Stranger Things (Netflix)

[Stout]

Season 2 is easily the weakest of the series. Season 3 was great. Season 4 is solid, some truly great moments, but too long and they’re starting to get a little annoying repeating the same mistakes (IMO).

And repeating the lack of consequences. Like, it's this dark, dealing with this kind of nasty, and there's barely a body count.

 

[Cheesebeef]

And repeating the lack of consequences. Like, it's this dark, dealing with this kind of nasty, and there's barely a body count.

Yeah… continuing to just kill off the new likable season guest (Sean Astin in Season 2) and the death this season we’re effective because they were solid characters, but as this thing goes on, the stakes get less and less for our main characters… especially now that one actually died on screen… and then was brought back to life.

But at this point, you either just gotta just go with the Duffers and accept the show for what it is or changed your expectations. It’s not game of thrones and never was intended to be. I just wish they’d stop with the fake out deaths.

Nothing more I hate as a writer than that kind of schmuckbait. It’s just lazy.

 

[JerkFace]

Nothing more I hate as a writer than that kind of schmuckbait. It’s just lazy.

Generally I totally agree with this but:

Spoiler

I am holding out faith in the Duffers that Max’s “empty mind” plays a vital role in the final season. If she just recovers in the first episode it will be super lame, but I am thinking (hoping) that the reason they brought her back was because the complete emptiness that eleven saw when she went into Max’s mind will be a key cog in the final season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Generally I totally agree with this but:

Spoiler

I am holding out faith in the Duffers that Max’s “empty mind” plays a vital role in the final season. If she just recovers in the first episode it will be super lame, but I am thinking (hoping) that the reason they brought her back was because the complete emptiness that eleven saw when she went into Max’s mind will be a key cog in the final season.

Yeah… maybe they’re going Search For Spock here, but I feel like they basically just did the rehab story with Elle for an entire season. Doing the same with another character getting them “back” will feel like treading on similar grounds.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeah… maybe they’re going Search For Spock here, but I feel like they basically just did the rehab story with Elle for an entire season. Doing the same with another character getting them “back” will feel like treading on similar grounds.

Spoiler

I'm going out on a limb to say that Max is now the avatar for Vecna. Max is gone, and her "shell" will now house Vecna in the real world. I don't know if Sadie can pull it off (it DOES parallel her brother in some respects), but it's interesting to think about. Plus, it gives some character conflict for Elle when they figure it out.

 

[Covert Rain]

Spoiler

I'm going out on a limb to say that Max is now the avatar for Vecna. Max is gone, and her "shell" will now house Vecna in the real world. I don't know if Sadie can pull it off (it DOES parallel her brother in some respects), but it's interesting to think about. Plus, it gives some character conflict for Elle when they figure it out.

Spoiler

I agree. Not really going out on a limb. It’s the first thing the wife and I thought of based on the scene with 11 going into her mind and there was nothing. I think infiltrating the scooby gang could lead to a cool story line.

 

[Chaplin]

Spoiler

I agree. Not really going out on a limb. It’s the first thing the wife and I thought of based on the scene with 11 going into her mind and there was nothing. I think infiltrating the scooby gang could lead to a cool story line.

Agree, but I was more referring to the idea that a kid that young could pull something like that off.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Now I think he'll have more to do in the final 2 episodes, but my money is on Will. He sacrifices himself to save Eleven.

I would’ve thought will would’ve sacrificed himself to save Mike considering he is in love with Mike.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

What just really made me roll my eyes (beyond tons of dead space where they just kept flicking to the different groups, prolonging the "oh no, our heroes are doomed!" moments beyond eye rolling--I kept getting complaints from my ever-patient mother that she was fed up, even!), was...

Spoiler

That Max literally had no reason to have her bones broken because El had the strength to defeat Vecna all along, but she couldn't do it until a man told her he loved her. That's some backhanded toxic masculinity logic right here. I get what they were TRYING to pull off, that he's the heart of the group and his words could really inspire and bolster her, but it fell flat. She literally could have saved Max, but didn't because "ohmegerd, he had to say he lerved her" first. That did not work. Like, at all. [\spoiler]

Spoiler

I guess you could look at it that way. I thought it was more harkening back to her earlier conversation with Henry about using some pain from her past to enhance her strength and her figuring out that happy and loving memories provided more power. Hence Mike pouring out his love for her was able power her greater than vecna’s hate powered him.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

So I watched through season 2 and didn't like season 2 that much....does it get better?

I thought this season was better than 2.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Generally I totally agree with this but:

Spoiler

I am holding out faith in the Duffers that Max’s “empty mind” plays a vital role in the final season. If she just recovers in the first episode it will be super lame, but I am thinking (hoping) that the reason they brought her back was because the complete emptiness that eleven saw when she went into Max’s mind will be a key cog in the final season.

I was thinking the same

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Spoiler

I'm going out on a limb to say that Max is now the avatar for Vecna. Max is gone, and her "shell" will now house Vecna in the real world. I don't know if Sadie can pull it off (it DOES parallel her brother in some respects), but it's interesting to think about. Plus, it gives some character conflict for Elle when they figure it out.

