Stranger Things

[BehindBreakaway]

I honestly didn't think anyone thought season 1 was the best season.....

[Artoo]

That trailer… I don’t think Jonathan’s going to make it. Him or Steve. Steve better be okay though.

[Loose]

That pollywog eating Dustin‘s cat in S2…. brutal

[Artoo]

That pollywog eating Dustin‘s cat in S2…. brutal

Monster vs Alien

[Loose]

I loathe the storyline with Eleven‘s mother in S2. Obviously distracts from the good stuff (the mini-demagorgons, possessed Will, overdramatic Winona Ryder, Nancy becoming more badass etc.).

[Artoo]

I loathe the storyline with Eleven‘s mother in S2. Obviously distracts from the good stuff (the mini-demagorgons, possessed Will, overdramatic Winona Ryder, Nancy becoming more badass etc.).

I think it’s a shame her Mother didn’t come into play more. I think it would have been pretty cool if Eleven had ‘unlocked’ her Mother and the pair of them could have fought off the Mind Flayer together.

But I think it was important to understand her background but also to see the others fighting back and not just relying on her powers to fix everything, so overall a good bit of character developing all round.

[KEY9481]

[Loose]

I think it’s a shame her Mother didn’t come into play more. I think it would have been pretty cool if Eleven had ‘unlocked’ her Mother and the pair of them could have fought off the Mind Flayer together.

But I think it was important to understand her background but also to see the others fighting back and not just relying on her powers to fix everything, so overall a good bit of character developing all round.

It was clearly a filler episode and skipped halfway through it.

Two last episodes were fire though, the season finale being the best episode so far.

[LittleLinda]

Thinking about it, we haven’t been into the Upside Down itself since S1, have we? Vecna’s UD is set in 1983, same time period as S1, so Castle Byers should appear in that one too.

M Just give me S4P2 so I can figure this all out

Is it? If so, why did Nancy’s room in the UD have stuff from her childhood? Either Vecna’s UD predates 1983, or time is not a constant in there.
Whereas the UD we saw in S1 just exactly mirrored (then) present time.

Edit: Nevermind… I totally forgot that the diary’s last entry was from 1983.

[spiritboy]

I'm probably the only person who didn't enjoy season 4.

[Tansike]

Wait, final episodes are already coming this Friday

[Artoo]

Wait, final episodes are already coming this Friday

I’m really pissed it’s only two episodes, I genuinely thought it was another full half season. As far as I’m aware Netflix haven’t released in this way before, making me wonder if it’s a trial for justifying moving away from dropping a full season in one go.

[Tansike]

I’m really pissed it’s only two episodes, I genuinely thought it was another full half season. As far as I’m aware Netflix haven’t released in this way before, making me wonder if it’s a trial for justifying moving away from dropping a full season in one go.

I heard each episode is as long as a movie so that probably makes up for it?

[Artoo]

I heard each episode is as long as a movie so that probably makes up for it?

Don’t be making excuses for them, some of them were movie length in part one

I’m also annoyed we probably won’t get part five for another two years.

[Artoo]

Spotify are giving push notifications - ‘Save yourself from Vecna with a personalised playlist’. So in the event I’m found levitating, please play:

1. Girls Aloud - Sexy! No No No…
2. Madonna - Little Star
3. B*Witched - C’est La Vie
4. Beyoncé - Break My Soul
5. The Clash - Should I Stay or Should I Go

Spotify is clearly trying to kill me, this is a terrible top five! Though they got it spot on with B*Witched

Girls Aloud probably would work but they have better songs that would bring me back down to earth. Don’t even get me started on them including one of Madonna’s worst songs…

[Artoo]

Episode 8 - 1h 27m
episode 9 - 2h 22m

Lord they’ve gone all out

[KEY9481]

Well.

[BehindBreakaway]

Amazing. That's all I'll say.

[Artoo]

I don’t even know what to think

Those we’re just fantastic episodes. My biggest issue is I don’t understand why Netflix felt the need to separate these two episodes from the previous drop - if anything it began to feel like an anticlimax after the brilliant Chapter 7 episode.

But Chapter 9 really pulled it back and the two hours flew by. At times I felt like I was watching a movie, and honestly, I can see a movie happening once the series has wrapped up.

I’m glad they confirmed 001 was behind everything and is the big bad over the Mind Flayer - though I’m a tad confused about it, alongside how Eleven somehow got the hive vines to stop holding her - did they both just mind control it?

