Stranger Things (Spoilers, duh!)
Discussion
We finished Season 4 on Friday evening.
Stranger Things. Wow. It is unquestionably up there with the very best TV shows I have ever seen. It’s subliminal production values have had me hooked from the very first episode. The attention to detail to get everything spot on, the cars, music, fashion. I think it does the 80’s better than the 80’s did
The Metallica, Master Of Puppets scene took me totally by surprise, absolutely blew me away. I have not been able to stop thinking about it all weekend, and I don’t know how I’m going to wait another, what, two years?
Stranger Things. Wow. It is unquestionably up there with the very best TV shows I have ever seen. It’s subliminal production values have had me hooked from the very first episode. The attention to detail to get everything spot on, the cars, music, fashion. I think it does the 80’s better than the 80’s did
The Metallica, Master Of Puppets scene took me totally by surprise, absolutely blew me away. I have not been able to stop thinking about it all weekend, and I don’t know how I’m going to wait another, what, two years?
Trevatanus said:
I watched an episode of this about a year ago and thought it was utter crap.
Gave it another go and now I’m truly hooked.
Started Season 4 last night.
I read that the actor who plays Dustin has Dyspraxia, and they adjusted the writing to incorporate this.
Yeah, we had a failed first go, then got properly into it, think tiredness and alcohol were to blame Gave it another go and now I’m truly hooked.
Started Season 4 last night.
I read that the actor who plays Dustin has Dyspraxia, and they adjusted the writing to incorporate this.
I finally managed to complete this last night, having stayed away from this thread to avoid spoilers. I think my comments below are spoiler free....
I really enjoyed the series, and I'm looking forward to S5, but I think they've taken these characters about as far as they can, so a final series to tidy things up and give closure would be my preferred outcome.
The overall story arc for S4 held together well, and the reverse engineering to fit it into S1-S3 was pretty well done, whilst obviously seeding the barebones story for S5.
As usual, the 80's references are spot on. The callback to films and pop culture is excellent, the fashion, music, hairstyles and even things like house decor all help to plant this in the same slightly fantasy world as those Hollywood movies from the 80's. Those movies always seemed slightly surreal to me as a teenager growing up in a boring northern town suffering economic hardship during this period (no Nikes, walkie-talkies, dial-up computers or being a high school jock at the prom for me!).
I liked that they used the D&D/satanism Christian scare story as a driving force for one of the subplots, reminding the audience that the premise of this whole story is basically about a bunch of teenagers who role-play when they're not acting as Scooby Doo and solving mysteries (they even had the haunted house and bats from the SD titles
).
I can't say that I noticed anyone 'acting' which is always a good sign, these characters are entirely believable within the context of the story, and at no point did I wince at clunky lines or delivery. As someone upthread said, I like the clueless parents that seem to be in a totally different TV show to this
Where this series suffered for me, was that there were just too many characters and too many threads for whole chunks of the story. This lead to too many capture/escape/chase subplot lines which didn't really move the story along but gave the separate groups something to do whilst the A-plot was moving along. Rather crazily, they also added new characters into the mix, leaving the regulars even less to do - hopefully there will be a trimming of characters for the next series, I feel like they need to get back to just the scooby gang driving this story along.
It was all good fun, and I enjoyed every second, but it feels like it could have been a much tighter and shorter story if they had prudently chopped some of the story arcs.
I really enjoyed the series, and I'm looking forward to S5, but I think they've taken these characters about as far as they can, so a final series to tidy things up and give closure would be my preferred outcome.
The overall story arc for S4 held together well, and the reverse engineering to fit it into S1-S3 was pretty well done, whilst obviously seeding the barebones story for S5.
As usual, the 80's references are spot on. The callback to films and pop culture is excellent, the fashion, music, hairstyles and even things like house decor all help to plant this in the same slightly fantasy world as those Hollywood movies from the 80's. Those movies always seemed slightly surreal to me as a teenager growing up in a boring northern town suffering economic hardship during this period (no Nikes, walkie-talkies, dial-up computers or being a high school jock at the prom for me!).
I liked that they used the D&D/satanism Christian scare story as a driving force for one of the subplots, reminding the audience that the premise of this whole story is basically about a bunch of teenagers who role-play when they're not acting as Scooby Doo and solving mysteries (they even had the haunted house and bats from the SD titles
).I can't say that I noticed anyone 'acting' which is always a good sign, these characters are entirely believable within the context of the story, and at no point did I wince at clunky lines or delivery. As someone upthread said, I like the clueless parents that seem to be in a totally different TV show to this
Where this series suffered for me, was that there were just too many characters and too many threads for whole chunks of the story. This lead to too many capture/escape/chase subplot lines which didn't really move the story along but gave the separate groups something to do whilst the A-plot was moving along. Rather crazily, they also added new characters into the mix, leaving the regulars even less to do - hopefully there will be a trimming of characters for the next series, I feel like they need to get back to just the scooby gang driving this story along.
It was all good fun, and I enjoyed every second, but it feels like it could have been a much tighter and shorter story if they had prudently chopped some of the story arcs.
great summary above. where will they go with S5 - i wonder if they will FFWD a few years as was it me or did they film certain scenes with the "kids" and "adults" to try and not show how the actors playing the "kids" have not had massive growth spurts and actually taller than everyone else ........... and Will's haircut just didnt sit well........
moanthebairns said:
Just finished season three the other night, I'd watched the first two series again prior to the third.
