S02.E09: Chapter Nine: The Gate

[Athena]

Quote

Eleven makes plans to finish what she started while the survivors turn up the heat on the monstrous force that's holding Will hostage.

 

[RedMal]

Okay, I binged this and can't remember what happened in what episode, so I'm just gonna talk here.

This season, while not bad, left me with very mixed feelings. There was something missing, that made the first one so great.

The first few episodes were just a setup, which is way too long for a season this short.

El was completely sidelined from the story. Sure, we got to see her past and know her better, but all that could've done in a smaller amount of time. The episode with her sister was the worst one, I didn't care about the rebels. It took way too long to reunite Mike and El.

Nancy's storyline was just a big fan service, since #justiceforbarb exploded last year. And the result was just cliched "let's take the big bad down together and fall in love in the process".

Max's stepbrother was ultimately pointless.

I missed Winona's crazy intense performance.

Now that I've put down my negatives, I just might add things I liked.

Like previously, the acting was impressive and the boys (+ Max) worked together perfectly. The story wasn't as gripping as the first one, but it felt like a natural followup. I really enjoyed the almost father and daughter like bonding between El and Jim.

I totally agree with Nancy, Dustin is definitely my favorite of the friends. My god, my heart broke when he didn't get a dance partner.

By the way, this season gives a good possibility for a drinking game. Every time Nancy turns her head and gives a dramatic look, take a drink. You might die from a alcohol poisoning before the season is done.

It was slightly disappointing, kinda average season. I would give it 3/5 at best. But I will be watching the third season next year.

Edited October 27, 2017 by RedMal

[NeenerNeener]

2 hours ago, RedMal said:

Max's stepbrother was ultimately pointless.

He sure was pretty, though. 

I wish they hadn't taken El/Jane on that detour to find her mother and 008's gang; her road trip felt like a completely different show. Maybe they should have saved that for Season 3. I still can't get with the Dustin love even though he now has teeth; in yet another season the boy is too stupid to live. I just knew his mother's cat was a goner as soon as he brought that little slug in the house.

[SeanC]

The bit in the opening where Hopper yells at Mike not to blame Eleven was hilarious, since at no point was he doing that (as Mike immediately pointed out).  Nice attempted deflection, Jim.

This season could have used more Mrs. Wheeler, I think.  Though Billy sure can turn on the charm when he needs to.

As soon as Hopper said he wanted Eleven (is everyone going to call her Jane now?) to have a night out, I got the biggest grin on my face.  That whole part was pure fanservice, but I'm a fan, so sign me up.

As far as the season as a whole, I was impressed.  They juggled the huge cast that was initially set up for one story quite well overall -- I wasn't left thinking "why is this character still in the series?" at any point.  I agree that Eleven's story is a bit detached from the rest, but I think it would have been hard to incorporate a lot of this stuff into the main plot, since I think the main point/virtue of it is Eleven having some time to more or less decide for herself what kind of life she's going to lead, rather than have various authority figures or well-meaning friends try to push her in a particular direction.

As far as where the show goes next, the most obvious open plot point is that Dr. Brenner is apparently still out there somewhere.  Oh, and I guess Lucas has to convince Nancy to date that arcade guy, heh.

[jmonique]

Literally just finished it. My biggest takeaway of the season right now is I was impressed by Noah Schnapp and glad he got a chance to demonstrate his skills in the second season, after being out for most of the action in the first season. 

That and I find the Eleven/Mike scenes way too intense for their age.

Edited October 28, 2017 by jmonique

[SeanC]

11 minutes ago, jmonique said:

That and I find the Eleven/Mike scenes way too intense for their age.

I buy the intensity of their feelings toward each other given the circumstance in which they met.  Particularly in Eleven's case, where he was the first person to ever really care about her.

[Pogojoco]

Few things- I also binged the whole thing this afternoon. 

Will is the MVP of this season. It's a stroke of luck that he is smaller than the other kids because it kind of made me think that his development was slowed or suspended when he was stuck in the Upside Down, while the other three boys grew. It was another way he was set apart. 

Max's stepbrother- I kept waiting for that to go somewhere, and it didn't. I kept waiting for that animalistic sexuality to go somewhere, and it didn't. We just learned his dad is terrible. and that's why he is terrible. He's great looking, though. 

Lucas' sister is the best. "Code Shut your Mouth" 

Steve and Dustin amused. So did Bob the Brain (Sean Astin's ability to be in a cultural touchstone a decade is remarkable- Goonies, Rudy, Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things- is fun.) 

[SnoGirl]

Im a puddle of mush. Hopper and Eleven's relationship was my favorite part of this season. I liked that he took responsibility for her, and their talk in the car was everything. I love that she's legally his daughter now. Loved that he immediately thought of the dance for her. I feel like we missed out with the show hiding the fact that Eleven went to the dance. Did Hopper take pictures of her? Who helped her do her hair? You know it was Hopper. 

I liked Babysitter Steve. Although he probably was concussed for half this episode, he was a fun older brother to the gang. And echoing that, Nancy was sweet at the end at the dance. I hope Nancy gets a storyline away from relationships next season. I liked how they continued the continunity with her being better with a gun but she still felt side-lined this season.

Overall, I hated how much the group was apart so its no surprise this episode was my favorite. Everyone went on their own little journey this season, but I sure hope next season our six troublemakers actually get to have more than one episode together.

[SeanC]

22 minutes ago, SnoGirl said:

I love that she's legally his daughter now.

I sort of wonder how they're going to explain that to people, though I guess to the town at large they can just say she's an adoptee or something.

[SnoGirl]

34 minutes ago, SeanC said:

I sort of wonder how they're going to explain that to people, though I guess to the town at large they can just say she's an adoptee or something.

Hopper had a love child! I know, they're going to be alllll the town is gossiping about. Can you imagine when his secretary finds out? She's going to die...Hopper is super unhealthy to her and now he's raising a child on his own? I hope we get a scene of Eleven at the Police Station.

Back to topic, love that Mad Max was driving a car. Did anyone notice she was too short, she had a box or a piece of wood under her foot? I laughed so HARD at Steve losing his shit in the backseat that this middle schooler was driving.

