Stranger Things

[gmillerdrake]

Mid Thread Opinion Poll


Do I allow my 10 and 11 year old sons to watch Stranger Things? They've never seen it, heard about it...and want to watch it. They've watched some PG-13 movies like Maze Runner, Kong....Tarzan.....things along those lines. They've heard cuss words before so it's not so much the random SOB's and Sh%t and stuff.....it's more the emotional kid gone missing...moms a mess...etc etc. I'm concerned about.

What do the parents of DTF think?    I'm leaning 'yes' and my wife has left it up to me being that she hasn't seen either season.

It sorta depends on what kind of understanding you think your kids have. The swearing and implied sexuality is pretty mild comparatively. The only thing I'd be worried if it was me is the occasional violence, I mean if you ask me it looks a bit too intense at times, even more than most PG-13 movies I feel. If you think your kids can handle that I think they should be ok. There really isn't much violence throughout but those couple of times there is, it can be a bit jarring IMO. My kid is just 3 so there's still some time for me to think about those things 

This is my issue. I think they could handle 90% of the show because 90% of the show is more or less 'fun' with some action and what not. But the really intense scenes are intense. There are some legit murder scenes that happen and although they aren't overly gory by any means they are still pretty blunt and direct.

[The Walrus]

I think it just depends on how mature you think your kids are. When I was 5 my parents let me play Mortal Kombat and Quake (and my father was in the room during Quake so he knew what I was playing) because they knew I understood it was just a game. If they're smart enough to realize it's just a TV show they'll be fine. Yeah there's some violence and a couple bloody murder scenes, and a fair bit of swearing, but if they're mature enough they'll handle it just fine.

However there are a couple really visually disturbing scenes, even as an adult. Mainly with Will - one when they light the vines on fire and he's seizing, and the other where the mind flayer/shadow monster is literally entering his body.

[faizoff]

Anyone watch the after show series "Beyond Strangers Things"? 7 Episodes of around 20 min each hosted by Jim Rash, the Dean from Community. I'll check it out later.

[lonestar]

Just finished. I'm truly in love with this show. The emotions it manages to easily elicit from me is amazing. Granted I'm a softy to begin with, but that rollercoaster of ep9 had me on the edge for a good half hour of it. And then that perfectly crafted closing scene with the school dance was just too much.

[Podaar]

Gary,

You won't know until you try. Some kids handle the violence differently than others. I think Stranger Things is a pretty good way to find out since it's not shockingly gory. My advise is that you and your wife watch the first season with them since it's not as unrelentingly tense and keep a sly eye on things. Your kids will watch you and your wife carefully for your reactions so playing it cool is important, but if one of the kids gets a too freaked, just quietly usher them out and have a calm conversation with them. You'll know what to do. I wouldn't turn the show off if only one of the boys is troubled, but if both are then maybe it would be best to turn it off.


















































and yell at them for being pussies! 

[The Walrus]

 

I need to watch Beyond Stranger Things, thanks for the heads up faizoff.

[gmillerdrake]

Gregg....that's a good approach. My wife was wanting to watch it as well so that'd be the scenario.



And, my boys already hear it enough from me how they'd never have survived in PawPaw's (my Dad) house.....that they don't know how easy they have it when it comes to being hurt/scared, whatever. there wasn't a lot of sympathy from him growing up. He was the typical 'get over it, you're fine' Dad.

[Podaar]

I hope you know that last line was a joke. Didn't intend to bring up bad stuff.

Now, buckup, buttercup! 

[gmillerdrake]

I hope you know that last line was a joke. Didn't intend to bring up bad stuff.

Now, buckup, buttercup! 

Oh I know....and I don't mean to make it sound like my dad was a dick. He was/is great. He was just 'old school'.   My younger brother once stepped on a nail that went clear through his foot...in between the webbing of his toes where there's really just skin and a bit of muscle. My dad took one look at the wound....at the nail and said 'you're fine, the nail isn't rusty and your barely bleeding'. No trip to the Dr, no emotional counseling. Just 'you'll be fine, shake it off'   I love the fact I was raised like that. Unless you severed an artery and were bleeding out any injury was always  'your'e fine'     

[lonestar]

Fucking ouch man...I cringed just reading that..

