[Netflix] Stranger Things

[coopasonic]

Is there no separate thread for Stranger Things? Anyway I just finished the last episode (Ep 7) of this batch of Season 4 last night and it was really fantastic. Some really nice storytelling elements drawing multiple plot lines together. A little odd that the main boys did not appear much but I guess they will make up for it in the finale. I will admit I did fall asleep during some of the episodes, but I was fully awake and engaged for the last one and it was like a full movie length. If you like “classic” horror movies like Nightmare on Elm St, this is like a really fleshed out (no pun intended) version of something like that, complete with lots of lore and origin stories.

[Pyperkub]

Watched the first two episodes of season 4 this weekend.

The first half of the first episode was a chore to get through, but it picked up after that.

[Zarathud]

My wife and I are in Season 3. With the lockdown, she had no appetite for more horror. We started back up again.

[Holman]

I'm finishing up Season 3 right now. I'll get right to Season 4 when I do.

This thread means I get to point out again that "Starcourt Mall" is actually northeast Atlanta's Gwinnett Place Mall, where I grew up hanging around at the age and in the year of the ST protagonists. (The mall has failed in this century, and the ST team bought half of it to use as a setting.)

In 1983/84/85 it had less neon, but of course Netflix needed to easily signify "80s."

Unless I forgot something, I haven't seen a video arcade scene. In the mid-80s, that was half the reason to go to the mall in the first place. (If I remember correctly, our arcade was just a few shops to the right of the show's ice cream place.)

[Pyperkub]

I'm finishing up Season 3 right now. I'll get right to Season 4 when I do.

This thread means I get to point out again that "Starcourt Mall" is actually northeast Atlanta's Gwinnett Place Mall, where I grew up hanging around at the age and in the year of the ST protagonists. (The mall has failed in this century, and the ST team bought half of it to use as a setting.)

In 1983/84/85 it had less neon, but of course Netflix needed to easily signify "80s."

Unless I forgot something, I haven't seen a video arcade scene. In the mid-80s, that was half the reason to go to the mall in the first place. (If I remember correctly, our arcade was just a few shops to the right of the show's ice cream place.)

Well, also, the SoCal malls were loaded with neon, and got featured in a LOT of 80's movies... which does color (get it?) the expectations

[Kraken]

Watched the first two episodes of season 4 this weekend.

The first half of the first episode was a chore to get through, but it picked up after that.

I'm glad to hear that. We watched the first half of the first episode and turned it off. Will finish it tomorrow night.

[hepcat]

I'm diggin' the practical effects so far. I sometimes forget how great they can be in comparison to CGI. I think I need to watch The Void again. It's the perfect compliment to this series.

[disarm]

Watched the first two episodes of season 4 this weekend.

The first half of the first episode was a chore to get through, but it picked up after that.

I'm glad to hear that. We watched the first half of the first episode and turned it off. Will finish it tomorrow night.

I watched the first two episodes last night, and it definitely picks up quickly. I feel like they may have dragged at the start just to show how "back to normal" everyone's lives had gotten before things start to go crazy again. Everyone thought they were safe, but...

[Pyperkub]

Watched the first two episodes of season 4 this weekend.

The first half of the first episode was a chore to get through, but it picked up after that.

I'm glad to hear that. We watched the first half of the first episode and turned it off. Will finish it tomorrow night.

Yeah, that first 40-45 minutes or so (these episodes mostly seem longer than previously, more in the over an hour club than usual it seems) was just hard to watch and wasn't grabbing me at all. Now it has all 8 tentacles in me.

(Watched 2 more episodes last night and each of the last two nights I was sorely tempted to say screw sleep, I need MORE!

[Dogstar]

What I find interesting is that with the longer episodes of Season 4 (especially by the time you get to episode 7), I didn't binge them in a mass together like seasons previous. It was just too much material for me, even with a lot of interest, for me to say, "Yes, I'll do one more." Two at a time was what I did, and it seems others are falling into a similar pattern.

While I do think they could use an editor, I really did enjoy the first part of Season 4. The only storyline I could take/leave is that of

Spoiler:

Joyce/Hopper

. Sadie Sink does a great job with her role, and I love the elements they bring in from other horror/80's films.

[Hyena]

Watched the first two episodes of season 4 this weekend.

The first half of the first episode was a chore to get through, but it picked up after that.

I'm glad to hear that. We watched the first half of the first episode and turned it off. Will finish it tomorrow night.

I watched the first two episodes last night, and it definitely picks up quickly. I feel like they may have dragged at the start just to show how "back to normal" everyone's lives had gotten before things start to go crazy again. Everyone thought they were safe, but...