[LilaFowler]

Planned on only watching the first five episodes or so but finished it in one big binge. As someone who loved S1, I wasn't really expecting S2 to meet my very high expectations. I would give this season an A-.

Hopper and Eleven/Jane are my favorite parts of the show so when the episodes veered away from those two characters, I found myself not caring as much. I give exactly zero fucks about Nancy Wheeler's basic love life.

I loved Sean Astin as Bob the Brain and it absolutely kills me that he's dead. RIP, Bob. Paul Reiser was good also. I find it interesting that the demadogs left him alive. Did they leave Dr. Brenner alive, too? I was under the impression that he was dead but did we ever see his lifeless corpse? I can't remember.

Did Max (and her psychopath stepbrother) really serve any kind of purpose? Neither one did much of anything now that I think about it. The whole story line could be removed from the season and it would not have any impact.

Happy that Eleven/Jane is going to end up with Hopper. From the beginning of the show I figured that would happen. It seems cruel to keep her penned up in a shack with nothing but a tv, so I hope the poor kid gets to go to school or something.

Edited October 28, 2017 by LilaFowler

[EarlGreyTea]

I don’t know. I echo what has been said regarding keeping El so sidelined this season. It’s what I feared would happen back when season 1 ended, and that’s what indeed happened. I’m pretty peeved, actually. To me, the Demagorgon and the UpsIde Down is a mere plotline. What kept me watching was the kids’ friendship. I absolutely loved El discovering friendship last season and her relationship with Mike. I was hoping we’d get a whole season of her learning how to be a normal girl, but apparently that’s for season 3. 

Speaking of Eleven and Mike, I ship them like crazy and I feel guilty about it since they’re so damn young. But Finn and Millie really sell it and have such great chemistry. His reaction to seeing her again and at the Snow Ball was great. Kid’s got a future as a romantic lead. For me, Eleven and Mike are the emotional center of the show, and to see that sidelined was disappointing to say the least. 

Love that Lucas, who was so poorly developed last season, got a plotline and got the girl. I hope El gets over her dislike of Max, but it was hilarious watching her brush right past her disdainfully. 

I will probably be in a very, very small minority, but I did not like Hopper and Eleven at all. It didn’t feel organic to me, although I realize they shared a ton of scenes. He did start to get a bit creepy and controlling  to me, and he DID sound like Modine at times. I didn’t care for Hopper much in season 1, either, so that compounded my dislike of their storyline. He did make up for it in this episode, though. Basically my dislike of the storyline boils down to not being crazy about the Hopper character and resenting that she got more screen time with him rather than with the other kids. 

Edited October 28, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[CheetaraThunder]

My takeaways:

-These kids blew me away with their acting, especially Millie, Finn, and Noah. That scene when El/Mike reunite hurt my heart.

- Mike/Eleven: Be still my heart. I love these two. The writing for them was awesome and it also helps that Millie/Finn bring it ? and have amazing chemistry between the two.

- I went from “wanting to punch” Steve, to “protect this cinnamon roll at all costs. Great job by the Duffers for his character progression. He actually wanted to be a better person, not to get the girl, but for himself. 

- Max is a good addition to the cast

- I just don’t really feel anything for Nancy/Jonathan. I can take it or leave it with those 2.

Definitely felt like the show didn’t suffer from that sophomore slump. Yes there were ups and downs, but it still was a great sequel. And makes me craving for season 3. Though the way they left season 2 could have been a series finale too.

Edited October 28, 2017 by CheetaraThunder

[EarlGreyTea]

11 minutes ago, CheetaraThunder said:

My takeaways:

-These kids blew me away with their acting, especially Millie, Finn, and Noah. That scene when El/Mike reunite hurt my heart.

- Mike/Eleven: Be still my heart. I love these two. The writing for them was awesome and it also helps that Millie/Finn bring it ? and have amazing chemistry between the two.

Great post, and I'll also add: David Harbour brings out the best in these child actors. The scene where Hopper and Mike fight was probably one of Finn's best scenes in the whole series. It's often hard for child actors to express strong emotion, but I believed every word of what he was saying. I might also add that I'm really relieved he didn't blame Eleven for not contacting him. A lesser show might have done so. It also showed the depth of his feelings for Eleven.

I'm glad the child actors in particular got to stretch their wings more. Finn got meatier scenes like the one I mentioned; Millie, goes without saying; Caleb, finally a tangible and amusing storyline with Sadie; Gaten getting to hone his comedy chops.

Edited October 28, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[SeanC]

4 hours ago, LilaFowler said:

Did Max (and her psychopath stepbrother) really serve any kind of purpose? Neither one did much of anything now that I think about it. The whole story line could be removed from the season and it would not have any impact.

Max served a variety of purposes, she just didn't have any huge plot point attached.  She added another girl to the kids' group (which would otherwise consist of Eleven and four boys going forward), she was a love interest for Lucas (and thus helped give him his own character growth/screentime this year), she at various points accentuated Mike and Eleven's insecurities, etc.  Billy was there mainly to help characterize Max.

[Athena]

22 hours ago, SnoGirl said:

Hopper had a love child! I know, they're going to be alllll the town is gossiping about. Can you imagine when his secretary finds out? She's going to die...Hopper is super unhealthy to her and now he's raising a child on his own? I hope we get a scene of Eleven at the Police Station.

I love that secretary character. She's a great example of someone who has 2 scenes per season and manages to do it extremely well. You can tell a lot about her, her relationship with Hopper and the rest of the station in those scenes. Wonderful character actress.

 

18 hours ago, LilaFowler said:

I loved Sean Astin as Bob the Brain and it absolutely kills me that he's dead. RIP, Bob. Paul Reiser was good also. I find it interesting that the demadogs left him alive. Did they leave Dr. Brenner alive, too? I was under the impression that he was dead but did we ever see his lifeless corpse? I can't remember.

I find it hard to believe that Reiser's character was left alive when everyone in the whole lab was killed. One can fanwank that that he someone managed to stay alive and luckily during one of the incidents, he came out and the demadogs ignored him after the first bite. A stretch so that Reiser's character could finish with the "Jane/El is made legit" story line.

