Stranger Things

[Skummy]

I finally got round to finishing this today, and I absolutely loved it. Had tears in my eyes all through the final episode, even though none of the others overly emotionally resonated with me - it all just hit me right in that final episode. 

I loved Hopper - could so easily have been a stock character, but he was just played to perfection. The kids were superb, too, maybe the most well-rounded, believable child characters in a TV series since the kids in the Wire, and the kids playing Mike and Eleven were amazing actors.

Really looking forward to season 2, though I really hope it doesn't overstay its welcome - depending on how its handled, I could see it being a weaker series if they try and explain things too much, or else it going a bit Lost if they drag it on too long and try and amp up the weirdness.

[Johnny Latino Heat]

So I finally got around to watch this, and now I'm wondering what took me so damn long. I echo the sentiments around here, this was an amazing show, all the characters were brilliantly written and acted. If the kids manage to keep their heads on straight (unlike many, many, MANY child stars), I really think they'll have a bright future. I loved it all, and all I can say is bring on season 2!

[MalaCloudy Black]

Quote

 

As for what those snippets are, the biggest point that Levy wanted to convey seems to be that season two will put a much larger spotlight on Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers, the kid whose disappearance drove most of the plot last time around. Apparently, Schnapp was cast because the team making the show knew he was “special” and that they’d be able to make full use of his acting talent if the show were to get a second season. Now that they’re making that second season, Levy says Schnapp has stepped up “in the most staggering way.” In fact, Levy says he’ll send frequent texts to series creators the Duffer Brothers just to say “holy shit, Noah is crushing it.”

The other interesting tease that Levy offered is that the Duffer Brothers had “too much story” to tell in season two’s nine episodes, so it forced them to only stick with their best ideas. However, the story beats that didn’t fit aren’t simply being abandoned, as Levy says that they’ll “go in the back of our head for, hopefully, future chapters.” Netflix hasn’t given Stranger Things a third season yet, but based on Levy’s comments, the Duffers already have ideas for where that season will go.

 

http://www.avclub.com/article/stranger-things-executive-producer-offers-details--255135

[apsham]

All the child actors on that show are over the top. Finn Wolfhard (Mike) was phenomenal.

[K]

Just watched for the first time. It was so good.

[Adam]

This trailer is dope

And then they dropped this one, that really drives home to me that these kids grow up fast.

Anyway, it drops next Friday and I cannot bloody wait!

[Benji]

Two episodes in and not a single beat has been missed. Still amazing.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I kept saying I could barely remember what happened in the first season. Went to watch Season 2 and they play the recap - good, I need this. Halfway through watching it and I either don't remember a lot of this stuff because I binged it so quickly, I watched it but was not entirely paying attention or I legit didn't watch it. I think I need to go back and watch Season 1 before watching Season 2. 

[TMM]

So season two was great. Everything about it was perfect, they didn't rest on their laurels of the first season, building upon everything perfectly and taking a risk by not simply rehashing season one. Loved every minute of it as evidenced by my bingeing it across two nights

[MalaCloudy Black]

I’m only up to episode 3. Spoilers for the first 2 episodes:

 

Spoiler

Hopper and Eleven are adorable together. 

 

[jrhodes]

Season 2 wasn't as good as the first season for me, maybe just because I had such high expectations this time round.

Still incredibly watchable though. I don't watch that much TV and I finished Stranger Things 2 in two days.

[Skummy]

I'm about halfway through, and really enjoying it so far - I would say it's very slow-paced, the "hey, remember the '80s?!" stuff seems more forced this time around, and some of the new characters don't really seem to add all that much, if anything, but I'm enjoying it enough to give them the benefit of the doubt and see where things go.

I said it after the first series, but all of these child actors are incredible - I don't find myself irritated by any of them, nor does their acting ever feel forced, they're all great. It's nice to see Will getting a bigger part, too, as he's as good as the rest of them, and was basically just stuck being a plot device for most of the last series.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I'm up to episode 5.

Spoiler

I really want to hate Billy because he's kind of a huge jerk, but all the same, I kind of don't? There's this weird charisma about him that makes me want to like him despite how much of a jerk he is. 

 

[tristy]

I'm finished with the season. Billy is a dick, has valid reasons as to why he's grown up to be a dick but he's still a dick at the end of the day. I have a huge problem with Mike this season. I imagine in the 90s, he's going to really like emo music like Sunny Day Real Estate or something. Ono of the last episodes really sealed the deal for me with his interaction with a newer character. He gets really wrapped up in his emotions and probably doesn't realize he's being a little bit of an asshole, but hey, he's a preteen.

Now that I mention it, I'd be intrigued to see this series progress into the 90s but we're a long ways off from that era.

[Skummy]

Spoilers up to and including episode 7;

Spoiler

Still feels like this is moving really slowly compared to the last season - maybe that's because the underlying mystery of what the hell's going on has gone, but it feels like a show confident enough in its chances to get a third season that it's not throwing too much out there at once. Luckily the characters are strong enough to carry it, but it doesn't feel like much has actually happened yet, so I'm not nearly as hooked as I was the first time around.

I'm not really all that invested in Eleven's story at this point - if the girl playing her wasn't so damn good, I'd probably be more annoyed by her subplot than anything else, particularly as episode 7 seems to take a massive diversion to focus entirely on her right when everything is coming to a head for everyone else. 

Not particularly sold on any of the new characters, either. Max doesn't really seem to add anything to the dynamic, except a quick and easy way to drive a wedge between the "party"; but season 1 taught us that isn't exactly a hard thing to do anyway, they're young kids and prone to falling out with one another over petty shit and being best friends again the next day, that's how kids are. I think having them basically fall out over a girl undermines the group dynamic, as well as being clichéd and a bit crap for Max's character as well. That might all change in the next two episodes, and assuming this is going another season, I have no problem with Max being added to the group full-time, as she's not a bad character, she just feels like a crowbarred in plot device at this point.

I thought Hopper and Eleven were the best possible pairing in this series, but damn it, I think Dustin & Steve might have taken an unlikely lead.

 

[Your Mom]

I don't remember which episode it was so let's say you should watch all of Season 2 before reading this.

 

Spoiler

Bob deserved so much better God Damn it. He was amazing. Bob Newby Super Hero was great and that was a fucking noble death but Bob deserved to live and get the girl!  

 

[Lint]

1 minute ago, The Chiksrara Special said:

I don't remember which episode it was so let's say you should watch all of Season 2 before reading this.

 

  Hide contents

Bob deserved so much better God Damn it. He was amazing. Bob Newby Super Hero was great and that was a fucking noble death but Bob deserved to live and get the girl!  

 

Seriously

When the season started, I was convinced Bob would be bad.  That he was a government agent or something to watch them.  But no...it turns out Bob Newby was just a really good guy!  I wound up being so sad when he died

 .  RIP Bob Newby

[Meacon Keaton]

Taking it slowly, so we're only two episodes in, but I'm loving it so far. It really feels like it's just picked up where it left off.

Not quite sure about the new kids in town. I'm hoping they play a bigger role and aren't just there because, "Eh, let's expand the cast?" I have enough faith in this show to assume that's not the case.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I wonder if people in 1984 really chainsmoked and drank as much as this show leads me to believe. Like...

Spoiler

Billy chain smoking, lifting weights, and then stopping his weight lifting to grab a beer. That got a laugh out of me. 

 

[MalaCloudy Black]

Episode 8:

Spoiler

Bob Newby, superhero  I knew he wasn’t long for this world, but I still liked him goddamnit!