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Stranger Things Spoiler Thread
- Thread starter Maneil99
- Start date
I think Hopper is alive but they might make "the american" someone else just to throw off the scent.
Eleven's full powers probably aren't coming back until late in S4.
EDIT - Now that I think about it I could see "The american" just being Hopper since El's powers aren't there right now so she can't search for him.
Eleven's full powers probably aren't coming back until late in S4.
EDIT - Now that I think about it I could see "The american" just being Hopper since El's powers aren't there right now so she can't search for him.
it was super clear to me - there was a huge spinning disintegrating lightning bolt right between them. He wasn't getting past that.
Did Paul Reiser price himself out of S3? I actually liked his Dr. Owens character in S2 and was looking forward to learning more about him, but all he got was like 5 seconds of screen time in the finale.
Other than that (and Hop often being a D as mentioned by others) I really enjoyed S3. I was mostly disappointed with S2 so it's nice to be excited about it again after this season.
Other than that (and Hop often being a D as mentioned by others) I really enjoyed S3. I was mostly disappointed with S2 so it's nice to be excited about it again after this season.
I figure he just didn't really have as much of a place in the story this season, as once he appeared, you knew the cavalry had arrived.
It showed the other scientists getting eviscerated by the laser drill, but nothing was shown of Hopper except an empty (and clean!) spot. He's alive and he's the American mentioned in the credits scene. Also, god damn I did not expect him to throw budget T1000 into the drill like that. The gore was definitely increased this season.
Overall, I super enjoyed it. Teared up hard when El was reading Hop's letter. I didn't find Jonathan and Nancy nearly as annoying as I thought I would and Steve continues to make his case for being one of the best characters in television at the moment. Erica is annoying as shit, though. Couldn't stand her constant, neverending bratiness.
Overall, I super enjoyed it. Teared up hard when El was reading Hop's letter. I didn't find Jonathan and Nancy nearly as annoying as I thought I would and Steve continues to make his case for being one of the best characters in television at the moment. Erica is annoying as shit, though. Couldn't stand her constant, neverending bratiness.
Finished it last night and loved it.
The first couple of episodes were slowish but after everything that happened with Billy things got better. Gotta say I'm actually surprised they made me come around on Billy, yes he was an asshole character but I didn't think he deserved to die for it or anything. But at the very least he went out trying to protect El and fighting back against the Mindflayer.
I think my favorite aspect was how all four different investigations were all connected to each other but none of the characters were even aware of what the other were doing and how they were connected until near the end.
Hopper totally isn't dead.
The first couple of episodes were slowish but after everything that happened with Billy things got better. Gotta say I'm actually surprised they made me come around on Billy, yes he was an asshole character but I didn't think he deserved to die for it or anything. But at the very least he went out trying to protect El and fighting back against the Mindflayer.
I think my favorite aspect was how all four different investigations were all connected to each other but none of the characters were even aware of what the other were doing and how they were connected until near the end.
Hopper totally isn't dead.
Eh the Hopper and Billy deaths weren't really that earned, I feel shows are too quick to kill off good character for melodramatic purposes now because of GoT and such. Hopefully at least Hop comes back so long as it's not forced.
Bruh I cried like a manbitch at this ending, El reading that letter was almost 2real4me brehs. I really want Hop to not be dead, and sort of feel like they set it up to where he could have magically survived, but if he isn't dead it ruins this ending for me so I kind of hope he's for real dead. Really enjoyed this season fuck the haters sign me up for Season 4.
Billy was pretty well earned, no? We spent a lot of time with him and his past on the show, and I don't think he could ever come back from having murdered all those people.... Why do you think it wasn't earned?
Hm.. Just finished it today. I think I enjoyed it more than Season 2, but it also feels more low stakes than ever. That is, it feels like nothing really matters. The amount of times someone was about to get it, then out of no where another person appeared and instantly saved the day.. well it happened at least 3 times, maybe 4 or more, and they definitely ratcheted up the cheese factor by having all the goofy russian stuff in.
