Ah typical RUclips. If I had a dollar for every time they screwed up, I'd have enough money to buy an army powerful enough to take on the US army. Or kill it considering the pathetic state it's in.
I didn't see any kowtowing to the woke mob. Even the over-privileged white kid on the basketball team didn't send THE MESSAGE. His character was perfectly in keeping with nearly every other 80's movie where some over-privileged white guy needed to be taken down. And they didn't OP 11 either. She got her powers back but she had to earn every fraction of an inch along the way. Nothing was given to her for free.
I think the scene with the fighting "FBI Agent" doesn´t nearly get enough credit. You have this guy on observation, a little chubby, sleeping like a dad sitting on the couch, but when the shit hits the fan he is extremely capable and manages to protect the cast while still suffering greatly in the pursuit of his duty. he could have easily been comic relief, but was made an interessting character that didn´t nearly get enough screen time. His kickass demeaner also made perfect sense, as he is a special agent, trained and put on this particular job, for his skills. For me it was the moment, that made me deeply invested into the season again.
What I also love about this season is that they respect their monsters. When hopper and the russian guy were talking about how they were gonna kill the Demogorgon, I was kinda disappointed. In season 1 he was a menace, mowing down armed men like they were slugs with no shells, but now two men with a lighter are gonna kill it? But nope, the fight went wrong immediately, and hopper and the russian guy barely managed to escape using the fire. The show respects its villains and makes them actually intimidating. They make the heroes actually feel like they're the underdogs. Now that's good writing.
The fuck you on about. They ruined it at the end. The monster that 4 man emptying their AK 47 or whatever the fuck couldn't even harm, got sliced with a sword.
Agreed. The show kept the demogorgon's weakness to fire consistent, but didn't pretend that it's suddenly super-lethal to them. Hopper's fight against the demogorgon at the end was great, too. I'll admit it doesn't make any sense why bullets don't work on those things but a sword does, but it was such a badass and well-shot scene (and went along perfectly with the rest of the episode's climax) that I didn't mind the monster's sudden vulnerability to physical wounds.
@@Disgruntled_Dave Yes. And we can't really say that they made the Demogorgon weaker than he was at season 1, because Steve had a similar fight against the Demogorgon after Jonathan and Nancy hurt it with the fire. The series stayed consistent with it.
Just binged the series over the weekend. The last episode where Dustin was talking to Eddie's uncle had me tearing up. That's how well Eddie was handled.
Sorry to be the one to say this, but Eddie wasn’t handled well at all. Here’s why: the plan was to lure those bat creatures away from the house, right? Great idea. So Dustin and Eddie fortify this trailer (where did they get electricity and screws in the Upside Down, by the way?). Still a solid plan. Things go awry, the creatures get in, the two get split up, and Eddie (smartly) decides to continue luring the creatures away by hopping on a bike, which can somehow pedal faster than thousands of fast-flying bat creatures. Weird…but okay. So, to recap, the plan was to have these two lure these creatures away from the house and to not deviate from the plan. Essentially, the plan called for Eddie to keep running while these things chased after him. So, the natural thing to have him do is…stop having them chase him and make an unnecessary sacrifice??? Like, he knew he was going to die by doing this, but what did he think was going to happen after they killed him? Did he think they were just going to give up protecting Vecna and find a diner somewhere to sit down for French fries? They turned Eddie’s act of bravery into the actions of a moron. I imagine a better scenario: Eddie hops on a bike, knowing that if he keeps sheltering in the trailer, the creatures might cross through the portal and into the real world, where Dustin and the rest of Hawkins- a town filled with people who want him dead because they never took the time to understand him- will die. He pedals that bike harder than he’s ever pedaled before, barely creating a distance between him and the creatures. But he doesn’t look back. He knows if he looks back he will lose all his will to push forward, like he has his entire life. So he keeps pedaling and pedaling and pedaling. He pedals until his legs are filled with what feels like battery acid, then he pedals more. “How far have I gone,” he thinks. “A mile? Two miles? Ten?!?” He hears the creatures still on his tail. “You’ve been a runner all your life, man,” he says out loud. “I was born for this!” Realizing his purpose invigorates him and gives him the strength to keep going. To keep Dustin safe. To keep Steve and the mission safe. To keep Hawkins safe. He glances back to see how far by he’s gone. He can’t even make the trailer out in the far, far distance anymore. It’s working. His plan is working! He’s lured them out so far that even if these ugly bastards did turn back, it would take them forever to reach Steve and the gang. He turns to face the open landscape ahead of him once again and pushes forward. Out of nowhere, he feels something bite at his shoulder, then another bite on his back. “Shit, these things bite hard,” he thinks to himself. Another bite, and another bite. He realizes that he must have been slowing down and the creatures finally caught up. The biting becomes relentless. But he pushes forward. He pushes forward until he can’t anymore. He falls off the bike, tumbles and ends up on his back, facing up at a sky full of these damn flying bat creatures. As they descend down onto him, through bloodied teeth, Eddie proudly and defiantly exclaims “a runner till the end, morherfu…” His final words get muffled by the sounds of the creatures feasting on his flesh. Eddie spent his life running from responsibility. It was always seen as a flaw by others. But, it wasn’t a flaw. In the end it’s what made him a hero.
The way Nancy’s character went from helpless school girl to investigative journalist to bad ass monster slayer is really a masterclass in a slowbuild character development done right. Also Steve’s character arc going from highschool jock to young man with an identity crisis to selfproclaimed protector of the younger kids feels really satisfying in a redeeming way for his character
Steve started out totally unlikeable, but was built up gradually to become a great character, not by eliminating all his flaws, but by showing him growing.
I really think it is weird though that it seems like no one can seem to help the Nancy actress with her obvious anorexia or drug addiction or whatever it is that has given her a physical condition fit for Buchenwald. I wish in 2022 we had how to deal with people afflicted by this sorted out. I genuinely fear for her safety, at least as much as one can for a total stranger
@@Irys1997 Unfortunately, having the camera on them is really bad for people with a condition like that. It puts pressure on them. She needs to take a few years in private with people who care about her as more than a paycheck.
We rewatched S1 to remind ourselves of some background in preparation for S4 Vol 2 and holy shit is Nancy a completely different person back then. Same with Steve. But they changed as a reaction to their experiences and that’s exactly how you develop a character.
It might actually be one of those rare instances where the pandemic HELPED the writers in letting them take time off from constant production to perfect their formula. They had clearer ideas for everything and it showed. I also thought the addition of Eddie was gonna be a problem at the start, but he ended up being my favorite character of the season! Kudos to the writers for Murray as well, using his paranoia and sarcasm at exactly the right moments in every scene he was in provided a nice balance that didn't distract from anything. Brilliantly done by them.
What was great about Murray that they subverted expectation with karate. We thought he will get rekt for laughs like everybody who ever claim to be karate master only to kick some serious ass.
Yea...the Hollywood machine has plenty of talented writers but they over work them and thats one of the main reasons, other than The Message, we havent had a lot of good stuff lately. After the Golden Age of TV in the early 2010's it slowly got worse with sequals, knockoffs, and spinoffs trying to churn these money cows. TBF there have always been spinoffs and knockoffs but it was few and far between and they usually did well. Nowadays if there is a remotely successful action movie or comedy..the premise, material, setting, jokes, and characters are beaten to fuckin death for every last little spark of creativity left. Its idiotic and full of short term thinking executive dweebs.
the comedic moments with Murray in this season were fantastic. i laughed for like 5 minutes straight when he said "still have no idea who he is" in response to Jonathan's friend, the way he delivered that line and the realism of the situation is just flawless. such a wonderful comeback season from the disaster that was season 3
Yeah i thought Murray was going to get annoying again this season really quick. Not to mention I can’t stand Brett Gelman in real life and his cringe virtue signaling and politics but Murray was actually likable enough and they used him sparingly enough where it wasn’t annoying
Arguably the most inspired rebound in television, yet. It was such a refreshing watch after we've been let down so many times by other properties these past few years. It just goes to show that taking the time to put everything together can actually make a big difference.
It's competent. Still less good than season 1 and actually cheapens it. They are worse things around but still doesn't really have a reason to exist except feeding Netflix's bottomless content pit...
Something that helps the show a lot is that the actors were really delivering hard, the final episode was made so much better because of the emotions of everyone great season
Except robin. She was a cool character in the last season but now she’s a massive doofus!? She seems to have aged a few years also and doesn’t looks the cute, quirky girl she was🤷🏾♂️
They were all taking it seriously, that probably means the director wanted it to be that way instead of all that self-aware bullshit humour we see too much.
Yea they ain't bad, I especially have always liked the blubbery slobbery kid whose hair ends up becoming cool in season 1. Or was it season 2? well you get what I mean. The one that finds the critter in the trash can.
Eddie had such a good arc. I wonder if he followed Dustin through he would've made it. I guess he assumed the bats would try to kill Steve Nancy and Robin at the house. Or they would've followed them.
80s metalhead stereotype could’ve easily been cheesed, but Eddie, his personality and look, absolutely nailed it. He felt completely authentic. I’m pretty pissed they killed him but they knew his death would hit us in our cold black hearts.
But see this is the problem with the show overall. They kill off new characters added that season but NEVER kill of the original characters from the 1st season.
I too, am pretty pissed at Eddie's death. I was not sad or moved emotionally, I kept on thinking how stupid of a decision it was to kill him off! I'm not even sure his sacrifice was logical except for an argument about the bat things chasing Dustin back into the real world or something. To me, it just seemed like the show wanted Eddie to have a "I will not run anymore" arc completion for his character. I am going to hold onto the thought Eddie somehow survived enough to retreat somewhere in the Upside Down to recuperate before the events of season 5 (whenever that gets released) and the gang finds a badly injured Eddie at some point. I know that sounds stupid but Eddie had one of the best character introduction episodes in the entire series and it would be a sin to waste that acting potential of Joseph Quinn playing him!
Eddie is the best character they have ever brought in for the show. Loved him so much. Not to mention there is now an actual good representation of a metalhead in media.
Eddie is the gaming stoner metal head musicians I grew up, partied and gamed with. Mad props to not just the actor and writers but the casting person who hired him.
Very true, imagine the hardships of being a metal head in the 80s where this sound was completely alien to the mainstream. We talk about it now like how it would have been funny and such, but im sure the propaganda the media managed to brainwash suburban families through the TV made their lives extremely difficult
I completely agree. I'm a big fan of the show again after watching season 4. Those who are in charge of other franchises which have fallen from grace, take note. It's possible to pull fans back, even stronger than before, with good writing, storytelling, and interesting characters.
Only problems are that Brenner probably should’ve stayed dead but was still intimidating, some main characters should’ve just died, and I guess hopper came back but paid off. Everything else (mainly Vecna) was awesome
@@Dookieman1975 Yea, when I saw where they Dre going it’s Max, I kind of got pussed that they pulled such a ballsy move then just pulled back essentially. After her bones cracked and eyes were lost, I was like “shit, ok, they actually went there” then of course ele just says “no”. There were some parts I enjoyed in this season and others I didn’t, but it definitely was better than the last couple seasons and may get me back for the 5th, just after rewatching something like the wire and Soprano’s, I probably wasn’t in a fair place to rate this anywhere other than slightly above average. The acting was pretty great, but the writing had bad lines and I didn’t care about the drama going on outside of the actual action, plus I think we all knew who was going to actually die this season and who’s be fine, which killed some of the tension. The most annoying scene/plot line was the popular jock guys, it felt so ultimately inconsequential and to be rewarded with dialogue like “I used to want to be popular, like you, but no I see you’re just a Psycopath” Like give me a break, we get it, popular kid = bad in stranger things, only the nerds and LBGTQ members are smart and good. It plus off an 80’s aesthetic, but it still feels like “take that, my high school bullies!” Boring and unnecessary, and it just made the final scene kind of ridiculous.
@@Dookieman1975 Disagree Brenners arc was one of the best this season. He got so many layers. Not to mention that now his survival can be explained by Henry letting him live given how stunnef he was when ileven told him Papa dief
As a Russian language native speaker I can say that I admire how much work they put into making so many characters speak Russian. It’s not perfect at times but still the fact that they chose to pay so much attention to this detail makes me appreciate the show even more. The "faceless man " actor was the best, I can only imagine how much time he spent cramming the lines but it was so bloody perfect. Loved this season!
How would you rate the quality of the Russian spoken by the actors? Being from Brazil whenever movies or series show a “Brazilian” person I can barely identify the words.
@@mikepants3736 as i said it was a bit inconsistent, some were better than others and sometimes I had to rewind and read the English translation but overall I was very impressed. And some lines were harder to deliver than others but they had to say it exactly that way to preserve the meaning of the dialog.
I think the reason why maxine became a much better character in se4 is because she actually shows a vulnerable side: In the past 2 seasons she was stoick, sassy, and tough all the time, as if her abusive brother did not affect her at all (we gotta see the result of a toxic relationship on a person for us to care about them), but in se4, max is depressed, traumatized, and guilt-ridden, her previous tough and sassy persona vanished, and we get to see her vulnerable side; allowing us audience to relate to her in a way we never got to before.
You see that vulnerable side briefly in season 2 when she's talking with Lucas during the stakeout for Dart. It really seemed like they had a good place for her to become more tolerable, but then season 3 rolls around and practically hits a reset button for her, making 2 consecutive seasons of her being annoying
The acting this season was so good. The scene where Gaten tells Eddie’s uncle about his passing had me in tears. Sadie screaming that she can’t see or feel and wasn’t ready to die, Caleb’s voice breaking as he begs for help from Erica- had me heartbroken. The performances were outstanding and emotional. The plot itself was great but the delivery of the story is what made this season awesome for me
I disagree, In my opinion a lot of the characters lost their charm and some of the acting (particularly Noah Schnapp's) was at times quite mediocre, I would go as far to say bad at some points. Each to their own I guess though
@@josephf.27 each to their own I think Millie and Sadie were amazinh not mention Jamie Campbell that guy went from nice older brother to total psychopath so naturally he was almost more scary in his human form than hid Vecna form
@@josephf.27 Some of the acting (and characterizations) got worse: the Will, Mike, Jonathan & Argyle group. But some acting (and characterizations) got better: Dustin stealing the show, Steve getting his mojo back, Max & Lucas improving, Hopper no longer being a ridiculously over-the-top character. The main plot lines in Hawkins, and El’s plot, were handled well, and the California & Russia characters were rightly sidelined to keep the most annoying characters out of the way (despite being overly long)
@@josephf.27 I think Noah was written into a corner particularly. His character did not have anything to do. There wasn’t much for the guy to work with acting wise. Gaten is one of the most charismatic characters on the show, and I still think the actor who played Eddie’s uncle stole the scene where Dustin reveals to him that Eddie is dead. I wasn’t nearly as upset to see Eddie die than I was when we see Eddie’s uncle find out. And personally, I still did not like a lot of max’s scenes. I feel like when she was initially going to die in the graveyard, I didn’t really care. Even when she was getting all her bones broken in the trance, I felt shock but I didn’t feel particularally upset over losing that character. It was specifically Sadie’s performance of her blind and scared and her pitiful pleas that made me care about her character for the first time.
@@Apopcyp Yeah I resonate with that a lot to be fair, pretty much exactly how you felt with the deaths was the same with me, although I didn’t really care enough I still felt somewhat attached to the characters, sort of inevitable after 9 long-ass episodes though
But then he died in a fucked way. Felt he should have just keep the bats busy till they won or stopped Vecna. He has a bike he didn’t need to get off it.
@@WanderOnward I like to think, if he went through the portal in the mobil home the bats would have chased both of them in the "real world". He ran solo for Dustin. That's the way I'm thinking of it. Like a HERO!
