Netflix Original: Stranger Things (1 Viewer)

[Hawks64]

literally fell asleep.  Season was entertaining overall, but felt a little disjointed and dragged in parts 

Really how I felt about the season, I think they could have cut 10-15 minutes of most episodes. Still a great season but no where near as good as S1 for me.

 

[otb_lifer]

literally fell asleep.  Season was entertaining overall, but felt a little disjointed and dragged in parts 

s1 was brilliant, entertaining, innovative, witty ... special. 

subsequent seasons just feel like microwaved redux, and the further we get away from the fresh baked debut season, the drier and tougher the endeavor gets. 

big ball of meh ...

 

[The Dude]

s1 was brilliant, entertaining, innovative, witty ... special. 

subsequent seasons just feel like microwaved redux, and the further we get away from the fresh baked debut season, the drier and tougher the endeavor gets. 

big ball of meh ...

season 1 was great for its simplicity.  This season is the other end of the spectrum on simplicity

 

[otb_lifer]

season 1 was great for its simplicity.  This season is the other end of the spectrum on simplicity

i can get with that ...

- like they say: if you can't wow 'em with a story, dazzle 'em with your bull####! 

 

[Hawks64]

i can get with that ...

- like they say: if you can't wow 'em with a story, dazzle 'em with your bull####! 

There is a lot of dazzlin' going on

 

[Todem]

100% best season of the series thus far and July 1st can’t get here soon enough.

This took me back to the best horror films and feel of the 80’s at every turn. Just awesome.

Season 1 was great….I did not care for season 2. I liked Season 3.

But season 4 is on a completely different level of complexity, story telling, budget, character development…..just fantastic.

 

[Clown Car]

100% best season of the series thus far and July 1st can’t get here soon enough.

This took me back to the best horror films and feel of the 80’s at every turn. Just awesome.

Season 1 was great….I did not care for season 2. I liked Season 3.

But season 4 is on a completely different level of complexity, story telling, budget, character development…..just fantastic.

Agreed! We are rewatching the whole thing because two of my kids were too young for it when it came out. Season 2 is not as cool as 1 or 3 and 4 surpasses them all. 

 

[Galileo]

Agreed! We are rewatching the whole thing because two of my kids were too young for it when it came out. Season 2 is not as cool as 1 or 3 and 4 surpasses them all. 

Season 1 was great….I did not care for season 2. I liked Season 3.

Speaking of season 2, when does Kali (008) reappear in this story?  I suspect she will have to at some point. I don't see her fitting in right now with only a couple season 4 episodes remaining, so maybe not until season 5?  They have to tie up those lose ends eventually I would think.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Speaking of season 2, when does Kali (008) reappear in this story?  I suspect she will have to at some point. I don't see her fitting in right now with only a couple season 4 episodes remaining, so maybe not until season 5?  They have to tie up those lose ends eventually I would think.

My guess is she just gets ignored. The rumor is they were looking to spin that group off into a new show but when it didn’t go over well at all, they scrapped it. 

 

[bigbottom]

s1 was brilliant, entertaining, innovative, witty ... special. 

subsequent seasons just feel like microwaved redux, and the further we get away from the fresh baked debut season, the drier and tougher the endeavor gets. 

big ball of meh ...

Max’s scene in Episode 4 is easily a top 3 moment in the entire series for me. 

 

[bigbottom]

My guess is she just gets ignored. The rumor is they were looking to spin that group off into a new show but when it didn’t go over well at all, they scrapped it. 

Yeah, that was a pretty terrible storyline, IMO. 

