# Stranger Things (full season spoilers)



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

OK, so Hopper is now working for the Men in Black, Eleven is apparently trapped on the other side, and Will is either not Will, or (more likely) not entirely Will, or (less likely) not on our side any more.

Interesting that Nancy ended up with Steve rather than Jonathan.

I liked that people communicated with each other when there was opportunity, but there wasn't always opportunity. E.g., if Hopper and the kids had compared notes, things could have progressed a lot faster, but why would they? But I can't recall any annoying moments when people who SHOULD have shared information didn't, because the story required it.

On the (very slightly) down side, people were often awfully quick to conveniently jump to the right conclusions based on very flimsy evidence.

The kids were all very good! Given how hard it seems to be to find decent kid actors, they did an amazing casting job. And all the relationships were very well written and played. It was a very human horror story.


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## Odds Bodkins (Jun 7, 2006)

Anything parallel universe, Men In Black, remote viewing and you've got me immediately. Winona Rider was probably the weakest link in a cast of stalwarts but I'm biased because I don't really care for her much anyway. 

The kids were all terrific!


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## TIVO_GUY_HERE (Jul 10, 2000)

I watched 7 episodes up until 3AM last night. Didn't want to see the last episode with chance of falling asleep. Glad I waited. I will have to re-watch this again maybe just before season 2 starts ( I assume and probably correct there will be a season 2 with all the good reviews).
I thought it was great. 
I was going to pass on it. Oh great, another series where someone goes missing... blah blah blah... It's been played to death, and I haven't gone more than 2 episodes on any of those other series.

The "ET" vibe was very strong, and added to my enjoyment.

Hopefully they can upgrade the underworld next season, those scenes were hard to watch, too dark, I know I was looking at something, but I couldn't tell what it was.
probably my TV.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Finished it yesterday. I thought it started ok, then got good, then really good. The last few eps, especially, were a hoot. I really came to care about those kids.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

As I said in the other thread:

8 awesome episodes, a brilliant story, some nice ways that characters grew, and a pretty neat segue to a second season.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I really enjoyed it. The adult actors got the top billings but the kids were the true stars. They actually seemed like real life friends.

Nancy and Jonathan trying to kill the wall monster on their own was pretty stupid.

I'm really hoping Eleven is an integral part of season 2. 

Did we ever see the kid with the missing front teeth's parents?

Hopper should have been a boxer. He knocked a lot of guys out with one punch.


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## SWFan (Oct 6, 2002)

I binge watched this Saturday night until about 2am. That wasn't the intention, but once I watched the first two episodes I couldn't stop.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> ... Did we ever see the kid with the missing front teeth's parents?


I don't think we ever saw the toothless kid's or the black kid's parents.

I really could not see how the doomed diner who fed Eleven could tell that she was a girl.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

getreal said:


> I don't think we ever saw the toothless kid's or the black kid's parents.


I can't remember the episode but I'm pretty sure we briefly saw Lucas' parents. Maybe it was at the funeral?


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## Queue (Apr 7, 2009)

I loved this series. I started it Friday night and finished it last night.

Certain elements reminded me of certain movies from the 80s. Not necessarily because of plot or dialog, but just the same feeling.

It reminded me at different times of Goonies, Explorers, Flight of the Navigator, Silver Bullet, and maybe some other ones I'm not recalling right now.

It also felt like an 80s movie. Not a 2010s movie set in the 80s. I didn't expect anyone to die in the end because that's not how 80s movie operated. I did expect something to happen that would precipitate something bad, in this case Will coughing up a worm thing. That reminded me of the end of Christine where the car starts fixing itself, and the end of an alien invasion movie where the kid wakes up and it was a dream, but then he sees an alien spaceship land and the movie ends...

I just enjoyed the entire nostalgia of watching a film like the 80s set in the 80s.


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## NatasNJ (Jan 7, 2002)

We knocked out this weekend as well. Liked that it felt like a typical kids movie but with very DARK elements. Liked the 80's vibe in characters, scenes, etc...

Agree Winonna was the worst part of the show. I felt everyone else except maybe Matthew Modine did well. 

I also agree I am most interested in 11 going forward.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

In defense of Ryder, the writers really didn't give her much of a character to play except "the distraught mom". The other characterizations had more breadth and depth. Given the narrow way it was written I'm surprised she even took the role, but I suppose over-40 actresses in Hollywood, even very good ones such as Ryder, pretty much have to take what they can get.


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## whitson77 (Nov 10, 2002)

This series was incredible. We just wish we had something similarly good to move onto. The young kids all seemed perfectly cast. A lot of questions at the end but at least the main arc wrapped up nicely.

Modine did seem totally wasted. The sheriff was hilarious.


