Stranger Things (Netflix)

Chaplin

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I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be embarrassed to say this was a spectacular final two episodes. The twists and turns were all over the place, and contrary to Stout's belief that it isn't well directed, it takes real skill to balance so many different stories in so many different places. They did well with the whole hive mind concept, which helped clear up a lot of the major questions about how all the different groups would come together.

Will still had nothing to do, and I'm not sure where they are taking his character. Is he lonely? Confused? What role does he have other than being basically an alarm clock?

And there weren't multiple deaths. By my count there was only one, even though I guess you can technically count Max as one. Eddie dying was telegraphed in Episode 1, so no surprises there. I did like that he went out in a blaze of glory. I was actually surprised they showed Max's bones breaking. That was brutal. And I was giving mad props for having her actually die (even if Eleven brings her back).

Henry really likes to talk, but he is essentially a henchman of the Mind Flayer, and I did kind of groan when Steve, Nancy and Robyn went outside and saw he was gone.

Eleven has won every battle at the end of each season, but outside of pulverizing a demogorgon in season 1, they haven't actually vanquished anyone. That's frustrating, but we'll have to see what they do in season 5, which will be the last.

I will give credit though, Eleven's entrances are crazy good.
 

Covert Rain

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I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be embarrassed to say this was a spectacular final two episodes. The twists and turns were all over the place, and contrary to Stout's belief that it isn't well directed, it takes real skill to balance so many different stories in so many different places. They did well with the whole hive mind concept, which helped clear up a lot of the major questions about how all the different groups would come together.

Will still had nothing to do, and I'm not sure where they are taking his character. Is he lonely? Confused? What role does he have other than being basically an alarm clock?

And there weren't multiple deaths. By my count there was only one, even though I guess you can technically count Max as one. Eddie dying was telegraphed in Episode 1, so no surprises there. I did like that he went out in a blaze of glory. I was actually surprised they showed Max's bones breaking. That was brutal. And I was giving mad props for having her actually die (even if Eleven brings her back).

Henry really likes to talk, but he is essentially a henchman of the Mind Flayer, and I did kind of groan when Steve, Nancy and Robyn went outside and saw he was gone.

Eleven has won every battle at the end of each season, but outside of pulverizing a demogorgon in season 1, they haven't actually vanquished anyone. That's frustrating, but we'll have to see what they do in season 5, which will be the last.

I will give credit though, Eleven's entrances are crazy good.
If you think about it? All of the deaths and fights for the last 4 seasons have almost been for nothing. Henry was always pulling the strings and what they thought they were fighting they really were not (Mind Flayer). All they did was possibly delay things but Heny in the end won. Man....you would have to feel somewhat defeated after all you have been through, and Henry ultimately wins.

Also, I don't think Henry is a henchman of the Mind Flayer. The Mind Flayer was nothing more than a manifestation that Henry creating using particles form the other side. That's why it resembled a spider. The inference was that Henry was able to absorb the particles form the other side to make him what he is and to do what he does.

The wife and I are already debating the end (final season). She thinks 11 dies to stop everything. I am thinking the only way to stop the portal from ever opening again is for 11 to be on the other side and close it for good.
 
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Lefty

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Really enjoyed the the final two episodes. I read they have not started filming the final season yet and they're not expecting it to be shown until late 2023.
 
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Brian in Mesa

Brian in Mesa

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Covert Rain

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Kate Bush Has Earned Around $2.3 Million In Royalties Thanks to ‘Stranger Things’​

That's awesome for her. If this has happened before the new streaming rules? She would have just agreed to let them use it and not likely have seen any money. This is awesome.
 

Rivercard

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Kate Bush Has Earned Around $2.3 Million In Royalties Thanks to ‘Stranger Things’​


Couldn't happen to a more deserving artist. LOVE Kate, she makes incredible records. Side 2 of the Dreaming is a complete masterpiece.
 
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Cheesebeef

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First 7 episodes were really good (too long in sports), but I thought there was a sizable drop off in the last 2.

I thought the last two episodes were… fine. Found myself fast forwarding through anything in Russia because it couldn’t matter less. Keeping Steve’s 3some just attached to a wall for 30 minutes neutered that part of the story. Dustin and Eddie were great. Max and Lucas stuff was really good… until a point. Vecna good, and the Duffers pulled off a tough trick making him the believable Master Of Puppets all along these four seasons, but the monologuing got comical at the end.

All that said, the Fake Out deaths are getting real old.
 