How many times did they have Eleven using the blindfold? Her powers were used in every situation in the same way, it became really predictable until she lost them at the end.
Likewise, how many times do we need to see Will touch the back of his neck and say "He's Here"? After he tore down the fort in the woods, it's like they had absolutely nothing to do with him. And did he and his brother have a single exchange of dialogue? The brief scenes of him interacting with his friends felt not very genuine. I wonder if there's no chemistry between the other kid actors and Will, his scenes with them always feel stiff, but his acting is actually much better than the others. Watch him when the Mind Flayer beast is stomping around the mall. The fear in his face is amazing, while the others next to him are just sort of tense looking.
This happened last season also, but the story really chugged along, and once a character was in a situation, you knew they were going to be stuck there the entire season. Did we really need 7 hours of Dustin and Steve in the same situation till the end of the show? Likewise, Nancy and Jonathon had some nice scenes, but they weren't really doing much. It's like the characters pair up in the beginning of the season, then do their own little and boring mini adventure but it's stretched out as long as possible.
I mean, I liked it, but I have criticisms. The russian stuff was okay I guess, but felt too cheesy and fakey. Maybe I'm being nostalgic, but the first season felt a lot more serious, high stakes, genuine. 2 went over the top, and 3 became almost parody. They're all enjoyable to watch, but I still would prefer if they didn't sequelize the successive seasons and instead did an anthology of other weird stories. Too late for that. Hope when Season 4 comes around, they drop the russian stuff. So dumb, and they're bringing back the monster from the first season?
Oh, the CG looks better this time around, but still looks too cartoony. They nail the 80s aesthetic so well in other ways, to the point of indulgence, but the CG really takes it out of the style. Primarily practical effects would have been a dream.
How many times did they have Eleven using the blindfold? Her powers were used in every situation in the same way, it became really predictable until she lost them at the end.
Likewise, how many times do we need to see Will touch the back of his neck and say "He's Here"? After he tore down the fort in the woods, it's like they had absolutely nothing to do with him. And did he and his brother have a single exchange of dialogue? The brief scenes of him interacting with his friends felt not very genuine. I wonder if there's no chemistry between the other kid actors and Will, his scenes with them always feel stiff, but his acting is actually much better than the others. Watch him when the Mind Flayer beast is stomping around the mall. The fear in his face is amazing, while the others next to him are just sort of tense looking.
This happened last season also, but the story really chugged along, and once a character was in a situation, you knew they were going to be stuck there the entire season. Did we really need 7 hours of Dustin and Steve in the same situation till the end of the show? Likewise, Nancy and Jonathon had some nice scenes, but they weren't really doing much. It's like the characters pair up in the beginning of the season, then do their own little and boring mini adventure but it's stretched out as long as possible.
I mean, I liked it, but I have criticisms. The russian stuff was okay I guess, but felt too cheesy and fakey. Maybe I'm being nostalgic, but the first season felt a lot more serious, high stakes, genuine. 2 went over the top, and 3 became almost parody. They're all enjoyable to watch, but I still would prefer if they didn't sequelize the successive seasons and instead did an anthology of other weird stories. Too late for that. Hope when Season 4 comes around, they drop the russian stuff. So dumb, and they're bringing back the monster from the first season?
Oh, the CG looks better this time around, but still looks too cartoony. They nail the 80s aesthetic so well in other ways, to the point of indulgence, but the CG really takes it out of the style. Primarily practical effects would have been a dream.
The finale to season 3 was freaking spectacular. Wow...they nailed it in so many different ways. It was entertaining, emotionally gripping, funny, and uplifting.
Hopper's letter left me in tears. I've been writing a similar letter to my children should something ever happen to me. So seeing something like that on screen emotionally wrecked me.
Hopper's letter left me in tears. I've been writing a similar letter to my children should something ever happen to me. So seeing something like that on screen emotionally wrecked me.
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I just watched Season 2 earlier this week, and I enjoyed it quite a lot. Not sure why a lot of people disliked it.
