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[Jarmel]

I'm a fairly big Stephen King fan and the first episode reminded me a lot of his books. It has elements of Needful Things, IT, and Firestarter. The opening itself at the military base was exactly what I would have expected from a Stephen King novel and it just continues from there. Of all the adaptations I've seen, this felt the most faithful to his style while also taking direction and audio cues from Carpenter and a focus on child actors from Spielberg. I grew up in the '90s but I've seen a large chunk of 80's films and the show really nails the setting and tone from those movies.

I thought the acting in the final scene in episode one was fantastic, especially with the older brother breaking down. I thought it was a good contrast compared to how calm he acted earlier in the episode. The flashback scene with the mother was another great scene that really helped flesh out the relationship between Will and his mother. I'm sure that scene resonated with a lot of parents.

My mother is just as much a Stephen King fan as I am and she burned through four episodes last night while I only finished the first. She doesn't watch virtually anything by herself other than justice/murder TV shows so I find that extremely impressive by itself. She's absolutely raving about it and is completely convinced that Stephen King himself wrote it.

 

[BumRush]

Trying to do one episode a night is so hard! Watched episode 2 last night and absolutely loved it. It's the most believable kid acting I think I've ever seen in a TV show, especially considering the main plot is 100% children and - so far - they haven't broken the immersion in the slightest.

 

[Lashley]

Just watched episode 1

Really decent show, will binge watch over the week

 

[Skinny Pete]

Loved everything about this show especially the kids who were all tremendous. Def had flashbacks of my childhood watching this. Good stuff Netflix, can't wait for more!

 

[Iadien]

She's absolutely raving about it and is completely convinced that Stephen King himself wrote it.

Stephen King ‏@StephenKing Jul 17
"Watching STRANGER THINGS is looking watching Steve King's Greatest Hits. I mean that in a good way."

 

[HStallion]

Stephen King ‏@StephenKing Jul 17
"Watching STRANGER THINGS is looking watching Steve King's Greatest Hits. I mean that in a good way."

Having Stephen King praise your work is actually a pretty big compliment. He is not shy about ripping fellow authors apart. Just listen to him talk about the Wheel of Time series haha.

 

[asagami_]

The end of ep 2 gave me a

Spoiler

Silent Hill/Twin Peaks

vibe that I can't stop smile.

 

[Large Professor]

Ending spoiler:

Spoiler

Who are the guys that pick up hopper at the end (before the 1 month later sequence), I assume some governments guys for some kind of debriefing?

 

[HStallion]

Ending spoiler:

Spoiler

Who are the guys that pick up hopper at the end (before the 1 month later sequence), I assume some governments guys for some kind of debriefing?

Basically.

 

[kiguel182]

Just finished. It was okay and well executed but highly derivative. The show wore it's influences on its sleeve but didn't brought anything new to the table. Nothing here that hasn't been done before and I couldn't shake that while watching it.

It is very entertaining still.

 

[Cyberpunk]

Amazing show, reminded me of so many good things. The Goonies, E.T., Twin Peaks, X-Files, etc. Hopefully this is a great success and we can expect a few more seasons after this.

 

[the_log_ride]

3 episodes in, and I'm loving this series so far.

 

[ThePeoplesBureau]

Enjoyed the soundtrack too much. No official release for the licensed tracks (for now) so I clobbered all the tracks together for my own unofficial compilation. Great listening!

 

[Discotheque]

oh wow they have when it's cold i like to die in here? cool. i 100% doubt they can top Sopranos use of it though.

 

[T.O.P]

WHY

I thought it was 10 episodes, not 8, i don't even know why i was so sure

Oh god

FUCK

((((((((((

 

[CrichtonKicks]

Was all of the soundtrack period appropriate (ie released before November 1983) ?

 

[HStallion]

Was all of the soundtrack period appropriate (ie released before November 1983) ?

