TomOpus

Did you not read post #108?

DJariya

Yes and the episodes are really long and I assume there will be a lot to digest and talk about. I know for Netflix shows most here are used to single threads, but realistically no one is going to be able to watch all 7 episodes in a day or two unless you're unemployed.

TomOpus

Not everyone has a traditional Mon-Fri schedule. My weekend is Thurs/Fri.

Throwing Copper

yep. I worked most weekends for many years.

Throwing Copper

After 3 long years, it’s finally here.

And I’m struggling with rewatch of the final episode of Season 3, which is 75 minutes long. It just won’t end.

Not sure how well 9 hours spread across 7 episodes is gonna go over for Part 1 of the new season.

TomOpus

Opens with a disclaimer that is was filmed before the tragic events in Texas. Aftermath of the first scene is fairly disturbing. Then it quickly gets you caught up with most everyone plus introduces new characters. In school, El goes by "Jane." Be prepared to juggle more characters.

dex14

Oooooh. So this going to hard on NOES vibes this season. That ending…

Explains the Englund casting.

OldBoy

Well, I thought the first ep sucked. And now we’re going to be fighting Swamp Thing. Sweet.

Osiris3657

Man these kids went through puberty fast.

Also Jonathan looks like Daryl from TWD

Throwing Copper

So, I’m only 9 minutes into this, right before the main titles, who is that supposed to be standing there at the end of the gruesome hospital scene?

Says it takes place in 1979.



Cellar Door

Really liked the first episode. They do a good job of catching us up with all the kids and how they are dealing with the changes in their lives. However, it does get pretty cartoonish in these scenes frequently so those who didn't like season 3 for that reason will probably not like it here. But I thought it was good in how it showed Max struggling with her trauma of the last year, and the boys starting to grow apart as they grow up, and El getting bullied. The horror elements are done very well, from the opening scene at HNL to the cheerleader's visions to that holy shit scene at the end.

Random thoughts:

• That douchey basketball team captain looks and talks like he's 30 years old. He's definitely going to end up being an antagonist to Lucas, Mike, et al.
• Dustin looks chunkier and, man, he reminds me so much of one of my buddies from high school.
• Suzie!
• Mrs. Wheeler's hair, oh my.
• Tammy Thompson singing the anthem (poorly) was a nice callback to Robin and Steve's bathroom scene in S3 and, as a teacher, I have attended a LOT of high school sports and that is a very real and often excruciating experience.
• When Joyce had that whole rope-tree-bucket rig set up I was wondering why she needed all that just to smash a doll. Then, of course, we see that it's Murray's paranoia at play.
• The scene with Lucas throwing the winning shot at the game intercut with Erica simultaneously rolling the die to defeat 'Vecna' in DnD was pretty well done.
• Surely someone has analyzed the crossword that Dr. Brenner worked at the beginning. Maybe there's some foreshadowing in the clues. I'm off to look for it...

TomOpus



Cellar Door

^Regarding that scene--and I haven't watched beyond ep 1 yet so I'm only speculating--I think it's possible that it could be deliberately misleading us, because having the hero of the series be a murderer of little kids seems like a lot to overcome, storywise. We know she's killed people in the past, but from what we've previously seen it's been people who were hurting her or her friends. Maybe someone else killed the people in the lab, and Eleven was the only survivor? Maybe her eyes were bleeding because she used her power to protect herself?

On the other hand, there has always been a dark aspect to Eleven's powers that hasn't been fully explored yet by the show. When she killed the demogorgon at the end of S1, and when she was closing the gate to the upside down at the end of S2, her eyes take on a dark red tint and she get those dark veiny lines on her face, similar to Billy's face after he's 'flayed' in S3. So perhaps there is a dark/evil influence on her powers. If she really did kill all those kids... then some work needs to be done to explain how she isn't a total basketcase in the 'present.'

davidh777

That first scene was rough for sure. But I liked the episode. A lot of it was reacquainting myself with the characters, of course, and what they look like now. Nancy was one of the more noticeable changes. I didn’t rewatch anything but watched the season 3 recap and a couple all-up recaps and remembered more of season 3 than I expected.

TomOpus



Throwing Copper

Thanks, I eventually went back to look at the credits, which is always hard because it gives you like 3 seconds before it flips to the next episode.

That character is listed first.

OldBoy

The girl who played younger El was a dead on ringer to El in S1. I thought it was just cgi but I saw credits and another girl played her.

MysterioMan007

Beginning a second watch as I binged through the entire season yesterday and didn't type out anything. Tome, this is my least-liked season premiere, but it does its part to set up the season nicely. My random thoughts:

--Matthew Modine's wig...ugh.
--Glad to see Brenner return, even if I did hate his character in season 1.
--Can't believe they're in high school already.
--This Angela bitch needs a punch to the face.
--Mrs. Wheeler's hair. Yikes!
--Suzy!
--Steve and Robin have such a great friendship. I'm going to pause Fast Times at Ridgemont High at 53:50 to see if there's boobies.
--I like the focus on friends growing apart as they get older with Lucas, Mike, & Dustin. I was never bullied, but I understand Lucas's need to move on.
--I feel like this episode helped me understand Max a little better.
--Will getting groped by girl in class lol He's either gay or reeaally awkward.
--Tammy sucks as a singer. Steve was totally right.
--Eddie reminds me of John Bender from The Breakfast Club. He was my type of people back in the 80's.
--Grace Van Dien as Chrissy is freakin' adorable. Or WAS freakin' adorable. Too bad we won't get more of her.

Cellar Door

Yeah, she's very cute. I didn't know the actress's name until I saw your post and I looked it up and she is, indeed, the daughter of actor Casper Van Dien of Starship Troopers fame.

MLBFan24

Boring first episode, but the ending was exciting at least.

Toddarino

I’m not sure I’m digging the group all split up, but it’s not a surprise considering how the last season ended. Eleven has always been my least favorite part of the show and now she’s off with Will who I’m not all that high on either.
I’m definitely digging the Nightmare On Elm Street vibe so far. Overall even though I caught myself getting a bit distracted this episode, it was a good premiere. If nothing else it will prevent me from binge watching the whole thing in the next day and a half.

Shannon Nutt

After a few years of pretty mediocre Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek series that everyone has been, honestly, pretty forgiving when it comes to poor writing, back come The Duffer Brothers to show us all how a sci-fi/horror series is SUPPOSED to be made. This has been great fun to watch.

Decker

Already? Will and Steve look like they're in their mid-20s. And it's been six years in real time since the premiere season 1 when they were supposedly 12 years old.

B5Erik

Too many new cast members. The focus (through both the first two episodes) is all over the place. There is no focus.

The first episode, meh.

dino88

That was clearly CGI.