That would be some dark ish.

 

[WaywardFan]

I don't like that idea.

That being said, Dylan O'Brien's Stiles in the Teen Wolf tv series had something similar to that and it was so good.

 

[Devilmaycare]

So I watched through season 2 and didn't like season 2 that much....does it get better?

S2 and S3 suck and really can be skipped. S4 is back to S1 levels and it gives you enough info that you really don't need to have seen 2 or 3. Most of it can be inferred or a quick google search if you get too lost.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Yeah… continuing to just kill off the new likable season guest (Sean Astin in Season 2) and the death this season we’re effective because they were solid characters, but as this thing goes on, the stakes get less and less for our main characters… especially now that one actually died on screen… and then was brought back to life.

But at this point, you either just gotta just go with the Duffers and accept the show for what it is or changed your expectations. It’s not game of thrones and never was intended to be. I just wish they’d stop with the fake out deaths.

Nothing more I hate as a writer than that kind of schmuckbait. It’s just lazy.

Not sure if we're still in spoiler land around here on the show. Comments about the death.

Spoiler

Yeah, I was a little disappointed his this death too. At least he went out like a boss and very well could have the most memorable scene of the entire show. I'd say that right now he does but that might be recency bias.

Watching it I thought the Duffers might have had a different death set up but that they didn't have the cojones for it and that was killing Dustin. They had dropped a bunch of lines from Eddie and Steve about how great he is and gave some set up. So for a second when he went out and saw Eddie being attacked I thought he might do something that saved Eddie but got himself killed. It would have been up there with Ned Stark for an emotional gut punch.

 

[Chaplin]

S2 and S3 suck and really can be skipped. S4 is back to S1 levels and it gives you enough info that you really don't need to have seen 2 or 3. Most of it can be inferred or a quick google search if you get too lost.

Skip S2 and S3? Come on now.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Skip S2 and S3? Come on now.

I thought both of those seasons were garbage. I almost didn't watch S4 until I heard that it was good and that they righted the ship from 2 and 3. I'm not alone in that.

 

[Covert Rain]

Skip S2 and S3? Come on now.

Season 3 was damn good.

 

[Chaplin]

I thought both of those seasons were garbage. I almost didn't watch S4 until I heard that it was good and that they righted the ship from 2 and 3. I'm not alone in that.

Lol I’ve met some people that were “meh” on S2, but none have called it garbage let alone to skip it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Not sure if we're still in spoiler land around here on the show. Comments about the death.

Spoiler

Yeah, I was a little disappointed his this death too. At least he went out like a boss and very well could have the most memorable scene of the entire show. I'd say that right now he does but that might be recency bias.

Watching it I thought the Duffers might have had a different death set up but that they didn't have the cojones for it and that was killing Dustin. They had dropped a bunch of lines from Eddie and Steve about how great he is and gave some set up. So for a second when he went out and saw Eddie being attacked I thought he might do something that saved Eddie but got himself killed. It would have been up there with Ned Stark for an emotional gut punch.

People would have burned Netflix offices to the ground.

 

[Covert Rain]

People would have burned Netflix offices to the ground.

The Duffers would have had to change their names and lived out the rest of their lives in cave. LOL.

Spoiler

I honestly thought they were setting up one of the older kids to eat it. I do give them a bit of credit though. They said this isn't the game of thrones and they are going to stick to their vision and do it their way. I have to give them some credit for that even though I think the show would have a different level of gravity had they killed off at least one of the older kids.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Lol I’ve met some people that were “meh” on S2, but none have called it garbage let alone to skip it.

I travel with a tough crowd when it comes to media.

Seriously though, on a couple of the different fandom based discords I'm on there were people asking about the buzz they were hearing about S4 because they checked out during S2 or S3 and wanted to know if they should give it another shot. Personally, I thought the writing was a lot weaker in those seasons and I didn't like the direction they were taking some of the character, especially Hop. I was really glad to see the reverse course this season.

 

[Devilmaycare]

People would have burned Netflix offices to the ground.

Probably but they would have gone out in an epic blaze of glory.

He's my favorite of the kids so that aspect would have sucked but boy would that have been a stunning event. I do wonder if they considered it at all since there was a little bit of foreshadowing. I'd be interested to see them asked it.

 

[Covert Rain]

So this is from S1 E1 of Stranger things. Who does this remind you of? Did you remember this? I didn’t.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Stout]

The Duffers would have had to change their names and lived out the rest of their lives in cave. LOL.

Spoiler

I honestly thought they were setting up one of the older kids to eat it. I do give them a bit of credit though. They said this isn't the game of thrones and they are going to stick to their vision and do it their way. I have to give them some credit for that even though I think the show would have a different level of gravity had they killed off at least one of the older kids.

Spoiler

Meh, I get that they aren't doing game of thrones, but they are doing sci-fantasy, demon-monster based horror stuff, and a bunch of kids and teenagers are running through it almost completely unscathed. There's GoT on one end, but there's Polyanna BS on the other end.