I didn't hate the third, I really enjoyed the last episode however the darkness went and stupidity came in.
The story with the mall, I mean I know its sci-fi but the complexities, time, engineering to build that secret underground base....REALLY. The lift shaft alone was implausible and they did this in a year! It seemed that if they thought if they flung in anything popular from the 80's it will work whilst shouting in your face about it, before it was incredibly subtle. I miss the eerie, almost scary, dark feel of the first two.
I’ve only just got into watching this, although very enjoyable. The timescales involved in building that mall really annoyed me. I didn't hate the third, I really enjoyed the last episode however the darkness went and stupidity came in.
The story with the mall, I mean I know its sci-fi but the complexities, time, engineering to build that secret underground base....REALLY. The lift shaft alone was implausible and they did this in a year! It seemed that if they thought if they flung in anything popular from the 80's it will work whilst shouting in your face about it, before it was incredibly subtle. I miss the eerie, almost scary, dark feel of the first two.
I've been avoiding looking in this thread due to the spoilers so i'm a bit late to the party.
At the end of Season 3 I was left with questions and didn't feel that Season was necessary and not especially enjoyable. I felt Stranger Things could have finished after Season 2 but they sort of dragged it out. Then we had a giant break and I lost interest after not watching for a few years. The story seemed a bit tired, the cast all grown up and rather awkward looking. It's hard going back to a show which I watched years ago.
Nevertheless, I thought i'd give Season 4 a try and i'm glad that I did. In terms of cinematography they really took it another level this season. I'm aware they had a giant budget for it and some of the episodes clocking in at 2 hours is crazy in production terms for a TV show. I did feel the last 30 minutes of the finale dragged and they honestly could have wrapped up the show very nicely there but obviously there's another Season or two to squeeze out of the franchise.
One gripe i've had throughout Stranger Things is the visual aspect: why is the lighting always so dark in some scenes?!? I get it's the upside down or they're doing it for atmosphere but I really struggle to see what's going on unless the brightness is turned all the way up and it's really frustrating.
I'm not it ever really addressed why the Russians wanted the demogorgon and breeding them? They just wanted it as a weapon which they had no control over? It doesn't seem that they had any interest in the gates or the upside down which we had been made to think in the previous Season.
At times it really felt like I was watching a Kate Bush commercial. It's great for her but it got a bit much that it had to become one of the main themes of the season.
As usual, you really have to suspend belief. These kids are running around without their parents seemingly wondering where they are? Even when the kids can prove there's an upside down world and show an adult (such as the police officer) and clear Eddie in the process they don't think to use the opportunity but go off trying to be heroes saving the day by themselves with dustbin lids.
Did they explain how the weapons / tools were sourced from the weapons shop / fair? Did they steal them or were they walking around with hundreds of $ in cash? Also seemed strange that the military could send in choppers and elite armed squads but can't track a pizza van.
Gripes aside, it was one of the more enjoyable things to watch on Netflix and i'll be tuning in for the next season although hearing it's not for another 2 years makes me lose interest again.
At the end of Season 3 I was left with questions and didn't feel that Season was necessary and not especially enjoyable. I felt Stranger Things could have finished after Season 2 but they sort of dragged it out. Then we had a giant break and I lost interest after not watching for a few years. The story seemed a bit tired, the cast all grown up and rather awkward looking. It's hard going back to a show which I watched years ago.
Nevertheless, I thought i'd give Season 4 a try and i'm glad that I did. In terms of cinematography they really took it another level this season. I'm aware they had a giant budget for it and some of the episodes clocking in at 2 hours is crazy in production terms for a TV show. I did feel the last 30 minutes of the finale dragged and they honestly could have wrapped up the show very nicely there but obviously there's another Season or two to squeeze out of the franchise.
One gripe i've had throughout Stranger Things is the visual aspect: why is the lighting always so dark in some scenes?!? I get it's the upside down or they're doing it for atmosphere but I really struggle to see what's going on unless the brightness is turned all the way up and it's really frustrating.
I'm not it ever really addressed why the Russians wanted the demogorgon and breeding them? They just wanted it as a weapon which they had no control over? It doesn't seem that they had any interest in the gates or the upside down which we had been made to think in the previous Season.
At times it really felt like I was watching a Kate Bush commercial. It's great for her but it got a bit much that it had to become one of the main themes of the season.
As usual, you really have to suspend belief. These kids are running around without their parents seemingly wondering where they are? Even when the kids can prove there's an upside down world and show an adult (such as the police officer) and clear Eddie in the process they don't think to use the opportunity but go off trying to be heroes saving the day by themselves with dustbin lids.
Did they explain how the weapons / tools were sourced from the weapons shop / fair? Did they steal them or were they walking around with hundreds of $ in cash? Also seemed strange that the military could send in choppers and elite armed squads but can't track a pizza van.
Gripes aside, it was one of the more enjoyable things to watch on Netflix and i'll be tuning in for the next season although hearing it's not for another 2 years makes me lose interest again.
Edited by g4ry13 on Friday 19th August 18:25
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