Stranger Things [Netflix] [*** Spoilers ***]

ahlookit

Alanhooly wrote: »

No one seemed to give a sh*t about poor

Barb

Who???

Avatar MIA

ahlookit wrote: »

Who???

Think she's a character from Grey's anatomy ???

Slydice

Alanhooly wrote: »

No one seemed to give a sh*t about poor

Barb

Ah now, there's a whole bunch of posts earlier in the thread about

Barb, many not caring but some do care

.

conorhal

Wigglepuppy wrote: »

I understand people being of the opinion that it should be left as is, but I think a second season is workable as there is scope for it. Few loose ends - I can't seem to use spoiler tags (the chief of police and the car, then the box... then the bathroom sink bit elsewhere) - so I think it was written for a follow-up series, rather than it being in the pipeline just for the sake of it.

Well I'm eager for more, on the other hand I just found out that the Duffer Brothers were the writer/producers on Wayward Pines, a not dissimilar sci-fi thriller that started out as a creepy, effective little mystery and then absolutely $h1t the bed in the reveal. So while I'm in no way concerned with the story continuing, I can't say that I'm not a wee bit nervous that it could get bogged down in the same stupidity and illogicallity that Wayward Falls did which made it's conclusion so 'shoot the TV' annoying.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

conorhal wrote: »

Well I'm eager for more, on the other hand I just found out that the Duffer Brothers were the writer/producers on Wayward Pines, a not dissimilar sci-fi thriller that started out as a creepy, effective little mystery and then absolutely $h1t the bed in the reveal. So while I'm in no way concerned with the story continuing, I can't say that I'm not a wee bit nervous that it could get bogged down in the same stupidity and illogicallity that Wayward Falls did which made it's conclusion so 'shoot the TV' annoying.

They wrote 4 episodes and were only "co executive producers" on 2 episodes. They weren't in any way responsible for the overall creative vision or eventual direction Wayward Pines may have gone in.

Network TV shows are done completely differently to Netflix ones. The producers on Stranger Things said that they had 2 or 3 contact people at Netflix who aside from checking in every now and then basically left them to do their own thing. The Duffer brothers wrote the majority of all 8 episodes and directed them all bar 2, when one of the producers stepped in to allow them to finish writing episodes 4-8.

According to the producers the Duffer brothers also had pretty much complete creative control over every aspect of production, from casting to sets to music, everything.

Wayward Pines had 16 directors across 20 episodes and 16 writers too. Being on Fox also means that the Network is sticking it's oar in every five minutes and ultimately they're trying to create a product that can be sold to a mass market.

dr.kenneth noisewater

Just finished this last night, great show. Loved the soundtrack and some excellent performances especially from the child actors. 8/10

Bandana boy

My Theory

The dark side is a parallel universe
The egg we saw is the result of some sort of alien event in that universe
The toxic Air is a result of an attack by the government in that universe to try and wipe out Alien invasion
This will mean in theory all characters exist in that dimension although many will have died in the attack by the Government , Some though will have survived and this will lead to our Police Chief reuniting with his Kid down the line.

Maybe we meet Parallel Barb too

ahlookit

Bandana boy wrote: »

My Theory

The dark side is a parallel universe
The egg we saw is the result of some sort of alien event in that universe
The toxic Air is a result of an attack by the government in that universe to try and wipe out Alien invasion
This will mean in theory all characters exist in that dimension although many will have died in the attack by the Government , Some though will have survived and this will lead to our Police Chief reuniting with his Kid down the line.

Maybe we meet Parallel Barb too

Parallel who??? Sorry, that joke is getting a bit old!


During Mr Clarke's chat with the lads about parallel universes, he mentions Hugh Everett's Many Worlds theory. Hugh is the father of Mark Everett, who is better known as Mr E from the band Eels. He did a great documentary a few years ago called Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives on his fathers work



Must look at that scene between Mr Clarke and the boys again to see what exactly was said - maybe some pointers there for the direction season 2 will take.

Japandamo

Really, really enjoyed it. And liked the fact that it was 8 episodes, unlike some shows where they have 12 episodes and not enough material to fill them, so you end up following a minor character for an episode, or forty minutes of flashback which might answer one or two little questions but does nothing to progress the actual plot. I think every minute of the show was relevant to the story line and I appreciate that.

There are questions I had at the end of the show that have been bugging me (a little) that I haven't seen asked (although I might have missed them).

1) On Hopper.

Why didn't they just kill him when he broke into the facility the first time?

I mean he had seen a lot more than anyone else. He was in a secret underground facility. He was unconscious (after they injected him with something). It wasn't as if the other cops were likely to uncover anything as they lacked imagination entirely. And then he finds the bug in his house. And they don't respond to that? "Oh shucks, he got us!?"

