Television Stranger Things (Netflix Original) | CONTAINS SPOILERS

[Kopral Jono]

Spoiler

It has absolutely nothing to do with Game of Thrones. Nobody is asking them to kill off a main character out of almost nowhere every 4 or 5 episodes

We're talking about a show with horror elements being 4 seasons in and having a huge cast where even if a character "dies" they tend to be revealed to have survived later on. Or an enemy pretends to be them so they still get a cameo.

4 seasons in the books and next to no threat or peril to main characters. So why care? For example Max. I laughed when she survived because its so stranger things to build these things up and then let the air out with a fart. What the fanboys are missing is that a death of an important character leads to big character development for several other characters. The kids have to grow up faster.

Will be more of the same shit next time just keeping it as a good/above average show instead of something great which it could be. The characters will start playing a new sport or listening to different music. Amazing character development from 3 seasons ago

Spoiler

As much as it is a show with horror elements, it is ultimately a fun, coming-of-age show about nostalgia with a robust emphasis on friendship. People slightly older than me who spent their formative years in that milieu love it mostly for nostalgic reasons: movie and music references, Nike Cortez, Cold War nostalgia, the so-called Satanic panic and list goes on. I just don't think the Duffer brothers want the show to be taken too seriously.

I get why some viewers are complaining. I, too, think Max needed to be killed off in the last episode. But different shows have different trajectory and given the show's emphasis the trajectory it's on right now is absolutely fine. It still makes for compelling viewing.

 

[flameinthesun]

Spoiler

I think Max will be blind but will be able to see through Vecna’s eyes in certain things, ending up in becoming key to finishing him off

Spoiler

I reckon Max is gone and eleven will have to learn that despite her power she can't bring people back from the dead

 

[Ekeke]

Spoiler

As much as it is a show with horror elements, it is ultimately a fun, coming-of-age show about nostalgia with a robust emphasis on friendship. People slightly older than me who spent their formative years in that milieu love it mostly for nostalgic reasons: movie and music references, Nike Cortez, Cold War nostalgia, the so-called Satanic panic and list goes on. I just don't think the Duffer brothers want the show to be taken too seriously.

I get why some viewers are complaining. I, too, think Max needed to be killed off in the last episode. But different shows have different trajectory and given the show's emphasis the trajectory it's on right now is absolutely fine. It still makes for compelling viewing.

Spoiler

Like I said its still an above average/good show. But I dont think you get an 8, 9 or 10/10 for nostalgia. I was born in 1985 so I do get it, I just think that with a few better choices it could be a lot better and thats what leads to dissappointment from viewers. Not expecting it to be exactly the same as Game of Thrones where everyone could die at any point...

Also I dont think it is just a coming of age friends show. If that was the case you wouldnt have the attempts at the epic fantasy battle scenes like Vecnir vs Max and Eleven with the special effects. These are horror and action scenes. These are clearly meant to be these amazing epic moments and battles and without the genuine threat that these characters are in danger of dying, the suspense goes away. While everything on the screen is screaming that this is a very important life or death moment, you know they dont have the balls to kill anyone that hasnt been introduced or reintroduced in the past 10 episodes. They'll threaten it but by the beginning of this season it already felt like they didnt have it in them to have a main character die when Hopper was revealed alive. Another season goes past and that could have been rectified with actually doing it this time, or better yet several characters during in the season as the stakes are supposed to be raised. Again it doesnt happen.

So yeah its not like I wouldnt suggest the show, but it certainly holds itself back from being great

 

[Sylar]

Tbf the moment you use fanboy in an argument should be the point you are dismissed as not serious

 

[hellhunter]

Tbf the moment you use fanboy in an argument should be the point you are dismissed as not serious

Unless you're in the F1 thread, where it validates your opinion @SirAnderson

 

[Moby]

Tbf the moment you use fanboy in an argument should be the point you are dismissed as not serious

Should be saying 'fanperson' at the very least.