It's straight off of an 80s metal album cover or something. Adam Wingard said he wanted the Hong Kong battle between Godzilla and Kong to look like "they were fighting on a synthwave album cover" and he pulled it off. It is very cool to see relatively "new" filmmakers coming into material with takes and visions and creative goals...and using the narrative to accomplish those strong visual goals.
I found this to be the case too. Season 1 was swimming. Season 2 was treading water. Season 3 was drowning. Season 4 is rescued from the jaws of a shark. I really love Eddie Munsen, I think he's a fantastic character and perfectly cast.
He just felt like someone who came form the 90s than the 80s would been my only complaint with him. A small town in IN likely never would have a strong enough metal scene for him to be that deep in it at that time. (Masters of Puppets came out like 2 weeks earlier in universe.) I knew tons of guys like Eddie in High school, but barely anyone in the 80s was that into metal. Especially not in the middle of no where when you likely wouldn't have heard of stuff till years later when it was in proper circulation. Stuff didn't move that fast back then.
@@Lastjustice As a son of a hippy father born in 58', you couldn't be more wrong. Led zeppelin, deep purple, black Sabbath, etc... and those weren't even niche at all...
Let's give a little credit to Steve The Hair Harrington. He has gone from bully to true hero. The conversations between Steve and Dustin in every season are always some the best moments of the show. RIP Eddie.
I love Steve's evolution throughout the show. I thought for sure he's get killed off early in Season 2, as I didn't think there was anymore story left for his character. Glad I was wrong! Teaming him and Dustin up was a stroke of genius!
Steve has never been a bully though. Him smashing Jonathans camera was absolutely justified and you'd probably do the same if you saw how a weird guy took pictures of you while you had sex with your girlfriend.
@@VHS_NEON Agreed. He always struck me as an insecure guy with too much "big balls" energy for himself to handle...You know, a typical teenager. An a§§hole not because he was malicious, but because he didn't know any better most of the time. But he quickly showed his true colours when interacting with Dustin and getting pulled into all the weird crap. A geuinely good guy, but too stupid to make use of it fully. Much like Harper, come to think of it. And his interactions with Jonathan really developed both their characters at the same time greatly.
I was really hoping that Netflix had the balls to go full apocalypse with the tear ripping the ground open, at first I thought they somehow closed it by saving Max, then I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t close
@@hunterhunter5906 i wish they kept her dead, not because i hated her, just because killing a main character would be a nice change of pace for western media. As they dont do it often
@@hunterhunter5906 I also have a feeling that she will at the very least be very messed up after this and she might actually be gone and just a vessel for Vecna/001.
@@XavierLignieres I hope so. I thought it was lame that she escaped the first time she encountered him. He could have killed her 500 times in all the time he monologued. It was so annoying and more so disappointing that the writers weren't more brave to kill off major characters.
@@mihmo2663 I got the impression that Vecna has to wear down his victims to a certain level of despair before he can kill them. That’s why Chrissy suffered so much. And Max is a tough girl so he is really having to work to tear her down. I could be reading too much in it. But, anyway, that’s why I thought Vecna did not kill all of his victims immediately.
They killed it with season 4, in a good way. Initially, I felt like I was gonna have to go through the motions of, "well, Stranger Things Season 4 is here. Let me just mindlessly put it on in the background and then multi-task some shit on the computer". But no, it totally kept my attention. I'm pretty excited for Season 5. Eddie was by far the MVP in Season 4.
The inclusion of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” was genius. Played on a piano, with a much slower tempo and in a minor key, really adds a mood of foreboding. It’s played early in the season and then again in the penultimate episode.
It was always in a minor key, but yeah... it took me a moment to place the song. I recognized it immediately, but couldn't figure out what it was exactly at first.
Eddie is such a spot on character. The sketchy metal head who is into nerdy shit and introduces newcomers to it describes like 20 people I've actually met. And these people always have a heart of gold.
In every season of Stranger Things, there are always likeable characters who appeared in couple episodes only later they get killed off Season One: Barb Season Two: Bob Season Three: Alexei
Max was the stand out for me this season... completely redeemed that character and now feels like a legit part of the OG group. The actress was so much better... it was a breakout performance. Episode 4 - Dear Billy is the best episode of the entire show.
@@rodafowa1279 I just finished watching season 4, and during the last episode, I was thinking about how she could very well have a very bright Hollywood future ahead of her. I was indifferent to her character in previous seasons, but she became my favorite character pretty early on in season 4 as a result of both good writing and good acting.
Man, Max's escape scene was chilling. High stakes, a hail mary option to get out of it and right to the last moment it's not at all clear she would actually make it. Also a pretty well done analogy for depression, I'm told. And the build up and then reveal in episode seven was pretty good too, I think. Oh and man, Joseph Quinn nailed Eddie! I mean, the poor guy was doomed pretty much from the start (I mean, even if he would have made it out alive, there would be an entire town waiting to just eat the man alive - How the hell are you going to explain a supernatural dream murderer from another dimension?) Season 3 had me feeling like the show was in kind of a rut, but season 4 came out guns blazing and that has me excited for season 5! Let's just hope that won't take another three years....
9 months later and we’ve got a writers strike that kicks up just as the show was going to begin filming. They were looking for a late 2024 release for season 5, but that’s basically not happening with this new development.
Eddie shredding Master of Puppets on top of that trailer trying to buy his friends time to kill Vecna is one of the coolest and most badass scenes ever put on screen. I stand my ground.
@@Brethgar I figure that's what it sounded like in his head, as opposed to the actual "mediocre teen guitar-playing". It's not like the bats would care.
The season was great, but the plot armor that the main cast has is really getting old. I don't think a lot of people would have had anything against them killing off a couple of more characters this season.
I wouldn’t have mind if Max died fully since the end of the show was of Vecna winning and the end beginning. It would’ve kind of been like how Gamora died in Infinity War and how Thanos got the Soul Stone so he could win in the end…
@@cloudshines812 I mean, she did die. Lucas said she was dead for over a minute. It's hinted that Eleven somehow brought her back and that's why she's in a coma now instead of in a grave.
@@katieburkman3981 I really dislike that ability. She was literally on the other side of the country and raised someone from the dead. That's just a ridiculous level of power for one character.
@@vaatt Agreed. Really enjoyed this season but was disappointed they didn't have the balls to make more characters pay the price of facing up to Vecna. And the moment they give Eleven God-tier powers, she becomes boring.
I was quite upset with the first half of episodes for this season, but was literally blown away with the finale. I couldn't agree more, that they really fixed stuff from the two previous seasons, especially with the second half of season 4. It definitely feels like a change of direction and somehow retaking command. It was really enjoyable. Well done, indeed!
I think the build up especially is what makes those moments so special. There is a difference in a series starting slow, a lot of times you can already tell they want to go somewhere, if it is going to be good you will not know where they are going. If it is bad you will know well before that point.... Except for GOT, it began so good and you didn't know where it was going, but yeah there are always exceptions to the rule.
I think the total opposite. Part 1 was great and the mystery coming together was well done. Towards the end the only character they kill is the seasonal one, same as the past two seasons, and all the other characters are invincible. Even Max gets bloody resurrected after her like 5 near deaths. They scrambled super hard to make the adult plot relevant to the main story. It's like Hopper and Joyce were watching season 4 on Netflix or something they just knew everything the kids were up to, and it was needed in that very moment.
This season was paced more like a young adult novel. Not necessarily a bad thing, but good to know before going in. The slower build up in the beginning wasn’t bad an when things start to pickup the momentum sticks.
I am extremely impressed that the creators have been able to make a 4 season, multi-hour long show that (in my opinion) is never below “okay” It’s all watchable, and even during the longest segments, is kept fun and interesting thanks to the excellent acting and script
@@remmus7742 If that's the one that was being referred to, personally I really liked that episode. It wasn't important to the overall plot aside from setting up Brenner's return in ST4 but it was fun to just see El and the homies go around wrecking shit and having fun.
I loved how the big bad tried to scare Nancy, similarly to how Scarlet Witch scared Tony with a vision of them losing and all dying, but instead of letting it psych her out, she literally took it as a personal insult and went all John Wick on him
How would that even work? If you showed her a bad future and she knows it will come wouldn't that just motivate her more to stop it? Since doing nothing will means it'll just come either way.
@@hinamatsuro1908 well maybe because showing her that vision will only make it happen even more? We've seen slight glimpse of what vecna showed her, and it did happen in the end. A part of vecna's plan?
It's funny because that scene was super cheesy to me. Why did he need to play the whole damn guitar solo, and why did it seem like his life depended on nailing it. He just needed to make loud noises, attract the bats, and then hide. There was this sense of urgency with his playing but for no reason. Further, they were rejoicing too much in a guitar solo when they were literally in a life and death situation. That scene was just really dumb to me and felt like fanservice. But, I'm glad people liked it. I think it was cool it just took me out of the story because it felt so contrived. An opportunity to use the chekov's gun of a guitar that had been teased way earlier in the season but it was just unnecessary from a logical standpoint.
Loved the Robert Englund cameo and all the call backs to old horror films throughout all episodes,hopefully the final season will be just as good as season 4.
I would like to see a little more actual consequences to the main characters. It would have definitely hurt, but i wish they had outright killed Max. I think the story would have been more compelling. I am mostly satisfied with the fact that she got seriously injured. It wouldn't make sense for her to escape untouched from being the target of 001. I'm predicting a Jonathan death season 5 by the way. He's basically regressing as a character, losing ambition and confidence in season 4. They are clearly pushing the Nancy/Steve relationship and i think Johnathon is going to have a falling out with Nancy and a self sacrificial redeptive death to save her at some point.
I just want what's his name to get a better haircut. That was my era and I don't care what photo the otherwise awesome Duffer brothers saw .. no one with any self-awareness .. was wearing a Moe Howard haircut. Maybe rockabilly do if they were nerd-smart and edgy.
My money is on Will. There is nothing for him to do except look longingly at Mike. He's constantly scared, and will find his courage to make the final sacrifice and get his revenge on the Upside Down.
Robin gave some foreshadowing about someone dying in episode 8 I think. With how much they built up 001 over the season, I was sure it was going to be a main character. I really thought Max was dead, so her and Eddie (who I hated the first episode but really grew into liking) would've hit pretty hard. Just offing another side character you meet during the same season is weak to me. Also, the whole Jason plot was done so poorly. When his friend died at the lake, I was like, "oh, cool, they're going to add him to the team, at least temporarily." But, uh, nope. Should've just cut his plot entirely and focused more on, IDK, anything else. Despite the negatives I just rambled on about, this is my favorite season of the show so far.
Eddie ... One of the best characters on the show .. Good acting and just plain likable .. Only gripe about this entire season was the basketball captain .. He did good to get you to hate him , but his character was just over the top ..
It made no sense to make him a villain because the information he had he was trying to stop ritual murders. Also when 11 blows up the helicopter killing those two guys was actually more evil than the blonde jock guy. They were following orders to stop a escaped spree killing psychic. That was the information they had so they were theoretically the good guys trying to save others only to be killed by 11. Should the jock guy have believed a story about alternate dimensions or a serial killer? A serial killer seems way more plausible. Why would he believe their outlandish excuses? They should have done a redemption arc for him where he shoots a monster from the upside down and died heroically having been convinced the kids weren’t lying after all.
Yeah I agree with all of that, and i get the dudes girlfriend died but the fact that the whole team was in on 💫literally murdering someone💫 seemed way over the top
Max’s escape from 001 was one of the most emotional tv moments I’ve seen, especially within the context of learning at the end that she’d been suicidal this whole time
What happened here is that everyone did everything amazingly well. From behind the cameras to the cast. And it's rare, hardly happens, so yeah, well deserved review.
Don't sell yourself short, Will my lad. I believe you might have more clout in certain sectors of the media industry than you give yourself credit for. If nothing else, i think the Duffers take constructive criticism more to heart than a great lot of the narcissists in Hollywood.
I completely agree. Season 4 has put me at the edge of my seat. Particularly where they made the music not an automatic pullout get out of jail card for Max, but rather, an item that just helps her clutch. It was mesmerizing for me to see her friends try their very best in order to leave Max the rest to her, which made me cheer like a gambler betting on a horse derby. Another person who makes me gives my hats off to him is none other than the man of the hour, Eddie Munson. At first, I thought he was just some dictator delinquent who coerces his juniors to do his shit but was not actually the case. Eddie is a misunderstood good-natured person who’s actually really fun to be around with, which makes me feel bad for him, he deserves better. I gotta give props to Joseph Quinn for making the character compelling and theatrical to look at and generally just likeable and sometimes comical. Especially when he rocked that guitar in a hellscape environment, that was where the show has peaked for me. RIP Eddie Munson, you will be missed.
As soon as they went for the guitar in the Upside Down, I cringed. Then the scene actually played out and I did a 180, holy crap they actually pulled that off. I am actually pissed at the writers for killing Eddie off, even though it makes plot sense, because I was totally invested in him by the end. Hell outside the the 3rd victim, they did a good job of getting character across with Vecnas victims as well, Chrissy got a lot of focus so her sudden death hit hard, Nancy's little helper boy I was expecting to be a tag along character for a good portion of the show so was surprised when he bought it. I do however think the episodes were way too long and padded out, you essentially had 9 feature film length TV movies strung together.
Yeah, it's kind of a shame that they killed him off though. Dude, deserved to have his name cleared for the murders. And the fact that people were becoming literal monsters themselves by hunting down the Hellfire Club, to extreme measures, felt like a missed opportunity to show that if they could clear the Hellfire Club from any wrong doing, what would happen to the people who literally would be assaulting teens and kids, to the point that they could be arrested for what they did? But maybe season 5 can literally dive into this, once the whole town sees the truth.
@@osmanyousif7849 agreed. A fair redemption arc would have seen his name cleared of any wrongdoing. Instead, we watched him sacrifice his life for very little. I mean, he had no clue as to what his actions achieved, nor did they achieve very much.
The foreshadowing of the D&D game earlier on, and how that tied in to the our heroes last stand was quite brilliant. And yeah, Eddie's character was fantastic. Him and Dustin played off eachother very well. Absolutely loved this season
I REALLY liked the fact that Freddy Kruger himself Robert Englund as Vecna's father. I also love how Hopper picked up Conan's sword to kill the Demogorgon.
It’s a really good season, there are some weird scenes though (like when Lucas and Jason were fighting, and Jason hit Lucas with some glass), and the final episode ending feels like it was sorta rushed, like we haven’t seen hopper/Murray say goodbye to Dimitri and Yuri. The fight scenes were sorta weird, and dragged a little longer. (Like where Vecna explained it was him all along) But the last shot where you see Hawkins getting covered with ash was pretty awesome, and it blends well with the music.I also would like to see what they would do in S5, since they’re doing a time jump.
This was a good season, but i don't like how they treat death in the series. New character appears, he is charismatic and cool guy, he dies like shit. When you notice the pattern, you don't fear for the characters, just the new ones. Eddie evolution was kinda rushed, and Max just survived Vecna 2 times, and, how the hell that portal thing works? It just don't killed Max, but worked to open the portal?
@@jonarbuckle778 Yeah... But surviving Vecna once was already strange. I believe her current condition have something to do with a paranormal thing idk
Did anyone else notice the symbolism of the rainbow room? Half the room had a rainbow with colors in the right order and the other half had a rainbow that was upside down, as if to convey the two different dimensions.
@@philtorrez4198 I'm going to give the benefit of doubt and assume the symbology guy is a fan of the show "The Good Place." But if one could get a PhD in Symbology...I'd have an honorary doctorate by now.
The mind flayer is one of the mystical creatures in the upside down. it's not yet clear whether the mind flayer was doing Henry's bidding or was allowing itself to be used by Henry(probably because it can't function on it's own) to execute it's own plans. I think the show is leaning towards the first one so hopefully season 5 will flesh out the upside down creatures and we can truly understand if Henry was the 5-star general or the Commander-in-Chief. ps: did anybody else notice that the mind flayer's manifest form in season 2 and 3 was essentially an enlarged shadow form of Vecna's killing pose?- an outstretched hand with fingers curled towards his victim. except in the mind flayer's case pointing towards the ground to serve as legs.
