Stranger Things - Season 2

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[Mouse]

Looks amazing, can't wait!

 

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#Justice4Barb is alive and doing well in the Stranger Things. It is as good, if not a little bit better than the first season even if Widona Ryder hasn't gone bonkers in first three episodes. Things is there's only nine of them in total. That isn't much. In fact, it's not doing justice for the mysteries that the Second Season is conjuring on the small screen. Their world could be ours. All down to those fabulous mullets.

I have to confess that I'd one. But I'm also glad that their world isn't ours as it's quite sick. The Upside Down is poisoning, and the cancer is spreading further than it has ever gone from the Hawking's Energy Research Facility. Their government is denying it. "It is fake news. Ridiculous things that the Sheriff has cooked up in his head. It never happened."

But if you saw some of the pumpkin posters, you know how real things are getting. The Stranger Thing Season Two is the best Halloween show for 2017. And you don't have to wait any longer as it's here, available now at the nearest Netflix.

 

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I finished the #Justice4Barb season and I have to say it's awfully short. Thing is they're on full throttle as soon as you click play. The Stranger Things doesn't give you meaningless blather for hours. When they the MC's say something it's most definitely relates to situation or deepens the story. But for the story you'll have to accept that there are different dimensions or planes to this world.

Spoiler

To me Eleven is a traveller from another world. She's a princess, who got lost in Upside Down and when she found a way back, she opened a door for the supernatural to seep into the reality. But in the same time Will is the counterpart from our dimension.

The series doesn't explain exactly how all of this became true, but after two seasons it's clear that these two children are the key for whole thing. Eleven closed the portal, but she didn't remove the evidence. The Upside Down will always be there, at the background, lurking and being ready to burst out and haunt the young audience. Although the game isn't about the youngest members as the cast adults are in hugely role.

In the second season She... Chief Hopper played so important role on keeping Eleven from solving the problem. He isn't by anyone standard a good dad, even though he's trying his very best. But that's the thing when you're the sole head of the investigation and you two families to look after, as Eleven still probably won't know most of the things Hopper were doing when he was out from the hut.

Why is that we'll have to give the visitors from another realm an access to television? He did a good thing by teaching eleven vocabulary, but at the same time he did damn awful job on engaging it. Instead of seeing El's brilliance, Hopper dulled it down. In other words, if he'd given some room for Eleven to proser, he wouldn't have ended digging a cornfield at 8 pm and realising he was awfully late.

By Hopper's actions he caused Eleven to run away, find his sister, learn about her mother and got himself almost killed if Will hadn't saved him. Poor Hopper, but then again the Depart of Energy's boffins weren't doing a magnificent job either. They were trying their best to contain the situation they couldn't even beginning to understand.

All progress was made when the paranormal entered the picture, but even then the scientist were firmly sceptical even though they'd evidence literally squirming in their basement. The poor squad of redshirts had no chance of surviving with the d1ckhead scientist running the comms. They were probably best of the best US can offer to DoE, but even then they weren't enough. The beasts most lethal weapon were their alien physiology to our norms. But we don't know if the big bad is the worst opponent.

All we know about this gargantuan beast that it's very hard opponent to kill. But in their world, he might not even be on top of the resource pyramid. There might be scarier things prowling the wasteland. What did the DoE really learn about the Upside Down?

 

[Mouse]

I've seen the first ep of series 2 now, loved it. Not going to binge it, need to make it last.

 

[HoopyFrood]

I've done the same, Mouse (and said exactly the say thing!)

One thing I couldn't get over was how crisp and sharp and colourful it is! It's such a treat for the eyes.

It's nice to be back with all the characters and it's especially nice to see Joyce happy and looking much healthier than she did for most of last season.

 

[Bugg]

I'm six episodes into season 2. After season 1 sneaked up and caught me totally by surprise this one's burdened with all the subsequent expectations - and it hasn't disappointed at all so far. The blend of humour, scares and the warmth of nostalgia is wonderful. Episodes 5 and 6 were just . . .