 

[Massive Spanner]

I really enjoyed the season, but the last episode fell a bit flat for me. Too long, way too cheesy and way too many annoying dialogue scenes, also there was so much filler I didn’t care about. Still, I did like the eventual conclusion and that it was a bit darker and left more consequences going into the final season than previous ones have. But seriously Mike needs to feck off. He’s awful.

the scale, reach and ambition of the show is impressive, though. The only tv show I can think of that’s comparable is Game of Thrones. Whenever it comes out it feels like the whole tv world seems to stop and watch it.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

feck me that last episode made me reappraise the Return of the King ending to "succinct".

 

[Massive Spanner]

feck me that last episode made me reappraise the Return of the King ending to "succinct".

It’s funny you say that seeing as the Duffer brothers just said the fifth season will have a Return of the King type ending

 

[Loon]

Spoiler: spoiler

I really liked Eddie. The actor had a Downey Jr thing going on. I was more upset at his death than I was anything to do with Max.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

It’s funny you say that seeing as the Duffer brothers just said the fifth season will have a Return of the King type ending

Oh boy. I can see it now, Season 5 is the quest to traverse Hawkins and drop Will into the epicentre of that open crack into the upside down. Final episode is 3 and a half hours of slow motion hugging with Kajagoogoo on loop.

 

[AaronRedDevil]

It’s funny you say that seeing as the Duffer brothers just said the fifth season will have a Return of the King type ending

Good. We spent 5 seasons with these people. I wanna know how everyone is doing. I hate abrupt endings.

 

[Unam333]

Spoiler: spoiler

I really liked Eddie. The actor had a Downey Jr thing going on. I was more upset at his death than I was anything to do with Max.

I thought he was a bad guy at the start of the season. Yeah, great character.

 

[Massive Spanner]

I dunno, I found him largely a bit pointless due to the fact that there were already about 50+ characters from previous seasons to worry about, but at least he was a bit better than Jason. He seemed to exist purely so the writers could kill off a "main" character in the last episode and I just didn't really give a shit. We already have a much better Dustin tag-team partner in Steve for feck sake.

 

[VP89]

Spoiler: spoiler

I really liked Eddie. The actor had a Downey Jr thing going on. I was more upset at his death than I was anything to do with Max.

Same. Feel they made the wrong move on that front.

 

[RK]

Thought it was the weakest season so far but still enjoyed it.

Spoiler

Very long/slow. I'm a fan of slow movies, generally the story builds well and the slow scenes themselves can be engrossing due to the script and talent of the actors. I didn't think that was the case here.

Given that the whole season was building up to one climax, apart from maybe the small win in episode 4, I was genuinely confused by the payoff. I didn't really realise it had happened. When the kids were in the driveway "2 days later" I thought it was some sort of parallel dimension for a moment.

Thought the eventual ending was good though, they did lose and things have changed significantly. Sets the story up well.

Would like to see more of the upside-down before it was the upside-down, and how it became the upside-down. Were the demogorgons evil before Vecna? Looked like they were minding their own business when One first landed there.

Some people seem to be confused about the Mind Flayer. For me, the Mind Flayer that we're familiar with is Vecna- he's controlling the particles/shadow (and drawing some sort of evil power from them).

I think they should've shown a couple of rogue bats getting through the gate to make Eddie's sacrifice seem more worthwhile.

 

[Zen86]

I dunno, I found him largely a bit pointless due to the fact that there were already about 50+ characters from previous seasons to worry about, but at least he was a bit better than Jason. He seemed to exist purely so the writers could kill off a "main" character in the last episode and I just didn't really give a shit. We already have a much better Dustin tag-team partner in Steve for feck sake.

Spoiler: Spoiler

I liked him, but it was obvious he was going to die. They like to introduce these peripheral characters only to snuff them out and keep the main core in tact. It’s hard to grow too attached to new characters when that’s the case.

 

[Massive Spanner]

Spoiler: Spoiler

I liked him, but it was obvious he was going to die. They like to introduce these peripheral characters only to snuff them out and keep the main core in tact. It’s hard to grow too attached to new characters when that’s the case.

Bob still hurts to this day

 

[hellhunter]

Spoiler

what do we think about Brenner? Villain? Good intentions? Surely dead for good?

 

[Donaldo]

Thought it was the weakest season so far but still enjoyed it.

Spoiler

Very long/slow. I'm a fan of slow movies, generally the story builds well and the slow scenes themselves can be engrossing due to the script and talent of the actors. I didn't think that was the case here.

