There was that ad in the '80s that said, "It's 10:00 p.m., do you know where your children are?" It's like, "Hey, parents, are your kids home?" And, uh, case in point. Mom!

[Cara] I always loved the fact that Karen was oblivious, the clueless mom. Is there someone else here? She's had no idea, really, what's happened at all.

[ethereal music continues]

[Cara] Finally…

[roaring]

Ahh! …the Demogorgon does come to the Wheeler house.

[ominous music playing]

[man] Action!

[Holly screams] Mom! Mom!

Mom!

[Karen] Holly! We were talking about a Wheeler house attack all the way back in season one. So it's something we put off, and one reason we put it off is, like, once monsters breach that house, it changes everything for Karen. And we wanted to keep that… that mystery alive. We wanted her to not know or get involved in what her kids were involved in. Whatever you saw, baby, it's just a nightmare. Holly comes in, and at first, Karen doesn't believe her. Of course, like, "What could this be?" "You're just having a bad dream."

[Holly sobbing] You've gotta believe me! Please, Mom. No…

[Nell Fisher] But she starts to hear these banging noises from outside. So she makes the split-second decision to hide her and Holly in the bath that she's making, the bubble bath.

[Demogorgon chittering] That scene took over maybe a week to rehearse and to film. And we filmed in this bathtub with a clear wall.

[man taps on bathtub]

[both gasping and yelping]

[Ted] Karen!

[Demogorgon screeches] Day five, the demo attack scene. Big swings today. Hopefully no misses.

[Ted] Ahh!

[golf club clatters]

Ahh!

[man] Go!

[Ted groans]

[man 1] Cut it!

[man 2] You good?

[indistinct chatter]

[woman] Cut!

[both yelp]

Holly, get back!

[Demogorgon chitters]

[Cara] I don't think she's even processing what she sees yet.

[menacingly] Stay away from my daughter! But just goes into that natural mama instinct of, "Don't mess with my kid." Mom, no!

[roars] And then gets into pretty much a fist fight with the Demogorgon with her wine bottle. See? It came in handy. All that drinking just has a really good payoff.

[grunting]

[Demogorgon screeching]

[man 1] Cut! Cut!

[man 2] All right, cut.

[man 3] Cutting.

[intriguing music playing] I love working on the show for the obvious reason that we get to make huge monsters. But, also, Karen Wheeler's Demogorgon wounds were a fun one. And it being our first Demogorgon attack that we see, it was important to kind of establish what they would look like. So every time you see a Demogorgon attack from that point on, you visually have this in your mind that they're this horrific. I've been slashed, punctured by the Demo. Slashed here. I've lost… I'm gonna be losing a lot of blood and my ability to speak. It's just been really fun. I was very excited to read the scripts and really just thankful to be part of the fight and really go at the monster. You need to get closer for that initial hit. Cara's been doing a really amazing job of really showing the audience who Karen really is, that she's not who we expected, that she is very much like her daughter, and would have been more like Nancy had life not taken her in a different direction. So we wanted to give her sort of a real badass moment.

[dark music playing]

[man] Vitals, talk to me.

[woman] Female, 46 years old.

[Finn Wolfhard] Nancy and Mike are both affected by Holly's vanishing because obviously she's taken, but also because of how bad of shape our parents are.

[man] Intubate! They both barely escaped with their lives. And so I think there's a real sort of guilt of us not saying something to our parents before on what's been going on in the past.

[Natalia Dyer] In some ways we're shooting a sci-fi, fun show, but then there are these really intense moments that you're like, "Gosh, that is so devastating." I do think a lot of it is the writing. I think, you know, those moments that the Duffers give us to really let those emotions shine through…

[man 1] Cut.

[man 2] Cut it. The Duffer brothers really care about the characters and they have worked for the last 11 years non-stop on the show, and their passion has not waned. They've always been very collaborative, open, interested in our thoughts and opinions kind of directors. Without them and their trust in us, we wouldn't have the incredibly fortunate careers that we have now. It's something that any actor absolutely dreams of is being able to be a part of something like this.

