EarlGreyTea

Yet another baseball fan chiming in. The graphics they used were excellent. Had I been switching around channels and landed on this, I would not have known it wasn't an actual MLB game (well, besides the woman pitching). But for the love of God PLEASE let this be the last episode Joe Buck does. Although I will say he was a shade cleverer on the show than in real life, no doubt because he was given lines. I noticed some baseball inaccuracies and some of it does stretch belief but I don't care. I'm not going to nitpick what I know is fiction. Kylie and Mark-Paul have insane chemistry, but my eyes may roll into the back of my head if they hook up, at least for now. Can't we have a woman-centered show set in a man's world where she doesn't hook up with her mentor/adversary? No love interests for at least a season is my wish. There's potential there for a good, deep friendship that only being on a team together can form. I'm a sucker for good, complex father-daughter relationships, and this one seems like no exception. I actually think they may have missed the boat by not having him alive, that's how much I enjoyed their scenes. So I rather hope they have him back often. Where is the brother? If he's bitter and angry that'll be some good drama right there. He probably is, since he wasn't at the game.

All I could focus on was how amazing Amy's hair, skirt, and fedora was. She looked great. It was refreshing seeing them out of uniform. Strike was depressing, glad they'll be back in the store. Isn't it just like Mateo to play both sides of the coin? Anyone who's worked in retail has had a Mateo coworker. I'm amazed at how every single character is someone we've worked with. Dina is clearly the Dwight Schrute of this show, but for my money, she's funnier. I liked when it seemed like Amy and Jonah were eyeballing each other in their new outfits, but then Amy rolled her eyes. Nicely played. She's not being won over that easily.

Have they aged down Barry and Erica? It seems like she should be in college by now if Adam is now in high school. I'm not complaining though. The Breakfast Club is one of my all time favorite movies, and although some of the references were a bit too on the nose, I enjoyed the ep. Loved that Adam was labeled the Brian when he wanted to be the Bender. It's been fun seeing Sean Giambrone essentially grow up during the course of this show. Also I think Beverly getting her substitute teacher certification is taken from real life. I think she ended up teaching at the real Adam's school. I've become weirdly invested in Erica and Geoff Schwartz. I was amused to find out that he, too, exists in real life.

Great post. The Duffers have a real chance to change this for season two, and I really hope they do. Mods, are we allowed to create new threads? I'd love to create one for Lucas to continue this discussion, which I find so interesting, but I don't want to stray too far off the this episode topic. (Um, and while I'm at it - one for Mike too?)

I agree. Yes, season two is coming in 2017. I am a little (okay, a lot) wary of season two. Season one was one of my favorite seasons of TV ever, and it would be hard to top it in terms of storyline, characterization, cast chemistry, etc. Frankly it's very difficult to strike gold twice, even for established showrunners. But the Netflix formula, and the fact that there will be only 9 episodes next season, have me hopeful. I like that this episode could have served as a series finale just fine - some loose ends, but could stand alone if needed. I need a season two because I can't stand the thought of that poor kid Eleven either being dead or being stuck forever in the Upside Down. Without ever having gone to the Snow Ball or discovering maple syrup on her Eggos! Tidbit for this episode: Originally, Mike was going to carry Eleven to the science classroom, but he couldn't lift her so Dustin/Gaten had to do it. Might have been a nice touch for Lucas to do it, but maybe he couldn't lift her either, lol.

That's true. I think part of my problem is I keep forgetting how much the kids know versus what we the audience know about her past. WE get what she meant by Will hiding and why she's terrified, but the kids don't. I think Millie does such a good sadface too that it's hard to watch when people are mad at her.

