Stranger Things 3

[JasonEvans]

IO9 has a non-spoiler review up of the super successful Netflix series which is set to debut season 3 later this week. The review is pretty darn good.

After every episode of Stranger Things 3, you’ll find yourself eagerly skipping the credits to jump into the next one. So, in that way alone, the new season works. Almost all of the characters get denser storylines to play out. The action is exponentially bigger than the previous seasons. It’s funny, gross, sweet, and fun, and by the end, the whole thing gets so massive and exciting, you’re likely not to remember a few of the hiccups along the way.

-Jason "I'm a big fan... and I can't wait for season 3 to debut to watch with my sons" Evans

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

IO9 has a non-spoiler review up of the super successful Netflix series which is set to debut season 3 later this week. The review is pretty darn good.



-Jason "I'm a big fan... and I can't wait for season 3 to debut to watch with my sons" Evans

Currently rewatching Season 1 and 2. Excited for 3. The kids are phenomenal and their friendships and interactions feel so real. More interesting to me than the spooky bits.

[aimo]

I was hoping to make some time to re-watch the first two, but no such luck. I am excited about three. Still hoping the Duffer Bros come back to Durham to film at least one episode.

[Acymetric]

I loved season 1, was kind of lukewarm on season 2. Definitely looking forward to season 3.

[left_hook_lacey]

Binge watching one and two with the kids at night at the beach this week to get ready for three. Forgot how much we enjoyed this show.

[elvis14]

Thanks for the reminder. This is one that we all watch together as a family.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Finished my rewatch last night. The second season suffers to me because we don't have all the kids together. I love Steve's reinvention. After looking online, apparently I'm the only person alive who liked Eleven's trip to Chicago.
But the last episode and a half of the season are really good. Got me amped for tomorrow's release.

[LasVegas]

So I’m 4 episodes in (would be done by now but have two small kids) and I love this season. The mall opening for the first episode hit me hard. I have some very fond memories of meeting up with my friends at our local mall and just having a blast hanging out and going to see movies.

[fuse]

Staying spoiler free, loved ST3.

Pacing, episode length and number of episodes made the story arc pretty close to perfect.

[riverside6]

It may be recency bias, but I feel like I liked Season 3 more than the first two season. It had a little bit of everything and may have been the best thing I've watched in some time. I feel like it will be talked about for some time, in a way that Goonies is still referenced today.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I admittedly blew through it in a few evenings. I enjoyed it very well - particularly the last two episodes. Lots to hash out as people catch up.

[Reddevil]

We are trying to pace ourselves with one episode per evening because we really like it and don't want it to end. I am already looking forward to season four. I was in the army during the cold war mid-eighties and the USSR angle is perfect. Love all the call backs, clothes, music, etc. Fun show. It has a Red Dawn feel to it.

[riverside6]

We are trying to pace ourselves with one episode per evening because we really like it and don't want it to end. I am already looking forward to season four. I was in the army during the cold war mid-eighties and the USSR angle is perfect. Love all the call backs, clothes, music, etc. Fun show. It has a Red Dawn feel to it.

I'll admit after episode 7 my wife and I agreed that we're not going to watch episode 8 yet, because we don't want it to be over. We finished it the next night.

[darthur]

Huge fan of the show. I found this the weakest season, but still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I think the Season 2 arc of episode 6/8/9 is some of the greatest TV I've ever seen.

[YmoBeThere]

in a way that Goonies is still referenced today.

It has a Red Dawn feel to it.

So, my '80s childhood wasn't in vain...

[JasonEvans]

I'm guessing it is ok to talk spoilers on the season at this point, right?

Seems like season 4 is going to have to go far beyond Hawkins, won't it? I mean, Hopper is almost certainly the American being held captive in Kamchatka, several of the main characters have moved away to another city, and it really feels like small town Hawkins deserves a break from monster mayhem from other dimensions.

