S03.E01: Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy?

[Athena]

Quote

Summer brings new jobs and budding romance. But the mood shifts when Dustin's radio picks up a Russian broadcast, and Will senses something is wrong.

 

[Armchair Critic]

Well Mike and Eleven are annoying little shits now.

[kokapetl]

Winona looks different, like maybe her wig and definitely her makeup has been upgraded. Did someone let slip that the show was a big deal?

That one boy’s wig is Dora the Explorer.

I know boys shorts in the eighties were short, but they weren’t so incredibly high waisted, were they?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The Russian laser thing in the first scene was so much like the machine on 12 Monkeys (RIP!).

The music in this episode was awesome. I love that instead of being totally preoccupied with making out, Mike is interrupting their make out sessions to burst into song. Never Surrender!

The 80s was the rise of the suburban mall so I love that this season takes place in the mall during the summer. One of the cast interviews I saw said that they filmed in a mall that's still open and there were often people shopping in other parts of the mall while they were filming. Just the thought of regular people seeing kids in 80s clothes running around the mall cracks me up.

Between Maya Hawke and Jake Busey, the show is really doubling down on offspring of famous actors this season.

Even though it ended with Lucas getting sprayed in the face, I thought it was so cute that everyone snuck in to surprise Dustin when he got back from science camp. It was also fun to see Eleven use her powers for something silly like powering the robots (as opposed to the way she usually uses her powers to save them from dangerous situations).

OF COURSE Billy is a lifeguard and lording his power over everyone from fat kids to housewives.

While I totally understand Hopper going crazy because Eleven and Mike are making out in her room, this is where he needs to be a parent and set boundaries. Yes, she has powers and yes she's been through a lot, but he still needs to make it clear what is and isn't acceptable. I definitely was not allowed to have boys in my bedroom, let alone with the door closed so I don't think he's asking too much.

I loved that even though Hopper is a big tough cop, he was so nervous about having the talk with Eleven and Mike that he was rehearsing it in his room. I'm glad that Joyce talked him through it beforehand because she's right - yelling is just going to make things worse. But damn, after seeing how obnoxious Mike was I can't blame Hopper for yelling at him.

Even though it sucks that Mike and Eleven ditched their friends to go make out some more, it's not surprising. I love that even though everyone else moaned about hiking more, they kept going because they were being supportive of Dustin. That's the kind of stuff you do for your friends, especially at that age (as is drinking the last of the water and then spitting some back into the canteen when you get called on it).

Billy was an obnoxious shit, but I'm holding out hope that he isn't dead. Isn't it punishment enough that his car got wrecked and he didn't get to have sex with Mike's mom?

I hope Steve gets more to do than strike out with girls and let the kids sneak into the movie theater.

Edited July 4, 2019 by ElectricBoogaloo

[bettername2come]

I’m really happy that Joyce got to relax and just be the cool mom in her conversation with Hopper.

I love Mike, but he was being such a little shit, especially whispering in front of Hop like that. He deserved whatever happened next, assuming Hop didn’t actually kill him. Loved that Hop tried to be reasonable at first and that he called El his daughter for the first time.

Points to Mike’s dad for spending quality time with at least one if his kids. Possibly the best dad efforts we’ve seen from him. And it happened while asleep.

So I guess Suzie’s real? Cause the girlfriend in Utah sounded fake. Guess she exists and just isn’t interested anymore.

I like it so far.

[Clanstarling]

2 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

While I totally understand Hopper going crazy because Eleven and Mike are making out in her room, this is where he needs to be a parent and set boundaries. Yes, she has powers and yes she's been through a lot, but he still needs to make it clear what is and isn't acceptable. I definitely was not allowed to have boys in my bedroom, let alone with the door closed so I don't think he's asking too much.

I loved that even though Hopper is a big tough cop, he was so nervous about having the talk with Eleven and Mike that he was rehearsing it in his room. I'm glad that Joyce talked him through it beforehand because she's right - yelling is just going to make things worse. But damn, after seeing how obnoxious Mike was I can't blame Hopper for yelling at him.

Even though it sucks that Mike and Eleven ditched their friends to go make out some more, it's not surprising. I love that even though everyone else moaned about hiking more, they kept going because they were being supportive of Dustin. That's the kind of stuff you do for your friends, especially at that age (as is drinking the last of the water and then spitting some back into the canteen when you get called on it).

In the early 70's, I was allowed to have a boy in my room - with the door open. I'm not sure why - since my father was a protective, suspicious guy Hop could take anger lessons from.  I used the same rule for my girls - but the joke was on me, as they're LGBTQ. LOL.

1 hour ago, bettername2come said:

I’m really happy that Joyce got to relax and just be the cool mom in her conversation with Hopper.

I love Mike, but he was being such a little shit, especially whispering in front of Hop like that. He deserved whatever happened next, assuming Hop didn’t actually kill him. Loved that Hop tried to be reasonable at first and that he called El his daughter for the first time.

