Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I've only seen the first episode so far, but it gets a 10/10 for featuring Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill early on.



E1/E2

I have 1 episode left to go.

I must admit it took a while to get back into, and I was struggling with it for the first 2-3 episodes.

Once it gets going though it's actually pretty good, but I feel like the cast have all aged way too much to be playing their characters.

But I am enjoying it.

The difference in appearance is startling.
I think the writing is the best it's been. It's not perfect. Some jokes fall flat and there are some questionable exposition choices. The flaws are minimal. I think it's the best season yet and that's largely due to the antagonist.

It's been brilliant, with Max's episode the standout.

The longer format really lets the characters and their interactions shine. The kids have all become better actors, and Sadie Sink as Max is just as good as Millie Bobby Brown as El. They really feel like a bunch of old friends who've been to hell and back several times.

Even the character of Erica has been dialled back. Robyn seems to have had a bit of a character rewrite to "more goofy" (I'd have to rewatch S3 to confirm though, so make your own mind up).

The writing is great, I don't feel much time is wasted either despite each episode being a short movie (although the basketball hoop and d20 roll in ep1 was kind of painful).

I'm enjoying the slow exploration and exposition of the Upside Down too. It's no less creepy for that. Some of the shots look so beautiful.

A whole month to Volume 2 is going to be tough!

Watched the first three? Maybe 4 episodes last night. Got to say I'm really impressed. I think perhaps series 3 was considerably lower in quality, perhaps they hit a wall and floundered a bit too much.

This series however is much better. The BBEG is suitably Big N' Bad and it's a good laugh.

While I am thoroughly enjoying it, there are a number of plot points that really have me saying, "What?" As in that would in no way happen like that, especially with the Russian track. But, entertaining still.

However, I do like that they are really trying to gather everything back into one universe, like the entire upside down, villain origins, the gates, etc.

I was quite surprised to see an old friend/roommate in the first episode. Shes a big ST fan (and has basically become a semi-professional Joyce Byers/Winona Ryder cosplayer), seems the production crew recognized her dedication and invited her on as an extra. She's the blonde in yellow sitting next to Max in the pep rally scene.

Me and my wife thoroughly enjoyed in and binged watch the whole thing.

I just have... questions (big SPOILER!):

 whembly wrote:
Me and my wife thoroughly enjoyed in and binged watch the whole thing.

I just have... questions (big SPOILER!):

Spoiler:

We know the antagonist in the Upside Down is 001. Is he aligned with the Mindflayer? Or, is it because he was banished by young El to the Upside Down, he became "eviler" due to the obviously malevolent environment??

I guess my question is: Why is he killing now? I know each killing opens a "mini-gate". But, for what purpose?

I suspect that after being cast into the Upside Down it was sort of like taking levels in Warlock with the Mindflayer as a patron, if that DnD reference makes sense!

In relation to the antagonist and the upside down.

Man.
I feel like they rolled back Elevens character alot, last season she was a social butterfly.
Now she is an outcast who cant form a sentence?
The Jocks Vs Geeks angle is tiring and just......i get its the 80s, but that is such a tired trope.
All the Kid drama for nearly 2 hours for the first 2 episodes got tiring.
I feel like this was a real bad drop in quality

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Man.
I feel like they rolled back Elevens character alot, last season she was a social butterfly.
Now she is an outcast who cant form a sentence?
The Jocks Vs Geeks angle is tiring and just......i get its the 80s, but that is such a tired trope.
All the Kid drama for nearly 2 hours for the first 2 episodes got tiring.
I feel like this was a real bad drop in quality

You're insane, this is the best season so far.

Some interesting fan theories in this thread! It's gonna kill me waiting until July 1 to get to those last 2 episodes. The Joyce/Hopper side of the story was a bit of a weak link for me, but I didn't hate it, and it actually does eventually get interesting once they get to the... erm... feeding lol.

Some great performances too. I have to echo whoever called out Sadie Sink, she's fantastic as Max. I also really liked Eddie as an addition to the cast, he really clicked.

He's not wrong about the Eleven plot being a bit of a rehash of the same things. It's not the first time they've done Eleven confronts her trauma to unlock her full potential. The rest of the season makes up for it.

This is the best the show's been since Season 1.

Finished the mid-season finale tonight (after binging the other 6 episodes on Sunday).

Thank God we only have to wait 'til July for the two giant movie-length episodes that finish this season off.

I hope they get a move on with the 5th and final season. Don't want Netflix to collapse before they get it done.

