Spoilers Stranger Things - Season 5

[FredH]

Some fast thoughts I also posted on another (non-TrekBBS) forum:

I liked the coming-out scene as much as anyone else, but I admit my biggest reason for tearing up during it was the thought, "Oh, if only childhood friends stayed close forever…"

Strange how nobody seems to be mourning Mr. Wheeler.

Once this is all over, never mind Elle and Kali — I don't see how most of the rest of the gang doesn't end up hunted down by the government. And I'm a little skeptical about our civilian protagonists, however well armed, exchanging fire with the military and winning.

And: it's done it's job, but at this point I could really stand to never hear that damn song again.

 

[theenglish]

I didn't understand what was being said in the conversation between Nancy and Jonathan; I am glad that others have a better reading of it than I did.

Over the last couple of days I've been talking with my wife and kids about that scene. None of them believe that that was a break up scene. They feel that Mike and Nancy were just finally being honest with each other and "taking a step back" in the sense of not trying to force their relationship. They feel the "unproposal" was just Jonathan saying they are not ready for the next step but are not breaking up either.

 

[oktay]

IMDb rating

 

[NCC-73515]

And: it's done it's job, but at this point I could really stand to never hear that damn song again.

Yes! I never liked it in the first place, and it won't stop popping up

 

[oktay]

 

[eschaton]

I have no issue with Will's coming out party. Vecna had been using his fear of what would happen if he did come out to control him. By facing his biggest fear, Vecna lost the one thing he had over Will.

IMHO, it would've worked better if Vecna at least alluded to Will's shame in his monologue. Or if we got to see a montage of Will's fears in a quick flash forward. Because it kinda failed show v. tell, and this was the weakest way they could've linked Will being gay to the main plot.

Honestly, it had the feeling that they didn't plan the big coming out scene initially, and added it in post.

 

[1001001]

I agree about the military plot line, especially treating the officers like they were Star Wars Imperial Troopers. I didn't liked the attacks on them in this recent installment of episodes. I can't imagine what is going to happen following this episode as there must have been reports that were transmitted outside of Hawkins. The only way to save our characters is to have some throwaway like they are actually a rogue operation, which would just make no sense.

I think this is my only "complaint"... I don't really understand what the military is doing.

I mean, yes creating more kid-weapons and all that, but does she even know about Vecna? Do they have some kind of plan? Are they aware at all about the wormhole and the end of the world as we know it (and no, I don't feel fine )?

Shouldn't the military actually be helping our gang? Hamilton's character seems obsessed with Eleven, but they seem totally unaware of what's really happening. Maybe rogue operation, sure...but then what does the "real" military think these people are doing with all this personnel and equipment?

Seems weird to me.



Will's coming out was fine to me.

Last thought: I do not trust Kali at all.

 

[Firebird]

And this is why Rotten Tomatoes should never be taken seriously as a metric for how good something is. Online trolls have repeatedly review bombed shows.

IMHO, it would've worked better if Vecna at least alluded to Will's shame in his monologue. Or if we got to see a montage of Will's fears in a quick flash forward. Because it kinda failed show v. tell, and this was the weakest way they could've linked Will being gay to the main plot.

Honestly, it had the feeling that they didn't plan the big coming out scene initially, and added it in post.

I dunno, I felt like the show has done a decent job of indicating Will’s inner torment over being gay and others finding out. Putting too fine a point on it in dialogue would be telling and not showing.

 

[Set Harth]

So the Abyss is going mainstream after ~48 years?

 

[The Grinch Doctor]

Strange how nobody seems to be mourning Mr. Wheeler.

I don't believe he's dead but probably in a coma. He was transported on a stretcher in an ambulance and not in a body bag.

However, it is odd that no one has asked about his condition. Granted there are bigger things to worry about and everyone is hyperfocused on rescuing Holly, but it is still odd.

Once this is all over, never mind Elle and Kali — I don't see how most of the rest of the gang doesn't end up hunted down by the government. And I'm a little skeptical about our civilian protagonists, however well armed, exchanging fire with the military and winning.

Maybe this is where Owens finally returns and helps everyone out like he did for El the first time around. But I imagine he doesn't have that kind of power.

I think this is my only "complaint"... I don't really understand what the military is doing.