I agree. It streamlined the conflict. The story feels very similar now to LOTR with Sauron commanding his army from Mordor. It adds a lot of clarity to the staked
@@TheToxicBishop I'm pretty sure the implication being retconned into S4 is that the mindflayer was just part of the upside down "hivemind" (the smoky particles to be precise) being puppeteered by Vecna. That's why they added that part to his backstory about him being fascinated by spiders. The mindflayer's physical appearance is just a representation of how Vecna views himself, as a spider-like predator. Doesn't really work 100% because the mindflayer clearly wasn't a spider, and it's named after something that has more in common with an octopus lol, but retcons are rarely perfect so I'll cut them some slack. So TL;DR: the mindflayer probably isn't a real thing anymore.
The Mindflayer is the sentient cloud Henry found when exploring the other world. It had no purpose or definite form, and when Henry used his telekinetic abilities, he was able to bend it to his will and have it do his bidding. It animates the demogorgons in our world, thus giving Vecna/Henry a way into our world physically. He gave it the spider-like shape and the gaping mouth.
It’s interesting to hear what the Duffer brothers say about season 3, it’s generally not good and seems like they just want to move on from it. They also said that season 4 had an extra 6 months of writing time due to C-19 and got to flush characters out more.
That's what I like about The Drinker, he's a media professional critic, not a fanboy. When it's fair, under his standards, to give positive recognition, it's done. That's the difference between him and the fanbase of THE MESSAGE™.
What I’ve learned from the creators of stranger things is that they listen to the fans criticisms. Bringing barb to justice in season 2 is a good example. I feel that they took time this season making sure everything was perfect with the plot and characters
I think it also helped the runtime of each episode being over a hour long. This season the showrunners chopped the bush down instead of beating around it.
Too be honest, I wasn’t that interested in starting season 4 because I didn’t like season 3 that much. But I’m glad I did. I can’t wait to see what they will do with Will next season.
I usually fall asleep very quickly in front of the tv, even during good shows and movies, but Stranger Things Season 4 had me up until 2am or 3am each night, burning through those movie length episodes. What a pleasure it was to be engaged in a good story with well written characters.
like he said, a lot was going on. We had 3 exciting story lines going on at the same time and all of em, some better some worse were pretty attention catching and refreshing.
I didn’t love this season but the stuff with Eleven’s past was really well handled and super interesting, definitely an improvement over seasons 2 and 3
It’s interesting how Eleven is essentially the ultimate Mary-Sue, she’s all-powerful and can do almost anything, but Millie Bobbie Brown’s acting talent, and the care in which they develop her character makes all the difference. Her character arc began similarly to other female characters in Hollywood movies today, with her being almost invincible from the start, but she’s also always felt vulnerable and human, so it’s never felt like she’s an avatar for a cultural agenda to laud female strength at the cost of story (except for that one misfire episode in season 2).
I would actually disagree that she's a Mary Sue. Sure she's super powerful and tends to be the ones saving the day. But she has flaws. She's not perfect, she struggles plenty and makes you want to root for her. I agree with all your points though.
I wouldnt call Eleven a Mary Sue as she has to learn to use her abilities and she has her defeats and failures. Remember, she had to re-learn everything she forgot when she banished One to that dimension, and while she has done quite some feats so far, those were done based on instinct, and with an obvious toll to her health(those nosebleeds tell me that in season 5 they'll get worse than ever, possibly with deadly effects). Theres also what happened here in Season 4, she acted on impulse and decided to forfeit her training in order to save her friends, and while they most likely would have died whitow her there, in the end she couldnt save Max and half of Hawkins got destroyed, with a giant portal opening on it.
@@mjc1o196 Not only that, she ISN'T instantly loved by everyone. Eleven is an excellent character as totally fleshed out across all 4 seasons. A little bumpy here and there, sure but on the whole, extremely well executed. Vulnerable, fallible and has/had to actually learn. And clearly wasn't at all perfect as One in his current seat of power is her fault.
@don't be surprised her biggest hurdle is herself and that's why Mike is so important. As someone who plays D&D a charismatic paladin can get a party out of the worst situations
@strangemarkings "Millie Bobby Brown's acting talent" Have you seen those Godzilla movies? She nearly ruined them. So awful...For a child actor, she is mediocre at best.
Hey man, I know you aren’t really one for sappy stuff but I wanted to say your channel has gotten me through some dark times. I’ve been watching you since April, and I was going through one of the toughest periods of my life so far. Watching your videos and going on a constant binge has made that period just a tad more bearable. Keep up the good work man, love ya ❤️
Many of the funniest people, who, to others, seem able to avoid the scars of life’s challenges, actually feel things very deeply. Plus Drinker is a well-published author. My guess is that your note will make his day. 🙂 Good for you for pulling through, and taking the time to say thanks to someone that helped.👍
my only gripe for this season was that they introduced the idea of ‘001’ prematurely. imo, it would’ve been much more effective if Henry hadn’t mentioned there being a 001 to Eleven when they were still at the lab. that way, they audience could gradually deduce that he was the first test subject and have the final reveal be the tattoo on Vecna’s arm
They probably tried and failed to figure a way for the arm tattoo reveal to be a surprise while still moving the story along. The reveal was certainly filmed that way.
I'm sure plenty of others figured it out right away as well, But as soon as he mentioned 001, I knew he was the guy and he would be revealed to have killed everyone in the lab. Also, the flashback where they're playing chess is hilarious to me. So, 001's already been disciplined for helping El. There is a camera watching them play chess, away from everyone else. During the game, El looks flustered, both of them look at the camera shadily, and he very clearly slips her something under the table in full view of the camera. And yet, nothing is done.
you could tell everyone in front of the camera and behind it, was motivated to make a great show. No one was phoning it in; from the producers right down to the key grip.
@@garystinten9339 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_grip the key grip is basically the unsung hero of the show. He makes sure equipment needed is present, sets it up properly to catch the scene correctly, and provides guidance to the other set crew.
@@garystinten9339 you're welcome Gary. Honestly, I didn't know either until I looked it up. I always thought the key grip was just the security locksmith. aka the guy that kept a grip on the keys. :D I learned today he's actually very important to the movie. I'll keep a better eye on them in the credits now.
It’s been a long time since I watched anything that gave me goosebumps, but Max’s escape blew me away. We sat, jaws agape and wide eyed, thrilled to be thrilled.
Hell the scene in the Prison when the Demogorgan was starting to pull the gate back open after Hopper and the guard he was with (Can't remember his name for some reason) escaped literally had me screaming since we'd just seen what this monster could do, let alone with the memories from Season 1
As a huge Kate Bush fan for 40 years, I couldn't be more dumbfounded that the show has put the song at the top of the charts worldwide. I was also disappointed in seasons 2 and 3 and had no plans to watch season 4, until the Kate Bush thing blew up and I felt I had to out of loyalty to her if nothing else. The season isn't perfect but it is so much better than 2 or 3. Spoiler speculation: I think since El and her conflict with 001 was what created the gates, it seems like the only thing that will close the gates for good is the same thing - from the other side. I think it is a no brainer that the end will be El in the Upside Down sacrificing herself to seal off the Upside Down plane from our world, and sealing off herself as well.
That would be such a gut punch, but it would make total sense. Especially when you know that the show was only supposed to be 1 season, and El was allegedly supposed to die sending the Demogorgon back into the Upside Down.
i'm 44 and Kate Bush was never really "THE Female" Singer of the 80's like Madonna ... They just Got her song for the show Cause "80's" Kate Bush was just 1 of 100 other female Singers that sound/look where just CUT AND PASTE at the time...and RUN UP A HILL was just CHEESE Song writeing made to sound DEEP. ..80% of those Songs where just Crap was a Hook you could remember.
I think that what will be also important is whatever the hell Upside Down really is. Its important to remember that Henry did not create it only discover it. And as for his relationship and influence over Mindflayer thats also something which will need more elaboration since he did not creat it itself only influence something which was already there. I am seriously excited because stuff like this uses show potentil to fulles.
Guess I’ll get back into Stranger Things then. I watched like two episodes of season 3 and decided “nah”. So if you think S4 is back on track, I’ll check it out 😮
Eddie made the season perfect, when he hit that open E power chord starting master of puppets i freaked out seeing an actor actually play Metallica on screen with the tone and theme of the song working out, I already knew how to play the opening riff but this made me want to learn the full 9 min song
They really brought it this season! It wasn't flawless or perfect, but damn it felt good to enjoy a show and let it take me for a ride. It's been so long, I'd almost forgotten how fun that could be.
I've found very good the choice to separate the characters in different groups, this "journey" theme underlying it really paid off, it helped to, as you said, transform characters like Lucas and Max, more or less everybody had to face some hurdles about themselves in this season, the writers pushed on character development and some genuine horror, great season!
@@jamescarr8196 agree to disagree! imo i really couldnt care less about the california subgroup with those characters. lots more going on in hawkins. also doesnt help that one of the california kids was giving the worst performance of his life.
@@omarsaletovicprins9632 actually I agree lol I didn’t enjoy the california plot. I don’t think it meshed well with the three other plots which were thrilling to say the least.
This was quite a rebirth, really. Glad they came back around. Talking about good shows, I am watching Terminal List and I am liking it a lot... Definitely would recomend it, no space for "the message", nice action, nice story. Not too bad, really.
Terminal List is a show, where you have to buy an OLED tv, move into a cave without light-sources and put the brightness and contrast to 11 to barely see something.
Imagine game of thrones having this level of writting, character arcs and conclusions. Been a while since I watched a hole season of a show non stop. Hats off to the writters and directors, just awesome. Although, I hate that they killed my favourite character.
Game of Thrones had all that stuff at a much higher level for a minimum of four seasons. Five is where the show started falling apart for me, but the writing of that season is pretty much on point with Stranger Things.
@@jamescarr1265Agree, I also really liked season 7, it was finally good again. However I lost these feelings after S8, the ending is just unfortunate, its a pity
Eddie's guitar scene is absolutely awesome. Really wish they didn't spoil part of it in the trailer because I was anticipating it, but it was a great scene.
@@arkadiuszkawak6379 Well when you haven't had a new season for 3 years... I'm betting 99% of this year's viewers watched the trailer. Just wished key plot points weren't spoiled. It wasn't major, but it was my favorite scene visually.
@@arkadiuszkawak6379 Yep I watch at maximum one trailer for something but if it's a TV show I'm already invested in stay the hell away. Dodging spoilers on the internet is already hard enough nevermind when studios show you all the good bits in the damn trailers. Or worse yet completely misrepresent what the show/movie is going to be like. I'm still salty about how good Age of Ultron looked in the first trailer.
I agree, this was by far the best season since the first, I actually put off watching season 4 for a good month or so because I was dreading that this season would put the nail in the stranger things coffin. I was extremely surprised to find that despite some of the episodes being like 2 fucking hours long it was gripping and interesting and held my notoriously short attention span with ease.
I loved how Max admitted how she prayed that something happened to his brother after all the abusing, and that she felt guilty after his death. But I didn't like how she was resurrected, from now on Eleven can just resurrect anyone that dies, very stupid choice.
I mean, Max was only alive in the sense that her heart was beating (not impossible to imagine someone with telekinesis could restart) but her mind was empty. She was basically a dead body with a beating heart, I don't think its going to be as simple as 'she's alive now'. That being said, yeah, I really hope they have proper plans for Max that has her actually die again in the end. As much as I liked her character in S4 I also don't want El to just be able to resurrect people, and the only way that won't happen is if Max dies properly.
@@TuffMelon they can’t kill her or Hopper off. It won’t be as genuine or whatever. Here’s what they should do with her. Give her some kind of powers, keep her blind. Will should also develop powers but have him become the host of Vecna. Then have Will or Jon kill him. Steve needs to become a fucking badass, and a real one. Don’t have others save him constantly, or kill him off. Give him a girlfriend and a potential happy future but have him sacrifice it to save the kids. I’m honestly over Nancy, she’s got a gun. Cool I guess and I know she’s had growth but idc. Stop introducing characters just to kill them off. I literally didn’t care that Eddie died because I knew they were going to. Why have him run out? Why have Hopper and his group leave the base? They should’ve had them escape into the upside down early on and survive their to show up in time to save Eddie. Keep all the characters alive to kill them off in season 5.
@@TuffMelon We all know that this is just a set up for her to resurrect, otherwise what was the whole point. They don't have the courage to kill off a main character.
Eddie was brilliant. His death was reminiscent of the death of Boromir. I thought there wasn't going to be another season though. I think they probably should have ended it this season but if season 5 is as good as season 4 I will tune in! It's nice to see a "diverse and inclusive" cast presented as normal sympathetic people and not as political mouthpieces. Most of all, it's nice, and refreshing, to watch something where I'm not told "white man bad" every other scene.
It's been a while since I've seen a video of yours that hasn't included 'THE MESSAGE' which in itself was a reason I loved this season of Stranger Things. It kept me at the edge of my seat and I felt something akin to emotion during some of the ending scenes. A rare feat for storytelling to do that to me these days I can say.
There is a message, but not shoved in and lectured to us ,viewers... It's just there and not getting into the story to ruin the fun we all looking for an entertainment.
@@christianbjorck816 in their defense though being a closeted teen in the 80's sounds fucking terrifying, i wasnt around for it but ive always felt the 80's was when that shift in regards to that topic became more mainstream and think it was a good way to show how far we've come as a society in that regard
This series has, in my opinion, always had a great balance between comedy and horror/tension. I found this season completely amped up both aspects to the point where the horror and dread were way more impactful because the lighter parts were so well done, and vice versa
If it was outstanding, why did he die? What was gained from it? He's still considered to be a murderer with little chance of his name being cleared. They ruined his arc and I didn't even like him.
@@lukemclellan2141 He was a good relatable character to some of us, not sure what you want. If you didn't care for him that's your issue, plenty of other characters for you to relate to.
@@gator7082 I'm sure he might be relatable to many viewers. This doesn't mean that my opinion of him is in any way a reflection of them. Your comment has hints of taking it personally. It's just a TV character!
@@lessalazar9068 the writing really did the character dirty. If only he had played a more prominent role in the defeat of vecna he could have redeemed himself and avenged crissy's death simultaneously.
I was so upset over season 3, that I actually swore off the show. I was happily amazed that they made me love it again. So glad you are enjoying it too. There were a few plot and pacing issues but, man, overall that was so satisfying. They took everything I couldn't stand about 3 and made it work, and even sing.
Eddie's short relationship with Chrissy I thought has pretty good chemistry. Almost wanted them to get together, if not for there being too many characters. I think I always thought Max was the most interesting of the child characters, except perhaps Dustin. But I agree this improved things. I couldn't stop thinking that all the storylines outside of Hawkins were sort of filler though. I mostly only cared about the central mystery.
@@samfilmkid My main and huge issue should’ve been to kill Jason off WAYYY earlier. Any scene he was on screen with his “socials” and constantly still on his bloodlust vengeance… I cringed…
@@cloudshines812 he was the most one dimensional character of the whole series. I was disappointed that they never expanded on the character other than torch and pitchfork ringleader.
Yeah I was shocked how true and genuine it was when watching it again. They went cold turkey and came back rehabilitated. The struggle they go through feels real and palpable. I am so glad the story, character development, plotlines feel more balanced.
I haven’t finished volume 2 but S4 was shockingly good. It’s nice to see the Duffer Brothers rebound. It’s like they learned from the lessons of season three while also making that material stronger. Also this show is gorgeous. Unlike Kenobi which looked cheap and second rate.