Given that the whole season was building up to one climax, apart from maybe the small win in episode 4, I was genuinely confused by the payoff. I didn't really realise it had happened. When the kids were in the driveway "2 days later" I thought it was some sort of parallel dimension for a moment.

Thought the eventual ending was good though, they did lose and things have changed significantly. Sets the story up well.

Would like to see more of the upside-down before it was the upside-down, and how it became the upside-down. Were the demogorgons evil before Vecna? Looked like they were minding their own business when One first landed there.

Some people seem to be confused about the Mind Flayer. For me, the Mind Flayer that we're familiar with is Vecna- he's controlling the particles/shadow (and drawing some sort of evil power from them).

I think they should've shown a couple of rogue bats getting through the gate to make Eddie's sacrifice seem more worthwhile.

Spoiler

His sacrifice was less about the bats getting into through the portal and more about giving the three in the house a clear shot at Vecna without getting attacked I think.

 

[Redlambs]

Good season overall, the best since S1 for me, but the last two episodes let it down quite heavily. They just resorted to the same old thing of repeating storylines and not really resolving anything of note.

It does kind of seem like this was going to be the last season during writing, but they were convinced to do one more halfway through. Also the runtime for those 2 episodes was completely unnecessary, it got to near Walking Dead levels of stringing out pointless conversations.

 

[VeevaVee]

Thought it was the weakest season so far but still enjoyed it.

Spoiler

Some people seem to be confused about the Mind Flayer. For me, the Mind Flayer that we're familiar with is Vecna- he's controlling the particles/shadow (and drawing some sort of evil power from them).

But we see One meet the Mind Flayer for the first time? If you read the post I shared from the d&d guy, which seems very closely linked, the orginal Vecna made a deal which benefitted both parties (in this case himself and the Mind Flayer).

 

[padr81]

Good season overall, the best since S1 for me, but the last two episodes let it down quite heavily. They just resorted to the same old thing of repeating storylines and not really resolving anything of note.

It does kind of seem like this was going to be the last season during writing, but they were convinced to do one more halfway through. Also the runtime for those 2 episodes was completely unnecessary, it got to near Walking Dead levels of stringing out pointless conversations.

Agree with all of this.

Last two episodes also did alot of Walking Dead style "Oh, oh, this guy is about to die" "Nah, gotcha" but with the characters having more plot armor than those in the Walking Dead ever had so it had no tension.

Spoiler

His sacrifice was less about the bats getting into through the portal and more about giving the three in the house a clear shot at Vecna without getting attacked I think.

Spoiler

Agree with this, he was purely buying time for Steve and co. as he didn't know the situation they were in.

All in all the plot armor is really removing the tension for me. Still a fun show and best series since 1, but the show as a whole as its gotten bigger and become more spectacular has lost alot of the charm of Season 1.

 

[Moby]

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[CassiusClaymore]

Good season overall, the best since S1 for me, but the last two episodes let it down quite heavily. They just resorted to the same old thing of repeating storylines and not really resolving anything of note.

It does kind of seem like this was going to be the last season during writing, but they were convinced to do one more halfway through. Also the runtime for those 2 episodes was completely unnecessary, it got to near Walking Dead levels of stringing out pointless conversations.

Yeah agreed. And also agree about the plot armour reaching ridiculous levels now.

Spoiler

Max

really should have gone after what happened to her.

 

[RK]

But we see One meet the Mind Flayer for the first time? If you read the post I shared from the d&d guy, which seems very closely linked, the orginal Vecna made a deal which benefitted both parties (in this case himself and the Mind Flayer).

I think he meets the shadow particles but they only take the Mind Flayer's form after he's done some hand gestures etc.
I enjoyed the post you shared! I could be wrong, but my guess is that the shadow isn't sentient until it's controlled by or infecting someone, but it also makes sense if it's some sort of god/demon to make a deal with.

 

[Sylar]

Yeah agreed. And also agree about the plot armour reaching ridiculous levels now.

Spoiler

Max

really should have gone after what happened to her.

Spoiler

Tbf max did. Plot armour in this case was Eleven saving her but essentially she's blind in a coma... She didn't survive the crppling and attack last second

Spoiler

His sacrifice was less about the bats getting into through the portal and more about giving the three in the house a clear shot at Vecna without getting attacked I think.

