[Serenity]

I thought it got better and better as it went along, after a slow start. For me, the Dustin/Steve/Robin/Erica scenes were the best bits, and I loved the nods to movies like The Empire Strikes Back, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Aliens, Jaws etc. Better than season 2, I thought.

[paran falcon]

worry, on 07 July 2019 - 08:11 PM, said:

Thought this season ruled. Not quite the magic of S1, which would be near impossible to recapture, but better than S2 overall and the finale was the best finale they've done.

Full Season Spoilers:

Spoiler

As usual, Billy ruled. Even more this season than last. And Robin was a nice new character, full of spunk!
The killer Russian dude was great: a real Ivan Drago meets the Terminator feel.
Lots of great gross-out effects this season! I loved that rat scene in particular, but the hospital scene with Jake Busey and the editor was gnarly too.
I bought the New Coke package from the website, and Lucas is right: New Coke was goood. Just as good as I remember, at least.
The last couple episodes were some of the best they've ever done.
Jonathan still looks like he's lived Eddie Furlong's entire life in half the time.
Disappointing Murray didn't get much of a reunion scene with Jonathan and Nancy -- I imagine one was written and it just didn't make the cut. Also disappointingly little screen time for Dustin's mom.
With a cast full of pretty good to very good child actors, Millie Bobby Brown still stands out as incredible.

Double Spoilers:

Spoiler

Hopper! If I had to guess, he is (and don't ask me how) in the Upside Down rather than gone for good. The Upside Down didn't get much play this season, so I expect next season (and S5 if there is one) to go there hard. Full circle.

Edit: Actually I just remembered the Russians have an "American" locked up, so I suppose that is probably Hopper. But it could be Brenner (Modine) w/ Hopper in the Upside Down!

Agree with pretty much everything you said. We took a short break after the first 3 eps and at that point, didn't feel like it was going all that great. But immediately after, I thought it picked up steam and got better and better. The finale was quite good.

Spoiler

My very first thought at the appearance of the giant Russian was:Terminator. There were at least 2 or 3 other times I was able to blurt out the movie a particular scene was paying homage to, though I'm drawing a blank on them at the moment.

My daughter got spoiled on Hopper but she held it in until we finished the finale. I looked at her and said "Are you SURE he's dead?" Its certainly possible he was turned to complete mush/vapor like others who were near the machine but they didn't show him actually go out that way so I think its possible he exists in some way, as you said. I actually wondered if Eleven was going to be shown leaving beer and smokes in the woods or something! I, also, wanted to know badly who the American was the Russians have. I didn't think of Brenner, but that could be.

So did the piece of flayer that got into Eleven that she removed absorb all her power? Is that how anyone else sees it?

A possible storyline for a S4 could be the discovery that Hopper isn't gone and Eleven will need to get her power back to get him?

The Neverending Story theme song thing was hilarious!

The scene with Robin and Steve trying to get hired on at the video store was pure gold.

[Abyss]

Just finished season 3.
It was awesome.
No complaints.

Everything fit, everything paid off, the little nods to the 80s were great fun, the last two episodes were Big Hollywood level spectacle.


SPOILERS


SPOILERS



SPOILERS



ALL SEASONS OF STRANGER THINGS SPOILERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

...ok i wish the duet from the finale (i laughed SO HARD) could have happened a few eps earlier so we could get an encore. Other than that, no complaints.

The Russian (Grigori?)'s theme music was absolutely riffing on The Terminator theme, and i would even say the choreography from his last fight with Hopper echo'd the T2 finale the way they threw each other around.

Hopper is totally the American from the stinger.

Also, HI Demogorgon!

The Mind Flayer's tentacles stalking the kids in the Gap was pure Alien.

Robin.... an awesome new character. They handled her sexuality well.

I would be totally fine with an entire season of Dustin, Erica, Steve, and Robin. And ideally Steve and Robin spend at least half the eps hopped up on truth serum.

Dustin and Erica's rescue mission was GLORIOUS.

Which reminds me, the green acid burning through the levels... another ALIEN ref.

Whoever wrote Erica's dialogue deserves a raise, and the actress deserves two raises for her delivery.