Finished Season 3 tonight and it was great at times, but often they really made a parody of itself. Hopper's character was absolutely unbearable. Its fine to make him an overprotective father of a teenage daughter but the constant yelling was too much. When El read his letter I teared up, but it could have had more of an impact if he just wasnt such an ass all season.
Nancy and Jonathon's storyline was mostly boring, especially Jonathon. He is a major waste of space. Steve, Max, and Dustin are probably the best characters on the show now. Not sure how Season 4 will go but I think overall the Russian storyline was prettty cheesy.
Finished Season 3 tonight and it was great at times, but often they really made a parody of itself. Hopper's character was absolutely unbearable. Its fine to make him an overprotective father of a teenage daughter but the constant yelling was too much. When El read his letter I teared up, but it could have had more of an impact if he just wasnt such an ass all season.
Nancy and Jonathon's storyline was mostly boring, especially Jonathon. He is a major waste of space. Steve, Max, and Dustin are probably the best characters on the show now. Not sure how Season 4 will go but I think overall the Russian storyline was prettty cheesy.
The exact example I was gonna post. I mean they have to bork El in some way, she's too powerful. It's not that hard to get.
Daisy, omg.....like what were the show runners even thinking. Soooooooo powerful. Then they had to bork her in a dumbass way.
I got worried when Joyce started obsessing over the magnets, but they quickly explained and passed that without her going full season 1/2 kooky Joyce.
Most of the kids are growing too fast that it's almost comical. The most obvious is Will, who looks like a SNL actor playing a lanky kid in a bad skit with the bowl cut and high short pants.
I agree with most saying they need to trim the number of characters. Having four storylines, each with individual subplots, stretches things out too much especially when certain storylines are way more meaningful (Scoops Troop and Hopper P.I.) to the overall plot. Then having the storylines converge in the penultimate episode with a 1-minute exchange where the characters talk over one another to explain where they've been/what's happening is just bad screenwriting.
Overall I liked it though. Much better than Season 2.
Most of the kids are growing too fast that it's almost comical. The most obvious is Will, who looks like a SNL actor playing a lanky kid in a bad skit with the bowl cut and high short pants.
I agree with most saying they need to trim the number of characters. Having four storylines, each with individual subplots, stretches things out too much especially when certain storylines are way more meaningful (Scoops Troop and Hopper P.I.) to the overall plot. Then having the storylines converge in the penultimate episode with a 1-minute exchange where the characters talk over one another to explain where they've been/what's happening is just bad screenwriting.
Overall I liked it though. Much better than Season 2.
This show is close to perfect. I feel like 80s Speilberg is secretly directing it.
Casting is perfect, acting is perfect, writing is pretty much perfect, everything pays off properly.
My only tiny gripe is Will, after he smashes his hut, should have been given a little bit more of a lead, in a way making him real-life-dungeon-mastering, as in leading his buddies towards an outcome they might be hesitant to take. Hopefully if El is spending time with him and his mom, they'll find an opportunity to do something with him. He's "the wizard" and El lost her powers, so there's something to do with that.
Also, Jonathan was a bit useless this season.
The American, I think is El's "dad", not Hopper.
Also I like that they are sticking with the shitty monster. It would have probably been worst if they had try to come up with a whole new thing. In the end it's a story about the characters, so no need risking everything by trying to come up with something better on that end.
Casting is perfect, acting is perfect, writing is pretty much perfect, everything pays off properly.
My only tiny gripe is Will, after he smashes his hut, should have been given a little bit more of a lead, in a way making him real-life-dungeon-mastering, as in leading his buddies towards an outcome they might be hesitant to take. Hopefully if El is spending time with him and his mom, they'll find an opportunity to do something with him. He's "the wizard" and El lost her powers, so there's something to do with that.
Also, Jonathan was a bit useless this season.
The American, I think is El's "dad", not Hopper.
Also I like that they are sticking with the shitty monster. It would have probably been worst if they had try to come up with a whole new thing. In the end it's a story about the characters, so no need risking everything by trying to come up with something better on that end.
