Stranger Things

[canofhumdingers]

We’ve watched the first two episodes of season 2. So far so good. Already there’ve been some good surprises. Will probably watch another episode or two tonight.

[Kailem]

I binged the whole thing on Friday night and hot damn, I'm so glad it lived up to the hype! After those epic trailers and just the first season in general I was confident that it would, but there's always going to be that little bit of doubt whenever a sequel comes along. Thankfully though it really delivered.

I envy those of you who've still yet to watch it. And they absolutely made the right call releasing this on Halloween. It's just the perfect show to watch at this time of year (and not just because that's when a chunk of it is set). The worst part though? Having to wait another year until season 3!

[sentaison]

Just finished the series, and damn they hit it out of the park again! I only have one real disappointment with the show.



But now it's over and now I'm sad, because if there is going to be a season 3 I will have to wait until next year for it.

[O.Supreme]

watched 2 episodes Friday Night, and had to watch the first minute of episode 3 just to see ...cant wait to watch the rest.

[eabaker]

We're half way through the new season (not binging it, because the show's cliffhanger's are too good to be allowed to go to waste).

So far, it's damned good, but not as involving or compelling as the first season. Season 1 really established what the "mission" was within its first episode, and got almost all of its characters on board; from there, things were constantly progressing. So far, season 2 has felt less purposeful.

Still, interesting ideas, great characters and atmosphere, and we're in for the whole ride.

Although may keep me from ever re-watching this season.

[O.Supreme]

[eabaker]

[O.Supreme]

[Dr Kain]

I don't see what the issue is.

[eabaker]

[lhb412]

All these spoiler brackets makin' me nervous~

[canofhumdingers]

[Dr Kain]

Yeah, horror movies have done worse with people.

[Kailem]

Yeah, but people suck.

[O.Supreme]

Some people (myself included) perceive things differently. Humans have the ability to be guilty or innocent depending on their actions. To be sure some of the gruesome fictitious deaths that occur in horror movies are not always inflicted on guilty people. But animals are inherently innocent. My instincts are that Humans as a higher form of life should take care of, and treat animals well, and not hurt them. (I'm no hypocrite, I know we consume some of them as food, I get that. Slaughtering an animal for food is different than killing them out of pleasure or anger...). But blatantly hurting an animal whether in real life, or fiction bothers me much more than seeing the same thing happen to a human. I know people that are the complete opposite. they would have no reservations about destroying an animal in cold blood, but it bothers them to see humans hurt whether in real life, or fiction.

I'm not saying I'm callous to Human Abuse/Murder. I stay far, far away from any *real* videos that may pop up of humans being brutally beaten or killed. But I'll admit when it comes to movies and fictitious death, seeing it happen to animals bothers me way more than humans.

[Dr Kain]

See, I find that to be a tad hypocritical. If you can stomach a human being torn to pieces by a monster you can certainly handle an animal being shredded. Frankly, I am glad these things don't spare children and animals. In horror, everyone and everything is fair game.

[Dai]

A key element of effective horror is relatability. It's the reason why an audience laughs at a decapitation, but squirms when a scalpel cuts open an eyeball, or when someone's fingernails are ripped off. At a certain extreme, and this varies based on an individual's degree of empathy, the viewer's suspension of disbelief simply disconnects and the image has no emotional impact (beyond perhaps simple disgust). In modern society, an animal being eaten alive is a far more relatable image than the same thing happening to a human. Keeping the viewer within the Goldilocks zone of relatability is one of the easiest methods of depicting effective horror. The much more difficult method is to make the viewer care about a character before he gets shoved into the meat-grinder, since that requires skilled writing and acting.

[eabaker]

Well said, Dai!

I'd add that the emotional and psychological impact of an event on the other characters plays a big part in audience response to something horrible happening. In this case, the impact on the characters is severe, but the event in question isn't important enough to story or theme to entirely justify inflicting that kind of suffering on an empathetic viewer.

[O.Supreme]

[eabaker]

[lhb412]

Watched the first three episodes. Enjoyed it, enjoyed how it captures the 'sequel feel' with everyone re-introduced so we catch up on what they've been doing, but also it's taking a while before it really gets going, unlike the first season which grabs you immediately with intrigue.

My sister tells me that's the new season's big flaw, but that it all comes into focus a few episodes in.

My favorite thing is the big '2' in the opening credits.

[eabaker]

It definitely feels less focused early on. By mid-season, characters are definitely on their missions, but it's really only in the last two episodes that it recaptures the energy and pace of season 1.

Which is fine. It's a sequel, and it's taking its time to go deeper into character rather than pushing as hard on plot.

But when those last couple of episodes hit, damn is it exciting.

[Kailem]

I also loved the new 2 in the opening credits. I smiled every single time it came up, especially the first when I didn't expect it. Just so good.

It does take its time a little in the early episodes, but I found that to be a good thing. I liked spending more time with those characters again before everything inevitably went to hell. But yeah I wouldn't worry about it, because once things really get going, they really, really get going.

[lhb412]

Finished Stranger Things 2 last night, and I take away my earlier criticism: I appreciate that they didn't try to replicate the breakneck, constantly escalating pace of the first season, and instead spent time on setup and characterization and kept the fireworks for the last few episodes.

[jellydonut25]

Wait...you thought season 1 was “breakneck” and season 2 is slower?


I’m a little nervous tbh. I thought season one was “good” until the final two episodes which pushed it over the top.