Points to Mike’s dad for spending quality time with at least one if his kids. Possibly the best dad efforts we’ve seen from him. And it happened while asleep.

So I guess Suzie’s real? Cause the girlfriend in Utah sounded fake. Guess she exists and just isn’t interested anymore.

I like it so far.

Mike was being a shit, and I would have said something to him. Very rude.

I think the girlfriend in Utah is real, I just think she's a "whatever happened in science camp stays in science camp" kind of girl, and Dustin is getting shot down.

I loved the music - partly because these were the songs my now husband and I were listening to when we were first dating. So even though they're shits, I kind of related to Mike and El.

I was recently at Baskin Robbins - before I knew about the Stranger Things tie-in - and tried "Eleven's Heaven" - which I really enjoyed, and it would be a shame if it doesn't stay on the menu. Mileage may vary. 😉

Edited July 4, 2019 by Clanstarling

[Captain Carrot]

41 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

I think the girlfriend in Utah is real, I just think she's a "whatever happened in science camp stays in science camp" kind of girl, and Dustin is getting shot down.

Yeah, he went through way too much trouble for a fake girlfriend. (Although he probably did exaggerate how perfect she is).

I didn't think that Joyce's idea of talking to Mike and El like they were friends would work for Hopper, but she was right that simply yelling at them would fail. So, I'm glad he found a compromise between the two extremes.

Billy is (was?) a horrible person, but he didn't deserve that.

[AimingforYoko]

6 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Well Mike and Eleven are annoying little shits now.

They've been through a lot, but to quote Geico: They're teenagers, it's what they do. I feel for Hopper, he's going to have to walk a verrrry fine line with ElevenJane.

I'm sad for Joyce, but a little glad too. Bob Newby is worth mourning.

[Robert Lynch]

4 hours ago, kokapetl said:

Winona looks different, like maybe her wig and definitely her makeup has been upgraded. Did someone let slip that the show was a big deal?

That one boy’s wig is Dora the Explorer.

I know boys shorts in the eighties were short, but they weren’t so incredibly high waisted, were they?

Did Ryder have plastic surgery or something? Or is it the wig/makeup making her look much gaunt than before? It was such a sharp contrast to her first 2 seasons.

[raven]

31 minutes ago, AimingforYoko said:

I'm sad for Joyce, but a little glad too. Bob Newby is worth mourning.

I was also glad to see that he was remembered.

I'm finding Erica awfully annoying.  What was cute when she was younger is obnoxious now.

Steve is a brave and decent guy.  I also hope for more than just getting shot down by random girls.  I'm sure he will end up realizing that his co-worker is worth dating (she does seem pretty cool).

[Clanstarling]

1 hour ago, AimingforYoko said:

They've been through a lot, but to quote Geico: They're teenagers, it's what they do. I feel for Hopper, he's going to have to walk a verrrry fine line with ElevenJane.

I'm sad for Joyce, but a little glad too. Bob Newby is worth mourning.

I am also glad to see Joyce mourning for Bob. But I'm also glad that Hopper is realizing he's got more than friendship feelings for Joyce.

Teens at that age, yeah, even without being as traumatized as these kids, they're kind of pains. But they're working it out - as we all did. I think part of it is that Mike has seen Hopper more as an equal and friend after their team battle last year. He hasn't quite come around to seeing Hopper as an authority (again) and a father. After that car ride, I bet he gets  a bit more polite.

[VCRTracking]

I was eating breakfast when the exploding rats part happened. Thanks for that Duffer Brothers.

(Comic book guy voice) Um, Magnum PI and Cheers both aired on Thursday night in 1985, so how could Hopper watch it one night and then the next night Joyce watch Cheers?

I like Mike and Eleven in the first two seasons but now it's getting too much.  I'm on Hopper's side on this one.

I'm glad Karen didn't go to meet Steve. Yeah, her husband is a dud, but she has a family to think of.

[blueray]

Quote

Points to Mike’s dad for spending quality time with at least one if his kids. Possibly the best dad efforts we’ve seen from him. And it happened while asleep.

I was thinking that too. My first thought was aw. I imagine it was the reason why Mrs. Wheeler stayed home. Its nice to see him interact with one of his kids.

I think that Dustin's girlfriend was real but isn't interested or just wasn't on the radio. It seemed way to elaborate for him to make it up. Plus, why would Dustin want to embarrass himself on purpose. I have a feeling she may appear later or maybe was just an excuses to get him on the radio.

Edited July 4, 2019 by blueray

[DearEvette]

7 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Even though it ended with Lucas getting sprayed in the face, I thought it was so cute that everyone snuck in to surprise Dustin when he got back from science camp. It was also fun to see Eleven use her powers for something silly like powering the robots (as opposed to the way she usually uses her powers to save them from dangerous situations).

I liked this part too.  I loved his reaction because of course...

I agree it was nice to see El use her powers for fun, but it tempered my reaction a bit when I saw the nosebleed. 