Kenobi was such a massive disappointment to me. I'm really bummed out by it because McGregor was perfectly cast imo and I thought he got a bit screwed over by the reception of the Prequels and wanted him to be able to break out of the shadow the Prequels cast on his portrayal of the character
Season 4 reminded me that's shows can still have amazing writing and blow you away. I wish there were more shows as good as this. I liked season 2 and especially season 3, but there have been some really good improvements this time around. Overall its never been anywhere near the levels of bad most tv shows get to, and I'd credit that to the duffer brothers working out all the main plot points in advance before season one was even in production. Most shows have a vague idea of where they are going and then just write season to season, leading to plot holes and a decrease in quality. Working everything out ahead of time and then making adjustments with your audience in mind is the way to go.
For me there's only two characters that made the season 4 interesting, and its not el, nancy or harper. Its vecna/Henry/one and max, their development and own story plot and how it connects to the main plot is quite great. It keeps you want to know more about them while watching.
Yes. The actor for One was able to cause my perception of him to change. Very seldom can an actor fool me on the emotional level. When I'm watching most any show, I can tell when an actor knows that they're the bad guy to be revealed. There's something in the performance I can't put my finger on but it's almost like the actor (when playing the fake good-guy) possesses too much self assurance and confidence which stands out among all other potential antagonists. Henry's performance, in the beginning, genuinely didn't appear to be someone with powers. He had that air of an orderly -- like someone who was working a menial job who had seen patients come and go. Then he seemed like a human captive. TBH though, I probably overlooked his potential as an antagonist because S2 and S3 were so crap that I didn't anticipate any depth to any characters. That actor is going to go places. He has a screen presence -- that "it" factor. He also has a distinctive look. He simultaneously conveys empathy and menace. He seems to genuinely care about Eleven -- though he won't allow her to thwart his goals. Some actors never seem to embody the role -- as if their ego gets in the way. After watching an Indy move last night, it was so clear how the actor and their direction makes all the difference. The movie's premise was very good. The locations were good -- as were the props. The actors looked like proper actors and they seemed to have ability, but it was almost like the director wasn't able to paint an emotional picture for the actors from scene-to-scene. They felt untethered to genuine human reactions -- like the director was giving them line readings rather than painting an emotional picture and allowing the actors to connect to the moment. That Indy movie also needed 30 minutes cut from it. A 2hr Indy movie is a silly indulgence and nobody with the inexperience of all involved can pull off a 2hr movie and have it not feel like a self-indulgent slog of mostly useless blather. The plot of the movie didn't require 2hrs. It's like watching those Twilight Zone episodes from way back when they briefly changed from the 30 min format to the 1hr format. They just seemed filled with fluff and it pulled the teeth out of the twist reveals. They went back to the 30 min format shortly thereafter. Rarely can a movie be entertaining for a full 2 hrs. It requires expertise in every filmmaking discipline. As for Stranger Things, every episode left me with a desire to see more. To be sure, I fast forwarded a lot of the useless fluff (usually about 10 mins per episode) but all-in-all I was pleased. Too many shows come to a grinding halt when the main characters are naval gazing about inter-personal issues. Here's an idea: why don't you "show, don't tell"? Teen angst only works in John Hughes movies -- and nobody alive (that I've seen) is at John Hughes' level. Nobody today writes teen angst sympathetically -- it always seems like the ramblings of self absorbed narcissists.
@Miguel Silva nah, Brenner and el is basically the main plot of the series so obviously their development is the main focal point of everything. Max is basically a bystander who got involved and vecna is basically a side character in the grand scheme of things. And both just got drag by the main plot, you may think vecna as the main villain but no cause to me its el vs the upside down and Brenner vs his ego. But max and vecna had a better laid out sub storyline than the main protagonist plot.
The actor who played Vecna / Henry / One named is Jamie Campbell Bower and just like Robert Pattinson, he was at Twilight movies only later took years to develop himself to be a serious actor.
Great review. I just gotta say that the Ride the lightning scene with Eddie and his guitar was one of the best I have seen in anything in a long time. They brought out the emerging hard rock scene in 1986 perfectly. I kinda wish they kept Eddie and bumped off 2-3 of the older stale characters.
Endless teases; overlong monologues prophesising doom; consequence free set pieces; every main character draped in plot armour. All packed into just a hasty 10+ hours. Absolute shite.
I love every season in its own way, the monster/baddie is much more menacing than I’ve come to expect from anything remotely horror related in recent years. From OG Gorgon being a good starter, to the evolution of the demadogs, the creep factor of the Mind Flayer and how truly gross and disturbing it was both physically and in its actions, and now Vecna being both a horrible monster and a broken sick human-like character that really shows how the show has evolved overall. The monsters, characters, stories, and even the soundtrack getting better, smarter, and deeper each time. The finale literally took my breath away more than once. Can I also add that I really appreciate how they wrote the queer characters smartly and subtly with respect to the decade? I really felt like they weren’t tokenized and felt legit in their personal struggles in wanting love but having almost no way to freely express that back in the 80s. Much less in high school. Oof. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
I also liked it. Eddie was such a great character and that Master of Puppets scene was EPIC. There were a lot of emotional but not sappy moments which made it better too, like Mike pouring his heart to Mike by using El as a methapor, Dustin taking to Eddie's uncle, Lucas and Max...Vecna is a great evil too. Looking forward at how they end the series
Eddie stole the show with limited screen time, just like Allan Rickman did in both Robin Hood and Die hard. I watch this young man's career with much anticipation.
The Master of Puppets scene WAS fun, but I couldn't help thinking: who's drums and bass and who's singing? It's always weird to mix intra- and extra-diegetic music in that way.
Eddie was a great character, and I think they're going to regret killing him off so soon. Maybe he wouldn't have been quite as compelling if he hadn't died though. I mean, his story arc was that he overcame his fear and became a hero. Would it have had the same impact if he hadn't died doing it?
@@richardlarson9459 Yeah, I think it was a mistake to kill off Eddie. Maybe the Duffer Bros didn't anticipate how popular he would become. Instead they should have killed off Max and at least one of the OG cast.
You can tell a lot by Drinker's closing go away now. You can tell if he genuinly likes something, the last time I heard him to this extent was in his Invincible review I think. But this whole video is proof that if given the oppurtunity the Drinker will happily eat his words if X turns out to be good.
I agree with pretty much everything you said. I just can't get past the major retcons. They bother me too much. Eleven's new history not fitting her character we've come to know (although to be fair, the way she was in season 3 strained credulity as well), bloated episode times, the way the Upside Down works altered a lot now, and the biggest sin (in my opinion)-taking what was an unknown, inhuman threat and making it a typical human villain with a villain monologue and generic destroy the world motive. It's kind of embarrassing. Because almost everything else around that reveal is really good, it's easy to ignore that embarrassment of it making zero sense outside this particular season. I know I'm trying. XD It's too bad it took rewriting their entire backstory and universe rules in a fourth season to get them back on track to being a decent show. I think they could have got there without doing that. Oh well.
RUclips disabled comments on this video. No idea why, but they should be back now.
Was worried for a sec
Why? DON'T KNOW.
Watch Severance, Drinker!
SCOOOOOOOOOTTLLLAAAAAAAAAAANND
Ah typical RUclips. If I had a dollar for every time they screwed up, I'd have enough money to buy an army powerful enough to take on the US army. Or kill it considering the pathetic state it's in.
Wow, imagine showrunners actually fixing something that didn't work instead of blaming toxic fandoms. Huge props for that.
I didn't see any kowtowing to the woke mob. Even the over-privileged white kid on the basketball team didn't send THE MESSAGE. His character was perfectly in keeping with nearly every other 80's movie where some over-privileged white guy needed to be taken down.
And they didn't OP 11 either. She got her powers back but she had to earn every fraction of an inch along the way. Nothing was given to her for free.
Literally, imagine they acted like Neil druckmann lol
Its why Disney+ never gave second seasons to any of their shows, except for Mando and Loki (for some reason)
Lol. The pendulum always swings back. Now those woke idiots will think these good shows are racist and bigoted. It’s their turn to suffer haha
Did you talk about disney? Haha
I think the scene with the fighting "FBI Agent" doesn´t nearly get enough credit.
You have this guy on observation, a little chubby, sleeping like a dad sitting on the couch, but when the shit hits the fan he is extremely capable and manages to protect the cast while still suffering greatly in the pursuit of his duty. he could have easily been comic relief, but was made an interessting character that didn´t nearly get enough screen time. His kickass demeaner also made perfect sense, as he is a special agent, trained and put on this particular job, for his skills.
For me it was the moment, that made me deeply invested into the season again.
That man fought off an entire platoon with just a pistol while protecting them at the same time. Badass.
Agreed.
This was very cool and didn't go unnoticed
Yes!
The problem with that scene is that it was entirely unbelievable, for multiple reasons.
What I also love about this season is that they respect their monsters. When hopper and the russian guy were talking about how they were gonna kill the Demogorgon, I was kinda disappointed. In season 1 he was a menace, mowing down armed men like they were slugs with no shells, but now two men with a lighter are gonna kill it?
But nope, the fight went wrong immediately, and hopper and the russian guy barely managed to escape using the fire.
The show respects its villains and makes them actually intimidating. They make the heroes actually feel like they're the underdogs.
Now that's good writing.
Seriously, that demogorgon was terrifying. It’s not just the writing but the amazing sound design and camerawork
The fuck you on about. They ruined it at the end. The monster that 4 man emptying their AK 47 or whatever the fuck couldn't even harm, got sliced with a sword.
Agreed. The show kept the demogorgon's weakness to fire consistent, but didn't pretend that it's suddenly super-lethal to them. Hopper's fight against the demogorgon at the end was great, too. I'll admit it doesn't make any sense why bullets don't work on those things but a sword does, but it was such a badass and well-shot scene (and went along perfectly with the rest of the episode's climax) that I didn't mind the monster's sudden vulnerability to physical wounds.
@@Disgruntled_Dave Yes. And we can't really say that they made the Demogorgon weaker than he was at season 1, because Steve had a similar fight against the Demogorgon after Jonathan and Nancy hurt it with the fire. The series stayed consistent with it.
@@Disgruntled_Dave the demogorgon was probably weaker because all the demodogs were set on fire
I think what also helped is now that the actors and the characters are older, it allowed the writers to tell a more mature story.
My thoughts exactly.
true
real this season was very grown-up and graphic.
Just binged the series over the weekend. The last episode where Dustin was talking to Eddie's uncle had me tearing up. That's how well Eddie was handled.
That bit crushed me. Props to Gaten Matarazzo for leveling up in terms of his acting ability.
true
I was crying in an uber
I also cried for that scene
Sorry to be the one to say this, but Eddie wasn’t handled well at all. Here’s why: the plan was to lure those bat creatures away from the house, right? Great idea. So Dustin and Eddie fortify this trailer (where did they get electricity and screws in the Upside Down, by the way?). Still a solid plan. Things go awry, the creatures get in, the two get split up, and Eddie (smartly) decides to continue luring the creatures away by hopping on a bike, which can somehow pedal faster than thousands of fast-flying bat creatures. Weird…but okay.
So, to recap, the plan was to have these two lure these creatures away from the house and to not deviate from the plan. Essentially, the plan called for Eddie to keep running while these things chased after him. So, the natural thing to have him do is…stop having them chase him and make an unnecessary sacrifice??? Like, he knew he was going to die by doing this, but what did he think was going to happen after they killed him? Did he think they were just going to give up protecting Vecna and find a diner somewhere to sit down for French fries? They turned Eddie’s act of bravery into the actions of a moron.
I imagine a better scenario:
Eddie hops on a bike, knowing that if he keeps sheltering in the trailer, the creatures might cross through the portal and into the real world, where Dustin and the rest of Hawkins- a town filled with people who want him dead because they never took the time to understand him- will die. He pedals that bike harder than he’s ever pedaled before, barely creating a distance between him and the creatures. But he doesn’t look back. He knows if he looks back he will lose all his will to push forward, like he has his entire life. So he keeps pedaling and pedaling and pedaling. He pedals until his legs are filled with what feels like battery acid, then he pedals more. “How far have I gone,” he thinks. “A mile? Two miles? Ten?!?” He hears the creatures still on his tail. “You’ve been a runner all your life, man,” he says out loud. “I was born for this!” Realizing his purpose invigorates him and gives him the strength to keep going. To keep Dustin safe. To keep Steve and the mission safe. To keep Hawkins safe. He glances back to see how far by he’s gone. He can’t even make the trailer out in the far, far distance anymore. It’s working. His plan is working! He’s lured them out so far that even if these ugly bastards did turn back, it would take them forever to reach Steve and the gang. He turns to face the open landscape ahead of him once again and pushes forward. Out of nowhere, he feels something bite at his shoulder, then another bite on his back. “Shit, these things bite hard,” he thinks to himself. Another bite, and another bite. He realizes that he must have been slowing down and the creatures finally caught up. The biting becomes relentless. But he pushes forward. He pushes forward until he can’t anymore. He falls off the bike, tumbles and ends up on his back, facing up at a sky full of these damn flying bat creatures. As they descend down onto him, through bloodied teeth, Eddie proudly and defiantly exclaims “a runner till the end, morherfu…” His final words get muffled by the sounds of the creatures feasting on his flesh. Eddie spent his life running from responsibility. It was always seen as a flaw by others. But, it wasn’t a flaw. In the end it’s what made him a hero.
The way Nancy’s character went from helpless school girl to investigative journalist to bad ass monster slayer is really a masterclass in a slowbuild character development done right. Also Steve’s character arc going from highschool jock to young man with an identity crisis to selfproclaimed protector of the younger kids feels really satisfying in a redeeming way for his character
Also the sly acknowledgement of his meme status with 'ALWAYS THE FUCKIN BABYSITTER'
Steve started out totally unlikeable, but was built up gradually to become a great character, not by eliminating all his flaws, but by showing him growing.
I really think it is weird though that it seems like no one can seem to help the Nancy actress with her obvious anorexia or drug addiction or whatever it is that has given her a physical condition fit for Buchenwald. I wish in 2022 we had how to deal with people afflicted by this sorted out. I genuinely fear for her safety, at least as much as one can for a total stranger
@@Irys1997 Unfortunately, having the camera on them is really bad for people with a condition like that. It puts pressure on them. She needs to take a few years in private with people who care about her as more than a paycheck.
We rewatched S1 to remind ourselves of some background in preparation for S4 Vol 2 and holy shit is Nancy a completely different person back then. Same with Steve. But they changed as a reaction to their experiences and that’s exactly how you develop a character.
Eddie was like a mini-Robert Downey JR. Coolest ending with Master of Puppets solo🤘
YES!!! I totally didn't notice the similarity until the last scene - then I was like "holy sh!t". :)
He does look like a young RDJ! I thought it too. I'm not mental. What a relief.
Yesss totally Robert D Jr I kept saying that!!
Aha, or Keith Richards/Jack Sparrow kind of a guy. Great character!
He reminded me of Heath Ledger with the hair.
It might actually be one of those rare instances where the pandemic HELPED the writers in letting them take time off from constant production to perfect their formula. They had clearer ideas for everything and it showed. I also thought the addition of Eddie was gonna be a problem at the start, but he ended up being my favorite character of the season! Kudos to the writers for Murray as well, using his paranoia and sarcasm at exactly the right moments in every scene he was in provided a nice balance that didn't distract from anything. Brilliantly done by them.
What was great about Murray that they subverted expectation with karate. We thought he will get rekt for laughs like everybody who ever claim to be karate master only to kick some serious ass.