No, we didn't see Brenner's lifeless corpse last season. We only saw a demadog take him down; however given that he is villain, I think next season will go further with the government experiments storyline and/or history. They did that with Eleven and Eight this year.

[SeanC]

2 hours ago, Athena said:

No, we didn't see Brenner's lifeless corpse last season. We only saw a demadog take him down; however given that he is villain, I think next season will go further with the government experiments storyline and/or history. They did that with Eleven and Eight this year.

I'm going to guess that whenever Brenner reappears, he's going to be gruesomely disfigured.

[scarynikki12]

3 hours ago, SeanC said:

Max served a variety of purposes, she just didn't have any huge plot point attached.  She added another girl to the kids' group (which would otherwise consist of Eleven and four boys going forward), she was a love interest for Lucas (and thus helped give him his own character growth/screentime this year), she at various points accentuated Mike and Eleven's insecurities, etc.  Billy was there mainly to help characterize Max.

I think Billy is also being set up to have a larger role in 3.  He's still a psycho and we don't know why his dad chose Hawkins, of all places, to bring the family. 

I liked Steve a lot last year but I love Babysitter Steve.  Every scene he had with the kids was golden.  I love that he's Dustin's surrogate older brother now. 

That shot of the shadow looming over the high school was creeeeeeeeeeeepy.  The Upside Down isn't done with you yet, Hawkins!

[EarlGreyTea]

4 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

I think Billy is also being set up to have a larger role in 3.  He's still a psycho and we don't know why his dad chose Hawkins, of all places, to bring the family. 

I liked Steve a lot last year but I love Babysitter Steve.  Every scene he had with the kids was golden.  I love that he's Dustin's surrogate older brother now. 

That shot of the shadow looming over the high school was creeeeeeeeeeeepy.  The Upside Down isn't done with you yet, Hawkins!

I hope Billy has a larger purpose than looking like Jared Leto's greasy younger brother. I kept trying to see if he had a number tattoo on his wrist or something. He better be a genie out of the bottle of epic proportions to justify so much screentime this season with so little payoff. If his sole purpose was to make Max more sympathetic, it worked, but in that case, some major trimming of his scenes would have been nice.

Speaking of Max, her introduction as the female replacement in the group was pretty gracefully done, I thought. She wasn't shoved down our throats, brought legit skills to the group, and her general kicked-around puppy life was pretty sympathetic. I liked that there was friction on Mike's part, probably because he did like her just fine as a person and felt  guilt about that because of Eleven's absence. I saw his chilliness toward her basically misplaced anger that she wasn't Eleven.

Babysitter Steve was a stroke of genius. He had no storyline after Nancy ditched him, so this was a good way of keeping him tied to the main plot, and pairing him with the most likeable kid did a lot for his character. He has great chemistry with the kids, and getting him away from Nancy did wonders for him. I dunno man, for all that Nancy and Jonathan are a great couple, I'd have stayed with Steve after all.

Edited October 28, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[Captain Carrot]

19 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

I think Billy is also being set up to have a larger role in 3.

I enjoyed season two, but it did seem a little more scattered than season one. And that was mostly due to them expanding the universe so more stories could be told. So we got Max's family, the possibility of Brenner still being alive, Jane's other 'siblings', and the Mind Flayer trying to regain access to our world. Am I missing anything?

 

Also, I have to wonder if Max's nickname for Lucas is a reference to Lonzo Wilkinson of GI Joe, aka 'Stalker' (I wanted to get an image of him in uniform, but couldn't pass up him fighting a gator Orinco Crocodile).

 

 

 

 

[HollyG]

I just finished also, so many thoughts..

First off, I loved the boys adventure this season. They all did a great job. Loved Dustin and his pet slug.. until it ate his cat. His 80s hair at the end was perfect! Nancy asking him to dance & giving him the pep talk was a good move. It broke my heart seeing him sitting alone. 

Loved that MadMax can beat the boys at video games. Glad Lucas got the girl. His sister was really funny too... "code shut your mouth".  Happy that Will was more present in the group this year. Hope he is less of a 'victim' of the monster/gov't next season. Mike did a wonderful job showing all the emotion he felt for 11. 

I completely agree that Max's step-brother was pointless. (even if he was pretty) But at least he was giving the Max character context. Even more pointless was devoting so much time to 8 & her gang. They should have waited to bring 8 back until there was a storyline that involved her directly with the kids and the gov't plot. With only 9 episodes that was a huge waste of time.

I liked the older kids as well. Babysitter Steve was hilarious in the back seat of the car. He was great with all the kids but I esp. loved his chat with Dustin about how to talk to girls. Very cute. I  was sorry to see Sean Astin go. Good character, great actor. I wish Winona had more to do other than fret over her kids.  

 

8 hours ago, EarlGreyTea said:

I will probably be in a very, very small minority, but I did not like Hopper and Eleven at all. It didn’t feel organic to me, although I realize they shared a ton of scenes. He did start to get a bit creepy and controlling  to me, and he DID sound like Modine at times. I didn’t care for Hopper much in season 1, either, so that compounded my dislike of their storyline. He did make up for it in this episode, though. Basically my dislike of the storyline boils down to not being crazy about the Hopper character and resenting that she got more screen time with him rather than with the other kids. 

You are not completely alone although I didn't completely dislike him. I hated his controlling nature, esp. with the TV. I'm sure it was to illustrate that he had no idea how to parent a teenage girl, let alone one with her superpowers. But it showed his growth at the end. But I agree it got a little bit creepy.

I understand his reasoning for isolating her for her own protection, but mostly I feel like they kept 11 locked up in the cabin for far too long. Meeting her mom was great, but she should have been interacting with the rest of the cast much earlier. 

Edited October 28, 2017 by HollyG

[Bec]

I was just thinking "that guy on the cover of Mrs. Wheeler's romance novel looks a lot like Billy" right before Billy shows up at the door and flirts with her.

Billy does also serve the purpose of taking the "biggest deal at the high school" role from Steve (which makes Steve more sympathetic).