That was cute. Mike is far and away the Elliot of the group (from E.T.). He accommodated her in only the way a kid can - showing her his toys and the La-Z-Boy, giving her his sleeping bag, stealing Eggos for her. A friendship formed as only kids can do. Finn Wolfhard said the Duffers likened the beginning of their friendship as Mike finding a puppy he wanted to take home and care for. Eleven is the meatier role, but Mike is my favorite character. I think he does well with the serious scenes too. The look of complete pure adoration he gave Eleven as she walked out in the dress and wig was great. I also noticed the smirks Dustin gave him in the background as he said "Pretty....good. You look pretty good." Having said that, it was a bit disconcerting to see him screaming at El and then five seconds after she locates Will on the radio, he completely forgot his anger. Little scenes like that show how much they use Eleven, even when their intentions are pure.

Interesting take! I actually didn't see it that way, because like you said sexual abuse was never implied (thank God). I saw it more like she has no idea about societal norms and privacy, not because she'd been forced to undress in front of people. But you're probably right - poor girl probably had no privacy, not even in her own mind. In a similar vein, when Mike gives her his sweatpants to wear, she holds the cloth up to her cheek like she's never felt anything so soft before on her skin. Which she probably hadn't, aside from that Benny's burgers shirt. Which also tells us something depressing about her past.

Finn as Mike gave a great performance this episode. Goes without saying that Millie/Eleven did too, but they had a great give and take in their scenes together. I think they auditioned together, and Millie said she felt they had great chemistry from the start. Eleven's seriousness and silence contrasts nicely with his friendliness and chatter - and it illustrates how much Eleven has missed out on a childhood. The La-Z-Boy moment was probably one of the only times she genuinely smiled in the whole series. Mike seems to have been established as the heart of the group, and he showed major empathy toward Eleven, making sure the other boys didn't pester her, offering up his sleeping bag to her, giving her food, showing her all his toys. A kid's idea of gracious hosting. Gotta say it was cruel of him to give her an Eggo waffle without syrup though. My favorite moment of the entire series is the boys' complete freakout to Eleven trying to change in front of them and her complete bafflement at their reaction. Actor playing Will looks SO much like he belongs in the Culkin family. He's a ringer for Kieran Culkin.

I think Eleven's pink dress is the perfect example of this. Several people commented on here that the dress seemed like a 1970s castoff. Perfect considering it's still the early 1980s and Nancy probably outgrew it years before.

Amen. I noticed this too. Nancy, Barb, and Mike were particularly realistic names for the period. The little things go a long way into capturing the 1980s. In what they get right about this show, I like that while it is firmly set in the 1980s, but it isn't overly showy about it. As much as I love The Goldbergs, it's really in your face about being set in the time period. Part of it, I think, is that the kids on this show don't watch TV much or go to the movies.

whooops, double post.

By far one of my favorite TV characters of all time. I echo all that's been said about Millie's range - terrifyingly good in someone so young. There's not a note she's not required to play in this role. I think my favorite is polite exasperation, like when Dustin tried to get her to levitate that toy and she just looked at him with with a polite WTF expression. There's a scene in the second episode where Mike hands her a clean pair of clothes and she puts the cloth to her face like she's never worn something soft like that - which she probably never had before. Little moments like that both show off Millie's range and the depth of the character. I was struck by how much this poor character was used by others, even by the boys and Joyce. Modine I can understand - experimentation and all. But the boys immediately tried to get her to use her powers, even for something as simple as opening the door to the AV room. And Joyce While I liked the blossoming crush she and Mike developed on one another, and her chemistry with Finn, can't the poor girl get a family and a real life without immediately getting macked on by the first guy who comes along? Having said that, I ship it.