I agree. I was annoyed that they brought Murray back but he ended up being one of the best characters! He was so perfectly utilized
Yea...the Hollywood machine has plenty of talented writers but they over work them and thats one of the main reasons, other than The Message, we havent had a lot of good stuff lately. After the Golden Age of TV in the early 2010's it slowly got worse with sequals, knockoffs, and spinoffs trying to churn these money cows. TBF there have always been spinoffs and knockoffs but it was few and far between and they usually did well. Nowadays if there is a remotely successful action movie or comedy..the premise, material, setting, jokes, and characters are beaten to fuckin death for every last little spark of creativity left. Its idiotic and full of short term thinking executive dweebs.
the comedic moments with Murray in this season were fantastic. i laughed for like 5 minutes straight when he said "still have no idea who he is" in response to Jonathan's friend, the way he delivered that line and the realism of the situation is just flawless. such a wonderful comeback season from the disaster that was season 3
Yeah i thought Murray was going to get annoying again this season really quick. Not to mention I can’t stand Brett Gelman in real life and his cringe virtue signaling and politics but Murray was actually likable enough and they used him sparingly enough where it wasn’t annoying
Arguably the most inspired rebound in television, yet. It was such a refreshing watch after we've been let down so many times by other properties these past few years. It just goes to show that taking the time to put everything together can actually make a big difference.
Seriously, I'd rather seasons be delayed than rushed out and ultimately unsatisfying.
It's competent.
Still less good than season 1 and actually cheapens it.
They are worse things around but still doesn't really have a reason to exist except feeding Netflix's bottomless content pit...
@@here_be_dragons9184 Agreed.
at least it wasnt a bloodbath in the end, The creators said hey where gonna kill of loads of carachters.
The Boys is right up there as well. After a poor season 2 this season has been amazing so far
I enjoyed the Robert Englund Cameo and the obvious homage to Freddy this season pulled off nicely
Yes you can tell the show runners are big fans of Nightmare on Elm Street
Homage or shameless rip off because they couldn't come up with anything better ? Felt a bit like the latter, to me.
The actor who played Vecna would be a very interesting Freddy Krueger in a reboot.
@@soma78 go away now
@@soma78 cant be shameless when freddy krüger himself begged to be in it and you should google what a rip off is
Something that helps the show a lot is that the actors were really delivering hard, the final episode was made so much better because of the emotions of everyone great season
Except robin. She was a cool character in the last season but now she’s a massive doofus!? She seems to have aged a few years also and doesn’t looks the cute, quirky girl she was🤷🏾♂️
Dim Wit probably cuz she’s 18 now and we know you don’t like that
@@ACLA23 she’s 24🤦🏽♂ you dimwit. Whatever point you were trying to make, that was one hell of a swing and a miss there ffs.
They were all taking it seriously, that probably means the director wanted it to be that way instead of all that self-aware bullshit humour we see too much.
Yea they ain't bad, I especially have always liked the blubbery slobbery kid whose hair ends up becoming cool in season 1. Or was it season 2? well you get what I mean. The one that finds the critter in the trash can.
Eddie Munson is one of the BEST written and acted characters I have ever seen and he actually has a beginning and end. 10/10 writing this season.
British actors what more can you say
Great character, but saying he's the best you've ever seen. Expand your horizons ... lol
@@alcovitch “one of” can you read?
@@alcovitch right! Some serious hyperbole there.
Eddie had such a good arc. I wonder if he followed Dustin through he would've made it. I guess he assumed the bats would try to kill Steve Nancy and Robin at the house. Or they would've followed them.
80s metalhead stereotype could’ve easily been cheesed, but Eddie, his personality and look, absolutely nailed it. He felt completely authentic. I’m pretty pissed they killed him but they knew his death would hit us in our cold black hearts.
But see this is the problem with the show overall. They kill off new characters added that season but NEVER kill of the original characters from the 1st season.
@@roboninja3194 the actual problem is that they don’t kill off Erica.
I too, am pretty pissed at Eddie's death. I was not sad or moved emotionally, I kept on thinking how stupid of a decision it was to kill him off! I'm not even sure his sacrifice was logical except for an argument about the bat things chasing Dustin back into the real world or something. To me, it just seemed like the show wanted Eddie to have a "I will not run anymore" arc completion for his character.
I am going to hold onto the thought Eddie somehow survived enough to retreat somewhere in the Upside Down to recuperate before the events of season 5 (whenever that gets released) and the gang finds a badly injured Eddie at some point. I know that sounds stupid but Eddie had one of the best character introduction episodes in the entire series and it would be a sin to waste that acting potential of Joseph Quinn playing him!
@@freakazoid4691 No, the problem is they didn't kill off Nancy and/or Jonathon.
They should have kept Max dead, and left a badly injured Eddie in the upside down to be discovered in Season 5.
Eddie was a great addition, I wished they’d kept him around for season 5. His Metallica scene is going to be iconic
At first I thought I'd dislike him but he grew on me fast
The Metallica scene might just be THE most iconic scene in the show, IMO. Had my adrenaline on full blast.
Well rumours has it that the writers have accidentally confirmed he isn't dead....
@@loganwelty7094 Agree, I thought I'm levitating off the coach. Epic!
I love how after that happened Eddie and Dustin shared a moment saying "that was so metal"
Eddie is the best character they have ever brought in for the show. Loved him so much. Not to mention there is now an actual good representation of a metalhead in media.
Him going full metal in the upside down on top of the trailer was..... 🙌🎸
I know Eddie won my heart from the beginning. By the end I was crushed when Dustin was talking to Eddie's Uncle.
Eddie is the gaming stoner metal head musicians I grew up, partied and gamed with. Mad props to not just the actor and writers but the casting person who hired him.
Very true, imagine the hardships of being a metal head in the 80s where this sound was completely alien to the mainstream. We talk about it now like how it would have been funny and such, but im sure the propaganda the media managed to brainwash suburban families through the TV made their lives extremely difficult
And Eddie was the perfect name too.
I completely agree. I'm a big fan of the show again after watching season 4. Those who are in charge of other franchises which have fallen from grace, take note. It's possible to pull fans back, even stronger than before, with good writing, storytelling, and interesting characters.
It's all about the characters.
Only problems are that Brenner probably should’ve stayed dead but was still intimidating, some main characters should’ve just died, and I guess hopper came back but paid off. Everything else (mainly Vecna) was awesome
Who would have thought people like good writing, storytelling and interesting characters.
@@Dookieman1975 Yea, when I saw where they Dre going it’s Max, I kind of got pussed that they pulled such a ballsy move then just pulled back essentially. After her bones cracked and eyes were lost, I was like “shit, ok, they actually went there” then of course ele just says “no”.
There were some parts I enjoyed in this season and others I didn’t, but it definitely was better than the last couple seasons and may get me back for the 5th, just after rewatching something like the wire and Soprano’s, I probably wasn’t in a fair place to rate this anywhere other than slightly above average.
The acting was pretty great, but the writing had bad lines and I didn’t care about the drama going on outside of the actual action, plus I think we all knew who was going to actually die this season and who’s be fine, which killed some of the tension. The most annoying scene/plot line was the popular jock guys, it felt so ultimately inconsequential and to be rewarded with dialogue like “I used to want to be popular, like you, but no I see you’re just a Psycopath” Like give me a break, we get it, popular kid = bad in stranger things, only the nerds and LBGTQ members are smart and good. It plus off an 80’s aesthetic, but it still feels like “take that, my high school bullies!” Boring and unnecessary, and it just made the final scene kind of ridiculous.
@@Dookieman1975 Disagree Brenners arc was one of the best this season. He got so many layers. Not to mention that now his survival can be explained by Henry letting him live given how stunnef he was when ileven told him Papa dief
As a Russian language native speaker I can say that I admire how much work they put into making so many characters speak Russian. It’s not perfect at times but still the fact that they chose to pay so much attention to this detail makes me appreciate the show even more. The "faceless man " actor was the best, I can only imagine how much time he spent cramming the lines but it was so bloody perfect. Loved this season!
How would you rate the quality of the Russian spoken by the actors? Being from Brazil whenever movies or series show a “Brazilian” person I can barely identify the words.
@@mikepants3736 as i said it was a bit inconsistent, some were better than others and sometimes I had to rewind and read the English translation but overall I was very impressed. And some lines were harder to deliver than others but they had to say it exactly that way to preserve the meaning of the dialog.
@@ianstrom4365 well, I could understand contrabandista, which is the same in Portuguese 😅
NA ZDOROVYE
@@mikepants3736 and in Spanish
this was definitely Max's season for me. Really liked her performance and cared for the character.
Coming from someone who’s always disliked her character, they definitely redeemed her this season.
@@psychomoth06 Dropping the toxic feminist attidude was a huge part of that.
Shame the actress is woke!
@@harleyhartley3168 why you gotta ruin it for me? lol. seems a lot are..
@@harleyhartley3168 it's ironic that her character was giving off MRAs vibes in season 4.
I think the reason why maxine became a much better character in se4 is because she actually shows a vulnerable side: In the past 2 seasons she was stoick, sassy, and tough all the time, as if her abusive brother did not affect her at all (we gotta see the result of a toxic relationship on a person for us to care about them), but in se4, max is depressed, traumatized, and guilt-ridden, her previous tough and sassy persona vanished, and we get to see her vulnerable side; allowing us audience to relate to her in a way we never got to before.
You see that vulnerable side briefly in season 2 when she's talking with Lucas during the stakeout for Dart. It really seemed like they had a good place for her to become more tolerable, but then season 3 rolls around and practically hits a reset button for her, making 2 consecutive seasons of her being annoying
The acting this season was so good. The scene where Gaten tells Eddie’s uncle about his passing had me in tears. Sadie screaming that she can’t see or feel and wasn’t ready to die, Caleb’s voice breaking as he begs for help from Erica- had me heartbroken. The performances were outstanding and emotional. The plot itself was great but the delivery of the story is what made this season awesome for me
I disagree, In my opinion a lot of the characters lost their charm and some of the acting (particularly Noah Schnapp's) was at times quite mediocre, I would go as far to say bad at some points. Each to their own I guess though
@@josephf.27 each to their own I think Millie and Sadie were amazinh not mention Jamie Campbell that guy went from nice older brother to total psychopath so naturally he was almost more scary in his human form than hid Vecna form
@@josephf.27 Some of the acting (and characterizations) got worse: the Will, Mike, Jonathan & Argyle group. But some acting (and characterizations) got better: Dustin stealing the show, Steve getting his mojo back, Max & Lucas improving, Hopper no longer being a ridiculously over-the-top character. The main plot lines in Hawkins, and El’s plot, were handled well, and the California & Russia characters were rightly sidelined to keep the most annoying characters out of the way (despite being overly long)
@@josephf.27 I think Noah was written into a corner particularly. His character did not have anything to do. There wasn’t much for the guy to work with acting wise.
Gaten is one of the most charismatic characters on the show, and I still think the actor who played Eddie’s uncle stole the scene where Dustin reveals to him that Eddie is dead. I wasn’t nearly as upset to see Eddie die than I was when we see Eddie’s uncle find out.
And personally, I still did not like a lot of max’s scenes. I feel like when she was initially going to die in the graveyard, I didn’t really care. Even when she was getting all her bones broken in the trance, I felt shock but I didn’t feel particularally upset over losing that character. It was specifically Sadie’s performance of her blind and scared and her pitiful pleas that made me care about her character for the first time.
@@Apopcyp Yeah I resonate with that a lot to be fair, pretty much exactly how you felt with the deaths was the same with me, although I didn’t really care enough I still felt somewhat attached to the characters, sort of inevitable after 9 long-ass episodes though
Eddie shredding guitar in the upside-down is one of the most LEGENDARY moments ever.
THIS…IS…MUSIC!!!
But then he died in a fucked way. Felt he should have just keep the bats busy till they won or stopped Vecna. He has a bike he didn’t need to get off it.
@@WanderOnward I like to think, if he went through the portal in the mobil home the bats would have chased both of them in the "real world". He ran solo for Dustin. That's the way I'm thinking of it. Like a HERO!
It's straight off of an 80s metal album cover or something.
Adam Wingard said he wanted the Hong Kong battle between Godzilla and Kong to look like "they were fighting on a synthwave album cover" and he pulled it off.
It is very cool to see relatively "new" filmmakers coming into material with takes and visions and creative goals...and using the narrative to accomplish those strong visual goals.
My favorite scene in the whole series. Eddie the Fucking Legend
I found this to be the case too. Season 1 was swimming. Season 2 was treading water. Season 3 was drowning. Season 4 is rescued from the jaws of a shark. I really love Eddie Munsen, I think he's a fantastic character and perfectly cast.
He just felt like someone who came form the 90s than the 80s would been my only complaint with him. A small town in IN likely never would have a strong enough metal scene for him to be that deep in it at that time. (Masters of Puppets came out like 2 weeks earlier in universe.) I knew tons of guys like Eddie in High school, but barely anyone in the 80s was that into metal. Especially not in the middle of no where when you likely wouldn't have heard of stuff till years later when it was in proper circulation. Stuff didn't move that fast back then.
@@Lastjustice they had a mall with shops and modern stuff, but Eddie is an outcast remember
@@Lastjustice he absolutely does not feel out of the 90’s. 90’s were all about grunge
@@Lastjustice Heavy Metal was born in the 60s and started to bloom in the 70s? Especially in the UK.
@@Lastjustice As a son of a hippy father born in 58', you couldn't be more wrong. Led zeppelin, deep purple, black Sabbath, etc... and those weren't even niche at all...
Let's give a little credit to Steve The Hair Harrington. He has gone from bully to true hero. The conversations between Steve and Dustin in every season are always some the best moments of the show. RIP Eddie.
tbh I'd take a whole season of Steve The Hair Harrington driving a caravan and talking about his weird dreams.
I love Steve's evolution throughout the show. I thought for sure he's get killed off early in Season 2, as I didn't think there was anymore story left for his character. Glad I was wrong! Teaming him and Dustin up was a stroke of genius!
Steve has never been a bully though. Him smashing Jonathans camera was absolutely justified and you'd probably do the same if you saw how a weird guy took pictures of you while you had sex with your girlfriend.
@@VHS_NEON Agreed. He always struck me as an insecure guy with too much "big balls" energy for himself to handle...You know, a typical teenager. An a§§hole not because he was malicious, but because he didn't know any better most of the time. But he quickly showed his true colours when interacting with Dustin and getting pulled into all the weird crap. A geuinely good guy, but too stupid to make use of it fully. Much like Harper, come to think of it.
And his interactions with Jonathan really developed both their characters at the same time greatly.
he's the only important character to me
I was really hoping that Netflix had the balls to go full apocalypse with the tear ripping the ground open, at first I thought they somehow closed it by saving Max, then I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t close
Max's heart stopped for 1 minute so technically she did die, becoming the fourth death.
@@hunterhunter5906 i wish they kept her dead, not because i hated her, just because killing a main character would be a nice change of pace for western media. As they dont do it often
@@hunterhunter5906 I also have a feeling that she will at the very least be very messed up after this and she might actually be gone and just a vessel for Vecna/001.
@@XavierLignieres I hope so. I thought it was lame that she escaped the first time she encountered him. He could have killed her 500 times in all the time he monologued. It was so annoying and more so disappointing that the writers weren't more brave to kill off major characters.
@@mihmo2663 I got the impression that Vecna has to wear down his victims to a certain level of despair before he can kill them. That’s why Chrissy suffered so much. And Max is a tough girl so he is really having to work to tear her down. I could be reading too much in it. But, anyway, that’s why I thought Vecna did not kill all of his victims immediately.
They killed it with season 4, in a good way. Initially, I felt like I was gonna have to go through the motions of, "well, Stranger Things Season 4 is here. Let me just mindlessly put it on in the background and then multi-task some shit on the computer". But no, it totally kept my attention. I'm pretty excited for Season 5. Eddie was by far the MVP in Season 4.
sorry for ruining your 69 likes
The inclusion of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” was genius. Played on a piano, with a much slower tempo and in a minor key, really adds a mood of foreboding. It’s played early in the season and then again in the penultimate episode.
