Stranger Things

ohhh they made the series of it now i will check it out

Finished the Season 4 - Volume 1 a bit late (I blame the NHL playoffs). It's definitely a step forward, a step backward situation (didn't rewatch the previous seasons this time, still considering a full rewatch before the Volume 2, but I'd remember it's about on par with the previous season).

I'll just do a simple + / - thing this time:

+ the comedy is toned down from season 3
+ it's more horror instead of the sci-fi commie plots
+ long episodes mean lots of character time but...

-...too often the character time feels somehow wasted
- like season 3, it's still force-feeding us with countless references to movies and books
- like season 3, it still feels fragmented due to splitting up the story between so many groups of people
- being largely a tribute, it's bound to be cliched, but it's starting to gather some cliches I don't like*
- some of the major plot points don't seem to make sense (at least yet)*

*

I guess the rating is

__________________

Just finished s4e4 and it’s getting to a point that’s too much for before bed viewing 🫣

A point brought up by pk and articles and podcasts is the time. Too long or they could have cut parts. My thought is it could be even longer. Moar time. A chance to see these friends of yours again. Show me how the pineapple pizza gets made.

I obviously have a sentimental attachment, so it lacks any critical analysis. Sometimes I wish I could, but I’m thankful to get swept up instead.

Woooo.
Very A Nightmare on Elm Street vibe. Totally made up for the necessary up front character and settings development.

Oh, and I can't skip the intro synths and textured letter forms either.

omg it's HIM!!!!

The scene with the cheerleader (you know which one) was what really made think of NoES. Inside the house, turning corners, insert shocking image.

yes'rie! GREAT pay off on that nod a few episodes later!!!




(btw, I assume we're on the same page with our code speak here)

__________________
"My Dionne Warwick understanding of your dream indicates that you are ambivalent on how you want life to eventually screw you." - Joel

"Ever try to forcibly pin down a house cat? It's not easy." - Captain Steel

"I just can't get pass sticking a finger up a dog's butt." - John Dumbear

I’ve got two episodes left and I’m really craving some glass-jarred gif. Crazy how that stuff use to have the viscosity of pudding, even in freezing temperatures. Science!

Banged through 5 episodes on day 1 then the last two the next day. I liked this better than last season. Maybe it was the heavier dose of horror. Can't wait for Volume II less than four weeks away.

well, I wrapped up the 7th episode of season 4 last evening and was floored that there's a "volume 1" that I just HAPPENED to discover as the last episode's credits were rolling. I was NOT prepared for a month-long wait to close this story up. I would not have started when I did, had I known that going in. GRRRRRRR. This is the salt to my gaping Raised by Wolves injury from earlier last week.

all the ranting out of the way, i'm totally digging the show. yeah, there are moments (still) at which I'm screaming at the T.V., "WTF ARE YOU THINKING?! PULL YOUR #$#$%&$%&ING HAND BACK!!!!1!11!!!!" or something along those lines. still, it's a better "story" I think than I remember season 3 being, and manages to keep the ridiculous properly grounded in a state of ridiculous that totally makes sense in this world.

Up until now, Lost was the number one TV series, for me, by a mile. In all these years, for almost two decades, nothing came remotely close to it, in my eyes and in my heart.


But now, while watching ST, during that scene with Maxine, it hit me. This is my new number one of all time. It has it all, and it reminds me of childhood in such a manner that I can't even begin to describe. What the Duffer brothers have done here is more than an homage. They have somehow managed to encapsulate the best decade in history in a short series about some kids. Sounds too simple, I know, but there's so much more to ST than meets the eye. It's an amazing piece of cinema art and I can tell for sure that it will pass the test of time with flying colors.


PS: It would be an amazing waste if they screw up the fifth (and final) season. Fingers crossed that they'll deliver a worthy ending to an amazing masterpiece.

Vecna's storyline was nicely done.


I reckon the second part of the fourth season will be all action.

I had salted away ep. 7 until last night. Shout out Light Bright. That was a real toy, might be hard for some to believe that.

View Spoilers

WARNING: spoilers below

How many people saw Vecna/1 killing the children? Originally told my sister it was him, because it seemed like they telegraphed it with the broken bones/eye sucks.

His origin story is cool, but a bit much, even for this show. He was a kid that had this epiphany, murdered his family, went to the Hawkins lab, got blasted into the UD by cgi-11; it’s a lot.

The Demogorgon didn’t die on screen.

We now know the series ends with 11 sacrificing herself to close the gates/UD forever. Mike gets messy.

Did the UD exist or did 11 create it. What kind of onboarding did 1 have to go through? Who were his references and which insurance plan did he go with?

How are they gonna handle the 11 vs. Vecna rematch? Gonna have to be some nerf, if she overpowered him as a cgi-youngling. Guess all the people he’s taken will power him up.

How many people saw Vecna/1 killing the children? Originally told my sister it was him, because it seemed like they telegraphed it with the broken bones/eye sucks.

His origin story is cool, but a bit much, even for this show. He was a kid that had this epiphany, murdered his family, went to the Hawkins lab, got blasted into the UD by cgi-11; it’s a lot.

The Demogorgon didn’t die on screen.

We now know the series ends with 11 sacrificing herself to close the gates/UD forever. Mike gets messy.

Did the UD exist or did 11 create it. What kind of onboarding did 1 have to go through? Who were his references and which insurance plan did he go with?

How are they gonna handle the 11 vs. Vecna rematch? Gonna have to be some nerf, if she overpowered him as a cgi-youngling. Guess all the people he’s taken will power him up.

I don’t think they could have done a better job with all they have going on.

So volume II will only consist of two episodes? But they're extended? Episode 1 will run an hour and twenty five minutes and the season finale will be two and half hours! The Duffer brothers have been dropping hints about people getting killed off.

People are definitely dying. Somebody’s injuries make them go to the top of my list.

Kate Bush no 1 in the UK with "Running up that hill", 37 years after release breaking all kinds of records.

__________________

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't think there was a CGI-11. It was a younger girl playing her during (some of) the history scenes.

Martie Blair, eh?

I guess my mind just went there. It seemed like it had that floating/jiggle/uncanny valley effect when they do cgi faces.

Actually, it seems that you were right. At least this article says...

I didn't really notice that, especially as Martie looks quite a lot like young Millie.

I have enjoyed the season so far overall, but I have come to the conclusion that my interest in 011's storyline has waned at this point, and I just sort of wait for her scenes to be over so I can get back to the characters I enjoy watching more. It's a shame that Sadie Sink's screen time screeched to a halt after she put her Walkman on, as she is easily the better of the two actors when compared to Millie Bobbie Brown.

I am a little bummed to learn that there will be a 5th season - This seemed to be ramping up to a grand finale, and I feel like the time is right to end the show. I guess Netflix doesn't want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

__________________