5 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

think the girlfriend in Utah is real, I just think she's a "whatever happened in science camp stays in science camp" kind of girl, and Dustin is getting shot down.

Hehe, that is my take too.  I wonder if we'll get a glimpse of Suzy ever?

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I am also glad to see Joyce mourning for Bob. But I'm also glad that Hopper is realizing he's got more than friendship feelings for Joyce.

Sob.  I really liked Bob.  All the fan hoopla Barb got in Season one, Bob deserved tenfold.   I was glad to see Joyce is still thinking about him.  But I am also glad it looks like they are gonna go there with Joye and Hopper.  I mean, these two have been through some shit  together.  It isn't surprising they'd gravitate.

3 hours ago, raven said:

I'm finding Erica awfully annoying.  What was cute when she was younger is obnoxious now.

Really?  I thought she was fine for her two barely there little scenes. But then I like her brand of sassiness. In this ep I actually found Robin's too cool for school disdain of  Steve more off putting.  I hope she improves.

2 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

I'm glad Karen didn't go to meet Steve. Yeah, her husband is a dud, but she has a family to think of.

Me too.  The husband may not be a firecracker, but he is her husband.  Also there is just so much ick with that asshole Billy that if she were gonna cheat it should be someone more worthy.

I enjoyed this first ep.  Although I have to say I don't remember hair quite that teased and huge in the 80s. was it really tha bad?

[Anela]

7 hours ago, bettername2come said:

I love Mike, but he was being such a little shit, especially whispering in front of Hop like that. He deserved whatever happened next, assuming Hop didn’t actually kill him. Loved that Hop tried to be reasonable at first and that he called El his daughter for the first time.

Yes, he was really annoying. Both of them were. I cracked up when Hopper was practicing his talk, and then just got him out of there. I know that men shouldn't be frightening their daughter's otherwise innocent boyfriends, but he needed to establish boundaries. 

I guess I'm the only one who didn't mind seeing that guy get dragged away. If they had to sacrifice someone for the first shocking moment, I was glad that it was him.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Anela

[Clanstarling]

1 hour ago, DearEvette said:

Me too.  The husband may not be a firecracker, but he is her husband.  Also there is just so much ick with that asshole Billy that if she were gonna cheat it should be someone more worthy.

Not just that Billy's not worthy. If he's still in town, given his hatred of his father and the town, and he's working as a life guard, to me it heavily implies that he's underage. So it's just gross all around for me. Steve, on the other hand, has reasons for staying in town, and I'd imagine he's of age, being a high school graduate (not sure of Billy's status in that regard)

28 minutes ago, Anela said:

I guess I'm the only one who didn't mind seeing that guy get dragged away. If they had to sacrifice someone for the first shocking moment, I was glad that it was him.

Not the only one.

[backhometome]

Mike and El were so annoying. Not at all cute or funny. Seemed like little assholes. 

I am glad Bob is not just forgotten. 

Edited July 5, 2019 by backhometome

[nodorothyparker]

Good gods, this episode was channeling the mid '80s hard.  From the crowded mall sucking the lifeblood out of Hawkins, to the bigger teased hair, to all the musical cues.   Our Soviet scientists are also straight out of central casting from big bad Russian villains of the period too.  It looks like the Duffers got a bigger budget to play with this outing as well.

Sure, Mike and El are kind of annoying but it's the age.  As several characters kept reminding Will, they're not just kids anymore.  I felt a little bad for him that he obviously feels like he's being left behind as his friends are pairing off and maturing faster than he is.  Big tough Hopper panicking and trying to practice having the talk was a hoot.  Dustin's Suzy was reading very much like George Glass of Canada, you wouldn't know him, but that was still an awful lot of trouble to be going to for there not to be someone on the other end even if we know there's no way she's nearly as fabulous as he as was boasting.  Yes, boys and girls, it's still the mid '80s when all these kids are out roaming somewhere well after dark and not even Joyce Byers who's gone two rounds with literal monsters for her kid seems all that concerned that she has no idea where they are.  Poor Steve Harrington.  With no college and nothing more than a minimum wage job at the local ice cream parlor, it's all downhill from here in a small town if you're not careful, bud.

I love how skeevy Billy the lifeguard throwing his weight around and getting the local housewives at the pool all hot and bothered looks to modern eyes because that was A LOOK at the time, and all the inverted subtle nods to Fast Times at Ridgemont High were nicely done.   He's got the Rob Lowe haircut and muscle car and badder than bad boy tattoo.  Of course Mrs. Wheeler swims in full makeup complete with heavy frosted eyeshadow because of course she does.

[Ambrosefolly]

28 minutes ago, backhometome said:

Mike and El were so annoying. Not at all cute or funny. Seemed like little assholes. 

I am glad Bob is not just forgotten. 

One thing I like about Finn, in interviews he really gets that Mike can be a jerk at times and acknowledged that Mike was getting an ego because he is a thirteen year old with a girlfriend. If I had fanwank, he is not only still pissed that that Hopper kept El away from him he is taking advantage of Hopper's guilt over it. 