It was always in a minor key, but yeah... it took me a moment to place the song. I recognized it immediately, but couldn't figure out what it was exactly at first.
They really haunted up Separate Ways didn't they?
Like background theme music in a horror show. Beautiful yet deadly.
I absolutely LOVED that scene, gave me chills, and then i went and downloaded the track
Yesssssss to all of this!
Eddie is such a spot on character. The sketchy metal head who is into nerdy shit and introduces newcomers to it describes like 20 people I've actually met. And these people always have a heart of gold.
I appreciated that Eddie's guitar was a warlock. A small detail that just fits nicely
All we needed was a Lita Ford cameo.
And now it’s a limited run guitar (i think limited anyway)
@@jakeasaurus0155 The USA one is pretty expensive but the import model is decent (its $900)
also the Conan the barbarian sword was a nice touch
I had a shit fit cuz of it, I had JUST put one on layaway before the season started lmao
Eddie was the character we did not think we wanted, but turned into the character we needed.
I got SUCH young-RDJ vibes from Joseph Quinn. He's just adorable and gives every character he plays a strong streak of vulnerability.
He will be missed!😞
@@jwroot they should have had lame Robin die, not Eddie!
In every season of Stranger Things, there are always likeable characters who appeared in couple episodes only later they get killed off
Season One: Barb
Season Two: Bob
Season Three: Alexei
They wasted a golden opportunity to kill Max but they killed Eddie instead. I'm a little bitter.
Max was the stand out for me this season... completely redeemed that character and now feels like a legit part of the OG group.
The actress was so much better... it was a breakout performance.
Episode 4 - Dear Billy is the best episode of the entire show.
I genuinley thought she might die at the end, was so tense.
I agree. I think she has some real talent and will grow into a real A-list actress if she wants it.
@@rodafowa1279 I just finished watching season 4, and during the last episode, I was thinking about how she could very well have a very bright Hollywood future ahead of her. I was indifferent to her character in previous seasons, but she became my favorite character pretty early on in season 4 as a result of both good writing and good acting.
@@jonbaxter2254 truly are. But they should've killed her character to give el more juice to fight vecna. Great character
@@Bampiss She got messed up pretty bad at the end, I thought that was good payoff.
Man, Max's escape scene was chilling. High stakes, a hail mary option to get out of it and right to the last moment it's not at all clear she would actually make it. Also a pretty well done analogy for depression, I'm told. And the build up and then reveal in episode seven was pretty good too, I think. Oh and man, Joseph Quinn nailed Eddie! I mean, the poor guy was doomed pretty much from the start (I mean, even if he would have made it out alive, there would be an entire town waiting to just eat the man alive - How the hell are you going to explain a supernatural dream murderer from another dimension?)
Season 3 had me feeling like the show was in kind of a rut, but season 4 came out guns blazing and that has me excited for season 5! Let's just hope that won't take another three years....
as long as s5 is executed perfectly it’ll be the worth the wait.
you can't rush art
9 months later and we’ve got a writers strike that kicks up just as the show was going to begin filming. They were looking for a late 2024 release for season 5, but that’s basically not happening with this new development.
Eddie shredding Master of Puppets on top of that trailer trying to buy his friends time to kill Vecna is one of the coolest and most badass scenes ever put on screen. I stand my ground.
Agreed. Dustin even said it was the most metal thing ever.
It was awesome, but I was like "wait, why are there drums and bass? Aww, they're playing a tape, not just Eddie shredding."
@@Brethgar I figure that's what it sounded like in his head, as opposed to the actual "mediocre teen guitar-playing". It's not like the bats would care.
@@Brethgar Diegetic music becomes soundtrack. Welcome to the magical world of editing.
The season was great, but the plot armor that the main cast has is really getting old. I don't think a lot of people would have had anything against them killing off a couple of more characters this season.
I wouldn’t have mind if Max died fully since the end of the show was of Vecna winning and the end beginning. It would’ve kind of been like how Gamora died in Infinity War and how Thanos got the Soul Stone so he could win in the end…
@@cloudshines812 I mean, she did die. Lucas said she was dead for over a minute. It's hinted that Eleven somehow brought her back and that's why she's in a coma now instead of in a grave.
@@katieburkman3981 I really dislike that ability. She was literally on the other side of the country and raised someone from the dead. That's just a ridiculous level of power for one character.
@@vaatt Agreed. Really enjoyed this season but was disappointed they didn't have the balls to make more characters pay the price of facing up to Vecna. And the moment they give Eleven God-tier powers, she becomes boring.
I didn't get why Vecna suddenly forgot how to use his powers after the first molotov.
I was quite upset with the first half of episodes for this season, but was literally blown away with the finale. I couldn't agree more, that they really fixed stuff from the two previous seasons, especially with the second half of season 4. It definitely feels like a change of direction and somehow retaking command. It was really enjoyable. Well done, indeed!
I think the build up especially is what makes those moments so special. There is a difference in a series starting slow, a lot of times you can already tell they want to go somewhere, if it is going to be good you will not know where they are going. If it is bad you will know well before that point.... Except for GOT, it began so good and you didn't know where it was going, but yeah there are always exceptions to the rule.
That's so funny because I feel the exact opposite way about this season
@@randyquaid3381 the finale was awesome… sets up the next season so well and Vecna was awesome
I think the total opposite. Part 1 was great and the mystery coming together was well done. Towards the end the only character they kill is the seasonal one, same as the past two seasons, and all the other characters are invincible. Even Max gets bloody resurrected after her like 5 near deaths. They scrambled super hard to make the adult plot relevant to the main story. It's like Hopper and Joyce were watching season 4 on Netflix or something they just knew everything the kids were up to, and it was needed in that very moment.
This season was paced more like a young adult novel. Not necessarily a bad thing, but good to know before going in. The slower build up in the beginning wasn’t bad an when things start to pickup the momentum sticks.
I am extremely impressed that the creators have been able to make a 4 season, multi-hour long show that (in my opinion) is never below “okay”
It’s all watchable, and even during the longest segments, is kept fun and interesting thanks to the excellent acting and script
Yeah, consistency like this is really tough to pull off.
Except for that one episode in season 2 i absolutely agree that it never goes truly bad
@@sentientmustache8360 Which one?
@@Crimson1Fed The Lost Sister I’m assuming
@@remmus7742 If that's the one that was being referred to, personally I really liked that episode. It wasn't important to the overall plot aside from setting up Brenner's return in ST4 but it was fun to just see El and the homies go around wrecking shit and having fun.
I loved how the big bad tried to scare Nancy, similarly to how Scarlet Witch scared Tony with a vision of them losing and all dying, but instead of letting it psych her out, she literally took it as a personal insult and went all John Wick on him
I'd have said Sarah Connor but yeah.
Or hell, even Freddy Kreuger, how Nancy is always the final girl and escapes Freddy’s grasp
@@cloudshines812 Very apt reference considering Freddy Krueger’s actor cameo’d as Victor Creel, whom Nancy visited, in this season. :D
How would that even work? If you showed her a bad future and she knows it will come wouldn't that just motivate her more to stop it? Since doing nothing will means it'll just come either way.
@@hinamatsuro1908 well maybe because showing her that vision will only make it happen even more? We've seen slight glimpse of what vecna showed her, and it did happen in the end. A part of vecna's plan?
Eddie is my favorite character by far. he's clearly and homage to 80's rock. and he's got one of the most epics scenes ever.
It's funny because that scene was super cheesy to me. Why did he need to play the whole damn guitar solo, and why did it seem like his life depended on nailing it. He just needed to make loud noises, attract the bats, and then hide. There was this sense of urgency with his playing but for no reason. Further, they were rejoicing too much in a guitar solo when they were literally in a life and death situation. That scene was just really dumb to me and felt like fanservice. But, I'm glad people liked it. I think it was cool it just took me out of the story because it felt so contrived. An opportunity to use the chekov's gun of a guitar that had been teased way earlier in the season but it was just unnecessary from a logical standpoint.
@@no_nameyouknow because master of puppets is good
Loved the Robert Englund cameo and all the call backs to old horror films throughout all episodes,hopefully the final season will be just as good as season 4.
Season 4 was kind or pointless for the most part. I really hope Season 5 actually does something worthwhile.
Season 4 isn't finished. What we got was season 4, volume 1. Volume 2 will be released this month.
@@Aquascape_Dreaming s4 is finished already.
Volume 2 came out 3 days ago dude
I would like to see a little more actual consequences to the main characters. It would have definitely hurt, but i wish they had outright killed Max. I think the story would have been more compelling. I am mostly satisfied with the fact that she got seriously injured. It wouldn't make sense for her to escape untouched from being the target of 001. I'm predicting a Jonathan death season 5 by the way. He's basically regressing as a character, losing ambition and confidence in season 4. They are clearly pushing the Nancy/Steve relationship and i think Johnathon is going to have a falling out with Nancy and a self sacrificial redeptive death to save her at some point.
I just want what's his name to get a better haircut. That was my era and I don't care what photo the otherwise awesome Duffer brothers saw .. no one with any self-awareness .. was wearing a Moe Howard haircut. Maybe rockabilly do if they were nerd-smart and edgy.
I believe they actually wanted to kill off max according to the reports I read,but I heard the cast loved working with her, so she didn't die
Yeah, one of the Byers will definitely get the axe by the final season.
My money is on Will. There is nothing for him to do except look longingly at Mike. He's constantly scared, and will find his courage to make the final sacrifice and get his revenge on the Upside Down.
Robin gave some foreshadowing about someone dying in episode 8 I think. With how much they built up 001 over the season, I was sure it was going to be a main character. I really thought Max was dead, so her and Eddie (who I hated the first episode but really grew into liking) would've hit pretty hard. Just offing another side character you meet during the same season is weak to me. Also, the whole Jason plot was done so poorly. When his friend died at the lake, I was like, "oh, cool, they're going to add him to the team, at least temporarily." But, uh, nope. Should've just cut his plot entirely and focused more on, IDK, anything else. Despite the negatives I just rambled on about, this is my favorite season of the show so far.
Eddie ... One of the best characters on the show .. Good acting and just plain likable .. Only gripe about this entire season was the basketball captain .. He did good to get you to hate him , but his character was just over the top ..
agree but he was simply going insane because his girlfriend was gruesomely murdered. But man, did he die violently. Cut in half
It made no sense to make him a villain because the information he had he was trying to stop ritual murders. Also when 11 blows up the helicopter killing those two guys was actually more evil than the blonde jock guy. They were following orders to stop a escaped spree killing psychic. That was the information they had so they were theoretically the good guys trying to save others only to be killed by 11. Should the jock guy have believed a story about alternate dimensions or a serial killer? A serial killer seems way more plausible. Why would he believe their outlandish excuses? They should have done a redemption arc for him where he shoots a monster from the upside down and died heroically having been convinced the kids weren’t lying after all.
@@Balthorium I mean, 11 was acting purely in self defense..
Yeah I agree with all of that, and i get the dudes girlfriend died but the fact that the whole team was in on 💫literally murdering someone💫 seemed way over the top
@@ic0nic707 she could have sent it up too high to shoot her or snatched the rifle.
Aside from tons of “plot armor” this was a much needed step in the right direction for the series. Looking forward to the next season
Way too much plot armor. The OG cast should have 2-3 casualties by now.
@@thedarkknight9153 100% agree, it's boring and predictable that the OG survive everything.
@@thedarkknight9153 Lets hope that just like in BB most deaths will be in season 5.
The russian plot cast had like 3 layers of plot armor
Kill the original cast off and replace em.woth all these wonderful new actors. Jesus Christ...
Max’s escape from 001 was one of the most emotional tv moments I’ve seen, especially within the context of learning at the end that she’d been suicidal this whole time
I was surprised how much I was moved by that. The Duffer Bros done good work (and so did Sadie Sink!)
I doubt I'll ever forget that scene, I choke up just thinking about it
I agree, that scene was perfection.
But I don't think she was actually suicidal, I think she was just luring in vecna
001? You mean Vecna. He’s only 001 when hes in human form
@@conneraldeqn9751 Not in the first encounter with him.
What happened here is that everyone did everything amazingly well. From behind the cameras to the cast. And it's rare, hardly happens, so yeah, well deserved review.
Don't sell yourself short, Will my lad. I believe you might have more clout in certain sectors of the media industry than you give yourself credit for.
If nothing else, i think the Duffers take constructive criticism more to heart than a great lot of the narcissists in Hollywood.
I mean, it's all kind of obvious, and many people say the same thing with slight variations.
yeah because hes going to be taking advice from a fucking person whos attracted to animals
@Wong Deso Googled that so you didn't get the views, "RAINY AFTERNOON ALMOST FLOOD". Nice try.
Gay
Any creator paying attention realizes the ramped-up level of Internet criticism is a precious resource. They're definitely watching.
I completely agree. Season 4 has put me at the edge of my seat. Particularly where they made the music not an automatic pullout get out of jail card for Max, but rather, an item that just helps her clutch. It was mesmerizing for me to see her friends try their very best in order to leave Max the rest to her, which made me cheer like a gambler betting on a horse derby. Another person who makes me gives my hats off to him is none other than the man of the hour, Eddie Munson. At first, I thought he was just some dictator delinquent who coerces his juniors to do his shit but was not actually the case. Eddie is a misunderstood good-natured person who’s actually really fun to be around with, which makes me feel bad for him, he deserves better. I gotta give props to Joseph Quinn for making the character compelling and theatrical to look at and generally just likeable and sometimes comical. Especially when he rocked that guitar in a hellscape environment, that was where the show has peaked for me.
RIP Eddie Munson, you will be missed.
Eddie "Osbourne." They sorta' missed an opportunity at his arc's climax with the bats.....but at the same time, it'd have been predictably cheesy.
As soon as they went for the guitar in the Upside Down, I cringed. Then the scene actually played out and I did a 180, holy crap they actually pulled that off.
I am actually pissed at the writers for killing Eddie off, even though it makes plot sense, because I was totally invested in him by the end.
Hell outside the the 3rd victim, they did a good job of getting character across with Vecnas victims as well, Chrissy got a lot of focus so her sudden death hit hard, Nancy's little helper boy I was expecting to be a tag along character for a good portion of the show so was surprised when he bought it.
I do however think the episodes were way too long and padded out, you essentially had 9 feature film length TV movies strung together.
Yeah, it's kind of a shame that they killed him off though. Dude, deserved to have his name cleared for the murders. And the fact that people were becoming literal monsters themselves by hunting down the Hellfire Club, to extreme measures, felt like a missed opportunity to show that if they could clear the Hellfire Club from any wrong doing, what would happen to the people who literally would be assaulting teens and kids, to the point that they could be arrested for what they did?
But maybe season 5 can literally dive into this, once the whole town sees the truth.
@@osmanyousif7849 agreed. A fair redemption arc would have seen his name cleared of any wrongdoing. Instead, we watched him sacrifice his life for very little. I mean, he had no clue as to what his actions achieved, nor did they achieve very much.
The foreshadowing of the D&D game earlier on, and how that tied in to the our heroes last stand was quite brilliant. And yeah, Eddie's character was fantastic. Him and Dustin played off eachother very well.
Absolutely loved this season
I REALLY liked the fact that Freddy Kruger himself Robert Englund as Vecna's father. I also love how Hopper picked up Conan's sword to kill the Demogorgon.
It’s a really good season, there are some weird scenes though (like when Lucas and Jason were fighting, and Jason hit Lucas with some glass), and the final episode ending feels like it was sorta rushed, like we haven’t seen hopper/Murray say goodbye to Dimitri and Yuri. The fight scenes were sorta weird, and dragged a little longer. (Like where Vecna explained it was him all along) But the last shot where you see Hawkins getting covered with ash was pretty awesome, and it blends well with the music.I also would like to see what they would do in S5, since they’re doing a time jump.