Yeah this was it. He wanted to drive them away from the house and give those guys time.

 

[phelans shorts]

Spoiler

Tbf max did. Plot armour in this case was Eleven saving her but essentially she's blind in a coma... She didn't survive the crppling and attack last second

Spoiler

I’ve found it baffling how many people are acting like she’s fine, she’s totally brain dead and even before that was at least blinded.

Now it’s definitely possible that it ends up with something where say her consciousness is in Vecna somehow because he didn’t finish her off and she comes into season 5 that way (given shes the best actor of the kids I’m really not sure why she’s the one so many people are adamant should snuff it either tbh) but it’s very early to be making that presumption I’d say

 

[Redlambs]

It definitely would have been incredibly Walking Dead to have Max survive impossible odds in a dramatic moment, to then die 2 episodes later in an almost identical moment. Also, didn't they say he needed those deaths and the corpses in his world to power the portals? Max survived. It's terrible writing to have that count "oh she technically died so that's good enough!". Very John Snow.


But anyway, there definitely should have been a cull to at least give the ending some gravitas. The whole town blowing up "but hey look we are all together again!" stuff was just so obvious and dull.

 

[Sylar]

Spoiler

I’ve found it baffling how many people are acting like she’s fine, she’s totally brain dead and even before that was at least blinded.

Now it’s definitely possible that it ends up with something where say her consciousness is in Vecna somehow because he didn’t finish her off and she comes into season 5 that way (given shes the best actor of the kids I’m really not sure why she’s the one so many people are adamant should snuff it either tbh) but it’s very early to be making that presumption I’d say

Yeah I'm with you. I'm also not sure about the whole plot armour accusation people keep saying. There weren't many ridiculous situations where I rolled my eyes at people surviving.

The bats attacking Eddie one at a time, sure was a bit OTT after chasing him. But the result wasn't plot armour anyway

So again what else?

 

[Redlambs]

Spoiler

I’ve found it baffling how many people are acting like she’s fine, she’s totally brain dead and even before that was at least blinded.

Now it’s definitely possible that it ends up with something where say her consciousness is in Vecna somehow because he didn’t finish her off and she comes into season 5 that way (given shes the best actor of the kids I’m really not sure why she’s the one so many people are adamant should snuff it either tbh) but it’s very early to be making that presumption I’d say

She's the one the writers put in peril, nobody is picking specifically her just because. Also, that would have been bigger than killing the dead weight they have no idea what to do with.

But anyway, repeating her storyline (the same way they repeated Eleven's over and over, even a couple of times in the same episode!) was naff. But yeah, she surely has an insight part to play now. Obviously predictable, but not sure what any other point would be.

 

[phelans shorts]

She's the one the writers put in peril, nobody is picking specifically her just because. Also, that would have been bigger than killing the dead weight they have no idea what to do with.

But anyway, repeating her storyline (the same way they repeated Eleven's over and over, even a couple of times in the same episode!) was naff. But yeah, she surely has an insight part to play now. Obviously predictable, but not sure what any other point would be.

Given the constant talk of “should be like Game of Thrones” in here of late it would be rather funny if she survives (like he did in episode 1) and went on to have some foresight like their version of Bran Stark

 

[Kopral Jono]

Thought it was the weakest season so far but still enjoyed it.

Spoiler

Very long/slow. I'm a fan of slow movies, generally the story builds well and the slow scenes themselves can be engrossing due to the script and talent of the actors. I didn't think that was the case here.

Given that the whole season was building up to one climax, apart from maybe the small win in episode 4, I was genuinely confused by the payoff. I didn't really realise it had happened. When the kids were in the driveway "2 days later" I thought it was some sort of parallel dimension for a moment.

Thought the eventual ending was good though, they did lose and things have changed significantly. Sets the story up well.

Would like to see more of the upside-down before it was the upside-down, and how it became the upside-down. Were the demogorgons evil before Vecna? Looked like they were minding their own business when One first landed there.

Some people seem to be confused about the Mind Flayer. For me, the Mind Flayer that we're familiar with is Vecna- he's controlling the particles/shadow (and drawing some sort of evil power from them).