It surprised me how much I liked Steve this season. I didn't care for him last season, but this season he gets some of the most hilarious lines and it is cool that he helps out the kids and protects them. It was already pretty clear from earlier scenes that Billy can kick Steve's ass, but Steve still got between Billy and the kids when Billy was threatening them. Steve's pretty damn brave, or maybe pretty damn stupid, but either way it's adorable.

The running gag with everyone going "Steve?" (as if to say how did you randomly get involved in this part of the plot?) when they see him amuses me.

And I liked how instead of keeping on being upset about it, Steve just accepts Nancy doesn't love him by this episode. I mean there's still a lingering wistful look, but that was it. You're better off not stuck in a boring romance plot-line, Steve!

I laughed and laughed when Dustin did his hair the same way as Steve.

[Last Time Lord]

Can nothing super bad happen to Will next year? Please?

I didn't think it was possible, but I think I loved this even more than season one. The characters weren't a united as they were in season one, but I actually think that's a good thing, as it opened up different possibilities with the characters in going in slightly different directions.

Mike was a bit of a jerk, and according to Finn Wolfhard on Netflix's Beyond Stranger Things, they referred to him as Emo Mike on set, but it allowed Dustin and especially Lucas to take more of a front and center role throughout the course of the story.

[absnow54]

On 10/27/2017 at 4:45 PM, RedMal said:

Max's stepbrother was ultimately pointless.

I actually found Billy more terrifying than the Upset Down threat because he seemed so unhinged, but yeah, this is an 80's tribute, so he was a one note villain who was swiftly defeated in a climactic fight. He did serve the purpose of being a racist asshole to be a foil against Lucas, the only black guy in town, which I think was one of the criticisms of Season 1 (including Lucas not having a family, which was also rectified.)

[Sakura12]

I don't know if it's as good as the first season, which was a surprise hit for me. But I did enjoy this season when everyone was reunited. I think some adult actors need to take some tips from Millie Bobbie Brown and Finn Wolfhard on how to sell a love story. Because wow did I get emotional when Eleven and Mike finally reunited. Didn't think a 13 and 14 year old could sell a first love like those two have.  

Noah Schnapp was another surprise for me, I didn't know how he'd do with more scenes since he basically did nothing in season 1. But he delivered especially since most of his scenes were intense emotions. It does work that he's so much smaller than the other kids. I didn't have an issue with the new girl, I just don't think she was needed. 

I loved Hopper and Eleven (Jane), I'm glad he adopted her. However you gotta react different to a kid with telekinesis powers, her tantrums will be so much worse. I didn't like that she was separated from the boys for so long. And didn't need to see number 8. I suppose she'll come back next season since she looked sad when Eleven left. She would help them sneak into places or keep others distracted. I wonder if we'll meet the other 9 since Dr. Brenner seems to still be alive. 

[MerBearStare]

3 hours ago, absnow54 said:

I actually found Billy more terrifying than the Upset Down threat because he seemed so unhinged, but yeah, this is an 80's tribute, so he was a one note villain who was swiftly defeated in a climactic fight.

Ugh, I HATED Billy. I was certain the whole time they were making him such a piece of shit because he was going to die and then he didn't (poor Bob) and I was so pissed! It's one thing to be a surly, misunderstood teen with parent issues, but he's a psychopath. And for me, that's no fun to watch. I was glad when Max got him towards the end.

Steve and Dustin are now my dream team. I loved every scene they had together.

[bettername2come]

I love Steve Harrington, Decent Human Being. I officially love him more than Jonathan, even if Nancy doesn't. His relationship with Dustin was adorable. Also adorable - El being all shocked and reaching for Dustin when she discovered he had teeth. I liked the ending, although overall season one was better. I missed the group dynamics in the previous episodes. I like how everyone came together and we have a nice setup for stronger relationships between all the characters next season. 

[MisterGlass]

Just finished.   While I don't think it equaled the first one this is one of the best second seasons I've seen in a long time.  I loved that they allowed the other characters to come to the forefront, and allowed Mike and Eleven to be a little bit farther back, while still essential.  Dustin, Lucas, and Will deserved a chance to be fleshed out, and all the kid actors handled their parts beautifully.  Will was convincing as utterly terrified and possessed.  Lucas and Max were a good pair, and Lucas's little sister is perfect.  Dustin was funny and poignant, and I loved his bond with Steve.  Steve has had a great character arc since the beginning of the show.  The poor guy is the normal among the teens, and I'm actually interested to see what happens next for him.  Maybe he could join Hawkins police.  He's good with people and he's seen some stuff.

I'm not really that into Nancy and Jonathan; they're okay.  I'm glad Barb's parents got to hold a funeral, and they did make that possible.  Max's brother is dangerous, and I thought he would be demagorgon chow before the end.  I thought he looked like Robert Downey Jr. did in the '80s. 

I was very fond of Hopper and Eleven's rocky relationship.  I understand where both of them are coming from.  He wants her to be safe, and she wants to be a real girl.  Hopefully next season they both get their wish.  I understand Eleven needing to see her mother and to try to make contact.  I was not fond of the detour to meet Eight, but I'm not too bothered by it either.  It's a weird contrast to see the big city '80s versus the small town Midwest '80s.

I didn't know what to expect from the new doctor, but he turned out to be decent, and managed to get Jane Hopper a new birth certificate.  The new character winner was definitely Bob the Brain, the original Hawkins nerd who died a hero.  I really liked him and am sad to see him gone.  I liked his relationship with Joyce, too.  It was sweet.

[Lady Calypso]

What a solid end to a solid season. I didn't love that everyone was separated until the last two episodes, but I still enjoyed each story.

Eleven/Hopper scenes are always fantastic. I loved their scene in the truck. I also loved Hopper's first scene with Mike. I think that he really does well with the kids. He's also had his good moments with Will. 