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## Family (Jul 23, 2001)

I liked Mr Wheeler.
Nobody seemed broken up about Barb.
The show knew exactly what it wanted to be and executed it perfectly on every level. 
Nicely done!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I've started rewatching and have found that this very enjoyable series is even better if I ffwd through all the Nancy scenes with her D-bag McPompadour boyfriend.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

Finished it off last night with the last two episodes. We really liked it. There was only one episode where I was annoyed with people doing stupid things (when Nancy went through the trunk into the upside-down, without waiting for Jonathan who was just a few yards away, and there was something else that episode as well but I can't remember it now). Luckily they pulled that back quickly and it didn't end up being a major plot point: I hate shows where the entire plot is driven by people being stupid.

I thought Nancy and Jonathan's plan was excellent, especially considering Hop's "plan" as the alternative.

I actually wasn't surprised to see Nancy end up with Steve; they kind of telegraphed that when she left Will's hospital room (rather than staying with Jonathan).

Although it felt like a real 80's movie (in a good way), the body count was a little high I thought; the basically innocent army fodder getting their brains exploded etc.


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## whitson77 (Nov 10, 2002)

I was glad to read a second season was already announced.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

Not reading the comments yet cos I am only up to episode 4 - but I am LOVING this show!!! X-Files throwback that I think might be doing it better than the X-Files. Nice to see Winona in something good again. And of course GREAT music to accompany the whole thing...:up::up::up:


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## Queue (Apr 7, 2009)

whitson77 said:


> I was glad to read a second season was already announced.


I can't find info on that.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

The actor that played Dr. Brenner, or "poppa", said something about a second season is definitely coming. Not sure how reliable his info is. I also read that the creators, the Duffer Brothers said they would do a second season if show was well received. Nothing really official either way.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

Finished it last night and agree with most of what has been said - possibly with the exception of Winona Ryder who I liked - even though it was sometimes a one note performance. I am happy to see she's gotten over all her crazy drug shop lifting stuff.

Hopefully they get season 2 in the can before the kids get too grown up.
Those 4 kids were excellent casting.
Dustin was my favorite - makes me wonder if he REALLY is missing his front teeth.

I also really loved Hop the Sheriff who I realized after the fact (by looking him up) I have seen in a gazillion things, but this is the first thing that really showcased him. He was great.


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## mostman (Jul 16, 2000)

The 80s vibe was mentioned above. This show is about 10 80s movies all smashed together. 

The best part though? The music. Oh the music. Absolutely perfect. It reminded me a bit of Kavinsky, who does the sort of 80s electronic throwback thing really well.


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## Mikeyis4dcats (Oct 2, 2003)

Here's all the music from the soundtrack. I know at least the version of Heroes is correct on the first but not the second

http://www.what-song.com/Tvshow/173/Stranger-Things

https://play.spotify.com/user/aspoole/playlist/44DOK02TI8ufHp6c01ocph


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## danterner (Mar 4, 2005)

Cainebj said:


> Dustin was my favorite - makes me wonder if he REALLY is missing his front teeth.


Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) is quite talented. Here he is singing "Bring Him Home," from Les Mis, at a party:






Turns out he played Gavroche in the US touring production.


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

http://www.slashfilm.com/stranger-things-season-two/

Season 2 is happening..


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## Queue (Apr 7, 2009)

robojerk said:


> http://www.slashfilm.com/stranger-things-season-two/
> 
> Season 2 is happening..


:up::up::up:

Looking forward to this:


Spoiler



Theres a lot there we dont know or understand. Even with The Upside Down, we have a 30-page document that is pretty intricate in terms of what it all means, and where this monster actually came from, and why arent there more monsters  we have all this stuff that we just didnt have time for, or we didnt feel like we needed to get into in season one, because of the main tension of Will. We have that whole other world that we havent fully explored in this season, and that was very purposeful.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Just finished. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as the rest of you. I felt like with the 8 episodes, they should have been able to develop things a lot better, but instead it seemed that much of the periphery remained very one dimensional. You'd expect that in a movie, but in an 8-episode series, I would want things to be fleshed out better. For example:

-I thought it odd that the school had both a vigil and then a memorial for Will, but nobody ever seemed to care that Barbara was missing.
-Why did we never see Barbara's distraught parents begging Hopper to find their daughter?
-Why did Dustin and Lucas seem to have no family?
-There a huge secret government installation right on the edge of town yet most of the characters acted like they didn't know it existed until the evidence forced them to run into it or interact with it?
-All the vans full of "bad men" were chasing them, yet once Eleven flipped the van, then suddenly there was no more pursuit and they had free reign to hang out at Byers house, then go to the school and yet nobody seemed to notice or care? Are we really supposed to believe that once Dr. Brennan saw El and the boys get away, he was just going to go back to the lab and wait for more info to come in? Especially once the Feds from the junkyard wake up and tell him that Hopper is helping the kids. It's a small town and there are dozens of Feds. It shouldn't be too hard for them to locate Hopper's Blazer, yet they just seemed to give up.

I agree that most of the casting was well done, except for the kid who played Lucas. I felt like he was constantly going from 0 to 100 in the anger/annoyance department without justification and that could have been acted much better.

So at the end, I was unclear why Hopper was putting that food in the box. Since there were Eggos, it was clearly for El, but what reason does he have to believe that she survived when she appeared to disintegrate along with the monster?

