Netflix Stranger Things

[wilson]

I’m in the minority because I liked episode 7. I think it added some nice backstory and depth to Eleven/Jane. Plus, she was given the opportunity to either leave or return. So I think it’s important that she now feels like being in Hawkins is her choice now and she isn’t some outsider or prisoner. It’s her home now.

Yes, I agree with the thematic significance of the episode, and perhaps I should clarify that I didn't dislike it; I just thought it was very much the biggest outlier episode (of either season) in terms of storytelling, pacing, setting, etc., and I think there would have been ways to convey the above thematic messages without shoving Eleven into this detached storyline.

[JasonEvans]

Just finished Ep 8...

BOB!!!! I really liked that dude. I guess nothing nice can happen for Joyce. Maybe she and Hopper can finally get together in season 3.

I was able to stop before finishing episode 9... because my wife was threatening to divorce me if I did not stop watching.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I’m in the minority because I liked episode 7. I think it added some nice backstory and depth to Eleven/Jane. Plus, she was given the opportunity to either leave or return. So I think it’s important that she now feels like being in Hawkins is her choice now and she isn’t some outsider or prisoner. It’s her home now.

Seven didn't bother me, as I felt it was nice to catch up on Elle and see what was happening in her world. Yes, it was a tonal shift, but I agree with others that I guess I assume that it will tie into later seasons.

[JasonEvans]

I finished today... fabulous season. Really enjoyed it and found it every bit as good as season 1. A few comments --

1) What was up with Dustin getting sprayed by something in Ep 9 down in the tunnels? It happens and he falls down but then he pops up saying, "I'm fine," and the show just shrugs it off. In a finale where everything is racing to a conclusion on three separate fronts there's no way they took the time for a meaningless detour like that. That moment will be paid off at some point. I'm betting we just saw the way the Upside Down is going to maintain a presence on our side (and open a new doorway) in season 3.

2) Steve with a Negan-like bat in his hand was just awesome. Please let season 3 contain much more of him hanging out with Dustin. In fact, if there was a spin off that was just Steve and Dustin (with 11 dropping in every now and then to do cool mind tricks) I'd watch every episode!

3) Ummm, what was the point of Max? Did she end up doing anything other than fall for Lucas? I guess she provided some episode filler early on in the season as Dustin and Lucas stalked her, but in the end I'm not sure she mattered much at all. Sure, she drugs her brother which allows the kids and Steve to go set the fire in the tunnel, but if she wasn't around they would not need to deal with her brother in the first place. I like that they have strong female characters, but please give her more purpose in season 3.

4) It is clear that if there is an "8" and an "11" there must be at least 9 other kids with some kind of psychic abilities, right? I suppose season 3 could feature some special kids who are loyal to Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine) versus the kids who hate him. That could be fun. Of course, one problem with introducing more and more folks with special powers is that it begins to devalue the rest of the characters. I mean, it is tough enough making Lucas useful and Mike more than just a whiner with only 11 around... imagine how pathetic they will seem if we get 4 or 5 more kids with powers doing all the important work of the plot.

5) If season 3 jumps a year in the future (as most folks expect to account for the young actors aging) and it features Lucas and Max and Mike and Jane/11 as happy couples, I'm going to be more than a little disappointed. I've got kids who went through middle and high school and no one... NO ONE... had a middle school romance that lasted more than maybe 2 or 3 months. 12 year olds who stay in a relationship for a year... that's even harder to believe than the existence of an alternate universe with shadow creatures and lizard dogs.

6) Speaking of the alternate universe, I'm dying for the show to explore how the Upside Down became the way it is. I mean, we see the same buildings over there as exist over here. Who built them? How come they are nearly exact copies of our world? And why are there no humans or other recognizable animals in the Upside Down? I would love for Season 3 to explore that place a bit more, though I suspect it won't.

-Jason "that's all for now... would love to chat about it with all of you... what a fun, fun show!" Evans

[darthur]

Enjoyed reading your thoughts!

