Stranger Things S03 **SPOILERS**

[Tacks]

So. What'd you all think?

Thoughts on all the damn romance?

Hopper getting Glenn'd off?

Billy being given something to do other than looking pretty and being a dick?

The science teacher listening to Weird Al/the music in general?

How poorly guarded the entire Russian facility was?
^ like seriously

[RhettSarlin]

I freaking loved it.

There were obviously lots of little weird aspects. Like how the Russians apparently designed, commissioned, and built an entire mall full of stores with a huge underground scientific facility on American soil in one year. Wat. (Personally I feel they should've set this in 86 instead of 85 to allow more time and to match the actors ages, but I'm informed that skipping 1985 specifically would be a terrible idea )

But allowing suspension of disbelief, it was a wild ride. Combination of The Thing, Terminator 1 & 2, The Blob, Alien(s), and oddly even a couple of Jurassic Park moments I was legitimately unsettled by the ending of episode 5. I loved the Neverending Story theme. The fireworks battle was awesome. Frickin Cary Elwes was perfect. The list goes on.

The details of the mind flayer itself are freaky. It has its strengths and its weaknesses, but HOO BOY those strengths. It feels like death isn't really a concept in the upside down the way it is here. As long as you're connected to a central mind (maybe the mind flayer is the only one? Maybe there's several. Hard to say) then you don't die, your cells just rearrange as needed. There was never any sign of the original Demigorgon being hurt by anything but fire until eleven disintegrated it. But then any part of it gets hurt, all of it gets hurt.

I love where they've gone with it and I'm looking forward to how the story progresses from here.

Probably my least favorite thing was the Hopper-Joyce aspect. It makes sense, but I didn't find it helpful or interesting or necessary. Exploring Mike & Eleven's relationship along with aspects of Max & Lucas and Nancy & Jonathan was *plenty*, with Dustin & Suzy as a nice little extra. Hopper has legitimately been shown to have a thing for Joyce, even if it's not strongly reciprocated, so SOMETHING along those lines was called for I guess, I just feel it went too far too fast.

[Grimthorn]

I liked it...not quite as much as Rhett, apparently, but I liked it.

For Season 4, I can't wait to see whether "The American" they have in Russia is Bob or Jim, cause it has to be one or the other. I'm expecting Jim, but I'm hoping for Bob.

I didn't catch the science teacher listening to Weird Al, so I guess you've just twisted my arm into re-watching the season. I feel like the science teacher is both the least and most creepy thing about the show.

I have greatly enjoyed Jonathan's character progression since the moment he ditched the douche-canoes in Season 2.

Was the Russian facility really THAT poorly guarded? This was the 1980's, and the security tech they had rightly should have kept people out. Child endangerment was the only reason someone was able to break in.

Alexei was fantastic.

[jairuncaloth]

I enjoyed it. I thought it was better than S02. I don't really have any specific commentary other then I think Hopper is "The American". Also Hopper was kind of a dick a lot.

[Tacks]

I didn't catch the science teacher listening to Weird Al

Yeah, My Bologna was on when the garage opened

Was the Russian facility really THAT poorly guarded? This was the 1980's, and the security tech they had rightly should have kept people out.

The facility was TERRIBLY guarded
No cameras on the elevator? Or that long ass hallway?
They managed to get up and down that hall twice

And then they TOLD dude they came in via the elevator and he still didn't have guards posted there knowing 2 kids were still MIA?

AND, all four kids got all the way to the deepest part without getting caught?
They had to cross a room full of guards including at least one posted on a catwalk

We picked apart the logic of the entire infiltration

(edit): OH, and spying on the elevator topside wearing florescent 80s colours on a clearly visible rooftop like 30 feet directly in front of the armed guards? The whole situation just made the Russians seem completely inept.

Alexei was fantastic.

Truth - he got did dirty though

1. Don't Leave the Vehicle - a murderous Russian is looking for you, and your driver is coming back soon
2. Don't Split Up - a murderous Russian is looking for you, and your driver is coming back soon

Murray 100% got him killed, and he never got his cherry slushie

[Tacks]

Probably my least favorite thing was the Hopper-Joyce aspect. It makes sense, but I didn't find it helpful or interesting or necessary. Exploring Mike & Eleven's relationship along with aspects of Max & Lucas and Nancy & Jonathan was *plenty*, with Dustin & Suzy as a nice little extra.

I think I rolled my eyes at most of these scenes

Like, everyone had a romance angle save Will

I found it tedious and too much lovey dovey too often

[Grimthorn]

Yeah, but he got to experience joy and happiness for once in his life before Murray got him killed.

[Tacks]

Yeah, but he got to experience joy and happiness for once in his life before Murray got him killed.

psht you don't know that
he may have been super happy before Hopper abducted him

[RhettSarlin]

Funny to me is that Suzie got Billy (and Hopper, supposedly) killed. If she hadn't insisted on that song they could've turned the keys long before the Russian agent got in there to interrupt them, and before Billy had to confront the mind flayer.

Of course it's possible that he would've died if he got cut off from it too. But that was just something they theorized on in season 2, not proven.

[Tacks]

Maybe Dustin should have called her earlier for a catch-up and she wouldn't have been so demanding >_>

[RhettSarlin]

Like, oh, maybe in the first episode?

[Grimthorn]

Is it just me, or was Jake Busey one of the most satisfying TV deaths since Joffrey?

[RhettSarlin]

he was one that had to die. *had to*. wouldve thrown something at the screen if he lived. excellent job of being terrible. carrying on his father's legacy.

[Tacks]

Is it just me, or was Jake Busey one of the most satisfying TV deaths since Joffrey?

It's scary how much he looks like his father these days