Film, Duffers, film like the wind?

 Azreal13 wrote:
Film, Duffers, film like the wind?

don't jinx it, remember we asked George to do similar with his writing (about a decade ago)

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Man.
I feel like they rolled back Elevens character alot, last season she was a social butterfly.
Now she is an outcast who cant form a sentence?
The Jocks Vs Geeks angle is tiring and just......i get its the 80s, but that is such a tired trope.
All the Kid drama for nearly 2 hours for the first 2 episodes got tiring.
I feel like this was a real bad drop in quality

Got to agree that this has been the best/my favourite season so far. Not sure if it is the longer episodes, the kids all blossoming as actors, a great villain or a combination of all three. But I am certainly jonesing for the final two installments. All of the new characters are firing on all cylinders as well.

 Turnip Jedi wrote:

 Azreal13 wrote:
Film, Duffers, film like the wind?

don't jinx it, remember we asked George to do similar with his writing (about a decade ago)

Aaaaand now I have that song stuck in my head.

Just finished watching season 4, does feel like the writers are just making up stuff as they go along, especially

Worst part of this season are the very long monologue, especially from Henry... the one in the rainbow room was just far too long for the events going on.

I still think Stranger Things should have only been 1 season, albeit without the whole Will still having a connectionto the Upside Down. Still... I'm this far into it now I may as well see how it resolves.

Does anyone else wonder why Wil has the hair style of Dwayne Dibley?

First part was really good. Last two were a let down.

I’m a little disappointed they all learned who Vecna was before they met him. Would have loved an encounter where they’re like Were gonna stop you Vecna! and he’s just like What? Who do you think I am?

I really loved season 4, I actually cried a couple of times, especially near the end of Dear Billy.

New characters were awesome and I'm glad Murray was promoted to the main cast, the guy is hilarious. But seriously Eddie, Jason, Enzo (the faceless assassin from GoT!!) and Yuri really added something to a show that was already perfect.

I also appreciated that Will, Jonathan and Mike had marginal roles since they're the characters I like the least. But loved how Will's character evolved and how they revealed it without forcing him to make an unnecessary and useless coming out.

Soundtrack amazing, as always. With Master of Puppets as a moment of ecstasy.

Season 4 was the best the show's ever been.

My only criticism of the final part was, and I'll spoiler it for the snowflakes.



Otherwise, thoroughly enjoyed the whole affair.

Yeah, that could have been done earlier, like during the solo, and accomplish the same effect.

 Azreal13 wrote:
My only criticism of the final part was, and I'll spoiler it for the snowflakes.

Spoiler:

Why did Max have to "die?" Having a core character appear to die so soon after Eddie's sacrifice robbed it of some of its impact. It felt like a pointless excuse to show off El's power or pluck at the viewers heart strings with the flashbacks. Felt a bit gratuitous, or could have at least the two events could have been a bit better insulated from one another.

Weirdly I think it's set up for next season. El can go "exploring" in her mind to get her back, and it can be part of what will undoubtedly be El's "guilt" arc in season 5.

Yeah, the "running around shouting in the black space" sequence was clearly going to set up some sort of redemption/figurative or literal return to the light for them.

But it just felt like Mother Teresa dying the same day as Princess Diana, the first one didn't necessarily get their due focus because it was all very suddenly and completely shifted onto the second. "Mother Teresa" in this instance (avoiding spoilers) I felt deserved a little better. Not a huge problem, I just felt that given they were playing with 2 1/2 hours, they could have given us a little more time to process one characters fate before dangling another, obviously more impcactful to the bigger picture, in front of us. Especially when that was ultimately a misdirect.

 Azreal13 wrote:
But it just felt like Mother Teresa dying the same day as Princess Diana, the first one didn't necessarily get their due focus because it was all very suddenly and completely shifted onto the second. "Mother Teresa" in this instance (avoiding spoilers) I felt deserved a little better. Not a huge problem, I just felt that given they were playing with 2 1/2 hours, they could have given us a little more time to process one characters fate before dangling another, obviously more impcactful to the bigger picture, in front of us. Especially when that was ultimately a misdirect.

I think the issue is the lack of commitment.

The show has been so strong throughout the whole season, but decided in that one moment it wanted to have its cake and eat it too, so we got...
If they'd just gone "Nope, this character actually died. There were consequences!", it would be awful (because I really like that character), but it also might bring more focus on El + The Core Four for the final season.

Just thinking about if that had happened I think it would have stuck with me a lot longer than it has, as fun as the whole season was.