- I just really cannot get enough off the show. I understand why it's not everyone's cup of tea, but holy cow do I love it. A lot of this comes down to the characters/actors I think. I just love each and every one to death, to the point where I'd be genuinely upset if any of the core group (especially the kids + Hopper) is killed off. And the chemistry is terrific across the board.

- It does seem like Season 2 has less dangling loose ends than Season 1. Season 1 ended with a really cool D&D scene where the kids specifically laid out the open mysteries (proud princess: Eleven?, lost knight: Hopper?, weird flowers in a cave: Demogorgon eggs?) and of course it also hinted that Eleven was alive and Will was sick. It's less clear where Season 3 will go. Is Brenner actually still alive, or was that all just a desperate lie? Dustin getting sprayed is of course interesting, and Hopper was also sprayed in a previous episode. (I thought the Dustin spray scene was pretty hilarious though, foreshadowing or not.) Billy was sedated with a needle that was presumably also used for Will, which might have consequences. And there's a Demodog in the Byers fridge. I'm sure 8 will be back but not sure where or how. For the reasons Jason mentioned, I don't really want to see more Hawkins Lab "alumni" though, and I also think the show should rely less on Eleven to save the day next season or risk being repetitive.

- Steve was great. On reddit, someone suggested that Steve could join the police department next season, which sounds like a pretty awesome idea to me.

- I found Max and Billie fun in Season 2, though I feel their story is incomplete. I would expect/hope next season will give us more.

- I'm not sure how what to think about the romances going forward; season 2 just seems like it ties everything up so nicely. I'll be pretty shocked if the end game doesn't include all of Mike+Eleven, Nancy+Jonathan, and Hopper+Joyce. In the meantime, it sounded like Eleven was going to be stuck locked up in Hopper's house for another year, so Mike+Eleven will presumably be (physically if not telepathically) separated up until the start of next season. Not sure what to expect out of Max/Lucas. More than the existing relationships, I mostly hope they don't try to manufacture new love interests for the other main characters. Just seems like it would get annoying/bloated.

- Would also love to learn more about the Upside Down. I suspect we'll learn bits and pieces more but doubt they'll try to explain everything.

- As a former D&D enthusiast, I was irrationally annoyed when Mike said that Will was their cleric. We know Will casts fireballs, and fireball is a mage spell!

- The kid actors seem to be everywhere on tv talk shows now too, and some of it is pretty great. For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p-QzY5bxJ0

[lmb]

- The kid actors seem to be everywhere on tv talk shows now too, and some of it is pretty great. For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p-QzY5bxJ0

And just in time for the holidays....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XPpm-igsRE

[wilson]

Today, I purchased this:
https://www.smm.org/strangerthings
My wife will likely be less than thrilled, but I’m willing to deal with the fallout.

[aimo]

Today, I purchased this:
https://www.smm.org/strangerthings
My wife will likely be less than thrilled, but I’m willing to deal with the fallout.

So, apparently that shirt was sold back in 1980 only. After Stranger Things, there were so many people wanting one, they starting printing them up like crazy.

Kind of like when Avril LaVigne wore a Wilkesboro Elem School t-shirt in a video (apparently she found it in a thrift store somewhere), fans were contacting the school wanting one. They started printing them again, sold a ton, and made some $ for the school.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Today, I purchased this:
https://www.smm.org/strangerthings
My wife will likely be less than thrilled, but I’m willing to deal with the fallout.

I had something quite similar when I was that age. For some reason, it didn't make quite the cultural impact that Dustin did.

[alteran]

So, apparently that shirt was sold back in 1980 only. After Stranger Things, there were so many people wanting one, they starting printing them up like crazy.

Kind of like when Avril LaVigne wore a Wilkesboro Elem School t-shirt in a video (apparently she found it in a thrift store somewhere), fans were contacting the school wanting one. They started printing them again, sold a ton, and made some $ for the school.