What deal did Hopper make with the Feds and what info does he know?

Dr. Brennan appeared to be the "big bad" behind the whole program, and he appeared to get killed during the attack at the school. So did he really die? Will there be someone else higher up the chain of command running the program next season?


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Queue said:


> I loved this series. I started it Friday night and finished it last night.
> 
> Certain elements reminded me of certain movies from the 80s. Not necessarily because of plot or dialog, but just the same feeling.
> 
> It reminded me at different times of Goonies, Explorers, Flight of the Navigator, Silver Bullet, and maybe some other ones I'm not recalling right now.


There's a cool video on Vimeo that breaks down how many of the scenes in Stranger Things are inspired by or even exact recreations of some of the scenes from iconic 80s movies:


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> So at the end, I was unclear why Hopper was putting that food in the box. Since there were Eggos, it was clearly for El, but what reason does he have to believe that she survived when she appeared to disintegrate along with the monster?
> 
> What deal did Hopper make with the Feds and what info does he know?
> 
> Dr. Brennan appeared to be the "big bad" behind the whole program, and he appeared to get killed during the attack at the school. So did he really die? Will there be someone else higher up the chain of command running the program next season?


All of that is pretty obviously set-up for next season!


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

DevdogAZ said:


> There's a cool video on Vimeo that breaks down how many of the scenes in Stranger Things are inspired by or even exact recreations of some of the scenes from iconic 80s movies:


Pretty slick. (Though I'm not sure I buy the "Commando" reference.)


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Sepinwall's recap of some of the things he liked best about the show:

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/the-upside-down-8-questions-about-stranger-things-season-1

And his interview with the Duffer Brothers about the making of the season:

http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/stranger-things-creators-explain-it-all-about-season-1


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## ireland967 (Feb 27, 2003)

Took Friday off work and started the binge, finished today. Thought this was a great series, what amazing work from the young actors. Reminded me of the TV series 'It' (first half) as well as Poltergeist. Not typically my style but I really enjoyed it, worth watching


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

After seeing these posts, I started watching it early in the morning. I did end up watching it all in one day, thought it was good. I started wondering why it was so much better than what I normally watch, not really sure why.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Enjoyed this series a lot. To me, the vibe was mostly Super 8. 

Looking forward to season 2.


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## Mikeyis4dcats (Oct 2, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Just finished. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as the rest of you. I felt like with the 8 episodes, they should have been able to develop things a lot better, but instead it seemed that much of the periphery remained very one dimensional. You'd expect that in a movie, but in an 8-episode series, I would want things to be fleshed out better. For example:
> 
> -I thought it odd that the school had both a vigil and then a memorial for Will, but nobody ever seemed to care that Barbara was missing. *I believe it was said that the story was planted that she had run away with a boy*
> -Why did we never see Barbara's distraught parents begging Hopper to find their daughter? *See above. It is possible that they felt it was not a police matter*
> ...


see my thoughts above


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## tlc (May 30, 2002)

Maybe they'll finish the series by having the kids call their science teacher: "So if you _had_ a portal to another dimension, how would you close it?"

But will 11 be back in time for the Snow Ball?


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

tlc said:


> Maybe they'll finish the series by having the kids call their science teacher: "So if you _had_ a portal to another dimension, how would you close it?"
> 
> But will 11 be back in time for the Snow Ball?


Loved the interaction with the kids. "Why are you keeping the curiosity door locked??"


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## Rickvz (Sep 5, 2000)

Saw this video in a CNet article. It's the intro for "Stranger Things" if it were an 80s sitcom.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> Hopper should have been a boxer. He knocked a lot of guys out with one punch.


That was something of a weak point for me. He was taking out trained people left and right. Even three trained guys with guns drawn. I was expecting to find out he was some sort of former commando or something.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

NatasNJ said:


> Agree Winonna was the worst part of the show. I felt everyone else except maybe Matthew Modine did well.


Agreed on Winona. She wasn't given much to work with.

Poor Matthew Modine. Every single time he was on the screen I failed to see his character. All I could see was Matthew Modine wearing Ted Danson's toupee.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> -I thought it odd that the school had both a vigil and then a memorial for Will, but nobody ever seemed to care that Barbara was missing.
> 
> -Why did we never see Barbara's distraught parents begging Hopper to find their daughter?
> 
> I agree that most of the casting was well done, except for the kid who played Lucas. I felt like he was constantly going from 0 to 100 in the anger/annoyance department without justification and that could have been acted much better.


The thing about Barbara is that as far as anyone else knows until the very end, she is just missing. It's likely we didn't see her parents after Hopper because the state police "found" her car at the bus station outside town. Perhaps once she was out of town and the state police got involved it was no longer under his purview. At least that is where I'm going with it.