Eleven was pure awesome.

Hopper was an asshole. It fit the character and he was redeemed, but even so... asshole.

Joyce... every time Joyce broke out her 'pissed off mom' act i giggled. Winona so nails this role.

Jonathan and Nancy pretty much looked like hell the entire season.

Nancy should have shot more guns because the visual of all 80lbs of her with the dead eyes and the firing stance is perfect/hysterical/awesome.

Nancy hiding from Gary Busey in the hospital was a total ref to 1982 slasher flic VISITING HOURS.

I have not watched Dustin and Suzie's duet six times. I have not. Anyone who says so is a lying liar full of liejuice.

Everything about that finale... Hopper and Joyce at the gate, the car chase, the fight with the Mind Flayer... the fireworks, Billy... that was some of the best tv action i've seen in ages. Also, the duet.

[QuickTidal]

THAT FUCKING GLORIOUS NEVER-ENDING STORY DUET IS THE GREATEST THING IN ALL 3 SEASONS OF STRANGER THINGS.

That is all.

[worry]

Didn't realize who the actress playing Robin was except that her face looked naggingly familiar. Then I learned she is Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's daughter and I was like ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh that face makes perfect sense.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 19 July 2019 - 04:25 PM, said:

THAT FUCKING GLORIOUS NEVER-ENDING STORY DUET IS THE GREATEST THING IN ALL 3 SEASONS OF STRANGER THINGS.

That is all.

Murray hiding under the computers.
Hopper's guarding the tunnel and Joyce banging her head against the wall.
Robin and Steve, still stoned, Mind Flayer in the background chasing the car.
...their faces....
I am STILL LAUGHING.

Best part was the Ladybyss, who never saw STORY and didn't know the song, sitting there asking 'the fuck is this crap?'. I laughed harder.

In my head i can see the writing/production team plotting this out and just jumping up and down on chairs and howling.

worry, on 19 July 2019 - 06:38 PM, said:

Didn't realize who the actress playing Robin was except that her face looked naggingly familiar. Then I learned she is Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's daughter and I was like ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh that face makes perfect sense.

Calling it right now: in season 4 she gets a yellow tracksuit and a katana.

[Khellendros]

Watched it, enjoyed it. Got a bit tired of some of the plots (Joyce and Hopper) and some of the overused tics (Will putting his hand on the back of his neck in every single episode - yes, I get it, something’s here!; Joyce and Hopper’s arguing also got tiresome way before Murray intervened), but overall it was solid. Really seemed to lean on the humour more in this season.

I think the main problem I have with ST now is that, as happens with lots of shows, the main cast are essentially invulnerable, and I never felt they were really ever in any danger. In the first season, when we didn’t know these characters, I was really on the edge about who might not make it (and was very surprised when Steve DID live). And yes, I know, the ending, but come on, we all know that’s not really the case.

Still, I did enjoy it, I think a bit more than season 2, even if not as much as season 1. Everyone, aside from maybe Jonathan, seemed to have a crucial part or good key scene. And I really liked Robin, great new character.

I’m going to miss

Spoiler

Billy

though. Not for the character, but for the actor’s amazing smooth velvety voice. I could listen to him talk nonsense all day.

Oh, I believe it’s Jake Busey, not Gary. Never has a son looked and sounded more like his father. Are we sure Gary wasn’t just cloned?

[Khellendros]

I should add, I thought Dacre Montgomery absolutely killed it with his performance as Billy this season. I definitely didn’t see that coming, but he was superb.

[QuickTidal]

worry, on 07 July 2019 - 08:11 PM, said:

I bought the New Coke package from the website, and Lucas is right: New Coke was goood. Just as good as I remember, at least.

Actually, the running theory (because New Coke was NOT good....like intentionally not good) is that New Coke was a marketing ploy by Coca Cola because regular Coke had begun to flag a bit in sales and started getting beaten by other soft drinks as "the big one"...so they devised a plan. Release New Coke with an intentionally weird recipe that didn't taste good (except to Californian weirdos)...so that when everyone rejected it they could release:

Coca-Cola Classic. The OG recipe, under a new name. And everyone got back on the Coke train....I literally remember both the advent of New Coke (and people not liking it) and how much bigger Coca-Cola Classic was after that. Classic was an absolute PHENOMENON, and lasted from 1985 to 2007 (when the name was switched back to just Coca-Cola because New Coke was no longer available as an alternative).