This reminds me of the red Swingline Stapler from Office Space.

Swingline didn't actually MAKE a red stapler, but after the movie they got so many requests they started. Apparently it's their best seller.

[wilson]

Today, I purchased this:
https://www.smm.org/strangerthings
My wife will likely be less than thrilled, but I’m willing to deal with the fallout.

So, apparently that shirt was sold back in 1980 only. After Stranger Things, there were so many people wanting one, they starting printing them up like crazy.

Kind of like when Avril LaVigne wore a Wilkesboro Elem School t-shirt in a video (apparently she found it in a thrift store somewhere), fans were contacting the school wanting one. They started printing them again, sold a ton, and made some $ for the school.

This reminds me of the red Swingline Stapler from Office Space.

Swingline didn't actually MAKE a red stapler, but after the movie they got so many requests they started. Apparently it's their best seller.

After getting an order confirmation and then no follow-up for several days, I checked in with the hoodie people this morning for a status update. They told me that they're doing the best they can and feeling a bit overwhelmed because, in the last ~week, they've sold over TWENTY THOUSAND hoodies.
Good for the Minnesota Museum of Science. I have to think that someday this will all fund some sort of Stranger Things-related exhibit or area or something in their facility. I hope it will continue to be a boon to exactly the kind of institution that I like to support these days.

[bjornolf]

Just finished ST2 today. LOVED it. Bummed about Bob though. I liked him.

[JasonEvans]

Just finished ST2 today. LOVED it. Bummed about Bob though. I liked him.

Well, someone had to die. There had to be some price paid for all the bad stuff going down. Bob was it.

Bob... Barb... if there is a character named Ben or Bud next season, I'm not investing any emotional energy into him.

[bjornolf]

Well, someone had to die. There had to be some price paid for all the bad stuff going down. Bob was it.

Bob... Barb... if there is a character named Ben or Bud next season, I'm not investing any emotional energy into him.

Nah, it'll be Bernice.

[A-Tex Devil]

I was trying to place Billy's look all season, and then it came to me...


rob-lowe-st-elmo-s-fire_a-G-9790112-13198926.jpg

[JasonEvans]

I was trying to place Billy's look all season, and then it came to me...


rob-lowe-st-elmo-s-fire_a-G-9790112-13198926.jpg

Oh, I was thinking this all year...

[JasonEvans]

I liked the Peanuts version, but if anyone finds a better Stranger Things parody than the one done by Sesame Street, I want to see it!

[darthur]

I liked the Peanuts version, but if anyone finds a better Stranger Things parody than the one done by Sesame Street, I want to see it!

It's pretty great. I think this is still my favorite Stranger Things parody video though:

[aimo]

I liked the Peanuts version, but if anyone finds a better Stranger Things parody than the one done by Sesame Street, I want to see it!

Love it when Will coughs up the gummy worm!

[Wander]

It's less clear where Season 3 will go. Is Brenner actually still alive, or was that all just a desperate lie? Dustin getting sprayed is of course interesting, and Hopper was also sprayed in a previous episode. (I thought the Dustin spray scene was pretty hilarious though, foreshadowing or not.) Billy was sedated with a needle that was presumably also used for Will, which might have consequences. And there's a Demodog in the Byers fridge. I'm sure 8 will be back but not sure where or how. For the reasons Jason mentioned, I don't really want to see more Hawkins Lab "alumni" though, and I also think the show should rely less on Eleven to save the day next season or risk being repetitive.

Agree with these thoughts for season 3. One more I'll throw out there is exploring Eleven as a villain. She never made up with Max, and specifically used her anger and hatred of Papa to close the gate. There are enough Star Wars episodes throughout the show where that makes me worried about where she's going when Papa inevitably comes back into the show (not to mention they were clearly going for a Darth Vader analogy when she was choking that dude). That may be where this weird episode seven is headed towards.