The D&D campaign meets the Demogorgon
Ten hours into a campaign in the Wheeler basement, the party faces the Demogorgon, Will's fireball roll goes missing, and Karen calls time.
Karen Wheeler
Mike and Nancy's mother, holding the Wheeler household together. Played by Cara Buono.
18 moments · 25 min
Joyce realizes Will never came home
A frantic school morning at the Byers house: Will's bed is empty, Jonathan took a late shift, and a call to Karen gives no comfort.
Wheeler dinner: house arrest and Ted's chicken
Mike wants to search, Nancy wants Barb's, Karen locks the house down. Doors slam, Holly gets juice, and Ted asks what he did.
El refuses the doorbell plan: bad people are after her
Mike explains how she should ring the doorbell and play lost; she answers with a single no and, haltingly, tells him who she is running from.
The closet promise and the memory of Papa
Mike hides El in his closet as his mom comes home and explains what a promise is; the dark brings back a cell and a man she calls Papa.
Karen tells Mike he can talk to her; Mike checks on El
Mike fakes sick and his mom answers with tenderness instead of anger, then he opens the closet to find El shaken and asking if everything is okay.
Karen catches Nancy sneaking in wearing Steve's sweatshirt
Nancy comes home hours late in Steve's sweatshirt; Karen asks if he is her boyfriend and begs her to talk about what happened.
Karen brings a casserole and Joyce throws her out
Joyce explains the Christmas lights, worries about Mike, then Holly wanders toward the wall and Joyce abruptly ends the visit.
The shark theory: the monster hunts by blood
Awake at night, Nancy and Jonathan reason that the creature hunts alone and smells blood, and decide to test it; then Karen walks in.
Mike spots the fake repairmen and flees
Mike interrupts Karen's phone call to ask about repairs, realises the van outside is the lab, and leaves with a one-line exit.
Brenner asks the Wheelers to trust him
Shown a photo of a girl with a shaved head, Karen and Ted deny everything until Brenner tells them Mike is in danger.
Will the Wise fireballs the thessalhydra
A month later the campaign ends in the basement: Will rolls a fourteen, the boys complain the ending is too short, and Dustin gets blamed for the smell.
Dustin, Lucas and Mike scrape together arcade money
Couch-cushion pennies, a mowed lawn and a raid on Nancy's savings: the boys radio each other to tally quarters before arcade night.
Mike's parents bench him: two boxes of toys for the yard sale
Karen lists Mike's year of trouble and Ted delivers the verdict in baseball terms; Mike pleads emotional value for his toys.
Nancy calls Barb's mother from a payphone
After a stiff run-in with Karen at the store, Nancy phones Mrs. Holland and arranges a secret meeting, warning that the line is dangerous.
Dustin storms the Wheeler house looking for Mike
Dustin grills Ted and Karen about the busy phone line and their missing kids, and gets nowhere.
Billy charms Mrs. Wheeler at the front door
Billy comes looking for Max and lays the charm on thick with Karen Wheeler, who is in no hurry to send him away.
Getting ready for the Snow Ball
Joyce films Will's dance moves, Karen photographs a mortified Mike, Lucas's sister ambushes him with a kiss, and Dustin hunts for his hairspray.