Stranger Things 2: Reactions?
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I already binged it with a friend of mine. I'd say it's a worthy sequel, though the plot is a bit slower to pick up. Despite the whole series peaking at episode 3 of the first season for me, it's still very entertaining. The inevitable problem with it is that now that we know what the Upside Down is the mystery can no longer be built around just discovering that. This time I'd say it's more character focused than on the story and mystery. It doesn't have the "down the rabbit hole" effect, but there's still plenty of intrigue and suspense throughout. It feels a bit more substantial in terms of theme and subtext than the first season, though it's still very fluffy in that department. It also dips on a couple of occasions into rather obvious nerd wish fulfillment fantasy which can take you out of it, and there's some a bit questionable character logic in places.
What I perhaps like about it most is that it's a pastiche without being cliche. There's plenty of obvious and predictable twists they could have taken, but didn't, which made it feel fresh instead of stagnant and overindulgent. Also, fun to see Sean Astin again after 14 years of obscure indie productions and avoiding the public eye.
But jeez, the Byers family just can't catch a break.
What I perhaps like about it most is that it's a pastiche without being cliche. There's plenty of obvious and predictable twists they could have taken, but didn't, which made it feel fresh instead of stagnant and overindulgent. Also, fun to see Sean Astin again after 14 years of obscure indie productions and avoiding the public eye.
But jeez, the Byers family just can't catch a break.
Stranger Things is the only show I can "binge watch". I decided to split the show into 3 parts and make like a "movie" "trilogy", watching one "movie" every night. In retrospect I should have split the show into 5 parts, saving the finale for the last night, because 3 episodes a night is just too much.
Anyway, what's missing is Evelen. I mean, she's in the show, but... The new characters too, mostly forgettable. The girl they got to replace Eleven and her brother, I think their scenes together are great, and by the end of the show I liked her character. I even liked her brother.
The show starts kinda slow, but it gets better with each episode, except for episode 7, possibly the worst episode the show had so far, I don't know why anyone would think that's a good idea. I just checked imdb right now and while every episode has a rating of around 9/10, episode 7 is currently at 6.8/10 and I think that's generous.
Anyway, what's missing is Evelen. I mean, she's in the show, but... The new characters too, mostly forgettable. The girl they got to replace Eleven and her brother, I think their scenes together are great, and by the end of the show I liked her character. I even liked her brother.
The show starts kinda slow, but it gets better with each episode, except for episode 7, possibly the worst episode the show had so far, I don't know why anyone would think that's a good idea. I just checked imdb right now and while every episode has a rating of around 9/10, episode 7 is currently at 6.8/10 and I think that's generous.
I will say of every character Steve has gotten the most development over these 2 seasons. I like that he seems to be taking on the role of a big brother to Dustin.
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Goddamn it, a smoke monster? Really?
I mean, as far as smoke monsters go, it's probably the best one, but smoke monsters are still creatively bankrupt and boring so...being the best of that is still pretty shitty.
Other than that, I'm 5 episodes in right now and don't have much in the way of criticisms. Will revisit once I'm finished with the season.
I mean, as far as smoke monsters go, it's probably the best one, but smoke monsters are still creatively bankrupt and boring so...being the best of that is still pretty shitty.
Other than that, I'm 5 episodes in right now and don't have much in the way of criticisms. Will revisit once I'm finished with the season.
It did what it needed to and that was more than enough. Sometimes upping the stakes (which sequels seem to think is necessary) ruins the show or drives it into a corner. I don't think it did for ST2. I was happy the increased budget didn't ruin the atmosphere the first created (that could have easily happened in a show with a retro setting.) We knew that the Duffers did well casting the kids (that can be very difficult) but we didn't know about Will. But he did very well now that he had some real screen time. The new people were more hit than miss.
One of the new plot threads was pretty bad, and its not the episode 7 gripe so many people have. Actually I didn't have a problem with ep 7, people are just butthurt that it breaks up a cliffhanger and changes the tone. How else are you going to do a proper cliffhanger in a streaming series? It is actually a pretty good trick and now that the whiners are complaining it won't ever happen again. No the plot thread that landed with a thud was the "Justice for Barb" overreaction. It took John and Nancy more or less entirely out of the story and turned a new character from "the conspiracy theorist stumbling onto the truth" into "creepy guy who wants nothing more than for 2 underage kids to bone in his apartment." And he was NEVER in any danger... damn I wanted him to die after that episode. But the rest of the new characters did well. Sean Astin, adding someone from The Goonies... perfect. And Paul Reiser did a great job of subverting the previous "government scientist guy" character from the first season. The new 'human' antagonist may have had a lot of potential for the story going forward, but it seemed like his plot thread had been trimmed back. They may have just as well eliminated him entirely actually. But his little sister is a pretty good addition to the kid lineup, and he seems to be just there to add a threat (they don't explain the reason for) for her to overcome and tick her "badass" checkbox. She didn't really need it.