I mean, yes creating more kid-weapons and all that, but does she even know about Vecna? Do they have some kind of plan? Are they aware at all about the wormhole and the end of the world as we know it (and no, I don't feel fine )?

Shouldn't the military actually be helping our gang? Hamilton's character seems obsessed with Eleven, but they seem totally unaware of what's really happening. Maybe rogue operation, sure...but then what does the "real" military think these people are doing with all this personnel and equipment?

Seems weird to me.

I agree the military's focus and apparent lack of knowledge has been off this season but, on the other hand, that's always been the case. Sullivan was super convinced El was responsible for everything (thanks to Brenner) and none of the supernatural stuff, regardless of direct evidence to the contrary.

Hell, the only intelligence from the military side of things has only ever been in the form of Brenner and Owens, two civilians. I guess this is commentary about the military on the Duffers' part but it's a weak one. I don't mind it that much (speaking as a veteran, albeit the Navy) but it is disappointing in the regards to Linda Hamilton. I do wish she had more to work with.

I dunno, I felt like the show has done a decent job of indicating Will’s inner torment over being gay and others finding out. Putting too fine a point on it in dialogue would be telling and not showing.

Agreed. His sexuality and his insecurity around it has been a slow burn since the beginning. I also don't think this is breaking show don't tell because I think it's a case of trusting that the audience knows what Will is going through.

 

[Ghost of Christmas Future]

I like how they explain their plans with silly metaphors, it's reminiscent of Star Trek Voyager but less technobabbley. I'm looking forward to the metaphors at this point as it's become a comfortable formula. The stuff what good telly is made of. The visual metaphor of getting all the characters records with their theme songs on them into the same sleeve was fantastic. More please.

 

[eschaton]

I dunno, I felt like the show has done a decent job of indicating Will’s inner torment over being gay and others finding out. Putting too fine a point on it in dialogue would be telling and not showing.

To be clear, I'm not arguing that the coming out wasn't planned. It's the culmination of Will's arc, after all.

That said, I feel like a smaller coming out scene not tied into the main plot (similar tp Dustin/Steve, or Nancy/Jonathan) was originally planned. The Vecna connection was so tortured, and only a few lines of Will's dialogue.

 

[oktay]

Speaking for the first 7 episodes, this series doesn't deserve the same treatment as Game of Thrones or Star wars 9. If the finale is truly terrible, then we can talk about something else. Aside from that, I've decided that if Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back and Star Trek 2 came out today, they would be torn apart because we live in this age of social media hate.

 

[tomalak301]

Evidently the Nancy/Johnathan scene was supposed to be a break up. I was still confused by the goo, but more than that I thought it was a scene where they were airing grievances and revealing all because they thought they were going to die. I also hate seeing online comments of people angry at those who were confused by that scene mainly because in the moment there is a lot going on and that episode also put a lot of information on the audience.

 

[theenglish]

Speaking for the first 7 episodes, this series doesn't deserve the same treatment as Game of Thrones or Star wars 9. If the finale is truly terrible, then we can talk about something else. Aside from that, I've decided that if Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back and Star Trek 2 came out today, they would be torn apart because we live in this age of social media hate.

Game of Thrones didn't deserve the treatment it got.

 

[Set Harth]

Aside from that, I've decided that if Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back and Star Trek 2 came out today, they would be torn apart because we live in this age of social media hate.

And of course they did have their haters/detractors back in the day when they came out. No idea what percentage of the general population that represented but it likely wasn't a big one.

 

[oktay]

Here are some points I agree with in the online criticisms: Millie Bobby Brown's fillers, Botox, and cosmetic procedures negatively affect her acting; it didn't bother me while watching, but her inability to make facial expressions in the screenshots shared on social media really bothered me. Another point I agree with is that too much screen time was given to ineffective characters from previous seasons who lacked sufficient character development, rather than the main characters. I have a guess as to why this is, but I don't want to go into 'neutral zone'.

 

[oktay]

Game of Thrones didn't deserve the treatment it got.

On the contrary, they deserved to be ridiculed; they had made such a bad final season, or even the last two seasons.

 

[Ghost of Christmas Future]

Superficial criticisms be superficial.

 

[theenglish]

And of course they did have their haters/detractors back in the day when they came out. No idea what percentage of the general population that represented but it likely wasn't a big one.

Without social media, people's opinions were relegated to sharing with those they knew personally or fan clubs, fanzines, and conventions.