Stranger Things: Season 4
May. 31st, 2022 11:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakAs someone who had only liked parts of s3 - to be precise: the Robin and Steve parts, plus the Max and Eleven friendship, but that was pretty much it - and actively disliked others (to wit: Hopper's s3 characterisation and the according change of his relationships with both Joyce and Eleven), I am really happy to report s4 is back on form. The last two episodes won't be released until July 1st, but the season we have thus far, which is most of it, is great.
One can be nitpicky and point out the inherent aging problem frequent in any series which employs kids and doesn't, unlike, say, DS9, equate a season with a year - the child actors are in their early 20s now while their characters are still teens, and the actors who played teenagers in the first season really look as if they're all 30 (plus) - but that doesn't matter to me if the characters and their relationships are written in an interesting, endearing way. Which they are. What's more, the show doesn't rely on 80s nostalgia but also tackles 80s dark sides (for example the D & D/Satanic panic). The soundtrack is still great (and in one particular case cleverly interwoven with a main dramatic plot thread, though in terms of sheer "OMG, that brings back the 80s for me" amusement, another song popping up, Falco's Amadeus, made me sit up more), several things I hoped would be adressed were adressed (the emotional s3 fallout for Max, and so far, this is the best season for Will's actor since s1), and the new characters work very well.
Let's face it: you could cut the Joyce-Murray-Hopper subplot and would not lose anything from the main story. BUT unlike s3, it's not a plotthread which annoys, and works as its own mad rescue adventure. I mean, clichés are still around (of course it's always snowing in Russia, and everyone is in full earmuffed uniform decorated get up!), but the Joyce and Murray rescue team is funny and endearing, and Antonov the corrupt guard gets surprisingly fleshed out into three dimensionality, and I do like his relationship with Hopper.
This said, the meat and heart of the tale is elsewhere. Since grief, guilt and trauma as well as bullying are main emotional threads, this comes into play in several ways among our at first seperated heroes, and by the end of the episodes released so far, the interconnection is clear. Max and her grief and extremely mixed feelings re: Billy - he saved her life AND he was a bully who hurt her a lot - get a spotlight. So does Eleven's present and past intertwining. (BTW, kudos to the creators for finding a way not to sideline one of their main actresses - whenever we flash back to tiny pre show Eleven, we get the occasional glimpse of a new child actress before Eleven transforms into Millie as she's reliving these memories. Nancy gets to do some actual journalistic detecting - and turns out to be on the right path re: what's on the root of the season's menace - , and the Nancy and Robin team-up on that occasion is hilarious and inventive, while Steve and Robin continue as terrific bffs.
New character Eddie, the game master of our heroes' new D & D group, a suburban parents' nightmare looks wise who turns out to have a heart of gold and gets framed for supernatural deeds he didn't commit has easy chemistry with justabout everyone. And if s2 and even more s3 gave me the impression that the show didn't really know what to do with Will once he was rescued, this season does, plus he finally gets actual scenes with Mike again.
Trivia:
- It's been so long since I watched s1 that I honestly don't know anymore, but when Matthew Modine showed up, my first thought was "aren't you supposed to be dead?" But no one else pointed this out, so I'm not sure anymore. People with better memories: did "Papa" die or did he survive back in the day?
- This season's captain of the basketball team sounds eerily like Tom Cruise, to the point that I wonder whether they're related; he also is the type of character whom I can see Cruise in the 80s playing
- Nancy and Robin visiting Victor was a pretty blatant "Clarice sees Dr. Lecter for the first time" homage, to the point where I expected Meeks in the neigboring cell
- for a season that pays homage to slasher movies, this one has impressively managed to avoid sexualizing the threats to its female characters
- Did I mention I got a kick out of "Amadeus" ("Er war so exaltiert, genau das war sein Flair!")
One can be nitpicky and point out the inherent aging problem frequent in any series which employs kids and doesn't, unlike, say, DS9, equate a season with a year - the child actors are in their early 20s now while their characters are still teens, and the actors who played teenagers in the first season really look as if they're all 30 (plus) - but that doesn't matter to me if the characters and their relationships are written in an interesting, endearing way. Which they are. What's more, the show doesn't rely on 80s nostalgia but also tackles 80s dark sides (for example the D & D/Satanic panic). The soundtrack is still great (and in one particular case cleverly interwoven with a main dramatic plot thread, though in terms of sheer "OMG, that brings back the 80s for me" amusement, another song popping up, Falco's Amadeus, made me sit up more), several things I hoped would be adressed were adressed (the emotional s3 fallout for Max, and so far, this is the best season for Will's actor since s1), and the new characters work very well.
