Spoilers Stranger Things - Season 4

[Skipper]

A question for anyone watched all the episodes. I'm at the mid of the second one of the fourth season, and honestly, all that depiction of bullying (for a series of reasons) is becoming very uncomfortable to watch for me. It continues on the same note for the rest of the season?

And by the way, if it partially reflects what happens in reality, I understand why many people in the US prefer homeschooling. Until recently I thought they were, say, religious bigots or fanatics, but I'm changing my mind ...

 

[theenglish]

It's a pretty accurate depiction of bullying of the time, at least in my memory. There is redemption for one of the bullies in the first season at least. There are fewer incidents in season two, but ones that are important to the story. Not much in season three--but the bullying is taken to a new level in season 4 and really has some Carrie vibes in terms of its psychological brutality.

It may be triggering by today's standards, and it was for me as it brought up some bad memories--but I have seen much worse in real life and experienced some first hand.

I remember in high school, at an assembly (there were 1000 students) a girl publicly announced she dumper her boyfriend to uproarious applause. This guy was called nasty names because he was a big kid and every day when he got on the bus a bunch of guys screamed and chanted taunts at him.

The rest of us nerds just stayed quiet, grateful it wasn't us.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

A question for anyone watched all the episodes. I'm at the mid of the second one of the fourth season, and honestly, all that depiction of bullying (for a series of reasons) is becoming very uncomfortable to watch for me. It continues on the same note for the rest of the season?

And by the way, if it partially reflects what happens in reality, I understand why many people in the US prefer homeschooling. Until recently I thought they were, say, religious bigots or fanatics, but I'm changing my mind ...

The bullying this season is a major part of El's story and does continue throughout the season, but it's not the only part of her story and there several other stories going on simultaneously so it's not a major part of every episode.

 

[Skipper]

The bullying this season is a major part of El's story and does continue throughout the season, but it's not the only part of her story and there several other stories going on simultaneously so it's not a major part of every episode.

Thank you. It seems I'll have to endure it...

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

Yup, the Duffer brothers announced a couple of months ago that season five will be the last, which is partially why they're ramping up things so much this season. They're preparing for the endgame.

Does season 5 mean 5 or 4 vol 2. I really thought this was the end and was hoping as much.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Does season 5 mean 5 or 4 vol 2. I really thought this was the end and was hoping as much.

A whole new season. Volume 2 is only four hours over two episodes.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

A whole new season. Volume 2 is only four hours over two episodes.

Kind of a little disappointed as I thought we were watching the endgame.
Also not sure where they can go with some of these characters. The Byers boys already feel redundant and Joyce has been relegated to comic relief. 11 fells more like a plot point than a character at this stage too.

 

[Reverend]

Thank you. It seems I'll have to endure it...

Not that I particularly enjoy seeing it either, but it would be weird if El wasn't being bullied.
She's the socially awkward girl that was institutionalised until she was about 12, home-schooled until she was 14. Her foster brothers are that tall gawky nerd who's weird around girls, and one of the local stoner pizza delivery guys, lives with that crazy lady who sells encyclopaedias over the phone who showed up less than a year ago with them all in tow. Oh and she has a "boyfriend", only he lives out of state, but of course he writes all the time.

A person like that is like catnip to a bully. They just can't help it.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

Not that I particularly enjoy seeing it either, but it would be weird if El wasn't being bullied.
She's the socially awkward girl that was institutionalised until she was about 12, home-schooled until she was 14. Her foster brothers are that tall gawky nerd who's weird around girls, and one of the local stoner pizza delivery guys, lives with that crazy lady who sells encyclopaedias over the phone who showed up less than a year ago with them all in tow. Oh and she has a "boyfriend", only he lives out of state, but of course he writes all the time.

A person like that is like catnip to a bully. They just can't help it.

In my school we didn't really have that kind of jock v need bullying and all the boys got along. But my god if any fellas mother looked as good as Winona Ryder he would never hear the end of it. Same goes for poor Mike in regards to his sister.

 

[theenglish]

Kind of a little disappointed as I thought we were watching the endgame.
Also not sure where they can go with some of these characters. The Byers boys already feel redundant and Joyce has been relegated to comic relief. 11 fells more like a plot point than a character at this stage too.