 

[otb_lifer]

Max’s scene in Episode 4 is easily a top 3 moment in the entire series for me. 

was it a remarkably crafted/executed scene?

yes. 

hell yes, at that.

but, without divulging spoilers (though i'm quite sure anyone in here has already zipped thru the episodes), lemme just say that the plot armor is thick. sludge-like.  i mean ... T.H.I.C.C. (as the kids say). 

worse than G.o.T.

they're gonna have to off somebody soon, in order to deliver at least a modicum of plausibility to all this supposed "danger" ... and i'm not talking the Ginsberg lookalike or the Dazed & Confused stoner knockoff shim ... i'm talking major character offing. 

s1 worked on so many brilliant levels because it was much darker and organic - ordinary folk overcoming extraordinary circumstances - always a winning formula when handled with the genius and nuance of the runners/producers - had a dash of nostalgia, and more than a few callbacks to the decade that introduced us to this genre in kind. 

but now?

now they're borderline superhero level, and all "danger" will be vanquished by the plucky cadre of adorable misfit toys - culminating in a victory dance set to Janet Jackson or Samantha Fox, i'm afraid. 

it lost it's edge a loooooong time ago, now it's pure Hollywood sensationalist pablum - doesn't work for me any longer. 

YMMV, of course. 

 

[GroveDiesel]

was it a remarkably crafted/executed scene?

yes. 

hell yes, at that.

but, without divulging spoilers (though i'm quite sure anyone in here has already zipped thru the episodes), lemme just say that the plot armor is thick. sludge-like.  i mean ... T.H.I.C.C. (as the kids say). 

worse than G.o.T.

they're gonna have to off somebody soon, in order to deliver at least a modicum of plausibility to all this supposed "danger" ... and i'm not talking the Ginsberg lookalike or the Dazed & Confused stoner knockoff shim ... i'm talking major character offing. 

s1 worked on so many brilliant levels because it was much darker and organic - ordinary folk overcoming extraordinary circumstances - always a winning formula when handled with the genius and nuance of the runners/producers - had a dash of nostalgia, and more than a few callbacks to the decade that introduced us to this genre in kind. 

but now?

now they're borderline superhero level, and all "danger" will be vanquished by the plucky cadre of adorable misfit toys - culminating in a victory dance set to Janet Jackson or Samantha Fox, i'm afraid. 

it lost it's edge a loooooong time ago, now it's pure Hollywood sensationalist pablum - doesn't work for me any longer. 

YMMV, of course. 

I did read somewhere that they said major character(s) will die. Who knows what that means. I do think they should actually kill off Hopper though. He can sacrifice himself for others or something. I could see one of the older kids getting killed off too, but seriously doubt they’ll kill any of the core younger kids.

 

[The Dude]

I did read somewhere that they said major character(s) will die. Who knows what that means. I do think they should actually kill off Hopper though. He can sacrifice himself for others or something. I could see one of the older kids getting killed off too, but seriously doubt they’ll kill any of the core younger kids.

Internet theory: Steve doesn't make it.

 

[jb1020]

Internet theory: Steve doesn't make it.

I can see this. 

We finally got caught up yesterday.  Cannot wait for July 1!  This season has been excellent.  Best since 1.  

 

[glvsav37]

My guess is she just gets ignored. The rumor is they were looking to spin that group off into a new show but when it didn’t go over well at all, they scrapped it. 

speculation but read with caution. 

go back to S4E1 where thy were rolling against Vegna in the D&D Campaign. Dustin rolled an 11 and failed. Potential foreshadowing that El cant defeat Vegna on her own. 

 

[offdee]

I tried getting into this and put on S1 E1 last night.  I couldn't get past about 15 minutes listening to the chubby dude with the lisp.  So annoying.

 

[otb_lifer]

I tried getting into this and put on S1 E1 last night.  I couldn't get past about 15 minutes listening to the chubby dude with the lisp.  So annoying.

easily the most insufferable muppet of the original bunch. 

PS - he actually gets worse as the saga trudges on, so he has that going for him. 

 

[offdee]

easily the most insufferable muppet of the original bunch. 

PS - he actually gets worse as the saga trudges on, so he has that going for him. 

Good to know. I definitely won't bother trying to get into this then.  He makes me angry whenever he's on the screen.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I tried getting into this and put on S1 E1 last night.  I couldn't get past about 15 minutes listening to the chubby dude with the lisp.  So annoying.

Gaten Matarazzo has cleidocranial dysplasia, a condition he was born with that affects the development of bones and teeth. 

He does not have collarbones and still has his baby teeth, which causes him to speak with a lisp.

 

[offdee]

Gaten Matarazzo has cleidocranial dysplasia, a condition he was born with that affects the development of bones and teeth. 