Just finished the season. I dont buy Hopper is dead for a second. As soon as he got cut off by throwing the assassin guy into the machine i told my wife: oh he definitely going through the tear to the upside down.
On top of not showing him die... he's out there.
On top of not showing him die... he's out there.
Finished it this weekend, glad to be able to finally read this thread.
I thought it was fantastic, but I had totally forgotten about some of the plot points from the past seasons so there were things that went over my head. I am tempted to start a slow re-watch of the previous seasons, as enjoyed watching this one an episode at a time over a week rather than a binge, which is what I did previously.
I loved the Dustin singing over the Radio with his girlfriend, also Steve and Robin being drugged was fun stuff, especially the Back to the Future conversation.
I think the show struggled with how to use Will and Mike a lot of the time, but Will destroying his hideout in the woods was a really great scene, him struggling with feeling like he is losing his friends hit home and Mike and Eleven dealing with being boyfriend / girlfriend was good.
I thought it was fantastic, but I had totally forgotten about some of the plot points from the past seasons so there were things that went over my head. I am tempted to start a slow re-watch of the previous seasons, as enjoyed watching this one an episode at a time over a week rather than a binge, which is what I did previously.
I loved the Dustin singing over the Radio with his girlfriend, also Steve and Robin being drugged was fun stuff, especially the Back to the Future conversation.
I think the show struggled with how to use Will and Mike a lot of the time, but Will destroying his hideout in the woods was a really great scene, him struggling with feeling like he is losing his friends hit home and Mike and Eleven dealing with being boyfriend / girlfriend was good.
I'm honestly shocked at people in the community saying they preferred the Mind Flayer in season 2 to season 3.
Season 2 Mind Flayer felt so botched. They were trying to pull the whole "ancient shadowy incomprehensible eldritch god" thing but it never actually worked. The only plot where it really felt needed was Will's possession; the Demodogs and creeping vines could have easily been a threat without the Mind Flayer controlling them. And by having it possess and speak through Will so it could make evil plots to take over the world, it was far too humanized for a Lovecraftian approach. Not to mention its pettiness and low pain tolerance. It overall felt like a very forced attempt at an antagonist and wasn't half as compelling as the Demogorgon.
Season 3 Mind Flayer executed the basic concepts far better. The flayed are a threat that could only exist with the Mind Flayer and demonstrate its collective nature. The body horror approach visually emphasizes its cruelty and cleverness. And yes, it was more defined and less vague... But I think any chance of a decent mystery for the Mind Flayer already went out the window in season 2 when it was established the big scary shadow monster wanted to take over the world.
I'm sick to death of "incomprehensible ancient uncaring gods with inscrutable motives" who just act like vague super villains. So dropping the charade and instead focusing on what made the Mind Flayer unique (its hive mind and manipulative nature) was a good move.
Season 2 Mind Flayer felt so botched. They were trying to pull the whole "ancient shadowy incomprehensible eldritch god" thing but it never actually worked. The only plot where it really felt needed was Will's possession; the Demodogs and creeping vines could have easily been a threat without the Mind Flayer controlling them. And by having it possess and speak through Will so it could make evil plots to take over the world, it was far too humanized for a Lovecraftian approach. Not to mention its pettiness and low pain tolerance. It overall felt like a very forced attempt at an antagonist and wasn't half as compelling as the Demogorgon.
Season 3 Mind Flayer executed the basic concepts far better. The flayed are a threat that could only exist with the Mind Flayer and demonstrate its collective nature. The body horror approach visually emphasizes its cruelty and cleverness. And yes, it was more defined and less vague... But I think any chance of a decent mystery for the Mind Flayer already went out the window in season 2 when it was established the big scary shadow monster wanted to take over the world.
I'm sick to death of "incomprehensible ancient uncaring gods with inscrutable motives" who just act like vague super villains. So dropping the charade and instead focusing on what made the Mind Flayer unique (its hive mind and manipulative nature) was a good move.