There is a large cast at this point, and that happens. Bran was missing for an entire season on Game of Thrones at one point.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

There is a large cast at this point, and that happens. Bran was missing for an entire season on Game of Thrones at one point.

Different kind of show though. I might be proven wrong in the end but I always worry that the show might get milked beyond it's natural end point.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Different kind of show though. I might be proven wrong in the end but I always worry that the show might get milked beyond it's natural end point.

An understandable fear but the Duffer Brothers have been working with a broad outline since the second season and they've known how they were going to end it. I trust they know what they're doing.

 

[Anwar]

There is a large cast at this point, and that happens. Bran was missing for an entire season on Game of Thrones at one point.

Problem is that the show hasn't known what to do with Will OR Jonathan since S1...

 

[Unicron]

A friend of mine was recommending I should get around to watching Stranger Things. I've been debating on it for a while because I'm rather picky, but I've heard a lot of generally good things about the series.

In the meantime, Millie Bobby Brown was recently on Hot Ones talking about the show.

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[The Nth Doctor]

Problem is that the show hasn't known what to do with Will OR Jonathan since S1...

I think both were well utilized in season two, but I'll agree that's true in three and especially four.

What I'm hoping for in season five is everything collapses back within Hawkins and focuses on the original party plus Max and Robin, give or take Erica, Murray, and Jonathan.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Also not sure where they can go with some of these characters. The Byers boys already feel redundant

Especially Jonathan. He's looks like write-off waiting to happen--meaning he's doubting his relationship with Nancy, but by the time he returns to Hawkins, he might find his feelings restored, only to see Nancy is looking in Steve's direction again. Further, if Steve dies (with Jonathan realizing what's going on), Jonathan would simply call it a day and leave Hawkins--and the series--permanently, which would be a fitting end for a character who is not really contributing much to the larger plot.

11 fells more like a plot point than a character at this stage too.

Indeed. Right now, she's in "building 11th Hour weapon mode" to show up when everyone needs extraordinary help (again). Her "do you love me" matter with Mike is not strong enough to be a source of character development, leaving the expected 11 reunion with Hopper as the only interesting part of her story.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Variety reports that streaming for "Running Up That Hill" has soared up 8,000% in the past week!

I also discovered that two days ago they published an interview with Stranger Things music supervisor, Nora Felder, about how they were able to use the song for the show...and it turns out Kate Bush is a big fan of the show.

Says Felder: “I sat with my clearance coordinator, and laid out all the scripted scenes for song uses that we knew of at that point. Knowing the challenges, we proceeded to create elaborate scene descriptions that provided as much context as possible so that Kate and her camp would have a full understanding of the uses. … When we finished, we were on edge, but excited and hopeful.”

The next step was tracking down the music publisher. Originally, that was EMI, now it was Sony. Wende Crowley, Sony Music Publishing’s SVP of creative marketing, film and TV, got the request.

“Nora Felder came to us pre-pandemic to discuss the idea of using it as Max’s ‘song’ for this season. She wanted to make sure it was within the realm of possibility before she got the Duffer Brothers on board with the idea, since the song was going to be “such a focal point to Max’s storyline,” says Crowley. “Kate Bush is selective when it comes to licensing her music and because of that, we made sure to get script pages and footage for her to review so she could see exactly how the song would be used.”

As it turns out, Bush was also a big fan of the show, and once the team could understand the intent and vision, Bush granted her permission.​

 

[tomalak301]

As it turns out, Bush was also a big fan of the show, and once the team could understand the intent and vision, Bush granted her permission.

I wonder what her reaction was after she saw the scene. It was a pretty big scene of the season and the use of the song was wonderful.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Yeah, I've been wondering the same this whole time but I haven't seen anything so far. She doesn't have a social media presence and I was hoping something would be mentioned in that Variety article, and yet, nothing.

 

[Jedi Marso]

This show is such an 80's nostalgia bomb, I'm practically watching it just for that. I want to go back so hard it makes me ache. But like the Eddie Money song, I wanna go back, but I can't go back I know.