Stranger Things discussion (all seasons)

[bassman]

Comic Con trailer: https://youtu.be/vgS2L7WPIO4 Amazing use of Vincent Price/Thriller! MZ, you started the first season yet??

[MinionZombie]

MZ, you started the first season yet?? Nope. I'll get to it some time, I'm sure. I tell you what 80s throwback show I have watched lately - "GLOW" - and it's ruddy good.

[bassman]

Nope. I'll get to it some time, I'm sure. I tell you what 80s throwback show I have watched lately - "GLOW" - and it's ruddy good. WTF man?!? Earlier in this thread your excuse was that you don't have Netflix, but you said you've watched Glow and that's a Netflix original series like Stranger Things! Straighten your life out and make ST the priority, man!

[bassman]

Season Three Teaser https://youtu.be/YKYJ_DAofOM Really more of a production announcement, actually...

[bassman]

New poster and release date. For whatever reasons, they missed their normal routine of premiering in October for Halloween and will instead premiere this year on July 4.

[shootemindehead]

Still haven't watched 2. Kinda not bothered either. The first series was pretty much perfect for me.

[Neil]

Still haven't watched 2. Kinda not bothered either. The first series was pretty much perfect for me. Isn't that kinda a contradiction? ie: What's to say season 2 isn't more of the same?

[shootemindehead]

Isn't that kinda a contradiction? ie: What's to say season 2 isn't more of the same? Um, no. What I mean is I just don't need the continuation of what I felt was a great self contained story that hit all the right notes with me. Especially if, as I suspect, the law of diminishing returns sets in. I'll probably watch it at some point, but I'm in no hurry to?

[Neil]

Um, no. What I mean is I just don't need the continuation of what I felt was a great self contained story that hit all the right notes with me. Especially if, as I suspect, the law of diminishing returns sets in. I'll probably watch it at some point, but I'm in no hurry to? OK... I really do need to watch the first season don't I

[MinionZombie]

Okay, bassman - you've journeyed hard and long to get to this point: I've started watching Stranger Things. Had a bit of time between shows last night and all this renewed pestering from you folks to get me to start watching Stranger Things finally rubbed off and I watched episode 1x01 last night. I rather enjoyed it, too. I like the group of kids as it reminds me of my friends at school, how we were definitely not the 'in crowd'. When I was at school we were still in that mode where nerds weren't 'cool' or box office clout, now they are, but back then they weren't, so I'm automatically in with this little gang. I've never played D&D, but I enjoyed the contrast from the opening where real shit's going down to this kid's basement where their fictional adventure is reaching a similar peak of danger, hehe. Winona Ryder is excellent here. I loved the subtle little thing when she was on the phone talking to the other mother, who was the one to ask "is he missing?", but Ryder's character didn't want to admit that out of some sort of shame. I thought that was a really nice little touch to add in there. The first encounter is kinda like "what if E.T. went wrong" - kid goes out to the back garden shed, encounters an alien or somethingeruther, but it's not all Reeses Pieces and glowy fingers, it's some weird shit going down. Indeed, you can feel the Spielbergian/Amblin vibe, and hints of Stephen King. A cool synth soundtrack, nice use of genre tropes etc etc ... yep, just one episode so far, but I'm diggin' it. I reckon I'll watch the next episode (or two) today.

[bassman]

Yay! This’ll be fun going through the series again! Just started it now so I can try and keep up with ya’s. Agreed with the way the kids are portrayed. It feels very realistic. As you say, back then if we were into anything “nerdy”, it certainly wasn’t as common or accepted as it is today. The D&D connection continues throughout the show in sort of an important way, as well. I’m going to have to be careful to not reference anything that comes later in the series or spoil any reveals for you. Having said that, as I’m watching right now I’m seeing little things that give some hints. Looks like it should be interesting for a second spin, as well. On a sort of personal note....not only can I relate to the kids in the show, but my connection is taken a bit further because parts of it are literally filmed in the town I grew up in. Georgia is now the leading state of film and tv production, but this series is the first that is actually on the same streets I grew up on. It’s kinda strange, actually. For example, the sheriff’s office and arcade(season 2) are only a block away from grandmother’s home. I can see her property line in certain shots. ‘Tis weird.

[MinionZombie]

Oh man, that's cool about it being shot in and around your childhood haunts. That must bring a really bizarre - but pretty awesome - new angle to the show for you, like a melding of fact and fiction. I watched 1x02 earlier during lunch - who's the actress who plays the main kid's older sister (the one who's hanging out with that preppy bellend and "studying"). She looks really familiar and I can't place her. I'm enjoying the haunted Police Chief character, too, this kind of ruined man just plodding on like an old junker car, and then getting thrown into a missing kid case plus, now, a "suicide" (I really liked Benny! ) I feel sorry for Barb, too, dragged along like a fifth wheel ... can't even enjoy a quiet toe dip in the pool without strange shit going down. I also like how the teenage son of Ryder's character is a pretty decent dude ... ... voyeur photo sesh aside, lol ... ... you so often see teenagers be utter arseholes, especially teen boys, so it's refreshing to see him not only emotionally intelligent and aware but also caring (making food for his family, he took another shift so he could help out with money). Indeed, it's also nice to see a down-on-their-luck family who aren't just a bunch of shirkers - they work hard and have some pride, but the little bit of worry about appearances adds another dimension to it, stuff that Ryder is really playing well with. Damn if she ain't getting through them telephones, though! I'll watch 1x03 tonight.

[MinionZombie]

Last night I bashed out 1x04, 1x05, and 1x06 ... and I'm loving it. The discovery of Will's body has been a rollercoaster, Nancy visited the upside down, that scumbag bully's been dealt with, that preppy douchebag is an arsehole, Jonathan needs a cuddle, I'm digging the little team of Jim and Joyce (and it was badass when he infiltrated the military base). And these kids they've got in the cast - wonderful actors, all! It's not 'child acting', it's full blown acting. They're so believable in the parts and their chemistry is on-point. Gonna bash out 1x07 and 1x08 tonight ... then temper expectations for the second season what with Shoot's dour view on it.

[bassman]

Glad you’re liking it! I can’t say any specifics, but your perception of some of these characters may change as it goes on! Speaking of Will’s body....the end of that episode with the cover of “Heroes” playing over the final montage? Even on multiple viewings it brings the feels! Hopper has become one of my favorite characters in recent memory. If this show was actually made in the eighties, he feels like he would’ve been Michael Beihn. I was excited at the prospect of the actor being the new Hellboy, but then the trailer left me a bit disappointed. I’ll still probably see it, mainly for David Harbour.

[MinionZombie]

Speaking of Will’s body....the end of that episode with the cover of “Heroes” playing over the final montage? Even on multiple viewings it brings the feels! Oh yeah, that whole bit was really heartfelt - and again, those kids did a fantastic job of selling the moment ... and then Jim having to tell Joyce, oh man, so well done. Indeed, I really dig David Harbour in this role and hopefully it was just a shite trailer for Hellboy (especially after all that talk about making it really dark etc). Watched 1x07 during lunch ... at least preppy boy told his douchebag friends to jog on ... he's still a dick, but slightly less of one now. Consider me sucked right in.