[Kel Varnsen]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I loved that even though Hopper is a big tough cop, he was so nervous about having the talk with Eleven and Mike that he was rehearsing it in his room. I'm glad that Joyce talked him through it beforehand because she's right - yelling is just going to make things worse. But damn, after seeing how obnoxious Mike was I can't blame Hopper for yelling at him.

I feel bad for Hopper, trying to figure out what your kids are thinking is hard enough when you have known them their whole lives. Being instant single parent to a teen with some major issues would be even harder. And that is before you factor in the super powers. I like that they are looking into this.

28 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

Good gods, this episode was channeling the mid '80s hard.  From the crowded mall sucking the lifeblood out of Hawkins, to the bigger teased hair, to all the musical cues.   Our Soviet scientists are also straight out of central casting from big bad Russian villains of the period too.  It looks like the Duffers got a bigger budget to play with this outing as well

The increase to the budget must be insane. Between all the extras at the mall, the special effects shots and the music they were really showing it off. It got almlst comical how they kept having one famous 80s song after another. Although I did like the fake Gremlins music when El was controlling the robots. 

9 hours ago, VCRTracking said:

(Comic book guy voice) Um, Magnum PI and Cheers both aired on Thursday night in 1985, so how could Hopper watch it one night and then the next night Joyce watch Cheers?

Speaking of robots I'll go one furter with the comic book guy stuff. One of Dustin's toys was the Transformer Ultra Magnus and unless Dustin had some sort of Japanese version, Ultra Magnus wasn't released in North America until 1986.

[tennisgurl]

Come on everybody, lets go to the mall! *Cue Robin Sparkles*

I love seeing the rise of the mall and the mall culture of the time, its just so hilariously 80s! The kids are back and getting older, with Mike and El in the middle of goofy early teen love (to Hops horror), Dustin possibly being the first kid to ever be ghosted, Max and Lucas are on and off, and poor Will feels left behind. The poor kid just needs all of the therapy, but I guess all of that is a bit hard to explain to a shrink. 

Its nice to see that Bob is still missed and how much he meant to Joyce. Poor sweet Bob deserves to be remembered and mourned. But it was nice seeing her and Hopper get to have some nice banter together and she got to give some cool mom parent advice, even if he did not exactly stick the landing with Mike.

So Nancy and Jonathan are getting their reporter on, except all of the guys are a bunch of creepy sexist pigs. And Steve didnt get into any decent schools so his dad is making him slum it working at the mall to learn a lesson. I hope that Steve gets more to do than fail to hit on chicks, and that maybe he can get some more scenes with Nancy and Jonathan, I liked their dynamic and we didnt get much of it last year after Nancy and Steve broke up. 

Of course Mrs. Wheeler and the other desperate housewives all go to the pool in full hair, makeup, and heels to check out Billie. Of course. But that leads to whatever mess is happening because the Soviets just opened up the Upside Down so...oops. 

So happy to be back!

Edited July 5, 2019 by tennisgurl

[Lady Calypso]

Welcome back, Stranger Things!

The music is always the best part of this show. I'll jam out to any song they have playing on this show.

Mike and Eleven are little rebellious teenagers, it seems. Mike, in particular, has gotten to turn into quite the annoying jerk. Him talking back to Hopper and seemingly taunting him at times was not a good look; neither was Eleven for going along with it. But man, do I appreciate that Mike and Eleven are not looking so good right now. Even their friends aren't liking the two that much. 

Poor Hopper was really trying to muster up the courage to give Joyce's speech to try to get Eleven to listen. He was a tad overdramatic, but he cares. I do feel like maybe he should have toned it down. It was funny, but somewhat fake. 

As for Dustin, I assume Suzie is real. It's just a question if she's ghosting him, or if the new creature is blocking out specific radio signals and he just can't reach her. Maybe she'll show up later in the season. Who knows?

So, Will knows something's up; he just doesn't know what yet. I love Will the most out of the kids so I look forward to his role this season. 

A lot going on with the now young adults. Jonathan and Nancy are still together, and Nancy works at a newspaper! Awesome! I loved seeing Jake Busey as well. 

I really hope Steve isn't relegated to getting turned down. I do like his coworker. I assume those two will be getting together. 

As for Billy...man oh man, they definitely didn't change him that much in between seasons, which I appreciated, as his behaviour, as was Mike's mother's, was kind of appalling. But now that Billy has been taken by the newest creature, I don't know if he's dead or not, but he's definitely going to go through some changes now.

Finally, the adults. I see this is the season for Hopper and Joyce to figure out their own relationship. I do love that Joyce is still thinking about Bob. It goes to show how powerful their love was if she's still thinking about him a year later. 

Overall, not a bad premiere. I'll wait and see what happens. 

[Token]

Wow... I’ve only watched this first episode so far and that was all kinds of awkward!  These kids got odd looking and really snotty.  Kids making out was just unnecessary.  The actress playing Eleven is just bad.  So much bad in the first episode of what was an awesome show up until this point.  Gross.