Glad I'm not the only one that didn't like Lucas. The character was an a-hole. He was always abusive towards Eleven and pretty much refused to call her by name, instead calling her Weirdo. It was either bad writing or bad acting. If it was the writing it was bad because Mike or Dustin should have put their foot down and stopped that right off the bat. If it was the acting it was as you said, there was no slow boil, building up to jealousy of Mike and Eleven. He just came across as a jerk.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I thought Lucas the character and the kid who played him were great. Just because we like Eleven doesn't mean Lucas should. Lucas was suddenly replaced as Mike's best friend by a weirdo, probably cootie infested girl and wasn't happy about it.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

Oh, and the closest parallel to me wasn't any of the 80s movies; it was Silent Hill. The games, not the movies.


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

ClutchBrake said:


> Glad I'm not the only one that didn't like Lucas. The character was an a-hole. He was always abusive towards Eleven and pretty much refused to call her by name, instead calling her Weirdo. It was either bad writing or bad acting. If it was the writing it was bad because Mike or Dustin should have put their foot down and stopped that right off the bat. If it was the acting it was as you said, there was no slow boil, building up to jealousy of Mike and Eleven. He just came across as a jerk.


I just finished this a few days ago.

Thought it was great. Felt movie quality to me.

And Lucas and his friends are KIDS. They weren't adults to put their foot down and all that. KIDS.

I also thought Winona was great, as were all of the casting. Tho poor Mathew Modine had almost no lines really.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

NJChris said:


> I also thought Winona was great, as were all of the casting. Tho poor Mathew Modine had almost no lines really.


I feel bad for Modine. I've always thought he was a solid actor, but his career basically stalled in the mid 90's after such an auspicious beginning. He was in some excellent stuff early on like Birdy, Full Metal Jacket, The Band Played On, etc ...


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

NJChris said:


> And Lucas and his friends are KIDS. They weren't adults to put their foot down and all that. KIDS.


They were twelve, and they were portrayed as social outcasts, with other kids picking on them and calling them losers, among other names. To turn right around and do that to someone else came off poorly.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

ClutchBrake said:


> They were twelve, and they were portrayed as social outcasts, with other kids picking on them and calling them losers, among other names. To turn right around and do that to someone else came off poorly.


That's pretty much exactly what happens with some kids though.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

photoshopgrl said:


> That's pretty much exactly what happens with some kids though.


And adults...e.g., one group of oppressed minorities picking on another.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> That's pretty much exactly what happens with some kids though.


Well, yeah, but it is not wrong to dislike it.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

ClutchBrake said:


> Well, yeah, but it is not wrong to dislike it.


Definitely not wrong to dislike it. My comment was based on you saying it came off poorly and I took that to mean unrealistic.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

photoshopgrl said:


> Definitely not wrong to dislike it. My comment was based on you saying it came off poorly and I took that to mean unrealistic.


Ah, no. I wasn't clear. 

I was relating it back to my comments about not liking Lucas because of that behavior.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

ClutchBrake said:


> Ah, no. I wasn't clear.
> 
> I was relating it back to my comments about not liking Lucas because of that behavior.


Oh okay! :up:


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

Completely off topic, but I saw a pic from the new iteration of Stephen King's It today. It's set in the 1980s this time, and the promo pic I saw was a poster of the character Richie Tozier. He's being played by the actor that played Mike in Stranger Things. That kid isn't careful he's going to end up typecast in 80s movies the rest of his career! 

The plan for It this time around is for it to be split into two movies. The first movie would be set in the 80s and follow kids. The second movie would be set in the present, and follow the kids (or what is left of them) from the 80s as adults.

Of course the first film will have to succeed for the second film to be produced.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

ClutchBrake said:


> Completely off topic, but I saw a pic from the new iteration of Stephen King's It today. It's set in the 1980s this time, and the promo pic I saw was a poster of the character Richie Tozier. He's being played by the actor that played Mike in Stranger Things. That kid isn't careful he's going to end up typecast in 80s movies the rest of his career!
> 
> The plan for It this time around is for it to be split into two movies. The first movie would be set in the 80s and follow kids. The second movie would be set in the present, and follow the kids (or what is left of them) from the 80s as adults.
> 
> Of course the first film will have to succeed for the second film to be produced.


That's a pretty awesome idea.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

ClutchBrake said:


> Completely off topic, but I saw a pic from the new iteration of Stephen King's It today. It's set in the 1980s this time, and the promo pic I saw was a poster of the character Richie Tozier. He's being played by the actor that played Mike in Stranger Things. That kid isn't careful he's going to end up typecast in 80s movies the rest of his career!


He'd already been cast in It before the Duffers found him and cast him in ST. And when they found out about It, they thought they might have to recast, but then the scheduling worked out and they were glad that they could get their project out first so it didn't look like they were riding coattails by using him in their project.


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

And slightly more off topic, thank you for talking about him being in It because I went to IMDB to check the cast and realized why this kid was familiar to me. He was just in an episode of Supernatural. 

Excited for Stranger Things next season AND It. It was one of those books I read as a child that freaked me out so bad.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> He'd already been cast in It before the Duffers found him and cast him in ST. And when they found out about It, they thought they might have to recast, but then the scheduling worked out and they were glad that they could get their project out first so it didn't look like they were riding coattails by using him in their project.