Let's face it: you could cut the Joyce-Murray-Hopper subplot and would not lose anything from the main story. BUT unlike s3, it's not a plotthread which annoys, and works as its own mad rescue adventure. I mean, clichés are still around (of course it's always snowing in Russia, and everyone is in full earmuffed uniform decorated get up!), but the Joyce and Murray rescue team is funny and endearing, and Antonov the corrupt guard gets surprisingly fleshed out into three dimensionality, and I do like his relationship with Hopper.
This said, the meat and heart of the tale is elsewhere. Since grief, guilt and trauma as well as bullying are main emotional threads, this comes into play in several ways among our at first seperated heroes, and by the end of the episodes released so far, the interconnection is clear. Max and her grief and extremely mixed feelings re: Billy - he saved her life AND he was a bully who hurt her a lot - get a spotlight. So does Eleven's present and past intertwining. (BTW, kudos to the creators for finding a way not to sideline one of their main actresses - whenever we flash back to tiny pre show Eleven, we get the occasional glimpse of a new child actress before Eleven transforms into Millie as she's reliving these memories. Nancy gets to do some actual journalistic detecting - and turns out to be on the right path re: what's on the root of the season's menace - , and the Nancy and Robin team-up on that occasion is hilarious and inventive, while Steve and Robin continue as terrific bffs.
New character Eddie, the game master of our heroes' new D & D group, a suburban parents' nightmare looks wise who turns out to have a heart of gold and gets framed for supernatural deeds he didn't commit has easy chemistry with justabout everyone. And if s2 and even more s3 gave me the impression that the show didn't really know what to do with Will once he was rescued, this season does, plus he finally gets actual scenes with Mike again.
Trivia:
- It's been so long since I watched s1 that I honestly don't know anymore, but when Matthew Modine showed up, my first thought was "aren't you supposed to be dead?" But no one else pointed this out, so I'm not sure anymore. People with better memories: did "Papa" die or did he survive back in the day?
- This season's captain of the basketball team sounds eerily like Tom Cruise, to the point that I wonder whether they're related; he also is the type of character whom I can see Cruise in the 80s playing
- Nancy and Robin visiting Victor was a pretty blatant "Clarice sees Dr. Lecter for the first time" homage, to the point where I expected Meeks in the neigboring cell
- for a season that pays homage to slasher movies, this one has impressively managed to avoid sexualizing the threats to its female characters
- Did I mention I got a kick out of "Amadeus" ("Er war so exaltiert, genau das war sein Flair!")
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 10:05 am (UTC)New character Eddie, the game master of our heroes' new D & D group, a suburban parents' nightmare looks wise who turns out to have a heart of gold and gets framed for supernatural deeds he didn't commit has easy chemistry with justabout everyone.
One of the things this show is truly amazing at is introducing new people into an ensemble that should already feel over-crowded and getting the audience to like them. I love Eddie the world's nicest high school drug dealer, and am keeping my fingers crossed that he survives the season. (I have not forgotten the trauma of getting attached to Bob and Alexi!)
It's been so long since I watched s1 that I honestly don't know anymore, but when Matthew Modine showed up, my first thought was "aren't you supposed to be dead?" But no one else pointed this out, so I'm not sure anymore. People with better memories: did "Papa" die or did he survive back in the day?
I think his death was about as ambiguous as Eleven's own at the end of Season One - and frankly more so than Hopper's in Season Three - so I guess it falls under the same 'no body, no death!' rule that usually applies in eighties movies.
This season's captain of the football team sounds eerily like Tom Cruise, to the point that I wonder whether they're related; he also is the type of character whom I can see Cruise in the 80s playing
That's who he reminds me of! Yes, it's absolutely the kind of part Cruise would have done a great job of back in the actual eighties. (I imagine he's far too expensive and famous for him to play a jerk military officer in Season Five, alas. His terrific performance in Edge of Tomorrow persuaded me this is his natural roll in films these days.)