[dreamlike music playing] I wish I… I wish I had better news. There's a lot of things going on in Lucas's head. He's reminiscing on the times that Max was able to have a conversation and speak to him. And I think he holds that burden of wishing he could have saved her in that moment. He feels like it's his fault that she's where she's at. He was there to protect her and he couldn't. He feels weak. It's a lot of guilt that Lucas is feeling. So the best he can do is just go there every day and be there for her. And, Max, if my theory's right, we're running out of time. So if you're planning on resurrecting anytime soon, now… now is the time. Which brings us to you, arriving looking like Rocky Balboa. So, basically, of all the crawls, this was like the one to miss. Everybody has those relationships that kinda go… When you know someone long enough, or you're friend's long enough, where you go through these waves of kinda getting along and then sort of these growth spurts. This right here is your problem.

[Joe] That's kinda where these two characters are at right now is they're maybe a little bit at odds, but still have a real deep sense of care for each other. You just poked the bear one too many times. Your concern for me is overwhelming, Steve. My concern? [scoffs] I have shown nothing…

[Matt] This is the biggest season we've ever had in terms of action, in terms of visual effects, but I think, ultimately, what people want is they want to see these characters together one last time. The friendships, the complications of those friendships… I don't want to talk to you anymore.

Good, I don't wanna talk to you either.

Good. Good. Good. Everything is totally fine except… except for your mom's plan. I mean, no offense to your mom, but come on! Whereas your plan is genius.

You think so?

Totally. Yeah. Will has done such a wonderful job in the past couple seasons of creating this little divide between him and his friends, you know? Where in the second season, it's like there's this tremendous closeness, and togetherness, and we're all the same. And I think that's a common experience as kids that we have, where when we're little kids, we're all like, "We're all the same!" "We're all together!" And then as people get older, and go through puberty, and developmentally change, you can start to feel different than your friends. And I think Robin sees that, and sees he's going through something, and that he's lonely. Robin is kind of that supporter for Will throughout the season to help him find himself and come to terms with who he is. And without her, I think he would be lost. So it's really a special bond they form this season. Mrs. Harris's class, fifth grade? So cool! Though, come to think of it, it's not even really a mandala. I mean, it's just a spiral.

[indistinct laughter]

I heard laughter.

What? In my vision. Kids laughing, playing.

[ominous music playing] What does that have to do with a monster lair?

[voice echoing] Will!

Where'd you learn to do this?

Max. First clean, then disinfect, then bandage. You're more like me than I'd like to admit. What? A stubborn punk ass? You heard that? You talk loud. Hopper is kind of a harder man from a different time who doesn't know how to express himself. Who's been around long enough to know that… you can't count on anything in this life. I think he's a deeply good guy. And I think he's misguided in the way that he expresses it. And I think there is, you know, a purpose and art to be able to connect with those people and maybe try to reveal something about what that means as a person in our world. Which is why whatever happens from here on out, wherever this blood leads, I need you to do what I say. So don't be a stubborn punk ass like you? Yeah. [chuckles] Don't be a stubborn punk ass.

[laughs] I think he's sort of a beautiful, old stalwart of a character that I love, and I hope other people love as well.

[machine beeps]

[cup rattles]

[Finn] Mike is very much focused on the crawls and trying to get Vecna. And once Holly is taken, I think the season gets almost back sort of into a season one mode where everyone's trying to find this person. Did Holly ever talk to you about Mr. Whatsit?

[Finn] It's his sister. He has taken it upon himself to, you know, lead as part of the gang to try to find Holly.

[machine beeping]

[sinister music playing]

[Mike] We need your help. We think someone knows where Holly is. Who knows why she was taken and where she is. We just don't know where he is. It feels like there's something coming.

[Nancy] Did Holly ever say if he has a first name? Something scary is on the other side. Are the others here yet?

[Jamie] I guess I've just kind of slunk off into the darkness and stewed, and now I'm back for revenge.

[sinister music building]

[music fading]

[theme music playing]