 

[Bugg]

Season 2 Ep 7

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I was quite surprised and intrigued when I realised the episode was going to be focused solely on Eleven, but then it told such a seen-it-all-before story that I felt it undermined the pacing that had been set up in the previous two episodes. Maybe that was intentional but the ends didn't justify the means, for me - probably because the other characters were so cliched and lacking in depth. Did anyone really think Eleven was going to kill that guy? Or that she wouldn't decide that, in the end, that life wasn't for her? This ep was the series' first misstep IMO.

Ep 8

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Back on track. Terrific episode even if the plot beats were obvious and telegraphed way in advance (Bob's death - I was kind of hoping that was a bit of misdirection but no - , and then Eleven turning up to save the day). I've enjoyed seeing Paul Reiser again. From the Aliens homage at the end of ep 6 to the sort-of one here where he's like Gorman, watching the camera feeds as the others try to escape. He's almost been the anti-Burke. Great fun.

 

[Nick B]

I have just two episodes of season 2 to watch. I love this show, the best thing is, I was the age of those kids in the years it is set, so it is hugely nostalgic as well as a great show.

 

[Bugg]

I watched the final episode last night. Very enjoyable ending. I loved the season overall, and the development of the main characters. I also started watching the Beyond Stranger Things chat shows. Quite weird hearing Eleven laughing and talking with an English accent

 

[Amelia Faulkner]

Agreed, @Bugg.

Overall I loved S2, but it had some... interesting pacing issues. I suspect a lot of that is setting up for S3.

 

[ctg]

I suspect a lot of that is setting up for S3.

IF there is going to be Season 3. At the moment the story ends quite well.

 

[Bugg]

Agreed, @Bugg.

Overall I loved S2, but it had some... interesting pacing issues.

Yeah, it started slow to ease you back in and I loved all the character stuff, then episodes 3 to 6 motored, then came ep 7, which was a total waste IMO.

IF there is going to be Season 3. At the moment the story ends quite well.

I thought they'd said it's going to be four seasons and that's it.

 

[Bugg]

Stranger Things season 3 confirmed

 

[ctg]

I thought they'd said it's going to be four seasons and that's it.

Then all of this is going to bridge things together as these middle chapters ties things together.

 

[Amelia Faulkner]

Yeah exactly. It felt very middle-chapter-y. But I adored it anyway

 

[Dan Jones]

IF there is going to be Season 3. At the moment the story ends quite well.

See, at the end of series 1 I thought it was so perfect that they'd definitely ruin it if they commissioned a series 2. Ho-hum, I was proven wrong (and happily proven wrong, I hasten to add). If the Duffers have a definitive ending and route to it in mind and don't try to string it out into a shaggy dog story a la Lost / Walking Dead, then I'll be very grateful. I adore this show.

ETA: the child actors in this show are astonishingly talented. The girl who plays 11 is utterly sensational.

 

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If the Duffers have a definitive ending and route to it in mind and don't try to string it out into a shaggy dog story a la Lost / Walking Dead, then I'll be very grateful. I adore this show.

I feel they have thought most of things out when they learned about the success in the first time. The problem with the season two is that they grew the core crew with the red haired girl. Not every MC got their background expanded. There is a lot to be told on why Eleven and Will are such a special kids. And then there is the government angle as some part of knows more about these thing then they're currently admitting. So there's a plenty on what they can expand, but I feel that there's some technology they want as we still don't know much about the Upside Down. It's the ending what I'm worried about as they're so damn difficult to wrap when the audience knows there's whole another world over there.

One thing I wonder, will it be exactly one year from season two ending as Chief Hopper indicated? If it happens around next Halloween, does it mean that there's so sort of ritual that opened the tear to our world in the first place?

 

[Cli-Fi]

I thought season 1 was more X-files ripoff. I am enjoying season 2 a lot better as the story is more complex. I'm watching 2 eps a night right now. Although I am getting a huge 13 reasons why vibe from the HS school kids. Yet, even that secondary storyline with the PTBS (Post Traumatic Barb Syndrome) is 100X better than 13 reasons.

It's refreshing that they didn't go the anthology route and kept with the mystery of the upside down universe

 

[ctg]

I thought season 1 was more X-files ripoff.

I thought it was a homage to Elm Street, Friday 13th and all other nasty horror movies, especially as they show young adults getting drunk and partying, while the monster prowls outside waiting for opportunity.