I understand he's a very important character and they couldn't kill him off, but that, I felt was the weakest part of the whole story. He knew far too much at that stage. I thought he was going to escape through the gate and find another way back, which might have been tough but somehow more "believable"?

2)

On The Upside Down

Ok, there are two theories that I've come across. The first is that The Upside Down is a mirror world of ours. Which is fine. But in which case, the buildings and the parked cars etc. How do they get there? Do they just materialise, or what? Or do the cars seem to drive around on their own over there. Maybe just a matter of suspending disbelief for that point.

The second theory is that The Upside Down was an alternate reality similar to ours that had suffered some manner of cataclysmic alien invasion or nuclear disaster. But this must have been pretty bloody recent if Castle Buyers had been built, and not incredibly violent, given that it''s still standing. That's not so much a question, I suppose, more an observation.

3) On Will

How and/or why is he still alive?

OK, supposing he did manage to hide from this super predator initially, because he's good at that...how long was he gone? A week? Two? In a toxic environment with no food to speak of? And when the creature finds him...he just tenderly carries him back to his lair and plugs him into the wall unharmed (well, relatively). I understand it would have been pretty miserable if we knew he had been alive for the whole season only to discover a body at the end of it, but still.

I can understand the misgivings and/or apprehension towards a second season. A poor second season would disappoint hugely, and could potentially poke holes in such an excellent first season. Too many answers can be a bad thing (says the man with the questions).

jcsoulinger

1: The only thing I can think of is that they may have felt by keeping him in play he would lead them to 11.

2: I tought it was another dimension which sits on top of our reality, It's always there we just can't see it or interact with it.

3: I'm not sure that it is really toxic and the bad men are just being overly cautious, It could be there are 2 monsters in the upside down one is interested in procreating.

obviously I'm just guessing same as everyone else.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I would have thought

killing the chief of police would have led to a lot of questions and other people sniffing around. He had a history of drinking and substance abuse so it made sense to drug him up and then dump him at home as if nothing had happened. Even if he remembered anything it was unlikely anyone would have believed him.

Skid X

Alanhooly wrote: »

No one seemed to give a sh*t about poor

Barb

Justice for

Barb

timmyntc

The upside down is like a side-dimension, a wormhole or a shortcut in space. Just like how science teacher describes it with the flea and the tightrope, and he stabs right through the page. 11 in those experiments was travelling to this dimension and indeed across space to find people and listen in on their conversations (That Russian guy presumably KGB or something?)
As to what the monster is/was, I have no idea. Possibly a manifestation of 11s fear, which would make sense if the upside-down was a world of her creation with her powers.

Ms Doubtfire1

still watching it, will probably finish tonight or tomorrow. Really enjoying it.Already worrying what to binge on next lol.

jcsoulinger

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I would have thought

killing the chief of police would have led to a lot of questions and other people sniffing around. He had a history of drinking and substance abuse so it made sense to drug him up and then dump him at home as if nothing had happened. Even if he remembered anything it was unlikely anyone would have believed him.

Given his history of drinking and substance abuse would it not have made more sense to kill him and make his death look like an accident, say he crashed while driving drunk or something, this would have been easy considering the lengths they went to with a fake dead Will.

The only reason I can see is that they felt keeping him alive and under surveillance might lead them to 11

Japandamo

jcsoulinger wrote: »

Given his history of drinking and substance abuse would it not have made more sense to kill him and make his death look like an accident, say he crashed while driving drunk or something, this would have been easy considering the lengths they went to with a fake dead Will.

The only reason I can see is that they felt keeping him alive and under surveillance might lead them to 11

I agree with you on the first point, and his deputies or whatever they were would have been happy out to have the "staties" come in and do their job for them if it came to it.

As for wanting him to find 11... At that point he was still looking for Will and didn't even know about her existence. Presumably that's the way they wanted it as they shot poor Benny in the head for much less.

Also Question 4 that I thought about just now. Did Hop actually trade the girl's life for everyone else's? It certainly seemed that way as he Benner exactly where to find her, and it didn't look like he had a much broader plan than that, and he had know way of knowing they'd moved from the sports hall. Which kind of makes him an asshole, unfortunately.

jcsoulinger

Japandamo wrote: »

I agree with you on the first point, and his deputies or whatever they were would have been happy out to have the "staties" come in and do their job for them if it came to it.

As for wanting him to find 11... At that point he was still looking for Will and didn't even know about her existence. Presumably that's the way they wanted it as they shot poor Benny in the head for much less.

Also Question 4 that I thought about just now. Did Hop actually trade the girl's life for everyone else's? It certainly seemed that way as he Benner exactly where to find her, and it didn't look like he had a much broader plan than that, and he had know way of knowing they'd moved from the sports hall. Which kind of makes him an asshole, unfortunately.

Ya but being the chief of police in that area and his curiosity it may be logical to assume he would cross her path at some stage.

