If you love Stranger Things, you probably already saw season 3. this is do an analysis of it. If you are not a fan, this is to draw you in. I only recently got into it. I binged season 1 and 2 and then saw 3 when it debuted July 4th. Stranger Things is basically about pre-teens that love playing Dungeons and Dragons and one of their friends (Will) is kidnapped by a monster. This monster is from the Upsidedown, either another dimension, a mirror dimension of the real world or the future of the hometown of Hawkins. So basically there is a sheriff (Hopper) involved and when he thinks he is looking for Will, he finds Eleven, a test subject. Not to spoil much, it's a fun ride.
First, for the ones not familiar:
SUMMARY
If you have not seen Stranger Things, you may have seen pieces or heard of it. It has been accused of pointless nostalgia and focusing on Steven Speilberg-ish idealness. The Duffer Brothers grew up in the 80s like me and they studied film but they use stuff from the big blockbusters and mainstream media (Jaws, ET, Aliens, John Hughes movies, etc.) but also Super 8. What draws you into the show is the great story telling and character development.
Without Spoiling: It's summer and the kids are coupled up. A person gets invaded by the Mindflayer and wants revenge on Eleven, recruits unwillingly participants. A new mall opens. Steve works at Scoops Ahoy, an ice cream parlor with Robin, a former classmate. Dustin hangs out with Steve and stumble into a secret thingy. While Nancy and Jonathan both have a job at a local newspaper, Jonathan is a photographer but Nancy is a go-for. She wants to be a journalist. Hopper and Joyce also team up when her magnets fall off the refrigerator. And that's all I can say.
Spoilers: So it's summer, Hopper is bugged with Mike and Eleven making out and goes to Joyce for help and she notices magnets are falling off the refrigerator. Joyce and Hopper try to see if the old lab is working--it's not. They stumble unto the mayor and a quid pro quo situation. Everyone is in on the mystery. Steve, Robin, and Dustin stumble unto a Russian conspiracy in the mall. Eleven and Max stumble upon Billy being possessed by the Mind Flayer. Nancy and Jonathan investigate about weird acting rodents (which I will touch about in the Review.) Then all the groups eventually converge, the adults being the last. The big showdown occurs in the mall.
REVIEW
Without Spoilers: Fun, entertaining, funny, perspective on old fashions, gross and I don't know, for some people scary. CGI is not so scary for me. They did do some practical effects. But everything just starts looking the same. Duffers did their homework, took notes about season 2 and took it to heart. In season 2, they skewered away a bit, this time they didn't. Season 3 stays in one spot, the kids are growing up and the show embraces it. They know which actors work best together and others don't.
With Spoilers: The majority hated season 2 because they went off-ramp and Eleven left Hawkins and went to visit her sister. It was like a hidden pilot spin-off. I actually liked the episode. This season stays in Hawkins. It feels very insular. If you wanted answers about what Mind Flayer is, what the Upsidedown is, forget it. It's just about fun. I liked the parts with Steve, Robin, Dustin and Erica the best. The Party, the teens was okay, pretty run-the-mill stuff and the others have to get powers soon because they all rely on Eleven and Lucas' slingshot is not always going to work. The references to New Coke was hilarious. People call it advertising or rosy glasses view of the past. I think have a critical eye to the past is interesting. Maybe they aren't negative.
I do not like Nancy and Jonathan were strapped with just the Rat problem. Also, she and her mom had that heart-to-heart and was told that Nancy will make a newspaper article. It would have made more sense for Nancy to stumble upon the Russian conspiracy and try to reveal it in an article. But because that was Steve's storyline, I guess they couldn't have them together. If they flip-flopped and Steve was an exterminator and found the rats, it wouldn't be the same. Robin could've been his co-worker and Dustin could've stuck around. But it would've been similar to Season 2 with them hunting the Demidogs so probably why they didn't do that. I still wish Nancy got something published for the end of season 3. I guess they are leaving that for later.
Critical Analysis:
What were the Russians up to? They clearly wanted to use the Demodogs and creatures against the United States. As in Season 1, Eleven was created to spy the Russians. It is not clear. Also, it is not clear about Alexi. what he knew of the Upsidedown or what he was told. What was the goal. As for Hopper, I think he's alive but he's not in Russia. At the end of the last episode, the Russians mention an "American." If he is alive with the Russians, then he should be full of scars and stuff. I think he probably ended up in the Upsidedown. For Season 4 (which will be filming soon), Will, Jonathan, Joyce and Eleven have moved. So if the action starts in Hawkins, it would be that the Party will have to go look for Eleven. Or maybe the action goes to Eleven. Finally, I love the show. I will keep watching. I'm looking forward to Season 4.