These are the best child actors I've seen this side of Harry Potter (IRL, Millie sounds exactly like early Emma Watson, cadences, mannerisms, and all.). For my money, Millie is one of the best child actors I've ever seen in television or film. It seems so hard to find good child actors, judging by how obnoxious and/or unnatural so many of them come across onscreen. But not these kids. It's a perfect blend of good acting, good direction, and realistic dialogue. I think Finn as Mike is underrated. He has some really subtle moments where it's clear his feelings for Eleven are evolving, and it's hard for even adult actors to convey that. He and Millie have amazing chemistry. Finn carried the kid scenes pretty well as the center of the group. Plus he's so adorable. All of them seem to have tugged at the parental instincts of the entire audience. I was saying in the other thread that I will accept any halfway decent explanation to bring Eleven back. But frankly, it DOES kind of make sense if they don't bring her back, since her story was wrapped up pretty well, if you accept that she sacrificed herself and is now dead. Luckily the Duffers seem to recognize what they have in the actress, so I look forward to seeing her back. My wish list for season two is that when and if Eleven comes back, they don't keep her in limbo away from the boys for too long. I'd hate to wait the entire season to see her interact with the boys, like Will in this season. One thing that intrigued me is when Dustin said Mike and Lucas were best friends and he was the latecomer. Where does Will fit into that dynamic? He seems like the kid brother of all of them, but I'd like to know how long he'd known them all. Add in Eleven to the mix and we can look forward to some meaty scenes, I hope. One of my only complaints is how one note they made Modine. I guess it's in keeping with 1980s villain tropes, but Modine certainly has the chops to have played it a little more gray. It would have been intriguing to see him genuinely conflicted over how he was treating this little girl. We did see a little bit of it, when he carried her away, but it was not enough, IMO.

For real. I don't care if they do the mother of all retcons or asspulls, I need her back on my screen. I'll swallow any excuse to get her there. For me, her relationships with Modine and the kids was what kept me watching through some of the slower early episodes. And they'd be insane not to capitalize on her talent and popularity with the audience. Having said that, her storyline was pretty much wrapped up in a bow, so if they don't bring her back, it would make sense, storyline-wise. Possibly even more than bringing her back, honestly. Not having read any spoilers, I hope they don't keep her offscreen or apart from the boys for the majority of the season like they did with Will. I like seeing her fish out of water reactions to everything.

Lucas is really annoying, and I really want to like ALL of the kid characters on this show. So I'm trying really hard to see it from his perspective. The audience knows what Eleven's been through and why she is so terrified of being sucked back in. But the kids don't. She hasn't told them even the half of it, which is her prerogative. So seeing it from Lucas' perspective, knowing only what he knows, it makes sense that he doesn't trust her completely. And from a storytelling perspective, there always has to be one who is mistrustful of the newcomer for drama purposes. I'm pretty sick of how the boys are treating Eleven, though. It's rooted in realism that kids can be little shits to one another, but I hope it lets up soon. The whole dynamic reminds me of Harry, Ron, and Hermione from Harry Potter. Hermione was the brains and the power behind the operation, Harry and Ron were clueless much of the time, yet they treated her like crap a lot.

Holy cow! I never gave a whole lot of stock to the rumors, but wow. I didn't know rumors were so rampant; I kinda figured it was just mostly speculation here. Well, if she can stand working with Joe and then having to go home at night to him, fine. I can't imagine spending that godawful amount of time with a blowhard like him. I would live for the awkwardness if they got married and then divorced. Figured Mika's daughters disliking her was normal teenage behavior. I wonder now if there isn't a little more to it.

With so much going on in politics these days, it must absolutely kill Smuggar that no one cares about his opinions on the presidential election, nor is he paid anymore to comment on it. You know he's got some definite opinions on things. And now thanks to him, no one cares about his or his family's political endorsements, which once held some (admittedly limited) weight. You know he got a bloated head from standing behind political candidates as they gave televised speeches. He really made his own bed. He seemed to love bloviating about politics and society, and now no self-respecting political operative will touch him OR the innocent members of his family. It's really true that we can be our own worst enemies.