Someone mentioned that the Smiths didn't release their first album till 1984 but that's less about the music and just a small thing being overlooked.

 

[Dr.Acula]

WHY

I thought it was 10 episodes, not 8, i don't even know why i was so sure

Oh god

FUCK

((((((((((

Ditto.

I was watching with someone and our schedules didn't match, so we agreed to watch a couple independently.

So I watched ep 7, thought, "I'll do one more."

Oops.

I'm in the upside down now.

 

[T.O.P]

Ditto.

I was watching with someone and our schedules didn't match, so we agreed to watch a couple independently.

So I watched ep 7, thought, "I'll do one more."

Oops.

I'm in the upside down now.

I was like "welp this feels a LOT like a damn season finale to me"

shit

 

[JonnyKong]

If I'm being honest I thought the quality dipped a little in episodes 6 and 7, but the finale was truly superb.

Anybody know what the lovely song playing was near the end when they

Spoiler

rescued Will?

And you know what, I liked Steve, there I said it.

 

[ThePeoplesBureau]

Anybody know what the lovely song playing was near the end when they

Spoiler

rescued Will?

Spoiler

Moby - When It's Cold I'd Like To Die

 

[Revolver]

Finished episode 3 last night. Wife was in tears at the end. We're trying to space it out and watch it together but I'm having a hard time not skipping ahead on my own. Love it so far.

 

[Prompto]

Someone mentioned that the Smiths didn't release their first album till 1984 but that's less about the music and just a small thing being overlooked.

They had their first singles in 1983 though

 

[JonnyKong]

Spoiler

Moby - When It's Cold I'd Like To Die

Cheers my man or woman.

 

[Extra Sauce]

Just finished. It was okay and well executed but highly derivative. The show wore it's influences on its sleeve but didn't brought anything new to the table. Nothing here that hasn't been done before and I couldn't shake that while watching it.

Well for one thing, I don't remember a TV series having a full-on synthwave score, ever.

 

[HStallion]

They had their first singles in 1983 though

Ahh well nevermind then!

 

[Discotheque]

Well for one thing, I don't remember a TV series having a full-on synthwave score, ever.

well then you should check out the knick. music was better (though I have only seen first two eps so far)

 

[Solo]

Tonight, I watch the final 2 episodes. Kinda bittersweet - I don't want this ride to end!

 

[HStallion]

Well for one thing, I don't remember a TV series having a full-on synthwave score, ever.

Personally calling this so derivative doesn't make sense since it doesn't just rely on pandering to nostalgia or riding a series of references and shout outs and winks at the audience. Its a period piece that emphasizes the cinematic trappings and uses them to help set the tone and atmosphere of the show but it doesn't just rely on them. Its got great acting from the kids to the adults, its well told, its paced exceptionally well, and so on.

As I said before, if you want derivative then read Ready Player One.

 

[Tevren]

Just finished Episode 3, an am totally loving this in it's entirety. Toss Goonies, IT, Xfiles, and Fringe into a blender, add a sweet 80s soundtrack, and chill to perfection. Going to shuffle my plans this week just so i can binge this the way it deserves.

 

[Arkeband]

I'm on Episode 5 and wondering if they've inadvertently named the monster yet.

Spoiler

I remember the kids repeating the word 'troglodyte' while playing D&D in Episode 1, but this monster seems more like some kind of lesser planed demon than a troglodyte.

My favorite character is the sheriff. Superb acting.

 

[Mifune]

Episode 1 was pretty good. But 2 was significantly better, surprisingly creepy with a lot of heart. I was skeptical at first but now I'm onboard.

 

[HStallion]

I'm on Episode 5 and wondering if they've inadvertently named the monster yet.

Spoiler

I remember the kids repeating the word 'troglodyte' while playing D&D in Episode 1, but this monster seems more like some kind of lesser planed demon than a troglodyte.

My favorite character is the sheriff. Superb acting.

They call it a demagorgon based on their DnD sessions.