Abyss, on 19 July 2019 - 04:02 PM, said:

Hopper is totally the American from the stinger.

150%. There is ZERO chance they actually killed off Hop, or that David Harbor won't be back for S4 (the last season)...he was flipped to Russia through the gap in the upside down. He's not actually THERE when the machine destroys itself and all the guards vaporize. I THINK he jumps into the gap into the Upside Down intentionally and it shoved him to Russia. I said to my wife with the throwaway (No, not the American) line that was Hop.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 22 July 2019 - 01:04 PM

[Tattersail_]

Spoilers in case I have missed hiding any.

Billy was such a good character before this season, then became great during this season. I really wanted him to meet Mike's mum

Spoiler

and was sad he didn't ha ha

.

Spoiler

when he got dragged down the stairs and I thought he was dead I was upset because he rocked as a character

. His development through the last two season was great and I enjoyed his arc.

Steve from season one being an ass to Steve now is a big development. Some really good moments with him and other characters.

Mike, Lucas and Will didn't shine this season at all. I think they offered almost nothing. The best bit

Spoiler

the fireworks

even though was an idea from Lucas was still performed by others.

Eleven had a couple of good scenes with her powers but I really enjoyed her shopping trip with Max. It showed how much she is yet to learn about being a normal girl, and the value of friendship.

I am amazed Abyss that with all your movie drops you didn't mention either the Invasion of the Body snatchers or The Faculty. Even the little drops of Mindflayer moving about on their own looked like the parasite and the big guy looked quite like the main baddie off the Faculty.

The hospital scene. Was it just me or did anyone else (although I loved it by the way, this would just be extra fan service) want the scene from upstairs [/spoilers] with the 2 news reporters [attacking Nancy and Jonathon] /spoiler] to shoot back to the kids all sitting down in the reception area and Nancy and Jonathon sprinting round the corner, shouting ruuun! followed by a mass of 40 adults under the mindflayers influence. That'd have been even more epic than what actually happened.

This season was great and had lots to it. Very satisfied.

[Serenity]

Abyss, on 19 July 2019 - 04:02 PM, said:

I would be totally fine with an entire season of Dustin, Erica, Steve, and Robin.

Totally with you on this!

[Abyss]

Tattersail_, on 22 July 2019 - 01:23 PM, said:

...Billy was such a good character before this season, then became great during this season....

I keep reading this and i don't get it. IMHO the actor did a solid job but hardly a shining star of the series.

...

Quote

Mike, Lucas and Will didn't shine this season at all. I think they offered almost nothing. The best bit

Spoiler

the fireworks

even though was an idea from Lucas was still performed by others.

I agree they were overshadowed by most of the rest of the cast, but Mike was there as a fairly critical prompt to El, Lucas was hysterical with his dating Max and dating advice, had at least two slingshot moments and everyone was in on the fireworks thing but it was his idea.
Will's entire bit was the back of the neck thing, but it was an effective tension builder. His 'i wish nothing would ever change' bit early on was mostly annoying/trite.

Quote

I am amazed Abyss that with all your movie drops you didn't mention either the Invasion of the Body snatchers or The Faculty. Even the little drops of Mindflayer moving about on their own looked like the parasite and the big guy looked quite like the main baddie off the Faculty.

I didn't mentioned every ref i caught, did catch the Body Snatchers thing and yeah it was nicely done. Never seen the faculty. I took most of the MindFlayer body parts as refs to THE THING, which they even mentioned in the show.

Quote

The hospital scene. Was it just me or did anyone else (although I loved it by the way, this would just be extra fan service) want the scene from upstairs [/spoilers] with the 2 news reporters [attacking Nancy and Jonathon] /spoiler] to shoot back to the kids all sitting down in the reception area and Nancy and Jonathon sprinting round the corner, shouting ruuun! followed by a mass of 40 adults under the mindflayers influence. That'd have been even more epic than what actually happened.

