Stranger Things (Netflix Original)

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

#justiceforbenny
#justiceforbob
#bobnewbysuperhero

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ProphetofGanja

I don't think anyone doubted it was coming, but Stranger Things is officially renewed for a third season

Again?

http://collider.com/stranger-things-...newal-netflix/

[Andrew NDB]

No thoughts on season 3 yet?

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

No thoughts on season 3 yet?

I'm busy playing the Mass Effect trilogy and rewatching all of Deep Space 9. Gonna be awhile for the Cylons household.

[IndigoErth]

Oh good, I wasn't sure there was a thread or how deep it might have been buried. And just finished it up last night.

That is one sad ending to the season. Really hope and betting Hopper still exists...somewhere. That other dimension probably? Glad they hinted at a continuing onto a next season.

Really well crafted and heartfelt/tear-jerker ending with Hopper having still had that note tucked in his pocket and Eleven getting to read it.

What do the Russians even want with this other dimension anyhow... (Granted I guess that's predictable.) Wanting to use it to their own advantage seems a little foolhardy given the circumstances. Though what came out of that 'doorway' in that last and teased scene was exactly what I figured it would be.

Honestly, the only thing I'd change about this season is make a bit more monster-y sooner. And even though it was scary and gross in person, I do kind of miss the Mind Flayer being seen as the huge creepy shadowy thing over head.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

That is one sad ending to the season. Really hope and betting Hopper still exists...somewhere. That other dimension probably?

Spoiler:

It sounds like it. Did you see the after-the-credits bit? Where they talk about "the American"? It's almost certainly him, still alive.

I know the Duffers have said there is one or two seasons left a while back. A finite number, for sure.

I think it'd be kind of neat if the final season, they skip ahead to like 2005, and recast all of the kids with adult actors.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Spoiler:

It sounds like it. Did you see the after-the-credits bit? Where they talk about "the American"? It's almost certainly him, still alive.

Oh, good point. I did see them say that, though wasn't quite sure what to think.

That would be neat if they did recast them as adults. Or save a recast for a second series and continue with a new arc.



Forgot to mention that I also loved how they threw the Neverending Story theme in there. Awesome shoutout to the nostalgia for so many (loved that movie as a kid -- seriously, who wasn't singing along?) and very fitting for this series. The little long distance girlfriend having a hand in saving the day, when she hasn't even a clue no less, was pretty cool.

The kids really kind of remind me of The Goonies sometimes, I'm surprised there haven't really been any references (or at least none I recall).

[Utrommaniac]

Yeah, I may have gotten a little weepy during the "moving out" scene.

I'm just hoping "the American" is a bait-and-switch...the Hop was definitely already gone before Joyce shut the machine down, so I'd imagine he went under the grates to escape because it was faster. And that's when he got caught.


I'd compare it to how Eleven escaped the Upside Down at the start of season 2.

One thing that was kinda sweet was Erica starting to come around to accepting that she too, is a nerd, and getting Will's D&D set.
On a final note, please just let Will play some D&D.

[Powder]

I really liked the first season.

2 & 3 felt so forced in so many respects. The romance, the humor, the excess of plots. Eh.

[ProphetofGanja]

I just finished Season 3 last night. Still not as good as that first season, but very enjoyable. There were some great horror moments when people’s bodies were commandeered into becoming part of a terrifying monster.

I’m still processing a lot of feelings about the plot so I’ll get to that later.

I will say that it’s becoming apparent to me that one of the Duffer Brothers’ weak points is editing/pacing. There were a few weird lulls in tension this season, where excitement was built up but quickly allowed to dissipate due to having to cut back to another group of characters, of which there were a LOT this season. Or like what was up with the last part of the last episode, the epilogue? It was shown so out-of-order chronologically, it just felt like it was done unnecessarily.

Hopper is definitely still alive

[newfan]

Well that was sad but yeah agreed with others:

Spoiler:

They chose a death that would look obvious to kill him (also showing others blasted to mush) but without showing him get killed.

I liked the first season best over all.

[Andrew NDB]

Finished "Stranger Things" season 3. About as good as 1, or at least close to it. Way better than 2. They really planned this one out, this go around. That was a hell of a finale and a hell of a "boss fight." I could see nods to beats from Indiana Jones stuff and even "The Gate." Everyone got good moments this season, pretty much... it all feels pretty balanced.

Spoiler:

* Disappointed about Billy. There was a huge opportunity to have him come back next season, a year or two later and have him be a completely different, very changed character with a ton of growth. Just thrown away at the end there. Too bad.

* Hopper. C'mon. Zero chance he's dead. If they'd at least not shown the catwalk there where he was was clean there might be doubt but, no... plus "the American" thing at the end. I think he might be the equivalent of what Will was in season 1 next season. I really wish they made it "appear" more definitive of a death, if only so I could buy it for now.

* None of Eleven's friends from season 2 show up or are mentioned? That whole plot from season 2 seemed so disconnected from everything else that season I had to assume it was to set up big stuff this season. Nothing, nada here about any of that. Though I can see how they might tie into her getting her powers back next season.

* Still waiting for Matthew Modine's character of Eleven's "papa" from season 1 to show back up. We sure never saw a body or a kill there either. Maybe next season will be a big return to the Upside Down with a lot of surprises. Like, everyone unites for a "Search for Spock" thing, but for Hopper, and it balloons from there.