That only surprises me a little given how long It was stuck in development hell. Cool to know.


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## ct1 (Jun 27, 2003)

ClutchBrake said:


> Oh, and the closest parallel to me wasn't any of the 80s movies; it was Silent Hill. The games, not the movies.


Several scenes (and some of the premise..) felt straight out of Half-Life.


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## milo99 (Oct 14, 2002)

i'll echo the Winona Ryder talk here. I actually like her, but i HATED her character. I didn't even recognize her at first.

The only thing my wife and I didn't like was Hopper's and Nancy's lack of hesitation to go into the creepy, slimy entrance to something they had zero clue about. I mean come on, who does that?



DevdogAZ said:


> There's a cool video on Vimeo that breaks down how many of the scenes in Stranger Things are inspired by or even exact recreations of some of the scenes from iconic 80s movies:


Awesome vid- thanks for sharing this!


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## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

Found & watched this recently across several nights. Really liked it and liked the kids focus...except really knowing several kids this age, they seemed really too young and immature for middle schoolers.


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## uncdrew (Aug 6, 2002)

Excellent.


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## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

milo99 said:


> i'll echo the Winona Ryder talk here. I actually like her, but i HATED her character. I didn't even recognize her at first.
> 
> The only thing my wife and I didn't like was Hopper's and Nancy's lack of hesitation to go into the creepy, slimy entrance to something they had zero clue about. I mean come on, who does that?
> 
> Awesome vid- thanks for sharing this!


Pretty funny, because not even doing scene comparisons in my head, I thought, Goonies, ET & Poltergeist.

-smak-


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## Martha (Oct 6, 2002)

I have a question: Why did the Hawkins lab people want the townspeople to think Will was dead? They drug the body out of the water, they had a fake body with the fluff, there was a funeral, etc....

Was it just so the cop would stop sniffing around?


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

Martha said:


> I have a question: Why did the Hawkins lab people want the townspeople to think Will was dead? They drug the body out of the water, they had a fake body with the fluff, there was a funeral, etc....
> 
> Was it just so the cop would stop sniffing around?


I think they figured that the monster killed/abducted Will. In a way it would be a sense of closure for the victims family if the body was found, and keep attention off of them. The people they sent into the other side all seemed to die, other than 11, so a rescue seemed not possible. From their POV, Will was completely lost.


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## Robin (Dec 6, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> -I thought it odd that the school had both a vigil and then a memorial for Will, but nobody ever seemed to care that Barbara was missing.
> -Why did we never see Barbara's distraught parents begging Hopper to find their daughter?


You're not the only one concerned about Barb:

"And yet when I asked on Twitter what people wanted to know about "Stranger Things," I practically drowned in a tsunami of fervor for Barb."

http://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/49067...ranger-things-creators-on-netflixs-summer-hit


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## tem (Oct 6, 2003)




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## logic88 (Jun 7, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> So at the end, I was unclear why Hopper was putting that food in the box. Since there were Eggos, it was clearly for El, but what reason does he have to believe that she survived when she appeared to disintegrate along with the monster?
> 
> What deal did Hopper make with the Feds and what info does he know?


Maybe Hop will be the bad guy in S2? After all, he made the deal to turn El over in exchange to access to the Gate and amnesty for the three boys.


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## BeanMeScot (Apr 17, 2002)

GREAT Series! I never watch 3 episodes in one night but I did that here. A fun and nostalgic ride.



Hcour said:


> Pretty slick. (Though I'm not sure I buy the "Commando" reference.)


I thought these scenes more Rambo (1982) than commando. Especially with Lucas putting on the bandanna.


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## Mikeyis4dcats (Oct 2, 2003)

philw1776 said:


> Found & watched this recently across several nights. Really liked it and liked the kids focus...except really knowing several kids this age, they seemed really too young and immature for middle schoolers.


Will was 12, so that makes him a 6th grader most likely. I'd assume the others were classmates.


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## logic88 (Jun 7, 2001)

How did Will get away from the creature in the first place and how was he able to hide from it so long?


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## sneagle (Jun 12, 2002)

logic88 said:


> How did Will get away from the creature in the first place and how was he able to hide from it so long?


Maybe the creature was waiting to use him as an incubator. Maybe the creature wasn't ready until the end to lay eggs.


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## nickels (Jan 11, 2010)

How was Will controlling the lights that his mom put up from the upside down?


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

nickels said:


> How was Will controlling the lights that his mom put up from the upside down?


Screwing them in and out. Or plugging/unplugging as the case may be.


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

nickels said:


> How was Will controlling the lights that his mom put up from the upside down?


Magic...


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## Jeeters (Feb 25, 2003)

FYI, the actors that played the four kids (Eleven and the other three) are scheduled to be on Wednesday's (8/31) Jimmy Fallon.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Jeeters said:


> FYI, the actors that played the four kids (Eleven and the other three) are scheduled to be on Wednesday's (8/31) Jimmy Fallon.