I wonder at Jessa pushing Jinger toward a guy who is clearly more successful and worldly than Ben (comparatively speaking, that is). I don't see her as the type to be 100 percent happy with Jinger beating her in the husband sweepstakes. I bet she is envious, deep down. She and Ben are last year's news, and there's only so many videos you can post of your kid doing the same thing. I bet we'll see Jinger pop up a lot more on Instagram with Jessa. One thing I noticed was how their friendship seemed to drop off steeply as soon as Jessa got married. If you go to her Instagram, you barely see any of her with Jinger, but a few with Jill, whom she never seemed too close with before they both married. The divide between the marrieds and the singles is so stark that I wonder if a tiny part of this courtship for Jinger is to find more in common with Jessa and join the marrieds club.

I can't even imagine the look on this guy's Italian relatives' faces if they show up to their wedding and are served a root beer float and popcorn. I'm not Italian, but I'm Mexican and if there is one thing we have in common, it's that we can eat at weddings. And drink. And dance. Speaking generally, of course. I don't know what fundie Italians are like. I live in San Antonio, so I'm kind of hoping they decide to settle here, if only for the off chance I run into them while shopping at HEB. SA is more conservative than Austin, but it's certainly much more metropolitan than Tontitown. I gotta say, they'd really fit in here. The fundie scene is pretty happening here. And there's a Wal-Mart on every corner. And Jinger will be exposed to the overwhelmingly Latino population, to say nothing of the food.

Yeah, Mallory is pretty flat, but I don't think Brooklyn Decker is being given enough to work with. I wonder if she was pregnant IRL at some point and maybe needed to be on bed rest/maternity leave, because her storyline just kind of disappeared. I'd like to see more of the dynamic between her, Grace, and Coyote. They really dropped the Coyote/Mallory backstory. I think it was meant to be a bigger storyline, but for whatever reason it was scrapped. I also love seeing Martin Sheen interact with any onscreen daughters (particularly with the West Wing actresses who played his daughters) and I'd love to see more of that. Bud fascinates me, just for the "Bud did all the housework" throwaway line alone.

She has sadly miscarried. Poor family.

Of all the characters from S1 who have come back to the show this season, Tom Hammerschmidt is my favorite by far. He didn't do much for me the first time around, but his efforts at being a detective and avenging Zoe, whom he hated and got him fired, are laudable. There's something inherently likeable about the actor (and the dog) that weren't really there during his first go around. I find his scenes touching, and he is by far the most realistic character on the show. His general unkempt appearance, cute dog, normal-looking house, pounding pavement to get answers....long may he reign. Poor sleepy Meechum may well be Frank's downfall! Shoulda brought a Thermos, Eddie.

Funniest visual of possibly the entire series for me: Frank using a cup to listen in on Conway's conversation. I hate Yates. They're making him into some kind of Yoda to the Underwoods, someone all-knowing about their marital dynamic and it's annoying for reasons I can't fathom. The writers love to toss in so much metaphor and vague dialogue to further his image as the mirror unto which the Underwoods can project themselves. It's not working for me. I do NOT want to see Leanne and Stamper to hook up, but another possible scenario is forming that I want to see even less: Claire and Yates. They seem to be laying the groundwork there. And if that artist from season one is anything to go by, he's just about her type physically. The Agario game was just too neat for me in terms of metaphor. Everything is a little too on the nose this season.

I can't put my finger on why I found Conway and the wife so disingenuous. It might be the acting. Not everyone can be Spacey and Wright. He and the wife seemed both realistic and fake at the same time. This could have been a chance to hire a big name actor to take on Spacey. I'm wondering if Mendoza's actor departing left a huge plot hole that needed to be quickly resolved. That would have been much more compelling. Conway just seems like such a lightweight. Marco Rubio, anyone? That said, Joel K. was insanely natural with those actors playing his kids. It was a nice touch having Hannah film everything on her phone. It's really such a millennial thing to do and it shows the generation gap. Why is Hannah randomly British? It was a interesting juxtaposition having Conway happily play with his wife and son while Claire and Frank walked around in stony silence.