He does not have collarbones and still has his baby teeth, which causes him to speak with a lisp.

Ok, and?   He's annoying and I don't want to watch 4+ seasons of him.

 

[bigbottom]

Ok, and?   He's annoying and I don't want to watch 4+ seasons of him.

YOU MONSTER!!!  I bet you hated Life Goes On too, didn’t you?!?

 

[stbugs]

Ok, and?   He's annoying and I don't want to watch 4+ seasons of him.

Cool. It’s a great show. Weird that one kid bothers you that much, but hey at least you’ve got one less thread to read. 

 

[stbugs]

YOU MONSTER!!!  I bet you hated Life Goes On too, didn’t you?!?

Corky was insufferable. Way too happy, pissed me off. That show would have been way better without him.

 

[bigbottom]

Corky was insufferable. Way too happy, pissed me off. That show would have been way better without him.

 

[stbugs]

was it a remarkably crafted/executed scene?

yes. 

hell yes, at that.

but, without divulging spoilers (though i'm quite sure anyone in here has already zipped thru the episodes), lemme just say that the plot armor is thick. sludge-like.  i mean ... T.H.I.C.C. (as the kids say). 

worse than G.o.T.

they're gonna have to off somebody soon, in order to deliver at least a modicum of plausibility to all this supposed "danger" ... and i'm not talking the Ginsberg lookalike or the Dazed & Confused stoner knockoff shim ... i'm talking major character offing. 

s1 worked on so many brilliant levels because it was much darker and organic - ordinary folk overcoming extraordinary circumstances - always a winning formula when handled with the genius and nuance of the runners/producers - had a dash of nostalgia, and more than a few callbacks to the decade that introduced us to this genre in kind. 

but now?

now they're borderline superhero level, and all "danger" will be vanquished by the plucky cadre of adorable misfit toys - culminating in a victory dance set to Janet Jackson or Samantha Fox, i'm afraid. 

it lost it's edge a loooooong time ago, now it's pure Hollywood sensationalist pablum - doesn't work for me any longer. 

YMMV, of course. 

Man, do I disagree. Season 4 has been a great watch. Hard to say better than Season 1, because that was the start of everything but I think I may be enjoying it more.

Also, not sure sensationalist works with pablum, kind of antonyms but they are big words.

 

[otb_lifer]

Also, not sure sensationalist works with pablum, kind of antonyms but they are big words.

oh, they work together here - as in "trying to dizzy up a stale premise with more razzle dazzle" - is that more to your liking?

Ok, and?   He's annoying and I don't want to watch 4+ seasons of him.

10/10 

hottest genuine take in the thread.

Corky was insufferable. Way too happy, pissed me off.

 

Big Daddy Thatch down?

 

[Capella]

Ok, and?   He's annoying and I don't want to watch 4+ seasons of him.

You……don’t have to watch?

 

[Capella]

Imagine being this old and just now realizing your remote can actually turn off stranger things. 

 

[stbugs]

Imagine being this old and just now realizing your remote can actually turn off stranger things. 

I miss the big corded box remote where you pressed the channel number buttons. The best part was if there was a row switch to save button space so the buttons changed to 1 of 2 or 3 channels. If you played around with it you could get the in between values to descramble channels to which you didn’t subscribe. Did the same with the TV channel switching it from 3 to 4 made the cable box show a different channel.

Second remote I missed was the handheld one that made the loud clicks as if you were turning the channel on the TV. Didn’t want people to freak out with all the new tech so they left the loud click in it.

 

[stbugs]

oh, they work together here - as in "trying to dizzy up a stale premise with more razzle dazzle" - is that more to your liking?



10/10 

hottest genuine take in the thread.

 

Big Daddy Thatch down?

Stale premise. Yeah, not so much. Not really seeing the lack of accuracy either being glossed over by the dazzle. Unlike GOT’s final season (since key characters died, well all the time), our group of misfits had 1 person in even remote trouble this season. They saved her, not really a stretch. I don’t remember any of the others having a bad life or manslaughter charges, so don’t really see the issue. If they all survived the white walker onslaught, you would have a valid point, that was pretty bad.

