'Stranger Things' Season 2's Least Popular Episode Served a Purpose, Say EPs

The Duffer brothers can't always keep "Stranger Things" fans happy, but there is a method to their madness.

The series creators were on hand to discuss Season 2 during Vulture Festival LA on Saturday, and fans brought up the most controversial episode yet: Episode 7, "The Lost Sister." It was a chapter -- spoilers ahead! -- that saw Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) leave Hawkins and embark on new (mis)adventures in the big city with her "sister" of sorts.

The episode was not universally well-received, and it inspired tweets like the following:

This side story about Eleven's sister is *really* cheesy. #StrangerThings
— Bitchface_Nemesis (@OverlySarcasmic) November 8, 2017

Loved it but I felt the episode with eleven's sister was a bit useless
— Mathis (@adatextio) November 1, 2017

Stranger things is brilliant but that episode with eleven's sister is completely crap. There's absolutely no point in it
— Daniel Niblock (@dannyniblock) November 1, 2017

Not a fan of Eleven's "sister" & her gang. #StrangerThings
— LisaMarie???? (@RononWolf) October 28, 2017

Nonetheless, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer had their reasons for Eleven's not-so-popular journey. While Ross admitted that "it annoyed some people," the episode gave them to try "experimenting with form" and to take "a breather" from Hawkins and the Upside Down.

Executive producer Shawn Levy defended the choice, too, pointing out how it furthered the story.

"It allowed Eleven to learn about her powers and gain more -- which we need for episode nine," he said, referencing her training with Eight (Linnea Berthelsen). "Her going away makes that return at the end of episode eight so powerful."

Overall, "Stranger Things" Season 2 got a positive response, so one semi-unpopular episode isn't the end of the world. Besides, there were other people who loved it, including some fans who are ready to see Eight get her own show.