Well they had to rush
They had only 2 episodes to buildup an ending
The episodes were already super long so they had to speed up a little.
This was a good season, but i don't like how they treat death in the series. New character appears, he is charismatic and cool guy, he dies like shit. When you notice the pattern, you don't fear for the characters, just the new ones. Eddie evolution was kinda rushed, and Max just survived Vecna 2 times, and, how the hell that portal thing works? It just don't killed Max, but worked to open the portal?
@@vitodosjogos8510 I mean, Max survived Vecna once. I wouldn't really call the second time surviving considering her current condition...
@@jonarbuckle778 Yeah... But surviving Vecna once was already strange. I believe her current condition have something to do with a paranormal thing idk
@@vitodosjogos8510 max died and thats when the portals opened. 11 brought her back to life after the fact
Did anyone else notice the symbolism of the rainbow room? Half the room had a rainbow with colors in the right order and the other half had a rainbow that was upside down, as if to convey the two different dimensions.
I think you mean symbology lol
I don’t know if you’re making a reference to the boondocks saints or what, but the correct term is symbolism.
@@richiebrandes5768 I think you mean symbiotes.
@@philtorrez4198 I'm going to give the benefit of doubt and assume the symbology guy is a fan of the show "The Good Place."
But if one could get a PhD in Symbology...I'd have an honorary doctorate by now.
you’re a literal genius for spotting this
Giving the villain of the story a face by introducing Vecna/Henry/001 was a good idea. To this day I'm not entirely sure what the Mindflayer even is.
The mind flayer is one of the mystical creatures in the upside down. it's not yet clear whether the mind flayer was doing Henry's bidding or was allowing itself to be used by Henry(probably because it can't function on it's own) to execute it's own plans. I think the show is leaning towards the first one so hopefully season 5 will flesh out the upside down creatures and we can truly understand if Henry was the 5-star general or the Commander-in-Chief.
ps: did anybody else notice that the mind flayer's manifest form in season 2 and 3 was essentially an enlarged shadow form of Vecna's killing pose?- an outstretched hand with fingers curled towards his victim. except in the mind flayer's case pointing towards the ground to serve as legs.
I agree. It streamlined the conflict. The story feels very similar now to LOTR with Sauron commanding his army from Mordor. It adds a lot of clarity to the staked
@@TheToxicBishop I'm pretty sure the implication being retconned into S4 is that the mindflayer was just part of the upside down "hivemind" (the smoky particles to be precise) being puppeteered by Vecna. That's why they added that part to his backstory about him being fascinated by spiders. The mindflayer's physical appearance is just a representation of how Vecna views himself, as a spider-like predator.
Doesn't really work 100% because the mindflayer clearly wasn't a spider, and it's named after something that has more in common with an octopus lol, but retcons are rarely perfect so I'll cut them some slack.
So TL;DR: the mindflayer probably isn't a real thing anymore.
The Mindflayer is the sentient cloud Henry found when exploring the other world. It had no purpose or definite form, and when Henry used his telekinetic abilities, he was able to bend it to his will and have it do his bidding. It animates the demogorgons in our world, thus giving Vecna/Henry a way into our world physically. He gave it the spider-like shape and the gaping mouth.
It was a "force" that was shaped by Vecna into a spider shape and used by him.
It’s interesting to hear what the Duffer brothers say about season 3, it’s generally not good and seems like they just want to move on from it. They also said that season 4 had an extra 6 months of writing time due to C-19 and got to flush characters out more.
That's what I like about The Drinker, he's a media professional critic, not a fanboy. When it's fair, under his standards, to give positive recognition, it's done. That's the difference between him and the fanbase of THE MESSAGE™.
@@liquidamerican8543Aren't we all
@@liquidamerican8543 Ok, let´s not lie to ourselves. What "message" do you think he is pushing?
Hope he didn't sellout on that, becouse his analysis on this season is a total garbage. I think he drinks way to mutch..
@@gariusdehalak his analysis is garbage because you hate Stranger Things and he actually likes it?? Now that's silly wouldn't you say lol
@@gariusdehalak but him drinking is part of the brand, he's the critical DRINKER
I think the delay and covid really helped this show. They were able to spend more time on the writing instead of rushing something out.
More time to make a stories is always good
What I’ve learned from the creators of stranger things is that they listen to the fans criticisms. Bringing barb to justice in season 2 is a good example. I feel that they took time this season making sure everything was perfect with the plot and characters
Well they had 3 years
Actually Netflix stocks are plummeting and theyve resorted to mass layoffs of their writing staff this year.
I WONDER WHO WROTE THIS SEASON
@@smshah232 netflix , though it has a simulacre of a studio , is mostly financing the content.21 Laps produced Stranger Things , for example.
Original ideas aren’t enough to make a show good and something can still be good without having original ideas.
@@sophieamandaleitontoomey9343 True. But that is far from the case with ST S4
I think it also helped the runtime of each episode being over a hour long. This season the showrunners chopped the bush down instead of beating around it.
I was concerned that the extra long episodes might seem over long and boring but they never did. Even the 2 hour 15 minute long finale.
@@chriswilkinson7636 same. Didn't even realize that they where so long until half way through.
@@Joshua_-The_Burned_Man-_Graham I always thought it was an ok but not great series but season 4 is the best one yet.
@@chriswilkinson7636 Right. I didn't think I liked it.
And unlike Rings of Power, it's actually interesting enough to keep me watching the whole 70+ minutes of it.
Spot on. After seasons 2-3, I similarly was apathetic when i heard that season 4 was due, but i watched episode one and was completely hooked.
Too be honest, I wasn’t that interested in starting season 4 because I didn’t like season 3 that much. But I’m glad I did. I can’t wait to see what they will do with Will next season.
I was in the same boat. Wasn't much interested, but glad I started it up.
Same, I nearly gave up after Season 3. Glad they managed to make such a compelling Season 4.
"I can’t wait to see what they will do with Will next season." A gay?
@@christophea8771 oh definitely, it's gonna happen. Not a doubt in my mind.
I thought this was the last season?
I usually fall asleep very quickly in front of the tv, even during good shows and movies, but Stranger Things Season 4 had me up until 2am or 3am each night, burning through those movie length episodes. What a pleasure it was to be engaged in a good story with well written characters.
like he said, a lot was going on. We had 3 exciting story lines going on at the same time and all of em, some better some worse were pretty attention catching and refreshing.
I didn’t love this season but the stuff with Eleven’s past was really well handled and super interesting, definitely an improvement over seasons 2 and 3
Gotta give them credit, I'm three episodes in and I would never have guessed they could make Sadie Sink's character likeable, well done guys.
It’s interesting how Eleven is essentially the ultimate Mary-Sue, she’s all-powerful and can do almost anything, but Millie Bobbie Brown’s acting talent, and the care in which they develop her character makes all the difference. Her character arc began similarly to other female characters in Hollywood movies today, with her being almost invincible from the start, but she’s also always felt vulnerable and human, so it’s never felt like she’s an avatar for a cultural agenda to laud female strength at the cost of story (except for that one misfire episode in season 2).
I would actually disagree that she's a Mary Sue. Sure she's super powerful and tends to be the ones saving the day. But she has flaws. She's not perfect, she struggles plenty and makes you want to root for her. I agree with all your points though.
I wouldnt call Eleven a Mary Sue as she has to learn to use her abilities and she has her defeats and failures. Remember, she had to re-learn everything she forgot when she banished One to that dimension, and while she has done quite some feats so far, those were done based on instinct, and with an obvious toll to her health(those nosebleeds tell me that in season 5 they'll get worse than ever, possibly with deadly effects). Theres also what happened here in Season 4, she acted on impulse and decided to forfeit her training in order to save her friends, and while they most likely would have died whitow her there, in the end she couldnt save Max and half of Hawkins got destroyed, with a giant portal opening on it.
@@mjc1o196 Not only that, she ISN'T instantly loved by everyone. Eleven is an excellent character as totally fleshed out across all 4 seasons. A little bumpy here and there, sure but on the whole, extremely well executed. Vulnerable, fallible and has/had to actually learn. And clearly wasn't at all perfect as One in his current seat of power is her fault.
@don't be surprised her biggest hurdle is herself and that's why Mike is so important. As someone who plays D&D a charismatic paladin can get a party out of the worst situations
@strangemarkings "Millie Bobby Brown's acting talent" Have you seen those Godzilla movies? She nearly ruined them. So awful...For a child actor, she is mediocre at best.
Hey man, I know you aren’t really one for sappy stuff but I wanted to say your channel has gotten me through some dark times. I’ve been watching you since April, and I was going through one of the toughest periods of my life so far. Watching your videos and going on a constant binge has made that period just a tad more bearable. Keep up the good work man, love ya ❤️
Keep punching man! Life can absolutely suck sometimes! But there's light at the end of the tunnel!
Many of the funniest people, who, to others, seem able to avoid the scars of life’s challenges, actually feel things very deeply. Plus Drinker is a well-published author. My guess is that your note will make his day. 🙂 Good for you for pulling through, and taking the time to say thanks to someone that helped.👍
Keep your chin up pal, your not alone
my only gripe for this season was that they introduced the idea of ‘001’ prematurely. imo, it would’ve been much more effective if Henry hadn’t mentioned there being a 001 to Eleven when they were still at the lab. that way, they audience could gradually deduce that he was the first test subject and have the final reveal be the tattoo on Vecna’s arm
They probably tried and failed to figure a way for the arm tattoo reveal to be a surprise while still moving the story along. The reveal was certainly filmed that way.
Yeah, a bit too much foreshadowing there
I'm sure plenty of others figured it out right away as well, But as soon as he mentioned 001, I knew he was the guy and he would be revealed to have killed everyone in the lab. Also, the flashback where they're playing chess is hilarious to me. So, 001's already been disciplined for helping El. There is a camera watching them play chess, away from everyone else. During the game, El looks flustered, both of them look at the camera shadily, and he very clearly slips her something under the table in full view of the camera. And yet, nothing is done.
I liked the reveal, but this would have been cool 🤩
All I knew is Vecna was serious trouble the moment I laid my eyes on him 😳this season, forgot s1
you could tell everyone in front of the camera and behind it, was motivated to make a great show. No one was phoning it in; from the producers right down to the key grip.
Yes you nailed it. Interesting how casual viewers can tell when everyone, from director to caterer brings their “A” game to a production.
Scuse my ignorance.. but what is a key grip?
@@garystinten9339 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_grip
the key grip is basically the unsung hero of the show. He makes sure equipment needed is present, sets it up properly to catch the scene correctly, and provides guidance to the other set crew.
@@Kissfan96dr thankyou.. was a bit lazy considering we have this massive resource available.
@@garystinten9339 you're welcome Gary. Honestly, I didn't know either until I looked it up. I always thought the key grip was just the security locksmith. aka the guy that kept a grip on the keys. :D
I learned today he's actually very important to the movie. I'll keep a better eye on them in the credits now.
It’s been a long time since I watched anything that gave me goosebumps, but Max’s escape blew me away. We sat, jaws agape and wide eyed, thrilled to be thrilled.
Completely agreed
Hell the scene in the Prison when the Demogorgan was starting to pull the gate back open after Hopper and the guard he was with (Can't remember his name for some reason) escaped literally had me screaming since we'd just seen what this monster could do, let alone with the memories from Season 1
As a huge Kate Bush fan for 40 years, I couldn't be more dumbfounded that the show has put the song at the top of the charts worldwide. I was also disappointed in seasons 2 and 3 and had no plans to watch season 4, until the Kate Bush thing blew up and I felt I had to out of loyalty to her if nothing else. The season isn't perfect but it is so much better than 2 or 3.
Spoiler speculation: I think since El and her conflict with 001 was what created the gates, it seems like the only thing that will close the gates for good is the same thing - from the other side. I think it is a no brainer that the end will be El in the Upside Down sacrificing herself to seal off the Upside Down plane from our world, and sealing off herself as well.
Yeah my gf and I are in our early 20s now we listen to her all the time
That would be such a gut punch, but it would make total sense. Especially when you know that the show was only supposed to be 1 season, and El was allegedly supposed to die sending the Demogorgon back into the Upside Down.
i'm 44 and Kate Bush was never really "THE Female" Singer of the 80's like Madonna ... They just Got her song for the show Cause "80's" Kate Bush was just 1 of 100 other female Singers that sound/look where just CUT AND PASTE at the time...and RUN UP A HILL was just CHEESE Song writeing made to sound DEEP. ..80% of those Songs where just Crap was a Hook you could remember.
I think that what will be also important is whatever the hell Upside Down really is. Its important to remember that Henry did not create it only discover it. And as for his relationship and influence over Mindflayer thats also something which will need more elaboration since he did not creat it itself only influence something which was already there. I am seriously excited because stuff like this uses show potentil to fulles.
Did you see volume 2 that dropped yesturday
The demogorgs and the mind flayer where already there just chiling
This season had us all Running Up That Hill with a Master of Puppets. All we needed was a little love and friendship.
It's been a Journey, of Separate Ways finally uniting again
Guess I’ll get back into Stranger Things then. I watched like two episodes of season 3 and decided “nah”. So if you think S4 is back on track, I’ll check it out 😮
Season 4 is great. Its their best season imo. Just watch the recap at the start of the season and you will be good.
I hated S3 for a hot minute. On a rewatch after seeing season 4, season 3 is much better in context...enjoy!
Honestly season three doesn’t get better. But grit and bear it. Season 4 is excellent
Season 3 is worth the watch just for Billy
Watch a recap video of season 3 and start again at season 4.
Eddie made the season perfect, when he hit that open E power chord starting master of puppets i freaked out seeing an actor actually play Metallica on screen with the tone and theme of the song working out, I already knew how to play the opening riff but this made me want to learn the full 9 min song
cringe
Looks like @@freedomisslavery6840 wanted Eddie to play "Mickey" by Toni Basil instead.
@@birdup6663 SOMEBODY GET A BODY BAG
@@freedomisslavery6840 yes you are, why tell us though
@@freedomisslavery6840 BUUUURRN!
The visual metaphor for depression and suicide at the end of “Dear Billy” absolutely floored me.
They really brought it this season! It wasn't flawless or perfect, but damn it felt good to enjoy a show and let it take me for a ride. It's been so long, I'd almost forgotten how fun that could be.
Dang it’s always nice to see an “anti” most modern franchises, that turns itself around and becomes good. Proof that not everything is lost forever.
I've found very good the choice to separate the characters in different groups, this "journey" theme underlying it really paid off, it helped to, as you said, transform characters like Lucas and Max, more or less everybody had to face some hurdles about themselves in this season, the writers pushed on character development and some genuine horror, great season!
Don't stop believing
doesnt really work well with two groups, cuz you subconsciously start preferring one group over the other.
@@omarsaletovicprins9632 it still worked tho imo
@@jamescarr8196 agree to disagree! imo i really couldnt care less about the california subgroup with those characters. lots more going on in hawkins. also doesnt help that one of the california kids was giving the worst performance of his life.
@@omarsaletovicprins9632 actually I agree lol I didn’t enjoy the california plot. I don’t think it meshed well with the three other plots which were thrilling to say the least.
This was quite a rebirth, really.
Glad they came back around.
Talking about good shows, I am watching Terminal List and I am liking it a lot... Definitely would recomend it, no space for "the message", nice action, nice story. Not too bad, really.
Next on my list
@@Victillwedie Chris Pratt on his element, no pet dinosaur bullshit, he does really well in this one
Eh, it was pretty predictable and the main character is just Punisher lite…like Jack Reacher or Rambo
Terminal List is a show, where you have to buy an OLED tv, move into a cave without light-sources and put the brightness and contrast to 11 to barely see something.
@@ericturczynowsky3243 yes, exactly. Not a detective show, isn't meant to be a mistery solving show... That's why I liked it.