This is exactly how I felt. There was a bit of confusion at first for me, as I hadn't seen Season 3 since it came out lo these many years ago (or at least it seems like years...). Examples:

Spoiler:

I forgot that Eleven had left with Will and his family, and that she had lost her powers, either from burn out or just contact with the Mind Flayer, whichever it was. I also don't FULLY remember all the people that were lost the basketball player referenced, I'm assuming it was all the people that willingly fed themselves to the flayer through Billy.

The good things I liked were

Spoiler:

The long-haired DM. They set him up as a freak/loose cannon psycho, then redeemed him during the picnic table drug deal. Then they cast a shadow on him taking the cheerleader to his house, only to redeem him again. My guess is (and remember, I haven't seen past Ep. 1) he is going to be a willing avatar for Vecna, after seeing his rant in the cafeteria. I kinda hope not, because he would be a great source of both knowledge and comedic relief.

[Hamlet3145]

I'm enjoying the season, but really feel like this was originally written as 8 episodes then Netflix insisted on 13.

Edit: looks like it's nine episodes total. Still think everything feels stretched out.

[Sudy]

I've watched the first three episodes. I think there are definitely diminishing returns concerns. There's also the problem of having a now giant cast of characters and needing to give them all something meaningful to do. But overall, it's still such a joy to watch. The episode lengths aren't an issue (so far). It doesn't feel bloated to me, though its large number of plot threads may seem unruly at times. The call to action at the end of episode three is marvellous.

[Pyperkub]

FWIW, episode 4 was probably my favorite episode...

[Kraken]

FWIW, episode 4 was probably my favorite episode...

Just watched that tonight and it was the best so far.

[Sudy]

Done episode seven....

Spoiler:

I can't tell if the season thus far has been excellently planned or is an exercise in self-cannibalization. I am simultaneously indulgent of each long episode while frustrated with the isolated storylines and loose retreads of previous plot threads. Yet it's so well done for the most part that I don't mind, and rarely check my watch.

I think this is a point that all series with a similar structure come to if they're not willing to write out more characters. We're following around multiple different Scooby gangs. There's even an antagonist one this season, led by Jason the captain of the basketball team. But even though some characters are under-utilized, it's still such a joy to watch.

The young Eleven CGI is great in some shots and horrendous in others. If they were going to insert the older character into the flashbacks I wish they would have dispensed with the de-aging altogether. The Upside Down also looks very flat at times.

For as high as these runtimes are, after seven episodes it feels like there's been quite a bit of wasted time and building up of underdeveloped themes (as contradictory as that sounds). I don't think most of the personal stories are gelling as well with the monster/conspiracy plot this season. (Exception: Max.) Again, that's mostly the series showing its age and the writers trying to keep everyone happy.

Hopper's subplot really grew on me in the end, but it feels like it's taken forever to get anywhere. I guess that will make his presumed return all the more interesting though. I found it problematic that his story was mostly played straight and Joyce's/conspiracy guy's was often played for laughs. I really didn't enjoy watching the latter two characters at all this season.

Dustin's girlfriend can fall in a whirlpool for all I care. I get the need for comic relief but the tone shift is just too jarring.

[msteelers]

We’re through episode 6 and really enjoying it. The 7th episode is the length of a movie though, so we might not be able to get to it until Friday.

[telcta]

Done episode seven....

Spoiler:

The young Eleven CGI is great in some shots and horrendous in others. If they were going to insert the older character into the flashbacks I wish they would have dispensed with the de-aging altogether.

Spoiler:

Surprisingly, no CGI was used for young Eleven... that's actually an actress - Martie Blair.

[Sudy]

Spoiler:

Surprisingly, no CGI was used for young Eleven... that's actually an actress - Martie Blair.

Spoiler:

Really? That's bizarre. I was getting uncanny valley from something. Perhaps from the fact that the younger actor obviously doesn't have a completely identical face. But there were some shots that just felt so off to me. I thought it was CGI on top of another actor like what Disney did with Leia in Rogue One and Luke in The Mandalorian.

[Smoove_B]

I only started last night - the episode lengths are bonkers. I guess we know why so many other shows have been cancelled - to offset the cost of funding the double-sized run of Stranger Things.

Regardless, I liked the first episode - felt like a good transition from last season. I'm just not entirely buying the D&D element - namely the club and the cast of characters. While I wasn't in high school in 1986, I'm having a hard time believing those high school kids (as portrayed) were D&D fans.