I also don't quite get the purpose of Billy. I guess they're setting him up to be a major player for season 3, but most, if not all of his scenes, have only been setup for next season and nothing to do with this one that we're on. My best guess is that his ambiguous sexuality will play a role in next season (his dad calling him the "f-word", him telling Mrs. Wheeler that she's not his type, his weird homoerotic scene with Steve in the bathroom, etc), which makes me wonder if they're setting something up with him and Steve next season. Not that I really want that because Billy's basically been unlikable all season long and I couldn't care less if he had been eaten by a Demogorgon this episode. But honestly, the only way I care for Billy in any capacity is if he does have a storyline with Steve, who has quickly become my favourite teen character. I did like Max finally standing up for herself, and I bet the parallel between Maxine yelling at him to say it and his father yelling at him last episode about respect and responsibility wasn't lost on him. 

Speaking of Steve, him basically being Badass Babysitter for this second half of the season was entertaining, but I loved it. It helps that every single person had a role to play this season, but also in this episode. Even when Steve was taken out of play because of dumbass Billy, the kids stepped it up. The image of Steve screaming in the backseat with 13 year old Max driving was pretty funny.

I'll admit that Dustin is my least favourite out of all the kids, but I don't actually hate him and thought him and Steve bonding was fantastic.

Man, Mike/Eleven just breaks my heart. They're so awesome together. I loved how Eleven closed the gate as well. She has some serious power, and now she also has a family who will be there for her. 

That scene with Will basically being exorcised was hard to watch. 

I did like how they resolved everything and then left enough time to explore the aftermath. I seriously love Lucas and Max together. Whatever odd obsession Billy has with Lucas, I'm totally rooting for these two kids, even just to spite Billy. I mean, sucks for Dustin, who seemed to really think like he could win Max over, but in the end, Lucas was the one who connected with her. It was super sweet for Nancy to ask Dustin to dance after noticing he had no dance partner. 

Overall, some bumps in the road with this season, especially with everyone having separate storylines (but I also know they NEEDED to be separate to deal with the individual issues for the overall problem), but it still could have been a lot worse. I really did enjoy this season as a whole. Hopefully, next season, they stick together, because the show really is better when everyone's together. I understand if a couple needed to be separate for an episode or two, but I don't want the entire cast split apart. Plus, when they are together, they can mix up the pairings easier. This show really proved that the age groups don't need to just stick with each other; they found gems in Eleven/Hopper and Dustin/Steve, and they can continue to mix up the pairings further. 

[Blue Plastic]

On 10/27/2017 at 3:45 PM, RedMal said:

Okay, I binged this and can't remember what happened in what episode, so I'm just gonna talk here.

I have this problem too!

Quote

I totally agree with Nancy, Dustin is definitely my favorite of the friends. My god, my heart broke when he didn't get a dance partner.

That was so sad and pitiful.  I was glad Nancy noticed and helped him.

i thought it was going to take the whole rest of the episode to "close the gate."

Poor Bob (Sean Astin)!  I started out not liking him and Joyce didn't seem all that into him, IMO.  But when he fell victim to the demo attack it was so sad.

I did like this season but I have more complaints about it than about season 1.  I didn't like some of the new characters.

Glad that Hopper apologized to El.  He really did mess things up and tried to treat her like she was a typical kid who was just being a brat instead of a highly traumatized and previously unloved kid who was being a brat.

Didn't understand the thing with Max and Billy and their family.  Why did they have to move to Hawkins from California?  Why did Billy hint that it was somehow Max's fault?  Why did her mother and stepfather (who is also no prize) leave her with Billy for so long and then just suddenly show back up?  I think I missed whatever they were trying to show there.

[Dev F]

27 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

I also don't quite get the purpose of Billy. I guess they're setting him up to be a major player for season 3, but most, if not all of his scenes, have only been setup for next season and nothing to do with this one that we're on. My best guess is that his ambiguous sexuality will play a role in next season (his dad calling him the "f-word", him telling Mrs. Wheeler that she's not his type, his weird homoerotic scene with Steve in the bathroom, etc), which makes me wonder if they're setting something up with him and Steve next season.

That does seem like a possibility given how homoerotic a lot of Billy's scenes were, but I'd hate for them to go there when Will's subtextual maybe-homosexuality would make a much more interesting storyline, and I don't see how they could explore both possibilities without them stepping all over each other.

[secnarf]

6 hours ago, absnow54 said:

I actually found Billy more terrifying than the Upset Down threat because he seemed so unhinged, but yeah, this is an 80's tribute, so he was a one note villain who was swiftly defeated in a climactic fight. He did serve the purpose of being a racist asshole to be a foil against Lucas, the only black guy in town, which I think was one of the criticisms of Season 1 (including Lucas not having a family, which was also rectified.)

They actually made Lucas' family *not* the only black people in town! One of the pumpkin farmers - the second one we saw - was black. I was hoping maybe they were making an effort after literally just Lucas' family in season 1, though admittedly he is quite a minor character.

7 minutes ago, Dev F said:

That does seem like a possibility given how homoerotic a lot of Billy's scenes were, but I'd hate for them to go there when Will's subtextual maybe-homosexuality would make a much more interesting storyline, and I don't see how they could explore both possibilities without them stepping all over each other.

I didn't actually get the homosexual undertones to Billy's scenes - probably because he was so unhinged! But I do agree Will's potential homosexuality would be more interesting, though in the 1980s I don't think it will really go over well and I don't really want to watch a realistic storyline taking place during this time period. Although - I wouldn't call it subtext, since a couple of characters have outright stated that they think (or other people think) Will is gay.

[Kostgard]

Not perfect, but overall pretty good and very entertaining. My one complaint is I wish they had brought Eleven into the fold sooner. I missed her interactions with all the kids. 

Love Hopper/Eleven. And I love that he didn't magically transform into Perfect Dad. This felt far more real. But boy is he going to have his hands full in the coming teen years. A guy like Hopper trying to raise a troubled teenage girl by himself? Yikes. But that's also the perfect excuse to bring Joyce into the fold to help out. I love that Eleven is now legally "Jane Hopper" and I thought it was sweet that Hopper read "Anne of Green Gables" to both his daughters (he was reading it to Sarah when she was in the hospital in season one), and how that's actually kind of a perfect book for Eleven (Anne was adopted when she was about Eleven's age into a sort of unconventional family after growing up in some pretty terrible environments, Anne was "weird" and didn't fit in at first, etc). 