I was disappointed in season 3. Here are some of my thoughts:

1) The story - yeah, the action was fun and it moved at a brisk pace, but there were pretty much zero character arcs... maybe Hopper coming to terms with Eleven's maturity, but that is about it. It was a season about plot more than characters, which is not what made this such a wonderful show.

2) The Upside Down - We really learned very little in terms of the larger plot about the Upside Down and its inhabitants. While I like the fact that Billy sacrificed himself (totally uncharacteristic for everything we have known about that character for 2 seasons, but the Duffners wanted to rehab him in 30 seconds so they did it), I wish he had lived so we might learn a little bit more about the Mind Flayer and what was going on there.

3) Questions, but no answers - Not only did we not gain new understanding into the mysteries of the show, we get a ton of added questions about whatever the Russians are doing, mind control, and... uhhh... liquefied body parts being turned into a sentient meat monster (or something like that). Oh, and the fact that a Demodog is alive in Russia has to mean that a portal is still open, right? Didn't all the Demodogs collapse at the end of season 2 when El closed the portal?

That's it for now. I'm sure that as ya'll post additional comments, I'll chime in. I enjoyed the ride, but found it somewhat unsatisfying as I reflect upon it. Not bad, but not as good as 1 and 2, IMO.

-Jason "when is season 4?!?! I WANT SEASON 4!!! They should do a movie of Hopper escaping from Russia while we wait for season 4" Evans

[Reddevil]

I really enjoyed it, but I need to go back and look at a few things.

Did we see Murray make it out or could he be the American prisoner?

At the end of season 2 didn't they put a demodog in the freezer or refrigerator? Could that be the origin the creature the Ruskies have?

Stranger Things is like a good book where you hate to read that last chapter/page. I resolve that feeling by not looking at it as 8 TV episodes, but instead as an 8 hour movie.

I laughed at all of the product placements - especially New Coke. I am sure Coca Cola paid a bunch for it and I like that they were able to do it by poking a little fun at themselves over that failure.

Hop kept saying, "Leave the door open 3 inches." The gateway to the upside down was open about that much. Could it have swallowed him up before the explosion?

They could end it right now, but it looks like even Netflix won't do that to this series like they have so many others.

Please don't make us wait 2 years this time!

[Reddevil]

Maybe in season 4 Gorbachev releases American prisoners including Hopper because.....well, changes are coming to the USSR.

[El_Diablo]

I was also pretty disappointed with ST3, or as it was originally titled:



-Story: The main plotline seemed like a reskin of ST2. The secondary plotline made zero sense. The Soviets have, somehow, built a huge secret underground military base in small-town Indiana for unspecified reasons, openly broadcast a "coded" message--in Russian--describing the base's location for unspecified reasons, and employed a Russian terminator to stalk around and menace/kill people. Huh?
-Characters: Hopper was thoroughly ruined, spending 90% of his time yelling shrilly at Elle, Mike, Joyce, and "Smirnoff" and the other 10% punching. Erica's sass got turned up to 11, making her the most irritating character I can think of in recent television history. Billy's climactic character turn as a result of Elle talking about his day at the beach was essentially the "Your mother is Martha? My mother is also named Martha!" moment that people rightfully ridiculed in Batman V Superman.
-Mise en scene: They certainly hit the viewer over the head with the fact that it's the 80s, scoring some nostalgia points but really taking it too far IMO. And the product promotional efforts were way over the top, to the point of being distracting.

[LasVegas]

I was also pretty disappointed with ST3, or as it was originally titled:



-Story: The main plotline seemed like a reskin of ST2. The secondary plotline made zero sense. The Soviets have, somehow, built a huge secret underground military base in small-town Indiana for unspecified reasons, openly broadcast a "coded" message--in Russian--describing the base's location for unspecified reasons, and employed a Russian terminator to stalk around and menace/kill people. Huh?
.

Not for unspecified reasons. They talked about this a little bit. Something like the portal being weakened in Hawkins due to the recent open and closure.