[The Companion]

19 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

Well Mike and Eleven are annoying little shits now.

I loved that, though. It was so typical of their age. That and seeing El use her powers on the robots established some much needed normalcy. Last year, she and Hopper were struggling to figure out how to work together and she was super isolated. This year we see a ton of growth, including typical snotty teenage behavior.

Assuming things are about to get crazy, it was also probably a very necessary reset to establish some normalcy. 

11 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I am also glad to see Joyce mourning for Bob. But I'm also glad that Hopper is realizing he's got more than friendship feelings for Joyce.

The moment between Hopper and Joyce was great, as was the fact that she was still mourning Bob. I appreciated the flashback because it made it clear it was grief and not just guilt. 

Agree with the above that the mall scenes were amazing. I also loved the very real issue of stores closing. This show does such a good job of capturing the time period.

This episode felt like it did a ton of ground work. I am excited to see where the season goes.

[LittleIggy]

Ugh, Lucas’s sister is too annoying. Mike has the dorkiest haircut! 😆 Those desperate housewives mooning over Billy with his little Chester the Molester mustache 🤢 I could have done without the exploding rats. So happy this show is back! 🥳 I binged the first three episodes tonight.

[Perfect Xero]

Bob Newby!

Mike pulling that whisper move with El in front of Hopper should have absolutely been the end of him. The disrespect.

[Melina22]

I'm happy the show is back. Love the soundtrack. Love Steve in his Ahoy getup, and the dazzling reveal of his Steve hair. The sheriff needs to go on a cleanse. Had to warn a family member who has 5 dearly loved pet rats that maybe this season wasn't for her. 😁

[Ravenya003]

First episode down!

This was pretty much designed to reintroduce the characters and reset the board, but there was some good stuff in here too. 

I see Mike/Eleven have made the natural leap from puppy love to "we're obsessed with each other" love, as per any pre-teen in the throes of first love. It was inevitable really, though I have some mixed feelings, especially with Hopper's dad panic playing out in the background.

Still, I like that there's a bit of a custody battle for El (or father/boyfriend/daughter love triangle) going on; at the end of season two Mike was pissed that Hopper kept El a secret from him, so this very much feels like Mike asserting himself as alpha male (god I hate that term, but that was totally what was going on). Of course, this backfired hilariously. 

I'd like a better understanding of how Will fits into this new friend dynamic. He obviously wants to go back to the good old days, so how does he feel about Max and El? Is he friends with them outside the group? Or does he think of them as interlopers? 

Looks like Joyce/Hopper is gonna happen. Thankfully Karen/Billy isn't... at least not yet. That said, I want her to have some fun, and the flirting is fun to watch, but ultimately Billy is such a sleaze (and possibly a vessel for some Mind Flayer action).

I've no idea how the Russian angle is going to play into all this, but we'll see... 

[AngelKitty]

7 hours ago, Melina22 said:

the dazzling reveal of his Steve hair.

I loved this so much! I was actually thinking it was too bad he wasn't as cute as last season and then he took the hat off...be still my heart. ☺️

[Kel Varnsen]

12 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Finally, the adults. I see this is the season for Hopper and Joyce to figure out their own relationship. I do love that Joyce is still thinking about Bob. It goes to show how powerful their love was if she's still thinking about him a year later. 

Hasn't it only been like 6-8months since Bob's death. Last season started around Halloween and ended at the winter dance. I like that Joyce still feels a lot of grief over what happened. Someone she really cared about to the point that he was starting to integrate into her family was killed right in front of her in a super gruesome way.

[Lady Calypso]

1 hour ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Hasn't it only been like 6-8months since Bob's death. Last season started around Halloween and ended at the winter dance. I like that Joyce still feels a lot of grief over what happened. Someone she really cared about to the point that he was starting to integrate into her family was killed right in front of her in a super gruesome way.

Right. I forgot that the title card at the beginning of the episode took place before season 2.

Yeah, 8'ish months sounds about right.

[Clanstarling]

9 hours ago, Melina22 said:

I'm happy the show is back. Love the soundtrack. Love Steve in his Ahoy getup, and the dazzling reveal of his Steve hair. The sheriff needs to go on a cleanse. Had to warn a family member who has 5 dearly loved pet rats that maybe this season wasn't for her. 😁

I can't stand rats even "cute" pet ones - and even I was "oh no, please, no more."

I'm a little confused about Hopper's position. I've always thought of him as the Sheriff - but in this episode he said he was Chief of Police. Which are very different things, at least in my neck of the woods (or at least - similar position, different jurisdictions).

[foxfreakinmulder]

On ‎7‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 4:57 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I loved that even though Hopper is a big tough cop, he was so nervous about having the talk with Eleven and Mike that he was rehearsing it in his room.

I liked this scene. It reminded me of when I had to have "the talk" with my kids lol.