Small moment I loved - Hopper telling Paul Reiser he was on a diet. I enjoyed that because in the episode when he was out digging holes and fighting evil vines I was thinking, "Man, Hopper, you smoke too much and eat too much garbage to be doing this sort of thing. I'm worried about you. Do you and Eleven ever touch a vegetable?" I'm glad Hopper felt the same way.

The actor who plays Will did a fantastic job, but I kinda hope Will catches a break next season. The kid's had a rough couple years. Mike and Eleven were wonderful too. I hope they get a couple moments of peace too before everything goes to crap again.

How wrong is it that I hope Max's brother and Mike's mom have some sort of fling? I mean, Mike's dad is such a dud. You know he ain't making her happy.

[Dev F]

11 minutes ago, secnarf said:

But I do agree Will's potential homosexuality would be more interesting, though in the 1980s I don't think it will really go over well and I don't really want to watch a realistic storyline taking place during this time period.

Well, in the mid-1980s someone as young and shy as Will probably wouldn't be getting a boyfriend anytime soon, or anything like that. But I could imagine a storyline in which, say, Will has to confront his confusing feelings for Mike, especially now that El is around to monopolize his friend's attentions. And it wouldn't have to be a total bummer of a story, either; even in such intolerant times, it wouldn't be implausible for it to end with Will's family and friends loving and accepting him for who he is.

Quote

Although - I wouldn't call it subtext, since a couple of characters have outright stated that they think (or other people think) Will is gay.

True, though this year the references were a bit less overt -- Will's "rainbow ship," a few charged moments between him and Mike.  (And after the Duffer Brothers confessed last season to drawing inspiration from the video game The Last of Us, I don't think it's accidental that Mike and Will's lovely "Crazy together" exchange echoes the queer romance between two young teen girls in the Last of Us prequel Left Behind: "We can be all poetic and just lose our minds together.")

[Grumpymonkey]

The highlight of the season was Will for me. The actor was so so good. Glad he got a chance to shine when he didn't have that much to do last season. I thought he and WR were great together. 

Steve has also become a favorite. Loved him with the younger kids.

Unpopular I know but I don't like Eleven and kind of enjoyed her separate from everyone this season. 

Overall very enjoyable season, binged it in one day. 

[Blue Plastic]

Also forgot to mention that I love that they sprinkled "Ghostbusters" mentions throughout the season and then actually had basically an exorcism scene at the end!

[Bec]

4 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I don't want the entire cast split apart. Plus, when they are together, they can mix up the pairings easier. This show really proved that the age groups don't need to just stick with each other; they found gems in Eleven/Hopper and Dustin/Steve, and they can continue to mix up the pairings further. 

I sure would like to see Steve babysit Eleven. Hilarity is bound to ensue!

I don't know how that would possibly happen, but make it happen, show!

[Racj82]

On 10/27/2017 at 4:45 PM, RedMal said:

Okay, I binged this and can't remember what happened in what episode, so I'm just gonna talk here.

This season, while not bad, left me with very mixed feelings. There was something missing, that made the first one so great.

The first few episodes were just a setup, which is way too long for a season this short.

El was completely sidelined from the story. Sure, we got to see her past and know her better, but all that could've done in a smaller amount of time. The episode with her sister was the worst one, I didn't care about the rebels. It took way too long to reunite Mike and El.

Nancy's storyline was just a big fan service, since #justiceforbarb exploded last year. And the result was just cliched "let's take the big bad down together and fall in love in the process".

Max's stepbrother was ultimately pointless.

I missed Winona's crazy intense performance.

Now that I've put down my negatives, I just might add things I liked.

Like previously, the acting was impressive and the boys (+ Max) worked together perfectly. The story wasn't as gripping as the first one, but it felt like a natural followup. I really enjoyed the almost father and daughter like bonding between El and Jim.

I totally agree with Nancy, Dustin is definitely my favorite of the friends. My god, my heart broke when he didn't get a dance partner.

By the way, this season gives a good possibility for a drinking game. Every time Nancy turns her head and gives a dramatic look, take a drink. You might die from a alcohol poisoning before the season is done.

It was slightly disappointing, kinda average season. I would give it 3/5 at best. But I will be watching the third season next year.

The first few episodes of a show like this will always be set up. We have to get readjusted to the characters, their motivations and also take time for them just to be. Which is important when most of your show is all plot and story arcs converging.

I did miss El with the gang. I can't even act like that was a thing that didn't bother me. But I always have a aversion to splitting up characters I enjoy more together than apart. The plus side is I love all the characters on this show minus Billy so it's not like I'm not enjoying myself. I loved the El/Hopper pairing too.

I'm struggling see where you think Wynonna's went. She can't even slow dance without seeming on edge. Her performance was all still there.

Max's brother was a huge man threat for kids and a mirror to what Steve's character was supposed to be in season one and a true 80s douche which is a trope that hadn't fully embraced yet. Think the kid leader of the kobra kai in the karate kid who is unhinged at all times for no real reason. The 80s are filled with those guys.

[Racj82]

On 10/28/2017 at 0:26 PM, HollyG said:

I just finished also, so many thoughts..

First off, I loved the boys adventure this season. They all did a great job. Loved Dustin and his pet slug.. until it ate his cat. His 80s hair at the end was perfect! Nancy asking him to dance & giving him the pep talk was a good move. It broke my heart seeing him sitting alone. 

Loved that MadMax can beat the boys at video games. Glad Lucas got the girl. His sister was really funny too... "code shut your mouth".  Happy that Will was more present in the group this year. Hope he is less of a 'victim' of the monster/gov't next season. Mike did a wonderful job showing all the emotion he felt for 11. 

I completely agree that Max's step-brother was pointless. (even if he was pretty) But at least he was giving the Max character context. Even more pointless was devoting so much time to 8 & her gang. They should have waited to bring 8 back until there was a storyline that involved her directly with the kids and the gov't plot. With only 9 episodes that was a huge waste of time.

I liked the older kids as well. Babysitter Steve was hilarious in the back seat of the car. He was great with all the kids but I esp. loved his chat with Dustin about how to talk to girls. Very cute. I  was sorry to see Sean Astin go. Good character, great actor. I wish Winona had more to do other than fret over her kids.  