 

[otb_lifer]

If they all survived the white walker onslaught, you would have a valid point, that was pretty bad.

s4 ain't over yet, is it?

i'm sure we'll see heaps of cheap thrill near-misses ... BRAVO!

re: Max ... sure, that was a terrific scene (as i acknowledged yesterday) - but did anyone think for even a millisecond that she was not gonna survive?

plz. 



again, plausability is running on fumes ... our unsinkable cabal has survived plenty thus far - or are we just gonna make believe seasons 1-3 did not happen? 



PS - someone mentioned Hop yesterday as being a top candidate to farm it ... though they did "Jon Snow" him already, amirite?

the character worked so ####### brilliantly as the bumblin'/stumblin' town ne'er do well, who was thrust into some pretty daunting situations ... then allowing his humanity and character to take center stage in regard to his relationship with El.

 now he's presented as a fakakate Rambo/Billy Hayes hybrid ... it's pure hysterics - and that may be an understatement.

 

[stbugs]

s4 ain't over yet, is it?

i'm sure we'll see heaps of cheap thrill near-misses ... BRAVO!

re: Max ... sure, that was a terrific scene (as i acknowledged yesterday) - but did anyone think for even a millisecond that she was not gonna survive?

plz. 



again, plausability is running on fumes ... our unsinkable cabal has survived plenty thus far - or are we just gonna make believe seasons 1-3 did not happen? 



PS - someone mentioned Hop yesterday as being a top candidate to farm it ... though they did "Jon Snow" him already, amirite?

the character worked so ####### brilliantly as the bumblin'/stumblin' town ne'er do well, who was thrust into some pretty daunting situations ... then allowing his humanity and character to take center stage in regard to his relationship with El.

 now he's presented as a fakakate Rambo/Billy Hayes hybrid ... it's pure hysterics - and that may be an understatement.

I wouldn’t even bother watching if I was that worked up. Sam-wise took one for the team early and Billy last season, but it doesn’t seem that outlandish. We still have 3-4 normal episodes of length left but it’s not GOTs.

 

[Poke_4_Life]

I'm excited for the final two episodes.  Can't believe how long they are...  1:25 and 2:30.  Why not just make them 4 episodes?  Seems a bit overkill.  

 

[Capella]

I'm excited for the final two episodes.  Can't believe how long they are...  1:25 and 2:30.  Why not just make them 4 episodes?  Seems a bit overkill.  

2:30?? Is that real? 

 

[otb_lifer]

I wouldn’t even bother watching if I was that worked up.

oh, ok ... sorry 'bout that. 

you all are witnessing history here, folks ... this is the first ever thread in the history of the innerwebz to feature criticism of the subject at hand!l!!1!!1!

i feel like Lewis to Offdee's Clark here ... we are in uncharted waters - so appreciate us for taking these bold steps!!1!

Pioneers, i tell ya! 

 

[Poke_4_Life]

2:30?? Is that real? 

For reals...  Esquire

The final two episodes of this season will hit Netflix on July 1, 2022. Worried that two is a measly amount, after the nine hours of Stranger Things you just watched? Don't. Episode Eight is one hour long, while Episode Nine runs at a whopping two hours and 30 minutes. Moving on.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

easily the most insufferable muppet of the original bunch. 

PS - he actually gets worse as the saga trudges on, so he has that going for him. 

Pic for you.  

 

[otb_lifer]

Pic for you.  

 

[bigbottom]

s4 ain't over yet, is it?

i'm sure we'll see heaps of cheap thrill near-misses ... BRAVO!

re: Max ... sure, that was a terrific scene (as i acknowledged yesterday) - but did anyone think for even a millisecond that she was not gonna survive?

plz. 



again, plausability is running on fumes ... our unsinkable cabal has survived plenty thus far - or are we just gonna make believe seasons 1-3 did not happen? 



PS - someone mentioned Hop yesterday as being a top candidate to farm it ... though they did "Jon Snow" him already, amirite?

the character worked so ####### brilliantly as the bumblin'/stumblin' town ne'er do well, who was thrust into some pretty daunting situations ... then allowing his humanity and character to take center stage in regard to his relationship with El.

 now he's presented as a fakakate Rambo/Billy Hayes hybrid ... it's pure hysterics - and that may be an understatement.

