Stranger Things 4
Jun. 3rd, 2022 11:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
icepixieSome scattered thoughts on the fourth season (er, first half of the fourth season, I guess?) of Stranger Things :
Generally, I enjoyed it. I liked it enough to stay up past when I should have gone to bed on multiple work nights watching, which is a pretty damn good endorsement coming from me.
That said, I agree with the author of whatever thinkpiece I read somewhere (I think it was The Atlantic) who said it was a bit bloated. Like, we didn't need the Russia plotline at all. Every scene related to it could have been excised, and not only would it not impact any of the other plotlines, it would have made the episodes better. Murray was fun, but not fun enough to make up for my general disinterest in the story itself. I assume the whole Russia-has-a-demogorgon thing is going to become relevant in the rest of the season, which...fine, whatever. But right now it was not worth the time.
The California story was also somewhat of a dead weight, though it was much more relevant to the main plot than the Russia one. And Argyle was fun. I also enjoyed the roller rink as a setting; I spent SO. MANY. HOURS. at the one near me as a kid in the early 90s. Mike and Eleven were sort of meh this time around, but I appreciated that we got a covert acknowledgement of Will's massive crush on Mike. Oh, and seeing Suzie and her crazy house was fun!
The Hawkins stories were definitely where the meat of this season lay, and I enjoyed them tremendously. Everyone who raved about the scene at the end of the fourth episode with Max and "Running Up That Hill" was spot on; it was fantastic, the highlight of the season. (Her story in general was wonderful.) Another shot I really enjoyed was the kids on bikes in the real world, and then the camera flips to the older teens on bikes in the Upside Down. That kind of shot never gets old.
I called Creepy Blond Research Assistant as being the subject formerly known as One from the moment he started talking to El about him, but I did NOT expect it to tie into the Creel story like it did. That was a great twist; I totally overlooked the son character in the 1950s scenes, so it was cool that he became One, who then became Vecna after killing everyone at the lab and setting off El's first portal-making session.
Not loving the impending Steve/Nancy/Jonathan triangle. I really like Steve as the stereotypical dudebro who actually turns out to have real friendships with women. I guess if Steve/Nancy happens again it could be spun as he's changed into a better person in a better place to have a relationship with her, but...could we not?
I do hope Lucas and Max get back together, though. They're sweet.
Final thoughts:
They needed about five fewer characters this go-round, but that said, I'm not sure who I would cut.
These kids have the most checked-out parents, I swear. I know it's a small town and latchkey kid era and blah blah, but COME ON.
This show reminds me again and again how glad I am to be done with middle and high school. *shudder*
If you, like me, needed the instrumental version of "Running Up That Hill" that plays over the credits at the end of one of the fourth episode, someone slapped it up on YouTube. (Visuals include spoilers through that episode.)
Generally, I enjoyed it. I liked it enough to stay up past when I should have gone to bed on multiple work nights watching, which is a pretty damn good endorsement coming from me.
That said, I agree with the author of whatever thinkpiece I read somewhere (I think it was The Atlantic) who said it was a bit bloated. Like, we didn't need the Russia plotline at all. Every scene related to it could have been excised, and not only would it not impact any of the other plotlines, it would have made the episodes better. Murray was fun, but not fun enough to make up for my general disinterest in the story itself. I assume the whole Russia-has-a-demogorgon thing is going to become relevant in the rest of the season, which...fine, whatever. But right now it was not worth the time.
The California story was also somewhat of a dead weight, though it was much more relevant to the main plot than the Russia one. And Argyle was fun. I also enjoyed the roller rink as a setting; I spent SO. MANY. HOURS. at the one near me as a kid in the early 90s. Mike and Eleven were sort of meh this time around, but I appreciated that we got a covert acknowledgement of Will's massive crush on Mike. Oh, and seeing Suzie and her crazy house was fun!
The Hawkins stories were definitely where the meat of this season lay, and I enjoyed them tremendously. Everyone who raved about the scene at the end of the fourth episode with Max and "Running Up That Hill" was spot on; it was fantastic, the highlight of the season. (Her story in general was wonderful.) Another shot I really enjoyed was the kids on bikes in the real world, and then the camera flips to the older teens on bikes in the Upside Down. That kind of shot never gets old.
I called Creepy Blond Research Assistant as being the subject formerly known as One from the moment he started talking to El about him, but I did NOT expect it to tie into the Creel story like it did. That was a great twist; I totally overlooked the son character in the 1950s scenes, so it was cool that he became One, who then became Vecna after killing everyone at the lab and setting off El's first portal-making session.
Not loving the impending Steve/Nancy/Jonathan triangle. I really like Steve as the stereotypical dudebro who actually turns out to have real friendships with women. I guess if Steve/Nancy happens again it could be spun as he's changed into a better person in a better place to have a relationship with her, but...could we not?
I do hope Lucas and Max get back together, though. They're sweet.
Final thoughts:
They needed about five fewer characters this go-round, but that said, I'm not sure who I would cut.
These kids have the most checked-out parents, I swear. I know it's a small town and latchkey kid era and blah blah, but COME ON.
This show reminds me again and again how glad I am to be done with middle and high school. *shudder*
If you, like me, needed the instrumental version of "Running Up That Hill" that plays over the credits at the end of one of the fourth episode, someone slapped it up on YouTube. (Visuals include spoilers through that episode.)
no subject
Date: 2022-06-07 04:06 am (UTC)Everyone who raved about the scene at the end of the fourth episode with Max and "Running Up That Hill" was spot on; it was fantastic, the highlight of the season. (Her story in general was wonderful.) Another shot I really enjoyed was the kids on bikes in the real world, and then the camera flips to the older teens on bikes in the Upside Down. That kind of shot never gets old.
YYY 100% agreed on all counts!
I called Creepy Blond Research Assistant as being the subject formerly known as One from the moment he started talking to El about him, but I did NOT expect it to tie into the Creel story like it did. That was a great twist; I totally overlooked the son character in the 1950s scenes, so it was cool that he became One, who then became Vecna after killing everyone at the lab and setting off El's first portal-making session.
It was the perfect kind of twist, because in hindsight they totally laid all the groundwork for the reveal - I remember snagging on Henry Creel being described as 'sensitive' because that is 80s paranormal genre code for 'spooky', but then he 'died' and I forgot about it (though I ALSO was like 'huh, weird that he died in a coma unlike everyone else'). They even specifically date the Creel stuff (as part of a verbal joke) and the El flashbacks, so we could have done the math ourselves! Some excellent not-actually-red-herring work there.
Not loving the impending Steve/Nancy/Jonathan triangle.
Ugh, you, me, and everyone else I've talked to. I'm hoping it's gonna get subverted like how they did with Robin & Steve in S3 - like, Nancy and Steve mutually realize that staying exes and loving each other as hot competent monster-hunting friends is better.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-12 06:03 am (UTC)I don't mind El being separated for her storyline. The plotting and pacing of it is largely working for me, though I think it could have been tightened somewhat before she learned what was going on. And it's fun to watch the gang solve problems without her superpowers.
I would have enjoyed more of El integrating into the Byers family too! Maybe less of her getting bullied at school and more of her being part of the family? I would be okay with Will being dragged off with her, but honestly...each season I seem to like Mike less. I would like him and Will back with the others, but I also don't entirely mind that he's not getting much screentime.
Ugh, you, me, and everyone else I've talked to. I'm hoping it's gonna get subverted like how they did with Robin & Steve in S3 - like, Nancy and Steve mutually realize that staying exes and loving each other as hot competent monster-hunting friends is better.
Crossing my fingers!