 

You are not completely alone although I didn't completely dislike him. I hated his controlling nature, esp. with the TV. I'm sure it was to illustrate that he had no idea how to parent a teenage girl, let alone one with her superpowers. But it showed his growth at the end. But I agree it got a little bit creepy.

I understand his reasoning for isolating her for her own protection, but mostly I feel like they kept 11 locked up in the cabin for far too long. Meeting her mom was great, but she should have been interacting with the rest of the cast much earlier. 

I feel like this creepy thing either Hopper is a extreme overreaction. Has no one else had those knock down drag outs fights verbally with their parents as a kid? Had the thing they loved most as a kid taken away as punishment? That's literally all that happened there.

Hopper explained his feelings and they were quite obvious. He didn't want to lose his second daughter and he was at the point where the child starts just asking why instead of just following orders. She also has powers so it heightens the entire dynamic. 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Racj82

[Uncle Benzene]

Welp. I'm DEFINITELY going to the Halloween party as Snow Ball Dustin. Hope I can get the hair right.

[ghoulina]

GREAT final episode! May be one of my favorite season finales ever. 

Eleven and her show down with the Shadow Monster? Amazing. Hats off to Millie Bobby Brown, because she is phenomenal. 

In fact, all of the kids continue to impress me. Whoever cast this movie should be given an award of some sort. This entire series really did an excellent job with how they handled the kids in this story. Never once were they portrayed as cheesy, cliche; never once did they condescend to what it means to be a teenager. All of their struggles with navigating growing up, liking girls, maintaining friendships came off as 100% true to life. Bravo. 

The Snow Ball was the PERFECT ending for this show. I was so glad that Mike finally got to take El. When she walked in in her dress. Ohhhh, I gasped. So pretty! They're just adorable. Lucas practicing his lines in front of the mirror was hilarious. And Will got to be a normal kid for a night and dance with a girl! 

But Dustin....poor Dustin. First, I have to say - I LOVE the mentorship with him and Steve. It's gold. And I thought Dustin looked great with his new hairstyle. Screw those stupid girls who wouldn't even look at him twice. When he kept getting rejected, I legit started crying. And then when Nancy took him out on the dance floor, I cried even harder. What a sweetheart she is. 

That's what I love about this show. Ninety-nine percent of the characters are good people. Relatable people who you want to root for. Sure, they have flaws and piss you off at times. But deep down - good hearts. Even Steve. You know, they could have have taken the easy way out and turned Steve into a douche, to make it more palatable that Nancy is into Jonathan. But they didn't. Steve was a good boyfriend, and he's a good friend. He is great with the younger kids, and just as brave and selfless as everyone else. Hell, they could have just had him killed - that would have made the whole love triangle a lot easier. But I like that they kept him around. 

Really, the only true asshole, IMO, is Billy. Even the doctor, the head of that corrupt lab, did good in the end. He stayed behind to guide Bob out and ended up almost dying. And he came through for El in the end. 

I like what Nancy and Jonathan ended up doing with their findings. No one would ever believe all this stuff about kids with telekinesis and Demigorgons. Better to make the story more down-to-earth and get closure for Barb's parents. 

I also loved the final scene between Joyce and Hopper. I love the friendship they have. At the end of season one, I was kind of rooting for them to get together. And when I saw Joyce with Bob at the start of this season, I was kind of "meh". But I liked it. Bob Newby was a good guy. He was thoughtful and patient and selfless and very brave. I was sad that he died (why couldn't Billy have died) and I am glad she has a friend like Hopper, who can relate to losing someone you love. 

Overall, I'm happy and relieved that El is back with Hopper. I think they both fill something that was missing in each other's life. I'm glad El got some closure by meeting her mom and learning what she went through, but living in that house with her would not have done any good. 

I loved that we got to see more of the other kids' families this season. Dustin's mom and Lucas's sister were so hilarious. This show has a way of making even the smaller characters unique and interesting. 

I liked the addition of Max. If they do another season, I'd like to see them try to navigate allowing TWO girls to join their party. 

I'm rambling at this point, so I'll wrap it up. But, a few minor things aside, I really really enjoyed this season. 

[absnow54]

11 hours ago, MisterGlass said:

Steve has had a great character arc since the beginning of the show.  The poor guy is the normal among the teens, and I'm actually interested to see what happens next for him.  Maybe he could join Hawkins police.

This is my dream too, especially since they made a point of mentioning Steve would be graduating next year. Making Steve a cop would be a great way to keep him in the fold, and give the kids a "cool" cop to turn to when the next bout of chaos stirs up. It would also give Hopper another character to play father figure to.

11 hours ago, MisterGlass said:

I'm not really that into Nancy and Jonathan; they're okay.

 I think the actors have great chemistry and they played upon all my favorite romance tropes, but now that these kids are together, they need something else to do. I'm hoping Nancy and Eleven will interact more, especially since El will be going through puberty and Hopper will have no idea how to deal with it. Sure Joyce has become El's surrogate mother, but she's only had to parent boys.

As for Jonathan, he's in the unfortunate role of the stalwart straight man. Heaton showed that he has decent comedic timing against Murray, maybe they can put him back in Steve's orbit and let them become actual friends.

[ghoulina]

On 10/27/2017 at 5:57 PM, NeenerNeener said:

I still can't get with the Dustin love even though he now has teeth; in yet another season the boy is too stupid to live. I just knew his mother's cat was a goner as soon as he brought that little slug in the house.

That was a HUGE mistake. But Dustin is often very smart. He seems to have the best knowledge of their game and is usually the first to figure out how it relates to what's going on - i.e. The Mind Flayer. I just think he has a weakness, like we all do. He has a soft heart, and I think he wanted something that was special just for him. Mike and Will have been BFF since they were young, making him and Lucas kind of the other pair. But now this girl comes along, and she seems to gravitate towards Lucas more than Dustin. I just think he liked feeling wanted, important, and special. But I don't see the character as stupid overall. 

And, in the end, his connection with Dart DID allow them to pass and make it out of the tunnels alive. 