Pretty sure this is the formula for 80s schmaltzy stuff.

 

[otb_lifer]

Pretty sure this is the formula for 80s schmaltzy stuff.

meh ... fair enough, i suppose.

see you all on the other side. 

 

[stbugs]

oh, ok ... sorry 'bout that. 

you all are witnessing history here, folks ... this is the first ever thread in the history of the innerwebz to feature criticism of the subject at hand!l!!1!!1!

i feel like Lewis to Offdee's Clark here ... we are in uncharted waters - so appreciate us for taking these bold steps!!1!

Pioneers, i tell ya! 

Damn man, lol. Going with 1s and !s layered in bold with emojis. Hardcore criticism mastery going on in here.

 

[Doug B]

Ok, and?   He's annoying and I don't want to watch 4+ seasons of him.

You……don’t have to watch?

In the TV business, there can be no greater accomplishment than creating a program so integral to the zeitgeist that even those who dislike the show continue to tune in faithfully. 

 

[otb_lifer]

Damn man, lol. Going with 1s and !s layered in bold with emojis. Hardcore criticism mastery going on in here.

thanks, gb 

very glad this thin slice o'chat has been impactful on some level.

can't ask for more than that. 

 

[Doug B]

I did read somewhere that they said major character(s) will die. Who knows what that means. I do think they should actually kill off Hopper though. He can sacrifice himself for others or something. I could see one of the older kids getting killed off too, but seriously doubt they’ll kill any of the core younger kids.

Internet theory: Steve doesn't make it.

The strongest death to climax season 4, narratively, would be Joyce's.

Where the plot stands now, she's in position to wind up sacrificing herself for Hopper. Her death has reverberations throughout much of the remaining cast -- the reactions of Hopper, Jonathan, Will, Murray, etc. could be mined for all they're worth in Season 5.

And if the Mike-pulling-away-from-Will storyline continues, Joyce's death REALLY has palpable impact on Will. Will would be getting it from all sides, and could then credibly turn into a chaotic rogue character -- or even all the way into an inadvertent antagonist. Perhaps someone that somebody in the Upside Down or someone at the lab could exploit?

 

[offdee]

In the TV business, there can be no greater accomplishment than creating a program so integral to the zeitgeist that even those who dislike the show continue to tune in faithfully. 

If you read my first comment it said I watched S1 E1 for 15 mins and turned it off specifically cuz of no Collar Bonez Jonez.  

 

[Pip's Invitation]

s4 ain't over yet, is it?

i'm sure we'll see heaps of cheap thrill near-misses ... BRAVO!

re: Max ... sure, that was a terrific scene (as i acknowledged yesterday) - but did anyone think for even a millisecond that she was not gonna survive?

plz. 



again, plausability is running on fumes ... our unsinkable cabal has survived plenty thus far - or are we just gonna make believe seasons 1-3 did not happen? 



PS - someone mentioned Hop yesterday as being a top candidate to farm it ... though they did "Jon Snow" him already, amirite?

the character worked so ####### brilliantly as the bumblin'/stumblin' town ne'er do well, who was thrust into some pretty daunting situations ... then allowing his humanity and character to take center stage in regard to his relationship with El.

 now he's presented as a fakakate Rambo/Billy Hayes hybrid ... it's pure hysterics - and that may be an understatement.

Dude… life’s too short for hate-watching. 

 

[Hov34]

Some cranky old farts up in here.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

So, some of y'all are arguing "plausibility" in a show that started out being about a group of friends that play a game about magic/dragons/demons, have one of their number somehow sucked into a parallel dimension, who then find and befriend a girl that is essentially a "government engineered psionicist" that helps free him?

Cool. Coool.  I'll show myself out.

 

[otb_lifer]

So, some of y'all are arguing "plausibility" in a show that started out being about a group of friends that play a game about magic/dragons/demons, have one of their number somehow sucked into a parallel dimension, who then find and befriend a girl that is essentially a "government engineered psionicist" that helps free him?

yes.

thank you for your interest regarding that particular point. 

it moves the needle.