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Stranger Things [SPOILER THREAD] We're All Fleas Now

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Bigger gripes; I will say the more they showed of Eleven's backstory and the general flashbacks of the lab/government building, the hokeyer it felt. I think the show given its apparent budget was best when it was showing and not telling, the wider the lab story got kind of ran counter to what I was to believe as a viewer. Small sets, cheap looking 'science stuff' everywhere, and hallways with lab coats walking up and down. I kind of wish it had gone a bit more understated in its presentation because it felt less imposing as a governmental force and more like an old dude and 15 soldiers/doctors occupying this massive monolithic building.

We see more of the militarized people showing up after the incident where Eleven escapes. It wasn't really a militarized group aside from some of Brenner's henchman. They did experiments on people so I can see why it was mostly doctors and "science stuff" because that is exactly what it was before things went to shit. A secretive dangerous organization but they weren't running and gunning or armed to the teeth because there was no need to be. Even the dudes who man handle Eleven look like orderlies from an asylum armed with tranq guns.
 

Matty77

Member
We see more of the militarized people showing up after the incident where Eleven escapes. It wasn't really a militarized group aside from some of Brenner's henchman. They did experiments on people so I can see why it was mostly doctors and "science stuff" because that is exactly what it was before things went to shit. A secretive dangerous organization but they weren't running and gunning or armed to the teeth because there was no need to be. Even the dudes who man handle Eleven look like orderlies from an asylum armed with tranq guns.
I had the exact opposite reaction than the person you quoted, because I have studied and researched a lot of the CIA/MKULTRA/OPERATION PAPERCLIP projects and the facts we do know and it's actually pretty scary how many of these experiments in real life were performed covertly in the psychology department's on college campuses, in some ways a super secret base devoted just to this is kind of overstated compared to real life facts.
 
So I binged this. You know what I didn't like at the end of it? Monster stopped taking damage from bullets, despite being visible hurt (bleeding) from beartrap and fire combo. I get that this is kind of a D&D thing, and I think there was a line in the first episode where Lucas mentioned some other attack would just bounce off armor, but that was really stretching believability.

Additionally, that entire ending resolution seemed to be a bit more of an afterthought than planned like the rest of the show, in particular how the monster just quickly grabs Brenner. Wouldn't that mean Brenner survived into the UD and was likely recovered from it when the Sherriff and the mom went back to the portal?

I also don't think this setting would really benefit from being the setting for another (similar) story in S2, since it would likely be nowhere near as exciting. It did kind of reveal its 'Tv format' by episode four, so that's unavoidable really.

All in all I don't care about references, but this seemed simply like a Stephen King story (that shout-out too) done well. Lots of fun scene transfers and editing stuff too (hammering a nail into next thing, for instance). The reason it's in the 80s is simply because you can't make this work with better 90's camera's and cellphones. I thoroughly enjoyed it for what it does, even if I'm kinda hoping Eleven is actually gone. And of course the end scene does suggest that much since presumably the sheriff went back through the portal, yet she (or whomever, since he might as well be doing it as a personal way to deal with his daughter's death) cannot cross it. The other thing to mention is that it's heavily implied that he used to be with a government branch like Brenner's or the FBI. Look at his responses to new information (tearing up his house), and body language when he learns who Elle is.
Really enjoyed Harbour's performance as the character though, along with everybody else on the show. Kid actors are not often very good, and even the little sister having a Shining moment with the wall was good, so that's a thing.
Btw, the christmas present may have actually been Steve's, along with sounding like Nancy's dad in that scene (the way he asked it was similar to the tone her dad asks questions to her mom). Maybe that's just me over-reading it though.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I figured it took fire to really hurt the Demogorgon as a call back to that first game of DnD. It was a fireball that was needed to defeat it but Will didn't roll it back then. Of course it "caught" him on his ride home because of that. I think that's why fire was able to hurt it when bullets did nothing.
 

Brakke

Banned
Get fucked, Barb.

