Netflix's Stranger Things

[Epic Springs]

https://youtu.be/PH3kBCSfL-4

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Season 3 Trailer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEG3bmU_WaI

 

[SFH]

I mean, I love Stranger Things and the trailer looks awesome, but you can honestly put "Baba O'Riley" in any trailer and I'll be hooked.

I'm not very deep.

 

[vivisectvi]

I can't stand Home Sweet Home, but otherwise that trailer was stellar.

 

[geniusMoment]

God, I've hated the first two episodes of season 3. It feels like a totally different show. Way too much teen drama and campy humor for my tastes.

I now hate El and Mike. Hopefully they go to the upside down and stay there forever.

Right now the only characters I like are Dustin, Robin and Steve.

Guess I'll still continue, but this is a giant turd so far.

 

[Youth N Asia]

I’m two episodes in as well. Not hating it. But judging by the IMDB scores it gets much better.

I like Steve, but he’s way too playful now. Not caring too much about the Mike and El stuff either.

 

[geniusMoment]

I get that they wanted to change things with a summer setting. But, one of the things I loved about the show was the dark tone and setting. Fall and Winter are perfect for that.

This actually reminds me a little of The X Files after season 5. They had 5 seasons of shooting in rainy Vancouver, setting a dark tone. Then in season 6 they went to LA to shoot. The feel and tone of the show never recovered.

 

[HSJ]

Just finished it. It was ok. A little too playful with the comedy for me. Some good things but I feel like I won’t remember much outside of the big moments by the time season 4 comes around.

 

[Laz]

Two episodes left and binged the first two seasons in preparation. Liking it a lot more than S2, which I enjoyed more on a second viewing where I skipped the awful X-Men episode.

Though I'm digging S3 and even like some of the changes (inevitable as kids grow up), it's really showing signs of trying to appeal to more people rather than follow through on its own vision. Robin is a super welcome addition to the cast, Billy was used perfectly so far, I love the Max/Lucas dynamic (we all had friends like them at 14), and DAT MONSTER THO

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Echoing a lot of what Laz said and I enjoyed this a ton more than S2 tbh. Some of the tonal shift worked (e.g. the Steve/Robin/Dustin Russian subplot and the Max/Lucas stuff) but in other aspects it fell a little flat e.g. the Mikey/Eleven romance.

Loved the Billy/Monster stuff although I kept waiting for Nancy/Jonathan to be something more than it was in relation to everything else going on. But I'm all on-board for Nancy embracing her Nancy Drew Detective Newswriter persona thing going on.

For the most part, I dug almost everything about this season outside of maybe the adults subplot about the Russian killer stalking Alexei & how Hopper/Joyce were involved. I do like that the 'character growth' is helping to spin out sub-storylines rather than trying to shoehorn everybody into the plot although that started to be an issue towards the end of the season for me.

 

[geniusMoment]

I'm at episode 4 and still really don't like it, although episode 4 has been my favorite so far.

I think a lot really comes down to if you're a fan a teen drama. I always hated that WB style teen drama even when I was a teen. And this season feels like Stranger Things mixed with a WB teen drama. I just don't think this is a show for me anymore.

 

[Angle-plex]

Season 3 just finished up. It was alright, better than season 2 for sure. The plot moved so quick there wasn't much time for character development until the end. Most of the cast has somehow become unlikable. Still think this should have been an anthology series with a different cast and setting every season.

 

[Youth N Asia]

Finished episode 3. I’ll be non-spoilery. For sure picked up the pace after this one.

I get that the guys at the newspaper are supposed to be unlikeable, but it’s just obnoxious tv at the moment. Jake Busey tells a joke that’s a 1/10 and everyone loses their shit. Defiantly the least interesting part of the season so far.

Makes sense that Will still wants to do childish things, being that a lot of his childhood has been taken away from him by evil stuff.

I’m sure the season will end with everyone getting together to stop a big thing. But not really liking that the cast is pretty broken up this season.

