Stranger Things 3 Recaps: Everything You Missed

Whether you savored Stranger Things 3like a fine wine from Enzo's or devoured it like a sundae at Scoops Ahoy, TV Guide is here with comprehensive recaps of each of the Netflix show's eight episodes. Journey with us for all the pop culture references, Mad Men memes, and Nancy worship Stranger Things fans need to tide them over until whenever Stranger Things 4 arrives and we get to see how our favorite nostalgia trip resolves its massive cliffhanger.

Chapter One: Suzie Do You Copy?

At Starcourt Mall's ice cream shop, Scoops Ahoy, Steve Harrington is working with new character Robin (played by Maya Hawke, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's daughter), who antagonizes Steve over his lack of game with the Starcourt ladies. Steve's working at Scoops Ahoy because his dad made him. Bad news for Steve, good news for us, because it allows for this line reading: "Ahoy ladies, I didn't see you there. Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me? I'll be your captain. I'm Steve Harrington." Read the full Season 3 premiere recap here.

Chapter Two: The Mall Rats

Last seen being dragged to his presumed death, Billy (Dacre Montgomery) is ... alive. The town's resident bad boy escapes whatever dragged him screaming into the bowels of the local abandoned steel factory and drives away in a hurry, finding a phone booth to call 9-1-1. When the operator picks up, Billy goes (upside) down. As red lightning cracks in the background, Billy finds himself face to face with ... himself. Cue thunderclap and the credits! (No, Netflix, I will never skip the intro, why do you even bother asking?) Read the full Episode 2 recap here.

Episode Three: The Case of the Missing Lifeguard

When we last saw Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), they had just left Mrs. Driscoll's house with evidence of a very sick rat. Excited, Nancy presents the photos and shoe-leather reporting about missing chemicals around town to the room full of Hawkins Post writers and editors. Their response, per the Netflix subtitles: [men laugh]. Read the full Episode 3 recap here.

Chapter Four: The Sauna Test

Following his run-in with Darth Drago, Hopper (David Harbour) wakes up naked with Joyce (Winona Ryder) tending to his injuries. It's not as sexy as that sounds: Hopper's clothes were soaked and he promptly throws up upon becoming conscious. Better luck next time on the Jopper front. Read the full Episode 4 recap here.

All the Winners and Losers from Stranger Things 3

Chapter Five: The Flayed

Read the full Episode 5 recap here.

Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum

Hopper (David Harbour), Joyce (Winona Ryder), and Alexei the Russian scientist are laying low with Murray (Brett Gelman) watching cartoons and providing Burger King with some righteous product placement. (Eat Whoppers, kids!) The kidnapped Russian is a hostile witness, at first, but he soon realizes something Hopper knew first: It doesn't matter whether Alexei tells them the secrets of the Russian base under Starcourt Mall or not; the Russians will think he talked and kill him regardless. Alexei, welcome to Team Jopper. Read the full Episode 6 recap here.

Chapter Seven: The Bite

Having escaped the underground Russian lair, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Steve (Joe Keery), Robin (Maya Hawke), and Erica (Priah Ferguson) run into more goons at Starcourt Mall. Flustered, Dustin has an idea -- and that's how we end up with the four heroes sneaking into a screening of Back to the Future. (That there are four seats to be had on the blockbuster film's opening weekend is more fantastical than a monster from another dimension made of human goo, but I digress.) Read the full Episode 7 recap here.

Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt

Let's pause here to flash back to Episode 1 and "Suzie with a Z," Dustin's girlfriend from Utah who looks like "Phoebe Cates only hotter." She's the whole reason for Cerebro, and -- as expected -- she actually exists! Better, she knows Planck's Constant. Dusty-bun and Suzie-poo exchange teen love platitudes, and when he asks her to tell him Planck's Constant she makes one demand. And so, we get Dustin and Suzie (with a Z) singing a duet of Limahl's "Never Ending Story" at the top of their g-d lungs, autotune and all. What a moment. Hopper unlocks the vault and they're one step closer to closing the gate for good. Read the full Season 3 finale recap here.