Mallory Rubin said:
“The only thing upside down about Stranger Things is the obscene obsession that human shrug emoji Barb has spawned,” exclaimed Mallory Rubin, who owns one cat, at least two pairs of shoes with laces, and a Postmates history longer than the Bible. “Barb love has seeped through our walls and exploded through our speakers, and it’s high time we lock it in a bear trap, beat it with a baseball bat, and light it on fire. What exactly did Barb contribute to this story? She failed to shotgun a beer, slut-shamed her best friend, contaminated a family pool with her oozing bodily fluids, and then fucking died. In a tale full of heroes and charmers, Barb’s just another haircut. She’s the Eggo waffle no one toasted, the walkie no one turned on. I’m right-side up, people. I’m out on Barb.”

https://theringer.com/stranger-things-ringer-expose-5c3667e29adf#.ibzhgqgtn
 

HeySeuss

Member
I thought it was weird they never really investigated Barb's disappearance or heard more from her mom other than that one phone call asking if she came home.

I know she wasn't the focus of the show, but that was a jarring omission in the show. Loved everything else about it though. They got the 80's feel right and I thought the flashbacks for character back stories were pretty good.
 
I thought it was weird they never really investigated Barb's disappearance or heard more from her mom other than that one phone call asking if she came home.

I know she wasn't the focus of the show, but that was a jarring omission in the show. Loved everything else about it though. They got the 80's feel right and I thought the flashbacks for character back stories were pretty good.

It's likely a thread that will be explored or at least mentioned during the next season. Having a monster abduct a person and kill them in another dimension was effectively a crazy and unprovable conversation to try to have during the events of the first season.

Personally, I think it will continue to haunt Nancy.
 

Fantastical

Death Prophet
It's likely a thread that will be explored or at least mentioned during the next season. Having a monster abduct a person and kill them in another dimension was effectively a crazy and unprovable conversation to try to have during the events of the first season.

Personally, I think it will continue to haunt Nancy.

Nah, Barb will get a brief mention at best.
 

Not

Banned
I'm not the biggest fan of Barb, but a lot of people relate to her in a way that clearly the NFL writer don't. Huh. Why's that.

At least she got fridged for Nancy's sake and not a dude's.
 

Christopher

Member
The character of Barb could have just been a good sidekick to Nancy - one of Steves throwaway douche friends should have gotten killed by the thing.

Barb again to me look like a great time period piece character.

She might come back given Will did
 
The character of Barb could have just been a good sidekick to Nancy - one of Steves throwaway douche friends should have gotten killed by the thing.

Barb again to me look like a great time period piece character.

She might come back given Will did

Nope. Eleven couldn't sense her while she could sense Will. Barb is gone.
 

A-V-B

Member
The character of Barb could have just been a good sidekick to Nancy - one of Steves throwaway douche friends should have gotten killed by the thing.

Barb again to me look like a great time period piece character.

She might come back given Will did

Barb's death is probably the reason she's popular like she is. Like, it was the catalyst. I don't think turning her into a sidekick would've been much better for the character.
 

Brakke

Banned
Don't they see Barb's mutilated corpse in the Upside Down? Girl is definitely dead. Or transformed / possessed / impregnated with a dozen wriggling monsters.
 

A-V-B

Member
Don't they see Barb's mutilated corpse in the Upside Down? Girl is definitely dead. Or transformed / possessed / impregnated with a dozen wriggling monsters.

Yeah, she's toast. Had a huge worm crawling out of her mouth and everything.
 

Peltz

Member
I think Barb's possessed corpse will be the main baddie in season 2.

You don't fuck Barb.... Barb fucks you.
 

lamaroo

Unconfirmed Member
The ending was weirdly edited. It shows Jonathon, Nancy, and Steve following the lights, so I was expecting them to show up at the school to save the kids, but then they just never show up again until the hospital.

Didn't like how the monster conveniently kills all of the "bad guys" either, but those small things didn't ruin my enjoyment of the show. I'm not sure how a second season will work, but I look forward to it.
 

Jag

Member
Nah, Barb will get a brief mention at best.