Thanks for the heads-up! I don't normally watch Fallon, but I just set it to record. :up:


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## Queue (Apr 7, 2009)

Stranger Things Season 2 has been officially announced!

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/31/stranger-things-season-2-details-duffer-brothers

And a small teaser


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Jeeters said:


> FYI, the actors that played the four kids (Eleven and the other three) are scheduled to be on Wednesday's (8/31) Jimmy Fallon.


Which boy is missing, Mike, Dustin, Will or Lucas?


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Which boy is missing, Mike, Dustin, Will or Lucas?


.


Tonight Show website said:


> STRANGER THINGS CAST
> 
> Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin are the stars of the Netflix original series STRANGER THINGS, on which they star as Mike, Eleven, Dustin and Lucas respectively.


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> Which boy is missing, Mike, Dustin, Will or Lucas?


Will is not included. It's Eleven, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas.


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

Will has become the Demogorgon.


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

I just rented the 2nd half of Intruders (TV Series 2014) on DVD, the Eleven actress starred in it also, very spooky.


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## cmontyburns (Nov 14, 2001)

Jeeters said:


> FYI, the actors that played the four kids (Eleven and the other three) are scheduled to be on Wednesday's (8/31) Jimmy Fallon.


That was fun. The interview was a total mess, of course, with four guests and all of them kids. But they were clearly having a blast and they all seem so well-put-together. (Millie Bobby Brown is not lacking in confidence, that's for sure.) The game was clearly an excuse to let the kids act like kids, but it was fun to watch how delighted they were with it. And Millie's rap was great. Good for them.


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## RGM1138 (Oct 6, 1999)

Well, I finally got around to starting the series and I've finished six eps. It's really getting good.

I did notice that in the first couple of hours, they used just about every shot, edit, lighting scheme and gag from the "Steven Spielberg Big Book of Making Movies." It was amusing. Also, the picture on the Netflix splash page for the show has a very Star Wars/E.T./Raiders look to it. 

I've finally learned where El came from, (although, still not sure who the biological father is). The actress who portrays her is amazing. She has the presence of a much older person.

I'm hesitant to watch the last two episodes. I hate to be left hanging on an ending that won't be resolved, (maybe), for possibly a year. But, I will.


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## BrandonRe (Jul 15, 2006)

Just watched this. Outstanding! I enjoyed every but of it. I described it to my wife as the creators binged on ET, Poltergeist, Stephen King, and the X-Files with the Goonies and Stand by Me mixed in right before they say down to write the series. In the best possible way. Definitely great TV for those of us who enjoyed the 80's.


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## BeanMeScot (Apr 17, 2002)

RGM1138 said:


> I did notice that in the first couple of hours, they used just about every shot, edit, lighting scheme and gag from the "Steven Spielberg Big Book of Making Movies." It was amusing. Also, the picture on the Netflix splash page for the show has a very Star Wars/E.T./Raiders look to it.


It's an ode to the 80's as well as a great TV show!


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## 2004raptor (Dec 31, 2005)

I'm only two episodes in so I'll have to figure out a way to come back in here for my answer without being spoiled...but anyway.

In the first episode the girl (eleven?) was in the diner with the guy. They were sitting down talking is the last thing I recall. Then, in episode two, the girl is out at night in the rainstorm and now the guy is dead from an apparent suicide??? Did I miss something in the first episode showing her escaping or the guy getting killed?


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## photoshopgrl (Nov 22, 2008)

2004raptor said:


> I'm only two episodes in so I'll have to figure out a way to come back in here for my answer without being spoiled...but anyway.
> 
> In the first episode the girl (eleven?) was in the diner with the guy. They were sitting down talking is the last thing I recall. Then, in episode two, the girl is out at night in the rainstorm and now the guy is dead from an apparent suicide??? Did I miss something in the first episode showing her escaping or the guy getting killed?


Yes, you missed a chunk in there, I'd go back if I were you.


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## BeanMeScot (Apr 17, 2002)

2004raptor said:


> I'm only two episodes in so I'll have to figure out a way to come back in here for my answer without being spoiled...but anyway.
> 
> In the first episode the girl (eleven?) was in the diner with the guy. They were sitting down talking is the last thing I recall. Then, in episode two, the girl is out at night in the rainstorm and now the guy is dead from an apparent suicide??? Did I miss something in the first episode showing her escaping or the guy getting killed?


You missed it. She was found.


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## 2004raptor (Dec 31, 2005)

photoshopgrl said:


> Yes, you missed a chunk in there, I'd go back if I were you.


 Darn.

OK, will do.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

You probably dozed off and woke up in the next episode like I often do.


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## tivoboyjr (Apr 28, 2003)

I watched this over the past two nights and really enjoyed it! This was like a more edgy version of Spielberg and those 80's movies/shows, and I liked it more than I liked any of them at the time.

It will be interesting to see what happens with season 2!


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## mike_k (Sep 20, 2005)

photoshopgrl said:


> Yes, you missed a chunk in there, I'd go back if I were you.


This. Go back.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Finished this last night. I liked it but didn't love it like everyone else here.