 

[treble]

I spent most of the season going back and forth on whether Maya Hawke looked more like her mother or father.

 

[Laz]

Her mother's facial structure with her father's features over it. She's the best part of the season, easily.

 

[treble]

Yeah, I was leaning more towards her mother. She only really looked like her dad, I thought, when her and Steve's chair fell over.

 

[Laz]

Her facial expressions and mannerisms are mostly her father, though, with a lot of the natural flow that her mother has. Regardless, she's got it, and I can't wait to see her get more work after this.

 

[geniusMoment]

Just finished it. Man, did I hate those first 3 episodes.

It really picks up after 3 though. But, I still felt the whole Russians thing was too hackneyed for the show. You always had the upside down and the monsters it created. But, now instead of a more gritty, realistic government abducting people to conduct experiments you have an absurd Russian story. Seriously, it was right out of Wet Hot American Summer. And I like WHAS, but I didn't want to see it mixed with Stranger Things.

Also, I get they wanted a realistic portrayal of teens. But, they've made me hate most of them. Mike, El, Max, and Lucas all now either annoy me or I dislike them.

The constant bickering between Joyce and Hopper got old after one episode, but the strung it out for 8.

Overall, the last 5 episodes and Steve, Dustin and Robin saved it. But, they really need to drop a ton of the teen drama and slapstick comedy for season 4.

 

[Laz]

On the tonal shift, it at least felt like the third entry of an 80s horror series. More zany, kooky, cynically fun stuff, etc.

Best creature effects, by far.

 

[Haws Bah Gawd]

Lucas's sister, Dustin, Robin and Steve carried this season on their backs.

 

[Youth N Asia]

Lucas's sister, Dustin, Robin and Steve carried this season on their backs.

I think Lucas’ sister is the most obnoxious thing I’ve seen on the series thus far after four episodes.

 

[Laz]

Initially, she's the worst recurring character in the entire series. They tone the brat personality down later on and she becomes a welcomed addition.

 

[KOAB]

I get why it happened and still enjoy the series for what it is but I do miss how much grittier and more "realistic" characters seemed at the beginning of the series. Like Jonathan was a stalker, Eleven was a pathetic and sad kid on the run, Hopper was a sad single dude and now... it seems so fan-servicey, over-saturated in feel-good '80s culture, like fan fiction. Everybody is cool or fun, and the problems seem less serious and dark and there are times the stakes never feel as big as they did in that first season no matter the improvements they make in monster design.

 

[geniusMoment]

I'm actually surprised by the high rankings it's still got on IMDB. Usually when a show changes as much as this one has people revolt.

 

[Laz]

The change was a natural evolution, though, and befitting of the throwback feel. It was also a much, much stronger season than the second one, regardless of the more adventure-leaning feel versus the initial (and, IMO, superior) fantasy horror where the show started.

 

[Precious Roy]

I dug it. I love the mall as a setting and a mall in the mid-80's is literally a major staple of my childhood. I liked the lighter tone with a little more comedy and the summer break setting.

Like everyone else I thought Maya Hawke was great and the stuff with her, Steve, Dustin and Lucas's sister was the best. The Russian plot was a little hokey but a great throwback to 80's movie plots like Wargames and Red Dawn (they even referenced it). They did a good job finally reuniting the whole crew and merging the plots together, and I liked that there were multiple tangently related things going on with different story archs.

Loved seeing more of Brett Gelman, his character is great. They did a good job making Hopper really unlikeable at times.

The dude who plays Max's brother was a great heel, building off just being an asshole in season 2

So yea, definite thumbs up for me and feel it holds up well to the other seasons

 

[Epic Springs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB2GYwbIAlM

 

[tekcop]

"We should spoil the payoff of the cliffhanger from the previous season in our YouTube preview."

 

[vivisectvi]

Everyone had already guessed it anyway.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Season 4 Teaser

Stranger Things - Season 4 Teaser | IMDb

"Eleven, Are You Listening?" Watch a teaser for "Stranger Things" Season 4.

www.imdb.com