I've only watched 1 episode, I'm going to try and take my time with it since I've waited so long for season 3.

I think Dustin's girl is real but I think the radio is more for the plot of listening in to hear the Russians transmissions.

Can't wait for Dustin and Steve to get together. My favorite duo.

I thought Lucas's sister was annoying too. Her sassiness was cuter last season when she was younger and was only in a couple of scenes, now I think it will be annoying if we see too much of her.

I miss Bob!

Looking forward to the next episode.

[MisterGlass]

This was a good reset/reintroduction to the world.  The move from sweet children to ugh, teenagers went fairly well.  I remember this point in the Harry Potter books, when I was trying to figure out why the characters were suddenly unlikeable, and then I remembered, they're teenagers.

Good dose of 80s, good look at the characters, and interesting start with Billy.  It was sweet that they remembered Bob.

The height disparity between David Harbour and Winona Ryder adds to their comedy.

[The Companion]

8 hours ago, Ravenya003 said:

FI see Mike/Eleven have made the natural leap from puppy love to "we're obsessed with each other" love, as per any pre-teen in the throes of first love. It was inevitable really, though I have some mixed feelings, especially with Hopper's dad panic playing out in the background.

Still, I like that there's a bit of a custody battle for El (or father/boyfriend/daughter love triangle) going on; at the end of season two Mike was pissed that Hopper kept El a secret from him, so this very much feels like Mike asserting himself as alpha male (god I hate that term, but that was totally what was going on). Of course, this backfired hilariously. 

I agree on both fronts here. They are definitely at that cringe-inducing first love stage where they clearly love each other more than anyone has ever loved anyone else and adults just don't get it. First romances, by their nature, lack perspective. Neither party has done it before and both likely have unrealistic expectations of what love is. I also think you are right that part of Mike pushing boundaries had to do with a lack of recognition of Hopper's status as father, and possibly some residual resentment.

4 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

Hasn't it only been like 6-8months since Bob's death. Last season started around Halloween and ended at the winter dance. I like that Joyce still feels a lot of grief over what happened. Someone she really cared about to the point that he was starting to integrate into her family was killed right in front of her in a super gruesome way.

Totally agree. I like the way the show isn't just glossing over that grief (as so many other shows do). Bob was a great character. Stable, normal, maybe a little bit boring but in the nicest way. He was supportive and ultimately sacrificed himself for those he cared about. 

[Clanstarling]

7 minutes ago, MisterGlass said:

This was a good reset/reintroduction to the world.  The move from sweet children to ugh, teenagers went fairly well.  I remember this point in the Harry Potter books, when I was trying to figure out why the characters were suddenly unlikeable, and then I remembered, they're teenagers.

Good dose of 80s, good look at the characters, and interesting start with Billy.  It was sweet that they remembered Bob.

The height disparity between David Harbour and Winona Ryder adds to their comedy.

The Harry Potter books are a good example - I hadn't connected the two, but boy, there was a point when Harry was insufferable.

If you think their height disparity is funny, you'd die laughing at the disparity between me and my husband. The mister is 1 inch shorter than DH, but I'm 5.5 inches shorter than Winona. LOL.

[ganesh]

On 7/4/2019 at 5:57 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

But damn, after seeing how obnoxious Mike was I can't blame Hopper for yelling at him.

Yeah but it's also not appropriate for the trusted adult to lie to him either. I know it's difficult for Hop but he needs to do better. 

On 7/4/2019 at 6:53 AM, bettername2come said:

Cause the girlfriend in Utah sounded fake. Guess she exists and just isn’t interested anymore.

Or she doesn't know that she's the gf. 

It looked like the Soviets were trying to open the Gate to me, and likely did. 

I liked the ice cream girl's chart of You Rule/You Suck and saying 'dingus' many times. 

[Perfect Xero]

11 hours ago, Ravenya003 said:

Still, I like that there's a bit of a custody battle for El (or father/boyfriend/daughter love triangle) going on; at the end of season two Mike was pissed that Hopper kept El a secret from him, so this very much feels like Mike asserting himself as alpha male (god I hate that term, but that was totally what was going on). Of course, this backfired hilariously.

I think the term "custody battle" being used here is accurate, and a pretty good example of why I find the Mike/El relationship to be rather creepy.

El isn't a normal teenager, she's had almost no social interactions in her life, particularly not with people her own age. It's basically just been Mike (and to an extent the other boys, though none of them seem to spend one on one time with her), and this gives Mike a huge level of influence over her and creates a big power imbalance. That Mike, here, is shown intentionally trying to undermine Hopper as well as keeping El's time interacting with the other kids to a minimum just reinforces this for me.

[Miles]

First of all, the first five minutes were dumb.

Why would you let your men stand next to an unsable device if there is no reason for them to be there?

There generally weren't any executions in the sovjet union in the 80s, ceertainly not on the spot. Why would you kill your lead scientist who is very close to a breakthrough? That is some shit not even comic book super villians do. I know this is a supernatural show, but the humans didn't use to be cartoon characters, did they?

