The agents carrying guns instead of tasers was annoying. Invaluable asset, can’t shoot it, so only bring guns?
Other than that it was a great combination of 80s horror and the goonies. Dustin was easily my favorite character, a modern day Chunk done right.
How common were Tasers in 1983?
Good point. But they were at least classified as firearms in 1976 and there had been other stun guns since the 60s by then so I would like to think a top secret government facility tasked with the care of a very dangerous and supremely valuable asset would have a solution other than guns.
A taser or stun gun would have at least been plausible, if not likely. Anyways, brandishing guns at her when you can’t shoot? Implausible level of stupid. They know she can blow open steel doors and crack reinforced concrete with a human body so um… don’t scare her?
I usually love playing the devils advocate in favor of the story but this just struck me as lazy writing to make them appear more evil. Which they didn’t need to do. Maybe it’s one of the ‘flaws’ Vox is calling out above as making it stronger, but I didn’t feel like that for this one.
Or maybe they felt that El was strong enough that guns were not a threat to her and were meant more for those protecting her? Plus they were also likely thumbing their noses at Spielberg for his revisionist work on ET.
I know this is bringing real-life stuff into the argument, but when I was in the military and we had to go into a place and we expressly had orders not to shoot the target because we needed to capture instead of eliminate, we still brought our rifles and moved with weapons drawn. It was still enemy/hostile territory, and we may have needed to engage with other bad guys.
Excellent point on ET. Guns made sense there, because unknown possibly dangerous alien. However as a reason for Stranger Things to have them it’s honestly pretty compelling given the nigh absurd level of references to the 80s.
Completely fair game, since that’s what I am doing. I would still argue against letting the troops have guns if I was the evil scientist with no compunction about torturing and abusing a little girl. Too many chances to antagonize her and end up with people dead, with a strong possibility of one being the incredibly valuable asset. Undetectable remote spying and assassination in 80s? Priceless.
I guess you could argue the grunts/agents just told him to go fuck himself when told/suggested not to bring guns but then stun guns and tasers should have been passed out. Some non lethal means of subduing her.
The behavior of the bad guys is probably one of the smaller logical concessions in Stranger Things.
After having digested the show for a bit, I think my conclusion is that it isn’t a classic, and I will probably not think of the show much as it fades from memory. Part of the trouble with well-crafted nostaliga – much of what I liked is based in how Stranger Things channels other distinct pieces, while it doesn’t really create something distinct of its own. I still recommend it, though.
Oh. I was sort of hoping for something set maybe a decade later, channeling later sci-fi classics. But of course I will watch season 2.
It’s not Spotify, but they have a link to the extended score on Youtube: http://nerdist.com/here-is-the-band-behind-the-stranger-things-soundtrack/
This is great. Thanks!
I thought Stranger Things was brilliant. It was an homage to various 80s movies and pop culture and it NAILED the early 80s in terms of decor, vibe and, well, almost everything else, too.
I have a hard time thinking they will be able to duplicate this success again in a season 2 sequel, because much of the mystery has been stripped away now. But I will certainly watch it eagerly when they do – as I am sure this will get picked up a for a season 2. The buzz is VERY strong in this one.
Whatever the case, I thought this was the best original thing Netflix has done yet. HUGE thumbs up.
I loved this so much! I was born in the late 80s, and I didn’t have TV or anything growing up, so I didn’t get any of the references.
But wow…watched it twice.
Dustin is the cutest kid ever, too. Spectacular.
Watched this a second time with my daughter and had fun watching her wrestle with the mystery…and answering her questions about the time period.
Still give it a B/B-, though.
Loved it. Maybe the best thing Netflix has put on and edges out Better Call Saul as my favorite show of the year.
Just starting to watch this.
I think people who hate the boyfriend are maybe, ahem, projecting some of their own school day insecurities on things.
He’s just good looking and (through his parents) pretty rich. So far, three episodes in, he has acted like a decent person. He’s typically the one telling his idiot friends to stop behaving like an ass.
Yes, he broke Gollum’s camera, but that’s because HE’S A CREEPY STALKING FUCKER. The creepy stalking camera brother is the one I dislike.
I agree about Steve. He’s set up as the Zabka, but he’s actually an okay guy. Sure, his family has money and he’s not really good at putting himself in other people’s shoes, but he’s not a sadistic jerk. He may be influenced by peer pressure, but he resists and tries to do the right thing. He acts like a normal 17-18 year old privileged kid in suburbia that can’t understand why his girlfriend is choosing to go with the creepy artsy loner guy.
When it comes down to it, the guy stands with the group and even helps when he easily could’ve just run away.
I think the bully of the three main kids is a good contrast to Steve. They could have easily made Steve into a cookie-cutter bully, and from what I read that might have been their original intent, but I think the scene of him rushing back into the house is hugely redeeming.
Well, he got the girl in the end, so Id say yeah, redemption.
Met the parents too!
Good news: you can use the Stranger Things Lightbulb Message Maker to write things like “Thanks Obama”.