* Gotta say, a much more satisfying villain this season. Which is the same villain as season 2... but now it's corporeal. Which is what bugged me about season 2. I found it hard to get too worked up about a giant smoke monster that can just completely live inside a 10 year old kid. And jesus, so gross. I'm pretty sure it had rib cage bones for teeth.

* Maybe I missed something... but OK. The Mind Flayer was supposedly locked in our world at the end of season 2, yeah (even though we saw it not in our world at the end of season 2)? That's what the kids say. But it can't do anything until the Russians began to open their gate, and then collapses if their gate closes? Why?

[Andrew NDB]

Crazy Evan Rachel Wood takes issue with Hopper's behavior this season.

https://people.com/tv/evan-rachel-wo...er-jim-hopper/

[IndigoErth]

Yeah, some of his behavior was not so great. I hope if, or likely when, he is back it will lead him to calm down a bit.

I can't really fault the guy for going overprotective parent mode really. Having lost one daughter tragically and basically his whole world and then adopt another that comes from and still has some really special circumstances, and all the crazy, terrifying, mind bending, life risking stuff they'd gone through... yeah, I get it. But the handling of the little girlfriend/boyfriend situation... uh, no, bad way to go. Along with not properly handling his own feelings about change and wanting her to stay a kid, as well as some of the behavior with regard to his own wanted love interest.

I like his character for the most part, but those would definitely be some flaws to target for character development to grow past.

[Shinigami]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

The kids really kind of remind me of The Goonies sometimes, I'm surprised there haven't really been any references (or at least none I recall).

You may have forgotten a lot of season 2. Bob and his treasure maps.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

But the handling of the little girlfriend/boyfriend situation... uh, no, bad way to go. Along with not properly handling his own feelings about change and wanting her to stay a kid, as well as some of the behavior with regard to his own wanted love interest.

I like his character for the most part, but those would definitely be some flaws to target for character development to grow past.

I don't see anything wrong with imperfect characters. Zero. To want only the alternative is abhorrent.

[Sage Ninja]

I'm glad I watched the season before coming in here.

Spoiler:

I was so sad they "killed off" Hopper. They've been trying to kill him since last season. I feel bad that as soon as Eleven gets a parental figure it's snatched away from her. One the things I really enjoyed about season two was the parental bonding Eleven and Hopper had. I'm sad that is gone. But the end credits where the Russian soldier (what are they KGB?) says "no, not the American." I really,really, hope that it is Hopper and they pull a season two Eleven is alive, curve ball at us.

I really like how Dustin and Steve have gotten closer and are like surrogate brothers. Though I feel kind of sad at how low Steve has fallen. I hope he starts to climb up soon. I felt for Dustin and too a lesser extent Will. Dustin seemed disjointed from the gang this season until the very end and no one really noticed he was MIA really until the **** hit the fan. I miss the close dynamic of the boys.

Actually I know this is a theme of the kids growing up and changing and maybe even drifting apart a bit, but I was a little saddened by less close they kids "party" was.

Without Will being directly affected by the upside down (save for the flutters he feels in his neck alerting him to something going on) I felt Will didn't have much presence as the other boys and felt like he was just there, save to get mad about how Mike and Lucas were obsessed with their girlfriends and being jerks about playing D&D. He hasn't even significantly interacted with Eleven yet and I think they have weakest rapport with each other. So it feels weird that she is going to be living with them.

I found myself slightly annoyed with the cliched way they "attraction" between Joyce and Hopper was handled. It was funny at points but and I do ship them, but ugh...

I like the new addition of the ice cream girl and Steve.

Lucus's younger sister I could take her or leave her, but I like her inclusion and I warmed up to her toward the end. I hope we see more of her involvement.

* Disappointed about Billy. There was a huge opportunity to have him come back next season, a year or two later and have him be a completely different, very changed character with a ton of growth. Just thrown away at the end there. Too bad

.

I agree with this. I feel like Billy had potential to grow and become more than a stereotype. I liked how he had a moment of clarity and protected Eleven.

This show has tendency to off characters that were good or could grow. I'm still salty about Bob getting killed.

Also the number of people who know Eleven's secret is growing kind of big. It was also a tad jarring how much they boys grew since season 2 Maybe it would be in their best interest to skip more than just a year for season four.

[Utrommaniac]

Spoiler:

Gotta say though, was kind excited by the possibility that Billy was going to killed in the first episode.

It was just...really great though that Mike's mom came to her senses around Billy, but man...that is one B O R I N G husband. Just...find someone your age, woman.


For Joyce, there's something nice about her not having to worry about Will for once. I'd guess that, because of everything that's happened "what's wrong with the magnets" could inevitably turn into something bad happening to Will. You'd think at this point that Hopper would be taking her a little more seriously with all the nonsense that's been going down

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I don't see anything wrong with imperfect characters. Zero. To want only the alternative is abhorrent.

Yeaaaah...pretty sure you probably know that isn't the point.

[Utrommaniac]

Yeah, I'm going to agree on Hop going way overboard with Mike on this one - especially since it causes a lot of the problems with the kids that inevitably sends Will on his breakdown (which...never gets addressed. Like that angle of the kid who hates baseball - which is own estranged abusive father frequently forced him to play - destroys Castle Byers with a baseball bat.)

I especially think that a lot of Hopper's attitude toward Joyce came from her (accidentally) standing him up on that date.