Also there better be a supernatural explaination how that dude could hold and choke that 80+kg scientist with one arm for over a minute. He didn't have the arms for it. Hell, I'm not sure if the mountain from GoT (TV version) would have the arms for it. That's some hard lifting.

Rest of the episode was mostly boring. Very 80s.

Is annoying douche really dead? Wouldn't have expected that they'd axe him off in episode one.

[Miles]

On 7/4/2019 at 3:59 PM, Clanstarling said:

I used the same rule for my girls - but the joke was on me, as they're LGBTQ

Your daughters are lesbian, gay, bi, trans and questioning? Damn. :D

On 7/4/2019 at 6:27 PM, VCRTracking said:

(Comic book guy voice) Um, Magnum PI and Cheers both aired on Thursday night in 1985, so how could Hopper watch it one night and then the next night Joyce watch Cheers?

Someone with the name VCRTracking should know the answer to that question. ;)

[Taryn74]

On 7/4/2019 at 10:00 PM, Lady Calypso said:

As for Dustin, I assume Suzie is real. It's just a question if she's ghosting him, or if the new creature is blocking out specific radio signals and he just can't reach her.

I'm fairly positive that's exactly what was happening.  Dustin was also trying to get through to his friends as his mom was driving him home from camp and couldn't get an answer.  Poor Suzie probably thinks Dustin went home and forgot all about her.

On 7/4/2019 at 10:00 PM, Lady Calypso said:

The music is always the best part of this show. I'll jam out to any song they have playing on this show.

Yes indeed.

19 hours ago, Ravenya003 said:

I'd like a better understanding of how Will fits into this new friend dynamic. He obviously wants to go back to the good old days, so how does he feel about Max and El? Is he friends with them outside the group? Or does he think of them as interlopers? 

I feel so sorry for Will.  As a teenager I was always the one without a SO while my friends all had one pretty much all the time (even if the individual relationships didn't last long) and it is such an awkward position to be in.  You want to be out doing stuff and having fun and not sitting in your room bored stiff, and all anybody else cares about is being with their bf/gf.  And even when you can get somebody to make plans with you, they end up using you as a cover for them to sneak out to see said bf/gf.  Ugh.  (Caveat - even though I didn't even go on my first date until after I graduated high school, I ended up marrying him and we are pretty much the only ones who are still together almost 30 years later, so.... *grin*)

[Katsullivan]

14 hours ago, foxfreakinmulder said:

I thought Lucas's sister was annoying too. Her sassiness was cuter last season when she was younger and was only in a couple of scenes, now I think it will be annoying if we see too much of her.

As someone on tumblr said: the number of neck-rolls they made that poor child do. Erica is the sassy black girl stereotype and it's disgusting. 

[Dminches]

I guess I am in the minority of thinking "again with the monster?"  I was hoping season 3 would have gone into a bit of a different direction and put Will and his monster in the rear view mirror.

[Clanstarling]

9 hours ago, Miles said:

Your daughters are lesbian, gay, bi, trans and questioning? Damn. 😄

More than one daughter, more than one initial, so I used the acronym. 🙂 They  (my daughters) prefer "queer" to "questioning."

8 hours ago, Taryn74 said:

(Caveat - even though I didn't even go on my first date until after I graduated high school, I ended up marrying him and we are pretty much the only ones who are still together almost 30 years later, so.... *grin*)

Living well is the best revenge. 🙂

Edited July 6, 2019 by Clanstarling

[Danny Franks]

So there's something in the air in Hawkins. Romance, puppy love and lust all over the place.

I appreciate the tongue being so firmly in the cheek regarding Billy and the lascivious older women. It's more 80s sex comedy than anything else, and it's a nice counterpoint to the rest of the show. The power ballads, the hot, neglected house wife, the ne'er-do-well who is just too tempting - it's a fucking White Snake video.

I thought the opening scene was going to turn out to be a story one of the kids was telling. It was so over the top and reliant on 'Evil Soviet Empire' tropes, that I couldn't take it seriously.

I'm with Hopper and Will when it comes to Mike and Eleven. Spending that much time together is unhealthy, and I remember speculating last year that their relationship could take on toxic qualities, given how closely they bonded as kids. I don't like Mike at all, after how much of an ass he was all last year, and now this. It's possible that El is causing this effect in him, through some kind of unconscious influence. Teen love or not, the thought of so obviously whispering something in your girlfriend's ear while her dad is clearly angry and about to say something, is staggering.

Not too keen on Dustin so far this year either. He reminded me strongly of Cartman in his opening scenes, flipping out because his friends weren't answering his radio call. He's almost as self-involved as Mike.

The transformation in Steve is now complete. He's gone from the alpha dog of the school to the loser who's hanging around with kids and pathetically trying to hold on to his glory days. I don't know if we're supposed to be happy about it or not. He's a more rounded, fun character, but he needs to be more than the town joke.