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Cheesebeef

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I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be embarrassed to say this was a spectacular final two episodes. The twists and turns were all over the place, and contrary to Stout's belief that it isn't well directed, it takes real skill to balance so many different stories in so many different places. They did well with the whole hive mind concept, which helped clear up a lot of the major questions about how all the different groups would come together.

Will still had nothing to do, and I'm not sure where they are taking his character. Is he lonely? Confused? What role does he have other than being basically an alarm clock?

Pretty sure they’re using Will to tell a coming out storyline and he’s Gay/has a crush on Mike.

And there weren't multiple deaths. By my count there was only one, even though I guess you can technically count Max as one. Eddie dying was telegraphed in Episode 1, so no surprises there. I did like that he went out in a blaze of glory. I was actually surprised they showed Max's bones breaking. That was brutal. And I was giving mad props for having her actually die (even if Eleven brings her back).
for me, they’ve jumped the shark on fake out deaths and have kinda yanked all stakes away in the future for anyone around 11 if she has the power to give life.
 

Stout

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What just really made me roll my eyes (beyond tons of dead space where they just kept flicking to the different groups, prolonging the "oh no, our heroes are doomed!" moments beyond eye rolling--I kept getting complaints from my ever-patient mother that she was fed up, even!), was...

That Max literally had no reason to have her bones broken because El had the strength to defeat Vecna all along, but she couldn't do it until a man told her he loved her. That's some backhanded toxic masculinity logic right here. I get what they were TRYING to pull off, that he's the heart of the group and his words could really inspire and bolster her, but it fell flat. She literally could have saved Max, but didn't because "ohmegerd, he had to say he lerved her" first. That did not work. Like, at all. [\spoiler]
 

BigRedRage

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BigRedRage

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What just really made me roll my eyes (beyond tons of dead space where they just kept flicking to the different groups, prolonging the "oh no, our heroes are doomed!" moments beyond eye rolling--I kept getting complaints from my ever-patient mother that she was fed up, even!), was...

That Max literally had no reason to have her bones broken because El had the strength to defeat Vecna all along, but she couldn't do it until a man told her he loved her. That's some backhanded toxic masculinity logic right here. I get what they were TRYING to pull off, that he's the heart of the group and his words could really inspire and bolster her, but it fell flat. She literally could have saved Max, but didn't because "ohmegerd, he had to say he lerved her" first. That did not work. Like, at all. [\spoiler]
Meh. Love conquers all. You may see it as toxic masculinity but I took it more as it helped her gather the strength to get it done. If the genders were reversed, would you still see it that way?
 

Stout

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Meh. Love conquers all. You may see it as toxic masculinity but I took it more as it helped her gather the strength to get it done. If the genders were reversed, would you still see it that way?
Well, I certainly wouldn't see it as toxic masculinity! I still wouldn't dig it, no. It screamed that they wanted to do "nasty things" to one character so looked for a copout for how to do it.
 

Cheesebeef

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Yeah… I don’t really get the male toxicity thing. It’s just a trope that I’ve seen before.

I kinda wonder if the Duffer’s are big Matrix fans because that scene was either a nice reverse homage or a straight rip off the end of the Matrix where Trinity in the real world is talking to Neo’s body while hes in the Matri. It’s the moment where all looks lost and he’s been shot and she’s telling his body he can’t die because she’s fated to be in love with the one… and she’s in love with him, now get up and fight blah blah… and then Neo rises in the Matrix and vanquishes Smith.

Very similar sequences of a “chosen one” inside a different space with their true love professing their love to report them back into action.
 

Stout

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Yeah… I don’t really get the male toxicity thing. It’s just a trope that I’ve seen before.

I kinda wonder if the Duffer’s are big Matrix fans because that scene was either a nice reverse homage or a straight rip off the end of the Matrix where Trinity in the real world is talking to Neo’s body while hes in the Matri. It’s the moment where all looks lost and he’s been shot and she’s telling his body he can’t die because she’s fated to be in love with the one… and she’s in love with him, now get up and fight blah blah… and then Neo rises in the Matrix and vanquishes Smith.

Very similar sequences of a “chosen one” inside a different space with their true love professing their love to report them back into action.
Either way, it was blah for me, especially given the consequences.
 

Covert Rain

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I loved this season. Even if the Veca thing at the end was predictable. There is only one season left. Can't wait to see how they end it. The Duffer brothers said they have known since day one how the show would end.
 

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So I watched through season 2 and didn't like season 2 that much....does it get better?
 

Cheesebeef

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So I watched through season 2 and didn't like season 2 that much....does it get better?
Season 2 is easily the weakest of the series. Season 3 was great. Season 4 is solid, some truly great moments, but too long and they’re starting to get a little annoying repeating the same mistakes (IMO).
 
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