On 10/27/2017 at 7:57 PM, jmonique said:

Literally just finished it. My biggest takeaway of the season right now is I was impressed by Noah Schnapp and glad he got a chance to demonstrate his skills in the second season, after being out for most of the action in the first season. 

He was really amazing. I know a lot of people were disappointed in El being so absent from most things this season, but I kind of feel like that was the reversal of last season - where Will was gone most of the time. He really got a chance to shine this year. 

Does anyone else find that Noah Schnapp reminds them of a Stand By Me era Wil Wheaton?

23 hours ago, HollyG said:

You are not completely alone although I didn't completely dislike him. I hated his controlling nature, esp. with the TV. I'm sure it was to illustrate that he had no idea how to parent a teenage girl, let alone one with her superpowers. But it showed his growth at the end. But I agree it got a little bit creepy.

I understand his reasoning for isolating her for her own protection, but mostly I feel like they kept 11 locked up in the cabin for far too long. Meeting her mom was great, but she should have been interacting with the rest of the cast much earlier. 

I get why people feel this way about Hopper, but I love him. I think his over-protection of her not only stems from who SHE is, but his fears of losing another daughter. He is NOT about to let that happen. So he went to the extreme. It backfired. He learned his lesson and apologized. Those were their growing pains, and I feel confident things will be better going forward. 

[ihartcoffee]

I haven't read all the posts but did anyone else notice that the game that Max was so good at was Dig Dug and that's what was happening to the fields in town.  In Dig Dug he digs tunnels and has to dodge ghosts.  Not sure if there is some hidden meaning.

There were a few weak points in the show,  but all in all I enjoyed it.  Felt it took way to long for them to reunite with El though.  I forgot Sean Aston was in The Goonies, nice casting.  

Part of why I love this show us the 80's feel,  I was a teen in the 80's so it's nostalgic for me.   

[moonshine71]

7 hours ago, ihartcoffee said:

I haven't read all the posts but did anyone else notice that the game that Max was so good at was Dig Dug and that's what was happening to the fields in town.  In Dig Dug he digs tunnels and has to dodge ghosts.  Not sure if there is some hidden meaning.

 

Wow, didn't even cross my mind. That was a nice bit of really subtle foreshadowing. I even thought to myself a few times that Dig Dug was an odd choice, it was poplar but not really one of the "premier" games of the era that pops into everyone's head when you think back about it. I did like the inclusion of Dragons Lair, the worst, most over-hyped and ultimately disappointing game ever.

Edited October 29, 2017 by moonshine71

[EarlGreyTea]

11 hours ago, Kostgard said:

How wrong is it that I hope Max's brother and Mike's mom have some sort of fling? I mean, Mike's dad is such a dud. You know he ain't making her happy.

Yeah, what was that all about? The entire thing seemed like the beginning of an 80s porno! Was it just to give Cara Buono something to do this season? It was really jarring. As for Mike's dad, to roughly paraphrase a line from the Big Bang Theory, you know she's been responsible for her own orgasms for the entirety of the marriage.

[moonshine71]

25 minutes ago, ihartcoffee said:

 

Part of why I love this show us the 80's feel,  I was a teen in the 80's so it's nostalgic for me.   

I'm about the same age as these characters, and i enjoy that. They do a decent job of capturing the era without going over the top like so many shows do, where it just becomes a caricature of the era. Although, they gotta let Will and Mike get some new haircuts. Even by 1984 middle school nerd standards, those are bad.

[Dev F]

So someone on Reddit proposed a particularly interesting idea about where they might be going with Billy's storyline. They pointed out that Max injected him with the same needle they were using to sedate Will. If we're going with the "Mind Flayer = virus" analogy, couldn't that mean that Billy is now infected through blood-to-blood contact?

Granted, it wouldn't exactly be in keeping with the gang's theory that cutting the hosts off from the Mind Flayer would inevitably kill them, but maybe they were wrong about that where human hosts are concerned. And it would make sense that the writers might want to transfer the Big Bad from one of their protagonists to a character who's already a villain, so they don't have to repeat the same Save our possessed friend! beats to get the Mind Flayer back in play.

[Last Time Lord]

51 minutes ago, Dev F said:

So someone on Reddit proposed a particularly interesting idea about where they might be going with Billy's storyline. They pointed out that Max injected him with the same needle they were using to sedate Will. If we're going with the "Mind Flayer = virus" analogy, couldn't that mean that Billy is now infected through blood-to-blood contact?

O__O

 

i need this to happen so badly!

[Blue Plastic]

1 hour ago, ihartcoffee said:

I haven't read all the posts but did anyone else notice that the game that Max was so good at was Dig Dug and that's what was happening to the fields in town.  In Dig Dug he digs tunnels and has to dodge ghosts.  Not sure if there is some hidden meaning.

I used to play Dig Dug (I think I must have had it on my Commodore 64, which I loved and played games on all the time) and loved its inclusion here and did notice the connection between it and the tunnels and digging under the town.  Loved that.

15 minutes ago, Dev F said:

So someone on Reddit proposed a particularly interesting idea about where they might be going with Billy's storyline. They pointed out that Max injected him with the same needle they were using to sedate Will. If we're going with the "Mind Flayer = virus" analogy, couldn't that mean that Billy is now infected through blood-to-blood contact?

Granted, it wouldn't exactly be in keeping with the gang's theory that cutting the hosts off from the Mind Flayer would inevitably kill them, but maybe they were wrong about that where human hosts are concerned. And it would make sense that the writers might want to transfer the Big Bad from one of their protagonists to a character who's already a villain, so they don't have to repeat the same Save our possessed friend! beats to get the Mind Flayer back in play.

Interesting theory.  Gives them a good excuse to kill Billy next season since he's already horrible and being infected with the hive mind will only make him even worse.  There would really be no way to rescue him like there was for Will.

I felt just the tiniest bit sorry for Dart when he was lying there dead/dying next to a 3 Musketeers candy wrapper.  Like just 0.000000000000000001% sorry.  I love cats and he ate Dustin's cat so I hate that, but a small part of him trusted Dustin so I guess that's why I felt a tiny bit sorry.