As expected, no answers at the end and so I'm ambivalent about going further with it. I am damaged from Lost  I suppose if it's another short season it's not much of an investment but still a little frustrating.

By answers I'm not referring to what happens to Will and whether his body has been taken over or what Hopper knows and whether he's working with them now - those are cliffhangers.

I'm referring more to overriding questions like what was that alternate universe, how did it get there, where did the monster come from, what are they trying to accomplish, how did El get the powers, and on and on.

I did like how they did the 80s and the characters. The kids were really good. Definitely had a bit of Stand By Me going on.


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## JolDC (Dec 21, 2001)

jr461 said:


> I'm referring more to overriding questions like what was that alternate universe, how did it get there, where did the monster come from, what are they trying to accomplish, how did El get the powers, and on and on.


All of those were answered during the series.

Why the alternative universe existed isn't important to any storyline. The belief in parallel universes is common.

Access to the alternative universe was via El. She used it as part of her remote viewing and accidentally created a tunnel to it.

The monster was just a native of the alternative universe.

They were trying to feed and breed. It didn't seem much more than an animal who didn't understand what our world was but was happy to have more food and parasitic hosts.

El got her powers because her mother was experimented on by the CIA.


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

Interesting show and overall I liked it I guess but I thought it hit it's peak in about the third episode and went slowly downhill. Not sure if I'm in for season 2 or not.


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## Ereth (Jun 16, 2000)

JolDC said:


> The monster was just a native of the alternative universe.


Well, maybe. There's only one, after all. Hard to imagine an ecosystem like that.

An interesting fan theory is that El IS the monster. That she created the entire thing with her mind, and that's why she disappears simultaneously with the monster. She even tells us at one point that she's the Demogorgon. Perhaps it's her subconscious, or her "dark side" if you will.

It's also possible that she created the upside down. We don't know the limits of her abilities.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

JolDC said:


> All of those were answered during the series.
> 
> Why the alternative universe existed isn't important to any storyline. The belief in parallel universes is common.
> 
> ...


I know they experimented on her and it left her vegetative but I totally missed where El got the powers as a result. It didn't help that I watched late at night after everyone went to bed (not anyone else's cup of tea).

Otherwise it seems that it's just a matter of accepting that the other universe exists. This is what I have trouble with - I'm the kind who also wants to know how and why.

So Brenner's group experimented on the mother which generated El and her powers. How did this create the other universe - or did it?

Maybe it's just not for me either, then.  Although I did like the suspense, the way they portrayed the period and the characters and their interaction.


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## cmontyburns (Nov 14, 2001)

jr461 said:


> Otherwise it seems that it's just a matter of accepting that the other universe exists. This is what I have trouble with - I'm the kind who also wants to know how and why.


I can't remember where I read the interview now, but the Duffer Brothers, who created the show, said they have something like 60 pages explaining everything about the Upside Down -- why it's there, how it's laid out, what the monster is, and all that. Presumably if the show gets enough time to unfold, we'll learn more.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

cmontyburns said:


> I can't remember where I read the interview now, but the Duffer Brothers, who created the show, said they have something like 60 pages explaining everything about the Upside Down -- why it's there, how it's laid out, what the monster is, and all that. Presumably if the show gets enough time to unfold, we'll learn more.


Interesting. I'll give season 2 a try and if only 8 episodes again pretty small in terms of time investment.


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## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

I just finished it, i didn't like it but my wife did otherwise i would have bailed. I felt like I was watching a bad episode of Scooby Doo. The acting was horrible.


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

A Stranger Things Christmas (Spoliers)


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## jon777 (May 30, 2002)

SullyND said:


> A Stranger Things Christmas (Spoliers)


That was awesome!


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## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

cmontyburns said:


> I can't remember where I read the interview now, but the Duffer Brothers, who created the show, said they have something like 60 pages explaining everything about the Upside Down -- why it's there, how it's laid out, what the monster is, and all that. Presumably if the show gets enough time to unfold, we'll learn more.


Thanks but wish I hadn't read this as it gives me bad LOST vibes where I was misled into thinking the series would make at least some sense in the end.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

philw1776 said:


> Thanks but wish I hadn't read this as it gives me bad LOST vibes where I was misled into thinking the series would make at least some sense in the end.


Although in this case, they say they have 60 pages of explanation, whereas in Lost it turned out they had "it ends with him closing his eyes," and they were just leading us to believe that they had an actual plan...


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## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

Memories of Battlestar Galactica, "and they had a plan"


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

philw1776 said:


> Memories of Battlestar Galactica, "and they had a plan"


But again, in BG they didn't write 60 pages of background material, they just said "They have a plan." HUGE difference...hopefully!


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## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

Season Two cast additions

http://io9.gizmodo.com/sean-astin-and-paul-reiser-are-in-stranger-things-seaso-1788667795


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

I don't even remember the last time I saw Paul Reiser. I can't help but think he will basically be reprising his Aliens role.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

BrandonRe said:


> Just watched this. Outstanding! I enjoyed every but of it. I described it to my wife as the creators binged on ET, Poltergeist, Stephen King, and the X-Files with the Goonies and Stand by Me mixed in right before they say down to write the series. In the best possible way. Definitely great TV for those of us who enjoyed the 80's.


