The beats land when they need to land, without losing teeth during the comedy portion.

Everything happening around/to Brooke works well, too

Rita/Donna/Dee Dee’s fascination with serial killer is explained in a surprisingly heartfelt cold open in which she discovers a terrible secret about a close relative.

The episode clicks off a lot of boxes, and works hard to wrap things up as best it can with the various character plots that have been running throughout.

One night of killing at Camp Redwood is over.

The Night Stalker and Mr. Jingles as they journey towards Los Angeles with more killing on their mind?

Certainly, Brooke’s portion of the camp plot seems to be finished, given what happens at the end of the episode

There are still more kills to be had, and a whole collective of new vengeful ghosts to join the other ghosts at Camp Redwood, but from the outside, the story of one single night of murder and mayhem at the camp seems to be done with.

I’m fairly certain that Camp Redwood as a location isn’t done, and that 1984 won’t simply stop halfway through a season and pivot to being a prestige drama or something.

However bold as going meta was at the time, it wasn’t as bold as what happens in “Red Dawn,” the halfway point