The creators recently said in an interview that the fallout from everything that happened will be explored next season since everything in the show happened in a span of only a few days.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/08/19/find-out-the-fate-of-two-stranger-things-characters?watch=

S2 Spoilers

“I can’t see it happening” came Matt’s response. "But Barb will not be forgotten. We’ll make sure there’s some justice for Barb. People get very frustrated, understandably, that the town doesn’t seem to be really dealing with Barb. That stuff is all happening. We’re just not spending any screen time on it.

"It’s not like her parents are like ‘Oh Barb left. She died!’ Season One actually takes place over the course of six or seven days – it’s a really short period of time. So part of what we want to do with hypothetical Season 2 is to explore the repercussions of everything that happened.”

So it’s bad news for Barb fans, but potentially good news if you like Brenner. Which would be weird.

The show’s villain – played with sneering malevolence by Matthew Modine – Brenner was attacked by the monster at the end of the first season, though as we didn’t see him die onscreen, his fate was left somewhat open-ended.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Don't they see Barb's mutilated corpse in the Upside Down? Girl is definitely dead. Or transformed / possessed / impregnated with a dozen wriggling monsters.

The company who made the Barb corpse model showed it off on their facebook page and yeah going by that model Barb is deader than dead so unless zombies are a thing next season or ghosts or something then we aren't seeing Barb outside of a flashback
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
Just finished it, loved it ^_^

Only one thing plot wise stood out to me though as weird, why did they even bother with that scene setting up with Indiana AV club thing? That went absolutely nowhere =/
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Just finished it, loved it ^_^

Only one thing plot wise stood out to me though as weird, why did they even bother with that scene setting up with Indiana AV club thing? That went absolutely nowhere =/

It was more to set up the ham radio for the kids to use later on.
 
Didn't even know people cared about Barb till I read this thread. She was a terrible character and she won't be missed. Trying to make Nancy feel like a slut cuz no dudes wanted to hook up with her...
 

Matty77

Member
It was for the company lady finding out the names of the boys who might be harboring 011?
Yeah. It was after the Ham Radio and they listened/tapped that conversation and wanted to know who the kids were, so the fake AV club to get the teacher to tell who used the radio.
 

Permanently A

Junior Member
So pissed about Nancy getting back with Steve. Wtf is she thinking lol.

Netflix has ordered a second season and the creators did say they would revisit the characters from this season. Doesn't mean it'll be a continuation though. Can't wait to see what these guys do next.

El is obviously still alive and Hop is taking care of her now like she's his own daughter. But seems like she's trapped in the upside down probably has to recharge.

That X-Men comic they kept referring too is the first appearance of the Dark Phenoix btw ;)

I like what they did with the Steve - Jonathan - Nancy triangle. Steve is a douchebag the whole time until the end where he redeems himself in a pretty big way and expresses regret over his treatment of Jonathan. Jonathan seems like a great caring guy until he starts taking creeper pics. Neither of them are portrayed as one note characters. Jonathan and Nancy getting together would have been so cliche.
 
Didn't even know people cared about Barb till I read this thread. She was a terrible character and she won't be missed. Trying to make Nancy feel like a slut cuz no dudes wanted to hook up with her...

Yeah, I was kinda surprised to hear just how popular Barb was in the fanbase after I finished watching the whole first season. I enjoyed her and all, but I never really felt like we got to know her well enough for her death to be a huge deal. It felt more like a means to an end for Nancy to get involved in the big mystery and lead into her interactions with Jonathan and their full-on discovery of the monster.

I think she just happened to be a small part that was really well-acted and her "look" was one of the best visual throwbacks to the 1980's.
 

RedShift

Member
Man, what a show. Binged through it last night/this morning.

The second Mike started talking about El living with him and them going to snow ball I knew there would be no happy ending for them, but it still brought me close to tears. As did the scene where they find Will's "body".

Going to have to persuade my flatmates to watch it so I have an excuse to rewatch.
 
So did the monster also kill the two hunters that also went missing? And also was Hopper part of the FBI or CIA or something? He seemed to be expecting the black car he gets into near tge end.
 
I thought it was weird they never really investigated Barb's disappearance or heard more from her mom other than that one phone call asking if she came home.

I know she wasn't the focus of the show, but that was a jarring omission in the show. Loved everything else about it though. They got the 80's feel right and I thought the flashbacks for character back stories were pretty good.