[JCC]

Because my memory sucks, I did a complete rewatch of Stranger Things. A complete joy to rewatch. I think S4 is fantastic. Though, I agree that there are too many important characters now.

Non plot spoiler, but just a note about absent characters...

Spoiler:

Jonathan, Will, and Mike weren't even in the seventh episode!

[Pyperkub]

Well, there *is* a LOT of exposition in the 7th episode...

[JCC]

Well, there *is* a LOT of exposition in the 7th episode...

For sure. And, I think the season has been fantastic. Just noting, these eps are all pretty long and in large part it's because they have to find room for everyone to have something to do. I read that Dustin is now the only character to appear in every episode.

[Skinypupy]

Finished tonight.

Random observations:
- I quite enjoyed it, but feel like they could have told the exact same story in about half the time.
- Argyle was supposed to be funny but was mostly just annoying.
- Murray, on the other hand, is hilarious…especially the karate bits.
- Was Will hitting on Mike? Or just professing his undying friendship? I couldn’t really tell which vibe they were going for there. Also, Will is a pretty terrible actor.
- As someone who grew up around huge Salt Lake Mormon families in the 80’s, that whole bit had me rolling. There were multiple families just like that (with a dozen completely out of control, free-range kids) in my neighborhood.
- Nearly all of Hopper’s story felt unnecessary.
- I figured out El’s “memory” pretty early, that seemed very telegraphed. Maybe that was intentional.
- Loved the Freddy Krueger vibe, and the deaths were creepy AF.
- The fact they left everything hanging kinda bugs me, but at least the wait won’t be long. But damn, do they have a lot to wrap up.

[Smoove_B]

Official trailer for Volume 2. I'm guessing it would be considered spoiler-tastic if you haven't finished Volume 1 yet

[Skinypupy]

Loved that trailer (although I'm not so sure about The Crow-esque rooftop guitar moment) and am really looking forward to this.

I'm guessing that not everyone makes it out alive. Place your bets on who we lose, my money's on:

Spoiler:

Eddie feels like a given (sadly), but I'm guessing we lose either Robin or Steve. With Nancy being the potential dark horse.

Can't imagine they'd off any of the younger kids.

[Kraken]

I just got caught up last night so the timing is good. Although I have to travel that weekend, so I'll immediately fall behind again.

Spoiler:

I did NOT see Vecna's origin story coming and I found his abrupt transformation hard to swallow, but they did establish his motives and his grudge against Sunnydale, so that's all good.

[Max Peck]

This is exactly what I wanted going into Season 4 (because who has time to rewatch that much content).

[Sudy]

I find recap videos to be indispensable these days, especially when breaks between seasons are sometime beyond a year. Sometimes you have to dig to find quality ones which can be a little annoying. The visuals help so much if someone's edited video well though, compared to reading written recaps, etc.

[hepcat]

I’m about 5 episodes in and I’m finding that I have to force myself to watch it. The longer episodes make it feel like there’s more padding to me….or perhaps that’s been the case all along and the shorter episode lengths didn’t make it seem as egregious for me.

[naednek]

This is exactly what I wanted going into Season 4 (because who has time to rewatch that much content).

I did...

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[Max Peck]

I didn't, which is why I originally watched a short recap video featuring several of the cast members, but it was a little too concise for what I wanted. The one I found out about today is much more in line with what I wanted.

[Torfish]

Finished last night. The last two episodes clocked 1hr 27mins and 2hr 30mins.

I'm not a big fan of the storyline, but I highly respect the production value and special effects. Makes for an entertaining watch, at the very least. Seeing all the 80's stuff was still cool as hell to see this season. The music was top notch. Watch it on a big screen with good sound to do it justice.

I won't spoil. The ending episode scene with the music and action was amazing. Really good stuff. Worth the watch.

Seasons 1 and 4 are the best of the series.

[Holman]

We've just finished S4 E7 (The Massacre at Hawkins Lab), and I'm pretty satisfied with everything so far.

It's definitely the case that the showrunners could have produced a tighter, less sprawling story, but I actually like the details and complications that come from the various subplots. It feels less like a movie than a novel, and that gives most of the characters room to grow.

I'm sure the series will end with unanswered questions and undeveloped potential, but that's OK. I think the end of Season 3 was one of the best "prestige TV" sequences I've seen in a while, and I hope they'll be able to pull off something worthy of the end of the series as a whole when we get there.

[hepcat]

I finished episode 7 this past weekend and that’s where the story finally kicked in for me. I’m looking forward more to it now.

[El Guapo]

Finished the last two episodes last night. Really liked this season. I think season 1 is still the best, but this is a contender for second best (and a nice bounce back from season 3, which I thought was ok but not amazing).

