You’re definitely in the minority on that one lol. But all good. Not for everyone I guess. I think it’s one of the best shows in recent (post Sopranos) memory. Because it’s done a fantastic job of reaching many people between the great casting, and the ode to 80s nostalgia. Put a talented cast of kids, (who the younger audiences resonate with) veteran actors (Ryder, Reiser, Harbour, Buono) and put a 80s pastiche on it and you’ve got a sure fire hit. Stephen King’s tweet nailed it: “STRANGER THINGS 2: Ladies and gentlemen, that's how you do it: no ********, balls to the wall entertainment. Straight up.“ I hope the Duffer Brothers can carry this as long as the demand is there and future arcs can be developed. Bravo ST! (And this is coming from a TV viewer who doesn’t watch a ton of “current” shows. Mostly old stuff)
I think you are spot on. It's not just recreating the 80's it's actually recreating a programme from the 80's that you are watching in the 80's. The so called "cheeseyness" of it is obviously quite deliberate!
I've had a number of criticisms about S2, as I mentioned before, but 'cheesiness' would not be one, as the tone was self consistent and in line with the 80s movies it's paying a homage to. The actors' performances were beyond reproach (save ep7). Another great example of a show recreating the 80s, in a much less pop culture homage-y way, is Red Oaks. People having a problem with lactose intolerance might want to check out that series.
Finished season 2 last night and overall it left me somewhat disappointed, given my love for the first series. The feel I remember from 1 was Stand By Me and the core of IT, it reminded me of those long days with friends following the 'criminals'. This new series turned in to some, padded out, 80's B horror movie. Eleven's, 2 episodes trip was unnecessary and could have been achieved by a 10 minute remote visit. I'm not even sure if I'll be in for series 3
I made it through the 2nd season carefully without having anything spoiled. Enjoyable for sure, though it's hard to top season 1. A few comments (don't read if you haven't watched): - As I stated in another post, the Dig Dug high score should only have 3 letters as I recall, not 6. It still would have worked with MAX instead of MADMAX as the entry, so I wonder why that was necessary (presumable that was done with special effects) - And big props for the using the Commodore 1702 monitors in the lab scenes, which I believe were released in 1984. Growing up during that era I really appreciate those fine details when done right. Another one from season 1 was the blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance of the board game "Dungeon!" - How did Bob recognize that the tunnels that Will drew were under Hawkins? He said something like, "I recognize that shape", but if they're underground they don't really need to conform to any shape. - Speaking of the tunnels, I got the feeling that Hopper knew about their existence and remembered about them after hearing the word "vine". How long has he known about the secrets from the lab? - Max's step-brother Billy was a classic jerk throughout. There was one moment during the basketball game though that showed a hint of another side. Even though the game with Steve was very confrontational, Billy gave him some genuine advice about how to improve his game (about taking the charge and drawing the foul) - I have to agree with another poster that the scenes with Steve and Dustin and their banter were great! - It felt like there were a lot more contemporary pop songs used in this season than the last one. It gave a bit of a different feel to season 2. - The private investigator had a weird feel to him. Creepy and lonely sure, but almost out of space and not from the 1984. It wasn't as bad as the punk gang from episode 7, but something seemed off him in the way he was portrayed (language, clothes, attitude, I'm really not sure). - Given that I've been watching another show set in the '80s ("Red Oaks"), seeing Paul Reiser in season 2 was initially unexpected. "Is this a crossover episode?" was my first though.
Good gosh, just watch the show. I could probably find nitpicking faults with timelines, not true to period goofs etc etc on every series that was ever on TV. At least with this one they got the chemistry in a team of kid actors that works, characters that we actually care about and a storyline thata not completely derived.
The one scene I was waiting for which didn't happen - after Max knocks Billy out they leave him in Will's house and drive off; I was waiting for Billy to come around and stumble to the fridge to get a drink only to be confronted by the body of the dead demagorgon they had earlier stuffed in there!
I think it had to do with them going around bodies of water... but I wondered how he could figure that out so quickly when the “map” went around corners and down hallways and he could only see bits of it. It wasn’t like he could take in the whole thing.... I guess that’s why they called him Bob the Brain.
I got a kick out of seeing Bob using the IBM 3180 terminal. That was my main terminal for connecting to the mainframe at work in the late 80s-early 90s.
Loved the second season — just didn’t understand the the Max and Billy characters. They were just tacked and really were just light sidelines to the plot. OK, Max provided a love interest and some tension, but Billy? He is introduced with such drama and each scene with him implies some sort of “power,” but he’s just an abused and angry kid. No tie into anything — his absence would have made no difference.
Well, they introduced Max because they sidelined Elle (big mistake, IMO) to even things out, gender wise. And they sidelined Elle because she's become a bit of a deus ex machina character, that can use powers for whatever reason the plot calls for, so she had to be mostly gone in order that stuff can happen without her getting too many nose bleeds. Billy? Yeah, a waste of space (even if he turns out to be somehow important in S3 - in S2 he just took up screen time that could have been better used on the kids).
Here's a great piece on the "analog" look of the opening titles, which I think make some interesting choices -- up to and including the typeface, ITC Benguiat. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=791033491084255 You're absolutely right there: there was no real dramatic payoff for that scene. It's always interesting to me when somebody gets the crap knocked out of them in a fight, but then seem more or less fine 15 minutes later. That ain't what happens in real life, especially if you've lost teeth, broken a finger, or worse. I have it on good authority that Paul Reiser (who's wealthy enough that he doesn't really need to work) agreed to do the role on the proviso that he wouldn't be an unrelenting bad guy, and he would have some redeemable qualities. The big surprise is that the main human villain from last season is still alive. My guess is that this character is confined to a wheelchair and pretty much out of it, but that's only a theory.
The industry scuttlebutt has it that Stranger Things is pretty much the biggest streaming show of the year, with an audience of over 15 million viewers: New Netflix Ratings Confirm ‘Stranger Things’ Is a Hit 'Stranger Things 2': Nielsen says Netflix drama drew more than 15 million streamers It's an enormous hit by any measure, so I'd say most of the audience disagrees with you. I concede what you see, but it's not enough to prevent me from enjoying the show. Netflix has confirmed that they have committed to at least two more seasons of Stranger Things, with an option for a fifth if the Duffer Brothers want to go one more year.
The props in the show are a riot. But: I still get irked that the cops are using Motorola CP200 walkies, which did not exist in the 1980s or 1990s. They're strictly post-2005. (The giant Radio Shack walkies the kids are using are 100% correct.)
Yes! As a child of the 80s I'm instantly transported back to that era when I watch this show. Especially the CB radios. My friends and I used them also!