I’m sad Eddie died but out of everyone I’m glad it was him. Jason’s death was very satisfying. I sort of liked how they set it up so anyone could die, it kept things interesting. I’m very glad Steve made it through because I wasn’t convinced.

Even though he’s been a spare part for yet another season, I liked Will this time. I have no idea why he’s in love with Mike but his and Jonathan’s scene was a highlight. I hope he finds someone in between seasons.

The whole Russia storyline was pretty redundant in the end, serving no discernible purpose of the plot - it’s like they’re running out of ideas on how to keep the adults away from the kids so the kids can go off and fight monsters.

Hawkins literally ripping open was pretty epic though. I don’t know where 001 is but I have a horrid feeling Eleven has messed up again and he’s going to possess Max’s body. Sadly I think Max has gone. No idea where season five is headed but I hope Will gets to do more - that connection he has to 001 has to mean something?

[mattsky]

I don’t even know what to think



The whole Russia storyline was pretty redundant in the end, serving no discernible purpose of the plot - it’s like they’re running out of ideas on how to keep the adults away from the kids so the kids can go off and fight monsters.

Yes, the Russian thing was so unnecessary.

I really don't want Max and Will to die in season 5 as they are my favorite characters,

[BehindBreakaway]

I feel like Vecna still has Max. 11 couldn't find her when she tried to in the hospital. I think season 5 will be a fight to save Hawkins and find Max.

I think the gap is because the episodes weren't ready. Apparently they handed them into Netflix literally a few hours before they where released.

I agree the second episode literally flew by. I couldn't have watched it for another hour if I'm honest

[Artoo]

I feel like Vecna still has Max. 11 couldn't find her when she tried to in the hospital. I think season 5 will be a fight to save Hawkins and find Max.

The only thing with this is that I’d expect Eleven to be able to find Max, coma or not. In fact I’d expect her to be able to break into Max’s mind if she was in a coma… and she just wasn’t anywhere to be found. Eleven might have just reanimated the body, and Max sadly lost forever.

The bit where I’m getting confused is over who or what the smoke spider is and their role. We see 001 create the Mind Flayer from the dust cloud, and we know he created it because we see him drawing it as a kid in a flashback.

So is the Mind Flayer evil? Is it independently sentient or is it just a manifestation and voice piece for Vecna? Could Eleven be able to take control of it (and the hive) to defeat Henry? And if Will is still connected to the hive, does he still have done of this dust cloud stuff in him? Could he be the gate Eleven used to take over hive?

Part of me thinks Eleven is going to have to go into the Upside Down and close the gate permanently from the other side. I don’t think she’s going to get a happily ever after in Season 5.

[Blondini]

I don’t even know what to think

Those we’re just fantastic episodes. My biggest issue is I don’t understand why Netflix felt the need to separate these two episodes from the previous drop - if anything it began to feel like an anticlimax after the brilliant Chapter 7 episode.

It was a production issue, i think. Several series have had to do this because of delays caused by Covid. Given the amount of SFX they had to do, i'm not surprised!

Those two eps were quite a thing! Regards the music, the remix of RUTH has to be released. It's still not officially released but you can hear it in full on Totem's YouTube channel.

Excellent use of an old Moby track (vocal by Mimi Goese) and a Siouxsie classic. Metallica is the one racing up the iTunes chart, alongside Journey.

[AndiIversen]

Yes, the Russian thing was so unnecessary.

I really don't want Max and Will to die in season 5 as they are my favorite characters,

I felt we were cheated out of a proper "win" , guess they were just trying to leave something to look forward for the next season

[LittleLinda]

It’s funny how when I saw the first trailer for Season 4 years ago, it seemed like Russia would be an important storyline, hell, probably even the main storyline (I remember worrying that the series would leave Hawkins behind as the main location), but in the end everything related to Russia turned out to have been pretty redundant and merely an excuse for the grownups not fighting alongside the children.

The finale itself felt pretty drawn out to me, I feel like they could’ve quite literally cut the runtime in half and still have a great show. It had some epic moments, both action oriented and emotional, but what I don’t like is that after the initial failure (Max dead, ritual completed), El kinda randomly is able to reanimate her. I get that she’s super powerful, but it takes a toll on the suspense if you ask me.
No matter what will be at stake during Season 5, my brain will probably go: “Well, this is bad, but El will probably swoop in to save the day, anyway.”
If the show ends with El being on the brink of death during the showdown and then suddenly “finding new power” through some Mike pep talk and sheer determination, I will be disappointed.