It's only supposed to be Lovecraftian in it's look. Not its actions. It's actions are 100% pure DnD Mind Flayer.
Liked it.
There's cringe ( neverending story bit forced for comedic reasons felt out of place as did many others) things that don't make much sense and sometimes I think it lost the 80s feel outside of the obvious direct quotes and references but it's still charming, though not nearly as much as the first few episodes of s1.
Yeah Hopper is alive.
His letter mentioning being stuck in a dark cave-like place, needing the door to be kept open etc made such perfectly matching analogies I was expecting the post credit scene to show him stuck in the upside down.
Maybe he was just pulled out of the portal the Russians opened?
Not showing him die, having El conveniently lose her powers through which she could have found him are too perfect a setup.
Not sure how they can go on filming with those kids turning adults so quickly though.
There's cringe ( neverending story bit forced for comedic reasons felt out of place as did many others) things that don't make much sense and sometimes I think it lost the 80s feel outside of the obvious direct quotes and references but it's still charming, though not nearly as much as the first few episodes of s1.
Yeah Hopper is alive.
His letter mentioning being stuck in a dark cave-like place, needing the door to be kept open etc made such perfectly matching analogies I was expecting the post credit scene to show him stuck in the upside down.
Maybe he was just pulled out of the portal the Russians opened?
Not showing him die, having El conveniently lose her powers through which she could have found him are too perfect a setup.
Not sure how they can go on filming with those kids turning adults so quickly though.
The American in capitivity has to be Brenner. It explains how the Russians know about the Upside Down and Hawkins. It makes zero sense for that person to be Hopper.
I do believe that Hopper is alive, however, and is trapped in the Upside Down. This is what I think will form the foundation for the plot in season 4. Eleven starts to heal and regain her abilities, and when she does, she finds Hopper and discovers that he is alive, but trapped in the Upside Down. El, Will, and Jonathan visit the others in Hawkins during Christmas, when they decide to go into the Upside Down and save Hopper.
I do believe that Hopper is alive, however, and is trapped in the Upside Down. This is what I think will form the foundation for the plot in season 4. Eleven starts to heal and regain her abilities, and when she does, she finds Hopper and discovers that he is alive, but trapped in the Upside Down. El, Will, and Jonathan visit the others in Hawkins during Christmas, when they decide to go into the Upside Down and save Hopper.
Brenner being the American makes a whole lot of sense. I like it. I also think Hopper is alive, but how would he get into the upside down?
Nothing concrete but originally the showrunners had said they were looking at 4-5 seasons.
I wonder if Joyce really becomes a cop next season. You can only let her uselessly tag along while other characters do the fighting for so many seasons.
Man, I loved loved loved S3. Didn't think S2 was that great but this felt like a proper sequel to S1.
Quick question about where things stand at the end. Is the assumption that the govt/army at the end covered up all the deaths (at least 50-100) ppl who were affected by the mind flayer? The ppl killed in the hospital? I mean that's a lot of ppl/deaths to cover up.
Quick question about where things stand at the end. Is the assumption that the govt/army at the end covered up all the deaths (at least 50-100) ppl who were affected by the mind flayer? The ppl killed in the hospital? I mean that's a lot of ppl/deaths to cover up.
All yall saying that aint Hopper in the Russian jail when David Harbour is out here growing out his best hostage beard:
He is 100% alive.
Of course he's alive. They wouldn't kill off everyone's favorite character. Plus there are no remnants of his body after that thing explodes, it's so obvious he went through the gate.
It was about 40 deaths according to the newspapers and the gov't blamed them on the "mall fire." It's national news and the city is in uproar over it.
That would explain some of the deaths. But what about the hosp? They killed the whole staff and other patients.
Did they ever show what happened to the Russians in the underground facility? They all died or fled?
It's never explicitly explained which deaths and where. Just said 40 deaths and blamed the mall fire. They also didn't kill the entire staff at the hospital. Just the ones upstairs. The Russians that were still alive after the laser exploded escaped before the US Gov't got there.