Spoiler:

I was a bit surprised that they ended the season with the rifts seemingly open. I think the show is best when they're trying to figure out a creepy mystery and not so great when it devolves into over the top action sequences.
Some of that is probably unavoidable when you get to the culminating fight of the season, but it made me a little concerned that season 5 (the last season I believe) is going to be more action sequences than mystery. We'll see, though.

Also, I wasn't clear on what the connection is between Vecna / Henry / One and the Mind Flayer. They showed in the flashback Henry meeting up with what looked like the Mind Flayer, which makes me think that the Mind Flayer is a separate evil, but then they seemed to also say that Vecna / Henry was the prime evil. So did Henry absorb the mind flayer, or did the mind flayer absorb him, or are they just allies working together, or what?

Also I hope that they're done with the Soviet Union. The Soviet stuff has been the weakest part of the last two seasons.

[Hrothgar]

A lot of the show is explaining what the 80's were like. We remember it, but younger generations don't know much about the cold war. So I don't mind the theme, but they could have cut some of the fat.

Spoiler:

Most of Hopper's suffering could have been reduced to the late scene where Joyce see all the scars on his body. If they'd just kept the key elements, I think it would have been better. I kind of worry that some of it was justifying the expenses on the adult cast.

On the Mind Flayer, my understanding was that Vecna found it as a formless living energy. He then shaped it into his vision of a super predator (as seen by his drawing as a boy and his fascination with spiders). Vecna then used it to create the hive mind and reshape the upside down in his image. He thought himself a god so he was (re)creating the world. I would say all the evil came from Vecna.

[EvilHomer3k]

Finished watching the finale for Season 4.
I liked Season 2 and 3 but season 4 was excellent. Some shows do a terrible job when they have to switch between different groups (looking at you walking dead) but this worked well. The switches weren't jarring and they did a nice job tying them together. While the episodes were long I never felt they drug or that anything was really unnecessary. Like Holman I enjoyed the additional detail and small stories.

Some super spoliery thoughts on the finale:

Spoiler:

Absolutely loved Eddie. Easily my favorite character in the show. I am truly sad that he's passed on. His final scene and the scene with Dustin and Eddie's uncle were devastating.
I enjoy the more happy endings but I'm glad they went more empire in this one. For some reason I thought this was the final season so it was a bit more of a surprise for me.
I hope they do something to make Mike's character less...ugh.
I thought they did a nice job of bringing Yuri back to their side.
I liked Dmitri's character and hope to see him back in S5 (and find out what happened to him).
It was nice to see others besides 11 contribute more than just filler. I hope that continues.
Can someone please take Will to Cost Cutters or Great Clips? At his age most every kid is going to stop getting a bowl cut. It felt weird and looked out of place (though perhaps that's because I've seen Noah Schnapp in other things now).

Overall a great season of one of the best shows on television right now.

[hepcat]

I’m enjoying the last episode, but I have to wonder why they made it 2 hours and 30 minutes long instead of just splitting it into two episodes.

Also, the sexual chemistry between Hopper and Joyce is second only to what I can imagine Phyllis Diller and Dom Deluise would have had.

P.S. I’m reading about a season 5 being planned now? I thought this was supposed to be end?

[Skinypupy]

Finished tonight, and would echo what most others have said. An really excellent season overall, with some very minor nitpicks:

Spoiler:

- When Eddie busted into "Master of Puppets", I gave a literal "HELL YES!"...while sitting alone in my recliner. Which is funny, as that was the scene in the trailers that felt absolutely cringe out of context. He was a brilliant character and while I fully expected that they'd kill him off, I'm glad he went out as the hero he did.
- Everything in Russia could have been shortened to half an episode. Murray and Dimitri were both great, but that entire plotline was generally meh.
- When Robin saw Vicki in the Army Surplus store, I legit thought it was an 80's Molly Ringwald deepfake for a sec.
- The whole Jason thing was rather anti-climatic.
- I honestly didn't think it would work to split up the group. I was wrong, as the way they came together in the end was pretty awesome.
- Poor Max. That ending shot of her blank mind was gut-wrenching. Sadie Sink deserves special mention for her awesomeness this season, as does Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Maya Hawke, and Millie Bobbie Brown. The whole cast was great, but they were especially fantastic.
- I really loved the ending, seeing the upside down start to encroach on the real world. Can't wait to see how they wrap it all up.
- Thrilled that Kate Bush made over $2MM in a month due to the show using "Running Up That Hill". That's awesome.

Hepcat's just being a grump, Hopper and Joyce make a great couple.