 

[Arkeband]

They call it a demagorgon based on their DnD sessions.

Ah ok. I know that was the piece they were using to represent it, but wasn't sure if it was based on an actual, defined D&D monster. Demogorgon has two heads, which the monster doesn't seem to have...

 

[Tunesmith]

Was all of the soundtrack period appropriate (ie released before November 1983) ?

Moby's When it's Cold I'd Like To Die wasn't released until 1995 so, no.

 

[Somnia]

Ah ok. I know that was the piece they were using to represent it, but wasn't sure if it was based on an actual, defined D&D monster. Demogorgon has two heads, which the monster doesn't seem to have...

It's just kids giving it a name for a creature they fear in the game they play, nothing to it really.

 

[Fritz]

Just watched episode 4. It just gets better and better.

 

[CornBurrito]

Episode 1 was good. But how did that dude know the kid was a girl?

 

[Insane Metal]

Just finished. It was okay and well executed but highly derivative. The show wore it's influences on its sleeve but didn't brought anything new to the table. Nothing here that hasn't been done before and I couldn't shake that while watching it.

It is very entertaining still.

I think you just got it wrong. This show, since it was first announced, was supposed to be a kind of homage to 80s sci-fi/stephen king classics and it is exactly that. It doesn't want to bring anything new. It wanted to revisit old marvels and bring back that feeling of adventure, mystery and awe those classics had. And it was perfect in that regard.

This is seriously the best sci-fi stuff I watched in many many years, hell I don't even know how to measure this. It was fantastic.

 

[brandonh83]

Tonight, I watch the final 2 episodes. Kinda bittersweet - I don't want this ride to end!

Last episode was fantastic.

 

[Insane Metal]

I'm happy that Nancy

Spoiler

ended up staying with Steve, dude was awesome in the end.

 

[mm04]

I think you just got it wrong. This show, since it was first announced, was supposed to be a kind of homage to 80s sci-fi/stephen king classics and it is exactly that. It doesn't want to bring anything new. It wanted to revisit old marvels and bring back that feeling of adventure, mystery and awe those classics had. And it was perfect in that regard.

This is seriously the best sci-fi stuff I watched in many many years, hell I don't even know how to measure this. It was fantastic.

Exactly, and not to rant, but there are only so many original stories out there and only so many methods of delivery. Everything is a rehash to some extent. You may know the destination, but a well told story still makes it enjoyable through its execution and that's exactly what this series did. Very well done.

 

[Iksenpets]

Did the first two episodes last night. Really, really enjoying this.

 

[confuziz]

I'm interested in this show, but my gf can't watch any 'true' horror (walking dead is okay though).

So my question is...how scary is it?

 

[kris.]

I'm interested in this show, but my gf can't watch any 'true' horror (walking dead is okay though).

So my question is...how scary is it?

not scary at all. more sci-fi suspensey stuff. there may be a small jump scare here and there but nothing that bad.

 

[brandonh83]

I'm happy that Nancy

Spoiler

ended up staying with Steve, dude was awesome in the end.

The moment

Spoiler

Steve dropped his douche friends I was like aite Steve cool now, though I'd bank heavy on Nancy getting with Jonathan next go-round

 

[confuziz]

not scary at all. more sci-fi suspensey stuff. there may be a small jump scare here and there but nothing that bad.

Great, thanks

 

[Extra Sauce]

well then you should check out the knick. music was better (though I have only seen first two eps so far)

The Knick has been beckoning me for awhile now but I don't know if I could stomach it. I can watch the goriest of horror but medecine is much scarier to me than any monster or killer could ever be.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

Cheers my man or woman.

One of my all time favourite songs too. I was very happy to hear it.

 

[jon bones]

The moment

Spoiler

Steve dropped his douche friends I was like aite Steve cool now, though I'd bank heavy on Nancy getting with Jonathan next go-round

i'll be so upset if that ever happens