- for a season that pays homage to slasher movies, this one has impressively managed to avoid sexualizing the threats to its female characters
I love that it is, in fact, Steve Harrington who has to keep taking his clothes off in order to be menaced properly. And is then blatantly stared at by every heterosexual female character within range :).
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 11:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 12:13 pm (UTC)Interesting how I went from shipping Nancy/Jonathan to totally wanting her to get back with Steve. He and Robin were absolutely the highlight of s. 3 for me -- never thought I'd turn around so much on characters, but Jonathan is so underwritten this season it's hard to care much about him. His stoner friend is played a bit too broad for the rest of the show, I think. I liked that Nancy still has Feelings about what happened with Barb, that she hasn't moved on, even if it led us to our mid-season (really, late-season) cliffhanger.
Agreed on Eddie being a great addition and on Eleven's storyline being handled very well as things move back and forth in time. I found the "adults" plot actually pretty tedious, to be honest, to the point that I'd start checking my phone when they were on -- and I'm quite fond of Winona Ryder, too.
I've always binged the episodes when they drop and I feel like I need to rewatch the whole thing, an episode at a time, probably after season 5 drops (next year?). There are details I just don't recall because of rushing through.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 12:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 01:53 pm (UTC)True, and besides, had Joyce been on an actual business trip, I imagine the kids would have been able to reach her at her hotel.
Oh my, you're right about Bob and Alexi! But otoh, the show doesn't only kill the nice ones. Billy's death was moving and effective despite his general jerk-ness when when not possessed. So maybe "Papa" will die (again), not Eddie, sacrificing himself for Eleven? Given the nature of the season's Big Bad, this would make sense.
That's who he reminds me of!
I think it helped that I rewatched Interview with the Vampire some months ago, so the voice was still very present with me.
Steve: damn straight. (:) If and when Will makes it back to California and joins the goggling, we'll know for sure he has the arc all his scenes point to.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 01:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 02:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 06:58 pm (UTC)Everything about the Hawkins bunch has been great - especially like Max and Lucas getting a spotlight, and Eddie reminds me of dudes I knew in high school with that same slightly creepy metalhead vibe who turned out to be total sweethearts (if stoned a lot).
And I am also loving the Nancy-Robin team-ups.
That kid - he's captain of the basketball team, not the football team btw - does remind me of Tom Cruise, and there's even a Tom Cruise shoutout at one point where Nancy has a poster of him in her room.
Did I mention I got a kick out of "Amadeus" ("Er war so exaltiert, genau das war sein Flair!")
It was great to hear that, and that Kate Bush is an actual plotpoint, but the 80s deep cut I was surprised to hear was "Tarzan Boy." I don't think I've heard that - literally - since the 80s.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-31 07:27 pm (UTC)SAME. Scoops Troop and Max and El at the mall! Loved that! And I enjoyed those parts enough that the rest was worth slogging through, but the rest was really underwhelming.
I am glad to hear that this season is good!
no subject
Date: 2022-06-01 01:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-01 06:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-01 06:46 am (UTC)Since I doubt Robin wants to work at a video store for the rest of her life, maybe she does get inspired to become a detective or something else of an investigative nature permanently, the way Nancy got into journalism through the show's events?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-01 05:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-06-02 06:46 am (UTC)That would make a lot of sense - this entire mess is his fault, so it would be nice to see him take some responsibility for it, and I think him sacrificing himself for her is very plausible. He's evil, but it's the 'training pyschic kids to perform assassinations' kind of evil, not the 'I want the world to be invaded by monsters' kind and also I think he does love Eleven in his own extremely messed-up way.
Of course, they might kill Brenner AND Eddie (and Dmitri as well for that matter) but fingers crossed at least one new character does a Robin and survives until the next season. If only so next season Eddie can do the 'look, I also thought these people sounded crazy when they explained this but they really have done this before' for whoever the new kid is then ...
Steve: damn straight. (:) If and when Will makes it back to California and joins the goggling, we'll know for sure he has the arc all his scenes point to.
Going on reddit (a mistake, I know) has persuaded me that some people will only get the hint if Will's painting turns out to say I AM GAY in block capitals above a picture of a rainbow and some frolicking unicorns. But, yes, he should absolutely get to join in. I'd say it's a shame he missed the show, but let's be real: it's Steve, there is no guarantee he'll have managed to find an entire new shirt and put it on by the time the California crew arrive in Hawkins.