I think they should've shown a couple of rogue bats getting through the gate to make Eddie's sacrifice seem more worthwhile.

Spoiler

I'm with you on bolded. Henry even said to El something along the lines of discovering an extraordinary thing in the Upside Down IIRC. I could only assume that this is a reference to a very early form of the Mind Flayer (before it transformed into a demonic giant spider thing through Henry's powers, and one that he could manipulate at his own will).

And yes, the Upside Down was completely harmless before El sent him through the gate. It's just a random alternate universe with strange and potentially powerful things in it, never meant to be accessed by creatures with a high level of intelligence.

 

[Kopral Jono]

Spoiler

I’ve found it baffling how many people are acting like she’s fine, she’s totally brain dead and even before that was at least blinded.

Now it’s definitely possible that it ends up with something where say her consciousness is in Vecna somehow because he didn’t finish her off and she comes into season 5 that way (given shes the best actor of the kids I’m really not sure why she’s the one so many people are adamant should snuff it either tbh) but it’s very early to be making that presumption I’d say

Spoiler

I'm quite convinced that either she or Will will become Henry's vessel, so to speak, in the final season.

 

[phelans shorts]

Spoiler

I'm quite convinced that either she or Will will become Henry's vessel, so to speak, in the final season.

Spoiler

I’d say Will was far more likely for that. Given how much he tortured Max in particular this season if she does have a role it’s going to be massive in taking him down.

Like I say, my prediction is that it’ll go along the lines of her consciousness is still in him while her body is still alive and she learns how to trick him into not seeing an attack coming or something along those lines, and maybe she wakes up from her coma after he’s toppled.

It’s a bit cheesy but it is a teens show with horror tendencies rather than a horror/action show so it’d definitely fit. We’re not talking about a show that needs a Breaking Bad/Sopranos ending

 

[Zen86]

Spoiler

I'm quite convinced that either she or Will will become Henry's vessel, so to speak, in the final season.

Spoiler

Will I’m guessing is to be Vecna’s vessel, and Max will learn of it through some unintended Harry Potter-esque connection and tell the others.

 

[RedSky]

Spoiler

I'm quite convinced that either she or Will will become Henry's vessel, so to speak, in the final season.

Spoiler

They're going to do a Harry Potter / Voldermort type connection between Will and Vecna imo. They already hinted at that in the finale with the whole "I have the shivers and know he's near" with Will. Whether they have it so Vecna invades and controls Will or whether they use Wills connection with Vecna as a way of tracking him down I dunno. As for Max, they're going to do the whole "we can save her" arse, despite all the other kids dying, feck knows why she survived and the rest died... I can't even remember what happened now in the finale, did Eleven stop Vecna just in time? It was always pretty quick with the other kids that died.

Anyway, I dont mind them not killing off Max as she's probably the best actor out of all of them and boy do they need that to cover for some of the others who are struggling.

 

[phelans shorts]

Spoiler

They're going to do a Harry Potter / Voldermort type connection between Will and Vecna imo. They already hinted at that in the finale with the whole "I have the shivers and know he's near" with Will. Whether they have it so Vecna invades and controls Will or whether they use Wills connection with Vecna as a way of tracking him down I dunno. As for Max, they're going to do the whole "we can save her" arse, despite all the other kids dying, feck knows why she survived and the rest died... I can't even remember what happened now in the finale, did Eleven stop Vecna just in time? It was always pretty quick with the other kids that died.

Anyway, I dont mind them not killing off Max as she's probably the best actor out of all of them and boy do they need that to cover for some of the others who are struggling.

Spoiler

Eleven got out of the vines and pointed at Vecna as he put his hand over Max, which is when the others died after he slowly put his hand on their face they started breaking bones etc… hence Max having one broken arm and leg and going into a coma rather than dying, albeit when Eleven tried going into her mind there was nothing there.

 

[CassiusClaymore]

Spoiler

Tbf max did. Plot armour in this case was Eleven saving her but essentially she's blind in a coma... She didn't survive the crppling and attack last second

Except we all know it probably won't stay that way.

 

[Sylar]

Except we all know it probably won't stay that way.

Sometimes predictable isn't a bad thing