Expected the same, but liked what we got. Jonathan and Nancy just killing them was suitably jarring.

Quote

This season was great and had lots to it. Very satisfied.

Totally agreed.

[Tattersail_]

Abyss, on 24 July 2019 - 03:09 PM, said:

He rides an awesome car and supports a mullet with epic ease, I totally get why you and everyone else loves Billy and his manliness

Here's a clip of the parasite from The Faculty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNWvtfCdBcA

Here's a little clip of the monster from the faculty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LekZbZ0ksyA

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Finally watched the last couple. Excellent ending and i definitely think the second half of the series was a massive improvement on the first half - very much started enjoying it again.

Someone was chopping onions in the vicinity while Eleven was reading at the end. That's my story and I'm sticking with it!

[Slow Ben]

Finally binged the season the last few nights. Nothing new to add that hasnt been said already.

Solid season, really enjoyed it.

Better than season 2, not as good as 1.

[Malankazooie]

Watched over the weekend. Enjoyed the hell out of it. Don't want to be a captive to 'recency bias' so not going to say it's better than S2, but they are neck and neck for sure. I need some time to let it marinate before I could definitively say which season is better between 2 and 3 (anyone with half a grain of sense knows season 1 is the best season).

As always the show separates itself from all others by the awesome attention to detail in tipping the hat and giving a nod to all things awesome 80s. John Carpenter's The Thing was a standout in this regard. Such a spot on soundtrack too.

I like how the show accurately depicts the heartbreaking maze that traversing childhood friendships as they transition into adolescence can be. You can see the group growing apart. Like Will wanting to still run a D&D campaign, while Mike and Lucas are preoccupied with new girlfriends and giving off the general vibe that they are just not into it as much as when they were younger. And Dustin being away at summer camp and coming back feeling kind of left out (even though they did give him a surprise 'welcome back'). And with Will moving away, I can see this - 'going their separate ways' - being a major theme in the next installment, but what they share in fighting the upside down will bring them back together and renew their faith and friendship in one another.

Also, Satan's Baby. Damn, the fireworks hit such a nostalgia vibe for me. Every year on and around the 4th of July, me and my brothers and friends used to have bottle rocket wars and just go all pyromaniac all over the countryside, blowing up anything that had the misfortune of passing our line of sight.

Also, you can't spell America without Erica.

All in all, Season 3 was an excellent 8 episodes of pure entertainment, and great summer-time feelz to bring out your own memories of summers past. You'd be hard pressed to find any first run entertainment options currently making a splash that can beat Stranger Things.

[Malankazooie]

This is kind of an unnecessary tease. Still, it's good to see they are engaged and attentive to the fans. I imagine season 4 is still the better part of a year away (not sure though).

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

I thought this was the last series, but I keep seeing mention of a likely fifth - has there been any confirmation on that? It'd be a shame if they stretched it one too many.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 19 July 2019 - 04:02 PM, said:

...

I have not watched Dustin and Suzie's duet six times. I have not. Anyone who says so is a lying liar full of liejuice.

Everything about that finale... Hopper and Joyce at the gate, the car chase, the fight with the Mind Flayer... the fireworks, Billy... that was some of the best tv action i've seen in ages. Also, the duet.

Abyss, on 19 July 2019 - 07:26 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 19 July 2019 - 04:25 PM, said:

THAT FUCKING GLORIOUS NEVER-ENDING STORY DUET IS THE GREATEST THING IN ALL 3 SEASONS OF STRANGER THINGS.

That is all.

Murray hiding under the computers.
Hopper's guarding the tunnel and Joyce banging her head against the wall.
Robin and Steve, still stoned, Mind Flayer in the background chasing the car.
...their faces....
I am STILL LAUGHING.

Best part was the Ladybyss, who never saw STORY and didn't know the song, sitting there asking 'the fuck is this crap?'. I laughed harder.

In my head i can see the writing/production team plotting this out and just jumping up and down on chairs and howling.
...

No. No, I did not just watch the duet again three times for no good reason. Why do you ask?

[Malankazooie]

Tease me, please me.