Imagine game of thrones having this level of writting, character arcs and conclusions. Been a while since I watched a hole season of a show non stop. Hats off to the writters and directors, just awesome. Although, I hate that they killed my favourite character.
Game of Thrones had all that stuff at a much higher level for a minimum of four seasons. Five is where the show started falling apart for me, but the writing of that season is pretty much on point with Stranger Things.
@@rodafowa1279 season 2 of game of thrones is definitely one of the best seasons of any show, ever
@@ThePatankand seasons 1, 3 and 4.
@@jamescarr1265Agree, I also really liked season 7, it was finally good again. However I lost these feelings after S8, the ending is just unfortunate, its a pity
Eddie's guitar scene is absolutely awesome. Really wish they didn't spoil part of it in the trailer because I was anticipating it, but it was a great scene.
Why did he even play that guitar when Metallica was playing background?
That's why you shouldn't watch trailers.
@@arkadiuszkawak6379 Well when you haven't had a new season for 3 years... I'm betting 99% of this year's viewers watched the trailer. Just wished key plot points weren't spoiled. It wasn't major, but it was my favorite scene visually.
luckily i didn’t watch it until after so it was so unexpected and so fire
@@arkadiuszkawak6379 Yep I watch at maximum one trailer for something but if it's a TV show I'm already invested in stay the hell away. Dodging spoilers on the internet is already hard enough nevermind when studios show you all the good bits in the damn trailers.
Or worse yet completely misrepresent what the show/movie is going to be like. I'm still salty about how good Age of Ultron looked in the first trailer.
Of all the things, Eddie was what made this season for me. Such an epic character!
Right. At first I thought he was just gonna be an asshole, but he was one of the highlights of the season
I liked the mind flayer tbh, I can appreciate a villain with such simple motives, nothing complicated, he just wants to destroy.
Yeah I agree...for one season, that kinda simplicity gets a bit old at 3 seasons.
When you say "tbh" does that imply you are generally not?
I agree, this was by far the best season since the first, I actually put off watching season 4 for a good month or so because I was dreading that this season would put the nail in the stranger things coffin. I was extremely surprised to find that despite some of the episodes being like 2 fucking hours long it was gripping and interesting and held my notoriously short attention span with ease.
I loved how Max admitted how she prayed that something happened to his brother after all the abusing, and that she felt guilty after his death. But I didn't like how she was resurrected, from now on Eleven can just resurrect anyone that dies, very stupid choice.
I mean, Max was only alive in the sense that her heart was beating (not impossible to imagine someone with telekinesis could restart) but her mind was empty. She was basically a dead body with a beating heart, I don't think its going to be as simple as 'she's alive now'.
That being said, yeah, I really hope they have proper plans for Max that has her actually die again in the end. As much as I liked her character in S4 I also don't want El to just be able to resurrect people, and the only way that won't happen is if Max dies properly.
@@TuffMelon i think El just did got her heart started. I guess!
@@TuffMelon they can’t kill her or Hopper off. It won’t be as genuine or whatever. Here’s what they should do with her. Give her some kind of powers, keep her blind.
Will should also develop powers but have him become the host of Vecna. Then have Will or Jon kill him.
Steve needs to become a fucking badass, and a real one. Don’t have others save him constantly, or kill him off. Give him a girlfriend and a potential happy future but have him sacrifice it to save the kids.
I’m honestly over Nancy, she’s got a gun. Cool I guess and I know she’s had growth but idc.
Stop introducing characters just to kill them off. I literally didn’t care that Eddie died because I knew they were going to. Why have him run out?
Why have Hopper and his group leave the base? They should’ve had them escape into the upside down early on and survive their to show up in time to save Eddie.
Keep all the characters alive to kill them off in season 5.
Agreed, her death would have been extremely shocking and powerful but then they kept her alive 😐
@@TuffMelon We all know that this is just a set up for her to resurrect, otherwise what was the whole point.
They don't have the courage to kill off a main character.
Eddie was brilliant. His death was reminiscent of the death of Boromir.
I thought there wasn't going to be another season though. I think they probably should have ended it this season but if season 5 is as good as season 4 I will tune in!
It's nice to see a "diverse and inclusive" cast presented as normal sympathetic people and not as political mouthpieces.
Most of all, it's nice, and refreshing, to watch something where I'm not told "white man bad" every other scene.
To be fair there are only really 2 diverse important characters (lucas and Erika and that guy who died in the water) but I definitely agree
Yeah, instead it's "white man misunderstood" .
Well, Robin is also a lesbian, at a time in our history when gays weren’t accepted.
@@gshann73 yeah and I think Will is gay and loves Mike, he'll come out to Jonathan next season.
his death was pointless he couldve made it
It's been a while since I've seen a video of yours that hasn't included 'THE MESSAGE' which in itself was a reason I loved this season of Stranger Things. It kept me at the edge of my seat and I felt something akin to emotion during some of the ending scenes. A rare feat for storytelling to do that to me these days I can say.
incels like to talk aboot 'the message'
There is a message, but not shoved in and lectured to us ,viewers... It's just there and not getting into the story to ruin the fun we all looking for an entertainment.
Will and Robin being gay did feel pretty forced and unecessary though, so the message is there for sure.
And even with LGBT people in it nobody cared! because they didnt get all preachy and woke
@@christianbjorck816 in their defense though being a closeted teen in the 80's sounds fucking terrifying, i wasnt around for it but ive always felt the 80's was when that shift in regards to that topic became more mainstream
and think it was a good way to show how far we've come as a society in that regard
This series has, in my opinion, always had a great balance between comedy and horror/tension. I found this season completely amped up both aspects to the point where the horror and dread were way more impactful because the lighter parts were so well done, and vice versa
They included Master Of Puppets for pete's sake! Loved this season and the Eddie arc was oustanding.
If it was outstanding, why did he die? What was gained from it? He's still considered to be a murderer with little chance of his name being cleared.
They ruined his arc and I didn't even like him.
@@lukemclellan2141 He was a good relatable character to some of us, not sure what you want. If you didn't care for him that's your issue, plenty of other characters for you to relate to.
@@lukemclellan2141 It's a tragedy. He's framed as a murdered but had a heart of gold.
@@gator7082 I'm sure he might be relatable to many viewers. This doesn't mean that my opinion of him is in any way a reflection of them. Your comment has hints of taking it personally.
It's just a TV character!
@@lessalazar9068 the writing really did the character dirty. If only he had played a more prominent role in the defeat of vecna he could have redeemed himself and avenged crissy's death simultaneously.
I was so upset over season 3, that I actually swore off the show. I was happily amazed that they made me love it again. So glad you are enjoying it too. There were a few plot and pacing issues but, man, overall that was so satisfying.
They took everything I couldn't stand about 3 and made it work, and even sing.
Wow. A show that actually listened to the audience complaints and fixed them. That's actually quite inspiring.
Eddie's short relationship with Chrissy I thought has pretty good chemistry. Almost wanted them to get together, if not for there being too many characters.
I think I always thought Max was the most interesting of the child characters, except perhaps Dustin. But I agree this improved things.
I couldn't stop thinking that all the storylines outside of Hawkins were sort of filler though. I mostly only cared about the central mystery.
The Duffers said that they wouldn't have killed off Chrissy if they knew the actors had such great chemistry.
@@samfilmkid My main and huge issue should’ve been to kill Jason off WAYYY earlier. Any scene he was on screen with his “socials” and constantly still on his bloodlust vengeance… I cringed…
@@cloudshines812 he was the most one dimensional character of the whole series. I was disappointed that they never expanded on the character other than torch and pitchfork ringleader.
Yeah I was shocked how true and genuine it was when watching it again. They went cold turkey and came back rehabilitated. The struggle they go through feels real and palpable. I am so glad the story, character development, plotlines feel more balanced.
I haven’t finished volume 2 but S4 was shockingly good. It’s nice to see the Duffer Brothers rebound. It’s like they learned from the lessons of season three while also making that material stronger. Also this show is gorgeous. Unlike Kenobi which looked cheap and second rate.
Damn right
Buckle up, volume 2 is a ride.
The final location with Vecna and Eleven looked better than anything in Kenobi.
Kenobi was such a massive disappointment to me. I'm really bummed out by it because McGregor was perfectly cast imo and I thought he got a bit screwed over by the reception of the Prequels and wanted him to be able to break out of the shadow the Prequels cast on his portrayal of the character
@@randomfools808 like it look much more expensive than kenobi.
Man, when Eddie started the opening riff of “Master of Puppets” I was sitting up like “NO WAY.” That was AWESOME!
Season 4 reminded me that's shows can still have amazing writing and blow you away. I wish there were more shows as good as this.
I liked season 2 and especially season 3, but there have been some really good improvements this time around.
Overall its never been anywhere near the levels of bad most tv shows get to, and I'd credit that to the duffer brothers working out all the main plot points in advance before season one was even in production.
Most shows have a vague idea of where they are going and then just write season to season, leading to plot holes and a decrease in quality.
Working everything out ahead of time and then making adjustments with your audience in mind is the way to go.
For me there's only two characters that made the season 4 interesting, and its not el, nancy or harper. Its vecna/Henry/one and max, their development and own story plot and how it connects to the main plot is quite great. It keeps you want to know more about them while watching.
season 4 is very much a max development series, 11 too. the rest of the characters kinda sitting in the same place with small moves.
Yes. The actor for One was able to cause my perception of him to change. Very seldom can an actor fool me on the emotional level. When I'm watching most any show, I can tell when an actor knows that they're the bad guy to be revealed. There's something in the performance I can't put my finger on but it's almost like the actor (when playing the fake good-guy) possesses too much self assurance and confidence which stands out among all other potential antagonists.
Henry's performance, in the beginning, genuinely didn't appear to be someone with powers. He had that air of an orderly -- like someone who was working a menial job who had seen patients come and go. Then he seemed like a human captive.
TBH though, I probably overlooked his potential as an antagonist because S2 and S3 were so crap that I didn't anticipate any depth to any characters.
That actor is going to go places. He has a screen presence -- that "it" factor. He also has a distinctive look. He simultaneously conveys empathy and menace. He seems to genuinely care about Eleven -- though he won't allow her to thwart his goals. Some actors never seem to embody the role -- as if their ego gets in the way.
After watching an Indy move last night, it was so clear how the actor and their direction makes all the difference. The movie's premise was very good. The locations were good -- as were the props. The actors looked like proper actors and they seemed to have ability, but it was almost like the director wasn't able to paint an emotional picture for the actors from scene-to-scene. They felt untethered to genuine human reactions -- like the director was giving them line readings rather than painting an emotional picture and allowing the actors to connect to the moment.
That Indy movie also needed 30 minutes cut from it. A 2hr Indy movie is a silly indulgence and nobody with the inexperience of all involved can pull off a 2hr movie and have it not feel like a self-indulgent slog of mostly useless blather. The plot of the movie didn't require 2hrs. It's like watching those Twilight Zone episodes from way back when they briefly changed from the 30 min format to the 1hr format. They just seemed filled with fluff and it pulled the teeth out of the twist reveals. They went back to the 30 min format shortly thereafter. Rarely can a movie be entertaining for a full 2 hrs. It requires expertise in every filmmaking discipline.
As for Stranger Things, every episode left me with a desire to see more. To be sure, I fast forwarded a lot of the useless fluff (usually about 10 mins per episode) but all-in-all I was pleased. Too many shows come to a grinding halt when the main characters are naval gazing about inter-personal issues. Here's an idea: why don't you "show, don't tell"? Teen angst only works in John Hughes movies -- and nobody alive (that I've seen) is at John Hughes' level. Nobody today writes teen angst sympathetically -- it always seems like the ramblings of self absorbed narcissists.
Easily. Not only were their stories the best, but their performances were absolutely amazing
@Miguel Silva nah, Brenner and el is basically the main plot of the series so obviously their development is the main focal point of everything. Max is basically a bystander who got involved and vecna is basically a side character in the grand scheme of things. And both just got drag by the main plot, you may think vecna as the main villain but no cause to me its el vs the upside down and Brenner vs his ego.
But max and vecna had a better laid out sub storyline than the main protagonist plot.
The actor who played Vecna / Henry / One named is Jamie Campbell Bower and just like Robert Pattinson, he was at Twilight movies only later took years to develop himself to be a serious actor.
Great review. I just gotta say that the Ride the lightning scene with Eddie and his guitar was one of the best I have seen in anything in a long time. They brought out the emerging hard rock scene in 1986 perfectly. I kinda wish they kept Eddie and bumped off 2-3 of the older stale characters.
Robin needed to dieeee.
Not Ride the Lightning... it was Master of Puppets.
Master of Puppets but yes great scene.
Who would y'all kill off? I'd be fine losing Robin, Johnathan, or Max tbh
@@victora.1329 Robin is top of my list. Wish they took her instead of Eddie.
Endless teases; overlong monologues prophesising doom; consequence free set pieces; every main character draped in plot armour. All packed into just a hasty 10+ hours. Absolute shite.
I will still die on the hill that season one was by far the best
I love every season in its own way, the monster/baddie is much more menacing than I’ve come to expect from anything remotely horror related in recent years. From OG Gorgon being a good starter, to the evolution of the demadogs, the creep factor of the Mind Flayer and how truly gross and disturbing it was both physically and in its actions, and now Vecna being both a horrible monster and a broken sick human-like character that really shows how the show has evolved overall. The monsters, characters, stories, and even the soundtrack getting better, smarter, and deeper each time. The finale literally took my breath away more than once.
Can I also add that I really appreciate how they wrote the queer characters smartly and subtly with respect to the decade? I really felt like they weren’t tokenized and felt legit in their personal struggles in wanting love but having almost no way to freely express that back in the 80s. Much less in high school. Oof. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
I also liked it. Eddie was such a great character and that Master of Puppets scene was EPIC. There were a lot of emotional but not sappy moments which made it better too, like Mike pouring his heart to Mike by using El as a methapor, Dustin taking to Eddie's uncle, Lucas and Max...Vecna is a great evil too. Looking forward at how they end the series
*Will pouring his heart out to Mike ;)
Eddie stole the show with limited screen time, just like Allan Rickman did in both Robin Hood and Die hard. I watch this young man's career with much anticipation.
The Master of Puppets scene WAS fun, but I couldn't help thinking: who's drums and bass and who's singing? It's always weird to mix intra- and extra-diegetic music in that way.
Eddie was a great character, and I think they're going to regret killing him off so soon. Maybe he wouldn't have been quite as compelling if he hadn't died though. I mean, his story arc was that he overcame his fear and became a hero. Would it have had the same impact if he hadn't died doing it?
@@richardlarson9459 Yeah, I think it was a mistake to kill off Eddie. Maybe the Duffer Bros didn't anticipate how popular he would become. Instead they should have killed off Max and at least one of the OG cast.
You can tell a lot by Drinker's closing go away now. You can tell if he genuinly likes something, the last time I heard him to this extent was in his Invincible review I think. But this whole video is proof that if given the oppurtunity the Drinker will happily eat his words if X turns out to be good.
To be honest I thought with his usually good taste in entertainment that he'd dislike this season, because it was quite a weak one in my opinion.
I agree with pretty much everything you said. I just can't get past the major retcons. They bother me too much.
Eleven's new history not fitting her character we've come to know (although to be fair, the way she was in season 3 strained credulity as well), bloated episode times, the way the Upside Down works altered a lot now, and the biggest sin (in my opinion)-taking what was an unknown, inhuman threat and making it a typical human villain with a villain monologue and generic destroy the world motive. It's kind of embarrassing. Because almost everything else around that reveal is really good, it's easy to ignore that embarrassment of it making zero sense outside this particular season. I know I'm trying. XD
It's too bad it took rewriting their entire backstory and universe rules in a fourth season to get them back on track to being a decent show. I think they could have got there without doing that. Oh well.