Poor Nancy, being ignored and mocked by the grizzled old local reporters. Sadly typical of the workplace in the 1980s, I suppose. Not much of her, and even less of Jonathan, in this opening episode. But I guess their job will be handy.

Edited July 6, 2019 by Danny Franks

[Cheezwiz]

Enjoying this so far! The nods to eighties films are fun and holy smokes, the special effects budget has clearly been increased multi-fold. Great and utterly cheesy eighties music cues - can't imagine what they must be spending on music rights.

My favourite visual effects thus far: the massive perms, and Mrs. Wheeler's eyeshadow.

(I longed to have my eyeshadow look like that when I was a teen in the eighties - my ultimate goal was to have eyes like Donna Mills in Knots Landing).

[VCRTracking]

I figure it was only a month of Mike going to the cabin every day. Mike would have been in school the other five months since the end of last season 2. No way Hopper could have stood more than a half year with them having makeout sessions in her room.

[LeGrandElephant]

Why aren't Mike and Eleven making out outdoors somewhere, instead of in Hopper's cabin with him in the next room? It doesn't seem like anyone is checking up on where they are when they're out and about outside at all hours in the summer. 

[thuganomics85]

Worst part of being out of town for the 4th of July weekend was only being able to start this now.  Better late than never, but I got to make sure to avoid spoilers!

Oh, Hopper!  The poor guy was clearly overwhelmed with the whole "dad" responsibilities and whatnot.  To be fair, Mike and Eleven really were at their most bratiness for this episode!  Realistic for sure, but I felt for Hop in this one.  Loved him finally putting the fear of God into Mike at the end.  David Harbour is something special.

Ah, the rise of the suburban malls and how they hurt the local businesses!  I remember those days.  And it's ironic now, since it looks like it is now the malls that are getting hit thanks to online shopping and whatnot.  And I'm sure its time will come once the next fancy way of shopping is invented!

Dustin being away at camp for a month is a good way to shake the dynamics, with everyone else kind of moving forward and doing their own things while he was away, so now he's feeling left out and isolated.  I do think Suzie is actually real and either it was just a summer fling for her or something is blocking out the radio signals.

I'm guessing Nancy and Jonathan working at the newspaper is going to lead to them investigating the eventual craziness.  All while Nancy stands up against the Mad Men-ish knuckleheads (including Jake Busey!)

Glad they got Sean Astin to appear as Bob for a flashback and see how he's still in Joyce's mind.

Will can't catch a break, huh?

The Fast Times at Ridgemont High homage but flipping the genders was fun, but Karen and Billy was all kinds of creepy, since I'm guessing he's still underage.  Of course, who knows what is going to happen after that final bit!  I would be surprised if they actually kill him this quickly, but it's not like his character was all that developed (it really felt like they scrambled for find a new douchebag character once they realized that many viewers actually liked Steve.

Speaking of Steve, I didn't mind him mainly being insignificant for this episode, but I hope they expand on his role going forward.  Wouldn't be surprised if he does end up starting something with his co-worker/Ethan Hawke's daughter

So, along with all of the crazy monster stuff, the good old Soviet Union is going to be involved.  Yep, it is totally the 80s!  Better keep an eye out for Matthew Rhys or Keri Russell in fancy wigs!

Good first episode.  Looking forward to seeing how this season plays out!

[Dirtybubble]

14 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Speaking of Steve, I didn't mind him mainly being insignificant for this episode, but I hope they expand on his role going forward.  Wouldn't be surprised if he does end up starting something with his co-worker/Ethan Hawke's daughter

Agreed!  It's kinda of a cliche' for that to happen but if we are basing plots on 80's movies then yeah it would make sense. 

14 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Ah, the rise of the suburban malls and how they hurt the local businesses!  I remember those days.  And it's ironic now, since it looks like it is now the malls that are getting hit thanks to online shopping and whatnot.  And I'm sure its time will come once the next fancy way of shopping is invented!

I was a bit surprised how busy that mall was.  I am assuming it was a Friday or Saturday night when this was shown but too see it THAT FRIGGING CROWDED was weird.  Those escalators were PACKED with people!  I do have memories of teens hanging out at the mall on Fri and Sat nights but holy cow it looked like it was shoulder to shoulder there.

I too hope Billy isn't killed off from the show.  He is a douche to the umpthenth degree but this show needs an all around hate character.  And again as cliche' as his character is (someone that peaks in high school) it is typical of the villans in 80s movies, Karate Kid comes to mind.

Oh and nice little nugget to the horror fans to have our gang sneaking in to see Day of the Dead as it takes place in a SHOPPING MALL!  I am a huge George Romero fan (RIP) and he said the movie really was about consumerism and malls taking the business from small hometown stores.  Love how everything ties in together!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who though Mike and El were behaving like little snots.  Whispering in front of Hopper like that!  NO SIR!  Glad Hop ditched the nice guy heart to heart speech for a more aggressive tone. 

Edited July 8, 2019 by Dirtybubble