Her parents were over at the main family's house when they found Will's body.
 

Timeaisis

Member
Barb was a one-dimensional foil of Nancy. Her purpose was to be "that friend" for Nancy, providing a voice of reason, and the die. That's it. She wasn't an interesting characters, she was one created for plot convenience. That's all. I don't get the obsession.
 
So did the monster also kill the two hunters that also went missing? And also was Hopper part of the FBI or CIA or something? He seemed to be expecting the black car he gets into near tge end.

It's assumed so, given they shot a deer which caused it to bleed and attract the monster who then took them by surprise.
 

dan2026

Member
I kinda didn't get if there was only one monster or many.
For a while they were defiantly implying there were loads of em.

And the Upside Down dimension was so Silent Hill it hurt.
One of the shows creators must of been a fan.
 

Glass

Member
Phew, thought for sure Steve was going to bite it. Just finished it but I hope that baseball bat swing has been gif'ed.

Didn't see that Will twist coming, poor guy, but I guess without that the ending would have been too neatly tied up in a bow, what with the hint that Ell is somehow out there.
 

jadedm17

Member
So I binged this. You know what I didn't like at the end of it? Monster stopped taking damage from bullets, despite being visible hurt (bleeding) from beartrap and fire combo. I get that this is kind of a D&D thing, and I think there was a line in the first episode where Lucas mentioned some other attack would just bounce off armor, but that was really stretching believability.

I had a similar thought, or at least e repeat of the final scene in The Crow when I watched it last week : So many bullets at minimum means so many holes.

I'm also realizing that not everything is Breaking Bad where every single moment of every scene tells more of a bigger story and makes complete sense; The more you analyze the more you'll find to pick apart in anything.

Stranger Things is Jurassic World to me : Absolute blast, incredible music, don't look too close.

That stupid badass swing made me like Steve after seven episodes

Yea, they did an incredible job or turning him around quick.

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/str...uffer-brothers-interview-season-2-1201816664/

I also didn’t expect to see Nancy reconcile with Steve at the end. He crossed a line at a certain point in the season but then you pulled him back in. Was that by design?

Ross: That was not the original plan. A lot of credit goes to Joe Keery [who plays Steve] because he was much more likable and charming than we originally had envisioned. If you read the pilot, he’s the biggest douchebag on the planet. It’s not that he’s a flawless character, he’s flawed, but Joe was so good we started to fall in love with the idea that he has an arc himself. He’s maybe not the perfect guy, but he’s maybe in with the wrong crowd. As opposed to him turning Nancy to his side, maybe it’s more Nancy turning him to her side. We liked giving him that arc.

I love the idea of him being in the wrong crowd, wanting to do better and Nancy turning him as opposed to how Barb thought they were turning her.
 

Rootbeer

Banned
That stupid badass swing made me like Steve after seven episodes

In an interview they said they didn't originally plan to have Steve and Nancy get back together at the end, but during filming they found the actor so likable they changed it.

Makes me wonder where their relationship will go in Season 2.
 

Brakke

Banned
Barb was a one-dimensional foil of Nancy. Her purpose was to be "that friend" for Nancy, providing a voice of reason, and the die. That's it. She wasn't an interesting characters, she was one created for plot convenience. That's all. I don't get the obsession.

Lots of people who are into sci fi shows today were, themselves, boring stick-in-the-mud dweebs like Barb in high school. They're just identifying with her now, insisting that she was secretly cool, as they pretend themselves to be.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
betting were going to get a night of the creeps/slither situation from those slugs for season 2

I was actually thinking about this and wondering if instead of just trying to do a similar story but a year later they tackle another scifi/horror genre that got a lot of love during the 80's like the zombie movie. Not sure how they'd do it but it could be cool and give season 2 a much more distinct feel while still continuing the story.
 

Timeaisis

Member
Lots of people who are into sci fi shows today were, themselves, boring stick-in-the-mud dweebs like Barb in high school. They're just identifying with her now, insisting that she was secretly cool, as they pretend themselves to be.

I was kind of a stick in the mud dweeb in high school. I was not cool.
 
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