But overall it was fine. Good even. And it closed the chapter leaving just enough of a hook as a tease for season 3 without jamming the hook into the viewers eyesocket. Good casting, competent storytelling, keeping the tone without eliminating comedy moments... overall a lot of positives. And on the minus side only too much of an eye for fanservice (justice for Barb.) They're good enough that they need to tell their story and screw listening to what the fans want.
One of the new plot threads was pretty bad, and its not the episode 7 gripe so many people have. Actually I didn't have a problem with ep 7, people are just butthurt that it breaks up a cliffhanger and changes the tone. How else are you going to do a proper cliffhanger in a streaming series? It is actually a pretty good trick and now that the whiners are complaining it won't ever happen again. No the plot thread that landed with a thud was the "Justice for Barb" overreaction. It took John and Nancy more or less entirely out of the story and turned a new character from "the conspiracy theorist stumbling onto the truth" into "creepy guy who wants nothing more than for 2 underage kids to bone in his apartment." And he was NEVER in any danger... damn I wanted him to die after that episode. But the rest of the new characters did well. Sean Astin, adding someone from The Goonies... perfect. And Paul Reiser did a great job of subverting the previous "government scientist guy" character from the first season. The new 'human' antagonist may have had a lot of potential for the story going forward, but it seemed like his plot thread had been trimmed back. They may have just as well eliminated him entirely actually. But his little sister is a pretty good addition to the kid lineup, and he seems to be just there to add a threat (they don't explain the reason for) for her to overcome and tick her "badass" checkbox. She didn't really need it.
But overall it was fine. Good even. And it closed the chapter leaving just enough of a hook as a tease for season 3 without jamming the hook into the viewers eyesocket. Good casting, competent storytelling, keeping the tone without eliminating comedy moments... overall a lot of positives. And on the minus side only too much of an eye for fanservice (justice for Barb.) They're good enough that they need to tell their story and screw listening to what the fans want.
Leaving big threads for seasons 3 was the thing made me feel like this season was worse. It's similar to the MCU syndrome - too much left to further seasons.Kyrian007 said:
Everyone was on their adventure and then recombining into groups we hadn't seen. It lost a lot of the connection the three boys had in the first season. But then I don't think season one was a shining beacon that everyone else seems to.
I thought the things they left open were pretty subtle.trunkage said:
Like why did the smoke leaving Will shoot off into space as opposed to into the ground or towards a hole or the gate. Pretty subtle forshadowing as far as such things go because it could just as easily mean nothing. The only other things left open I didn't really care about. Like why is Billy such a bastard? My question, why is he in the series at all, because who cares?
Of course they left the huge "smoke monster" in the upside down. That could be considered a dangling thread... but it isn't. The gate is closed. Obviously that's going to change or get worked around, but until it is the thread isn't dangling... it isn't a thread that hasn't been woven yet until we get to the change or workaround. Same with the "bad guy government." They lost. They aren't gone but until that thread is woven, that thread isn't dangling.
Of course they left the huge "smoke monster" in the upside down. That could be considered a dangling thread... but it isn't. The gate is closed. Obviously that's going to change or get worked around, but until it is the thread isn't dangling... it isn't a thread that hasn't been woven yet until we get to the change or workaround. Same with the "bad guy government." They lost. They aren't gone but until that thread is woven, that thread isn't dangling.
The one thing I would consider a genuinely dangling thread would be...Kyrian007 said:
...Whether or not Dr. Brenner is alive, since his colleague insisted he was, and Eight seems to think so, too.
I don't think that was the point of that. She was just jealous, that's all. No forgetting necessary, or indicated.undeadsuitor said:
I think you have to remember that Stranger Things is very consciously built to homage tropes and existing formula (many of them from 80s horror). Sometimes it's used to subvert expectation (as with the pool party scene in the first season), and at other times it's played ostensibly straight, but it's always quite consciously done.undeadsuitor said:
For that reason I rather think complaints about cliche are a little off-target. Cliche is quite intentionally used and played with, sometimes turned on its head, sometimes played straight.