Just binged this over Thanksgiving. Those were ALL the same movies/ TV Shows I thought of. Perfectly done 80s throwback. I disagree about Winona, I thought she was terrific playing the part (which was limited). I could really feel distraught frustration from her. What else was her part supposed to be? The kids were fantastic. I liked the use of the Sensory Deprivation tanks, which were VERY 1980s.

Maybe I missed something. Do we know how or why the monster was created? Do we know why the experiments were done on Eleven and if the purpose of them was to deal with the monsters? Also, is Barbara dead (fodder for the Monster) or is there hope she's still alinve?

I'm actually fine without seeing the other two sets of parents. If they had no real role in the story, then having more characters was not necessary.

This isn't usually my type of thing (not a huge horror fan), but this one was done with a lot of heart and was much more like a darker ET than Stephen King or a stupid slasher movie.

Actually thinking about it, this was more like Dean Koontz than Stephen King.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

ClutchBrake said:


> I don't even remember the last time I saw Paul Reiser. I can't help but think he will basically be reprising his Aliens role.


He's currently in Red Oaks on Amazon Prime, playing the President of a New Jersey Country Club. That is the other binge I'm going to do over the holiday break  (well S2, already watched S1)


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## BeanMeScot (Apr 17, 2002)

Steveknj said:


> Maybe I missed something. Do we know how or why the monster was created? Do we know why the experiments were done on Eleven and if the purpose of them was to deal with the monsters? Also, is Barbara dead (fodder for the Monster) or is there hope she's still alinve?


They don't explicitly state anything but it implies that the experiments, themselves, created Eleven and Eleven created the link to the Upside Down. The monsters are just what live in the Upside Down. I believe they showed Barbara's body during the Upside Down scenes in the last episode.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> He's currently in Red Oaks on Amazon Prime, playing the President of a New Jersey Country Club. That is the other binge I'm going to do over the holiday break  (well S2, already watched S1)


Reiser is very good in Red Oaks. My wife and I just binged both seasons in about a week.


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## wprager (Feb 19, 2006)

Just watched it over the last few days. Hide vibes of all the 80s movies already mentioned, as well as the Spielbrg scene settings. Thought Ryder was excellent. Before reading up on S2 I thought they would flash forward 30 years to the present. Like "It", sort of. Would resolve any issues with kids growing up over the break. And Jean Ralphio as the grown up Steve. Also would explain why they set it in the 80s.

But I'm ok with whatever plan they have. 

I figured the sheriff was so good they should recruit him; next thing I see him getting into the car.


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

JFriday said:


> I just finished it, i didn't like it but my wife did otherwise i would have bailed. I felt like I was watching a bad episode of Scooby Doo. The acting was horrible.


I just finished it, and I could not disagree more...I thought the acting was top tier and the whole eight episodes outstanding.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Bierboy said:


> I just finished it, and I could not disagree more...I thought the acting was top tier and the whole eight episodes outstanding.


I KNEW you couldn't make it through 2016 without being right once!


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## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I KNEW you couldn't make it through 2016 without being right once!




Happy New Year, Rob!


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## kettledrum (Nov 17, 2003)

Just finished this. Don't have Netflix - watched at my in laws over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Loved it! I'm very nostalgic for everything 80s which is what drew me to it in the first place, and I was not disappointed!



philw1776 said:


> Found & watched this recently across several nights. Really liked it and liked the kids focus...except really knowing several kids this age, they seemed really too young and immature for middle schoolers.


Too young and immature for middle schoolers now, or back in the 80s? IMHO kids are very much more aware and mature now than they were 30-35 years ago.


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

kettledrum said:


> > Found & watched this recently across several nights. Really liked it and liked the kids focus...except really knowing several kids this age, they seemed really too young and immature for middle schoolers.
> 
> 
> Too young and immature for middle schoolers now, or back in the 80s? IMHO kids are very much more aware and mature now than they were 30-35 years ago.


Agreed -- I'm just a few years younger than the main kids, and to me, the characterizations rang _very_ true.


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## scottjf8 (Nov 11, 2001)

Watched ST for the second time recently. Wife and I had watched it, then our daughter (12) decided to watch it. So we watched it again with her. 

After ep 7 she asked me if they're gonna find Will. I'm like "dude I ain't spoiling anything" lol. 

She loved the last episode. 

Show is so good.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)

Bump...


> The first trailer for Stranger Things 2 is here. It's 1984 and the citizens of Hawkins, Indiana are still reeling from the horrors of the demogorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. Will Byers has been rescued from the Upside Down but a bigger, sinister entity still threatens those who survived.


Season 2 premieres October 27, 2017.


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## cmontyburns (Nov 14, 2001)

Just came here to post that. It was a fun first season and this next one is looking good, too.


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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)




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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)




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## Malcontent (Sep 5, 2004)




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