Ya that came up earlier in the thread, I think he may have thought it was for the greater good to give her up.

anothernight

Just finished watching it. I absolutely loved everything about it. I just wish I existed in the 80s so all those references didn't go whoosh over my head.

EDIT: actually, I need to revise my original statement. I loved everything about it, except the lack of a seizure warning for the last episode. The flashing suited the scene, but it was so intense and went on for so long that it gave me a headache even though I was covering my eyes for half of it because it was very uncomfortable (I'm one of those people who get sick watching 3D movies though ) I probably would have switched to a smaller screen if I knew it was going to happen.

Liamalone

Just finished the show today, by gum did I like it! A few things niggled at me but not enough to moan about.

https://soundcloud.com/dj-yoda-uk/the-stranger-things-mixtape

afkasurfjunkie

Just finished it after watching it over the last 3 nights. Loved it. Loved the music, the 80's references, the acting was excellent. Wasn't sure if it was a one off or season one when I started watching it so delighted it was more like an 8 hour movie.
The 80s aspect that I loved though was the fact they were simpler times. Even though they still had their issues, Kids could hop on their bikes and head off for hours, they could sit in the basement and parents weren't checking on them every ten minutes. Communication was via chunky walkie talkies but they were all the better for it. I don't think kids today have that, and it makes me glad I was an 80s child.

dark crystal

Basq wrote: »

References to 70-80’s movies in Stranger Things

Very impressive!

They missed a real obvious Stephen King film reference in there;

A group of misfit friends, including a girl who the lead friend has a crush on. A pair of knife wielding bullies. A missing boy, taken by a monster. The monster who must then be defeated by the group at the end.... I give you IT!

They even attempt to kill the monster in the end by the same means they used in the film:

Catapults!

Wigglepuppy

^^^

Along with E.T., the most obvious comparison I would have thought.

Slydice

He askes for more spots and then cops to it in the comments.

Also the comments have the first mention I've seen of something I'd been thinking:

Akira

tommy2bad

Slydice wrote: »

He askes for more spots and then cops to it in the comments.

Also the comments have the first mention I've seen of something I'd been thinking:

Akira

Oh yea, quite surprised I having seen this mentioned by any of the professional reviewers or youtubers.

Megahead

Decent enough show, but really can't get some of the fuss. Great soundtrack? What soundtrack? Apart from one or two 80's hits in the first few episodes there was no soundtrack. Decent acting...apart from Ryder.....terribly miscast imo. Found her incredibly whinny and annoying.

Grew up in the 80's so I know my 80's movies (favs inc Stand By Me, E.T., The Lost Boys, Poltergeist etc). It was a decent homage but nostalgia can only go so far.

Avatar MIA

Megahead wrote: »

Decent enough show, but really can't get some of the fuss. Great soundtrack? What soundtrack? Apart from one or two 80's hits in the first few episodes there was no soundtrack. Decent acting...apart from Ryder.....terribly miscast imo. Found her incredibly whinny and annoying.

Grew up in the 80's so I know my 80's movies (favs inc Stand By Me, E.T., The Lost Boys, Poltergeist etc). It was a decent homage but nostalgia can only go so far.

The reviews are pretty consistent. 9 out of 10 cats fanboys can't be wrong.

Wigglepuppy

Megahead wrote: »

Great soundtrack? What soundtrack? Apart from one or two 80's hits in the first few episodes there was no soundtrack.

One or two 80s hits?

The soundtrack features The Clash, New Order, Joy Division, Modern English, Echo & The Bunnymen, a guy out of The Damned, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Peter Gabriel... And not only British/European 80s synth/gloom but also American psychedelic rock from The Seeds, Jefferson Airplane, The Deep and The Bangles. Moby is in there too.

And there are other songs also - the above are just the ones I like!

On top of that there is the original soundtrack.

S.M.B.

Avatar MIA wrote: »

The reviews are pretty consistent. 9 out of 10 cats fanboys can't be wrong.

I find it interesting that while most reviews are positive, a lot of professional reviewers and critics I pay close attention to liked it without loving it which closely mirrors my thoughts on the show.

I enjoyed it and appreciated certain aspects of the production but I wouldn't consider it to be a great show. I get the sense that a lot of people strongly disagree.

Wigglepuppy

Yeah, now that the dust has settled, I am looking at it more objectively - I wouldn't deem it utter brilliance like, for example, The Leftovers (in my opinion) - I can see why some would consider it just enjoyable fluff; the love letter to the 80s shows and books being the key really... outside of that, there is not a massive amount that would not be in numerous other sci-fi type shows, which are ten a penny. But still very beautifully and cleverly crafted.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Read today that the Duffers wanted to do the new version of It that's been made but the studio turned them down. So they went off and wrote Stranger Things instead.