It was ok, but did something I started to hate since Walking Dead: Split up the group until the last minute. Season 1 was so good because, except for some Hopper Missions, always stayed with the Kids as a group and in the little town. And I hated Episode 2.7 when Sexeleven became a thing. A shame if the story goes to 'Psychic Girl War' in season 3 and ends with 'Unite the tribes' in season 4...
Here's what I want to know. (Spoilers, duh, get out of here if you haven't seen the show yet).
The first creature could exit the upside down seemingly wherever it wanted into the regular world, so couldn't the Hive-mind leader just open it's own door too? I mean, it did seem to be able to pull Will into the upside down (unless something else was making him pop in and out of there).
Granted, these doors seemed to be only temporary and closed on their own after a short while.
Other than that, it should be neat to see what the kids get up to in Season 3, if "Papa" is really gone, and if El and Kali have any more siblings.
The first creature could exit the upside down seemingly wherever it wanted into the regular world, so couldn't the Hive-mind leader just open it's own door too? I mean, it did seem to be able to pull Will into the upside down (unless something else was making him pop in and out of there).
Granted, these doors seemed to be only temporary and closed on their own after a short while.
Other than that, it should be neat to see what the kids get up to in Season 3, if "Papa" is really gone, and if El and Kali have any more siblings.
It is trueSilvanus said:
That he could come back. But as in an odd bit of character sort of arrested development, Eleven has decided that it isn't true... or at least being with her friends is more important than finding out for sure. They could and probably will bring that back into play, but I do consider that to be wrapped up for the time being the way they left it. 8 also could have been lying to keep 11 with her as a part of her own revenge plot, and even if that isn't so its wrapped for the time being until 8 enters the picture again or Doc shows up himself.
It could, but the gate was open. It only did so originally after Eleven opened the gateImp Emissary said:
Now, Eleven has closed the gate. Maybe the mind flayer/smoke monster can still can reach into the regular world. But then again maybe El or another one of the MK Ultra babies has to open a gate somewhere for anything from the upside down to be able to affect the normal world.
Don't worry, it will pick up. I was thinking the same thing early on and I was worried it would be a big filler season as they set up S3 and beyond but from episode 4, maybe 5 onwards the show REALLY kicks off. I'll have to rewatch it again at some point but for me the second half of the season might have bested season 1 (the first half of the season fell a bit short). In particular I loved the Lovecraftian way the monster is portrayed, really worked for me.dscross said:
Are you sure they aren't of the same species? I mean, it's not like they've tested their DNA. Granted, who's to say the Flayer is even organic. Also, it seems odd that the Flayer would have an underling with an ability that lets it travel between dimensions, but not have it himself.undeadsuitor said:
I could buy that the gate being closed could strengthen the barrier between worlds, and what not. Although, was El really the one who opened it in the first place? When she contacted the demogrogon she wasn't in the upside down, but contacting it telepathically. I got the impression from the scene that after sensing her, the demogorgon was sent after her, and now that maybe it was a scout of the Flayer looking for more food for young demogorgans, like Dart.Kyrian007 said:
Only about half-way through and first, it is slower to get started. The first couple episodes felt like throwaway ones. Second, it feels more disjointed. There was the one main mystery in the first one: Where the hell is Will? What is this Upside Down place? Now, we have
I feel like there are too many plot threads going at once and except the main one, none of them are that interesting to me.
That said, I feel like this season has been better acted than the first, but maybe that's just me. I'll finish it off this week and see how I feel. It's not bad so far, just, kind of all over the place.
Hopper trying to protect El and her trying to find her mum, Will and his giant monster visions, the charming doctor at the lab and his mysterious bullshit, Nancy and Johnathan running around trying to get justice for Barbara, Lucas trying to convince Max of the truth and make her one of the group, Dustin and his Upside Down lizard thing, etc.
That said, I feel like this season has been better acted than the first, but maybe that's just me. I'll finish it off this week and see how I feel. It's not bad so far, just, kind of all over the place.
I have to ask. I watched the first season and found it fine, but it didn't grab me like it did a lot of other people. Is season 2 going to change my mind if I watch it?