[TioJorge]

Maybe I'm not in the right mood or state of mind but I am not nearly as attached or loving this season as the first. Four episodes in and the vast majority of the show so far has been campy school happenings, parties, and so many random, bad jokes you'd think that it'd turn into a sit-com. I'm going to stick with it but my original fear of them milking this just to milk it and make that dough seems to be coming at least partially true; especially since I read they're already gearing up for a Season 3.

I don't know how to feel about it at this point. The original had a whole hell of a lot of charm and a very specific story to tell with absolutely no filler. I feel like in just the four episodes I've watched when there's only 9 to begin with, there's been filler in almost half of every episode. There's also some character archetypes that just do not make sense to introduce unless they're going somewhere (the "psycho" not-brother of Max; I want Sean Astin to burn in Mordor; the expansion of Steve and Nancy's relationship is as interesting and deep as a puddle). Basically I'm just sad that I don't have the same feelings for the show as I did almost immediately with Season 1 despite S1 also starting off a little slow, it quickly developed into a masterpiece. Rightfully so, since there were only 8 episodes. I really think they're taking their time (and not in a good way, mind you, but with the aforementioned filler) because they know now that it's going to be a hit and that they can milk it dry.

I'll come back way later with an updated view after finishing it but I need a break from the cheese-factor this season has introduced in spades. I kind of knew it wasn't going to be the same when they had the garage-punk-band and 8 in that first scene. Ugh...

[jingle.boy]

Quick post now, more later.  jingle.son and I just finished it up.  Loved it just as much as Season 1.  As was mentioned, the attention to detail was fantastic.... little things like the flashlights with the red plastic caps; the Head&Shoulders bottle in the bathroom... stuff like that all over the place.

[gmillerdrake]

Quick post now, more later.  jingle.son and I just finished it up.  Loved it just as much as Season 1.  As was mentioned, the attention to detail was fantastic.... little things like the flashlights with the red plastic caps; the Head&Shoulders bottle in the bathroom... stuff like that all over the place.

I mentioned that same detail today. That was OLD SCHOOL !!!

[SystematicThought]

Currently watching episode 7. So far, I could really do without this episode. I'm really loving this season, but I think they made the best character of season 1 the least interesting for season 2.

Edit: Maybe the episode wasn't that bad, but coming off of episode 6 and to slow down like that, it kinda sucked. But, the episode pays off because of the end of episode 8

[faizoff]

Watched the first 3 episodes of Beyond Stranger Things, it's a fun quirky after show. I like the candor of the segments, you learn some neat trivia and some of the behind the scenes stuff, how some of the plot lines were changed to suit the characters, etc.. You can see how well the cast gels together. They really seem to have that chemistry between the kids and the adults which is why they decided to pair some of them that way.

[abydos]

Season 2 was quite a bit weaker than S1 but it was still an enjoyable watch for the most part.

[gmillerdrake]

Season 2 was quite a bit weaker than S1 but it was still an enjoyable watch for the most part.

I'd think that it's near impossible to capture the magic of season 1. It was such an awesome surprise and unique feel. I enjoyed Season 2 a lot, but I wouldn't call it 'weaker'....I'd say that it just didn't have that same 'spell' that season 1 had. But that was/is to be expected when you have a show pop on to the scene like Season 1 did. The expectations were sky high for season 2 and I thought they handled it very well.

[Accelerando]

I agree you can't quite capture that magic from the first season. I have that same thought with The Walking Dead. That first season was just an amazing, unexpected surprise. But having had finished season 2 for a few days now with time to think about it, I think this season was just as good, if not better, than the first season. I feel like the character were fully realized. Especially Will Byers. And what a wonderful kid actor. All of them. 

But my girlfriend and I are in agreement that if Nancy ever gets killed, we won't cry about it  She's the Felicity Smoak (Arrow) of this show

[Logain Ablar]

Just binged the remaining 6 episodes of S2. Loved the ending - pure 80's nostalgia.

David Harbour is great. It would be great to see him in more things. I hope this show helps boost his profile.

All the kid actors were super yet again. Excellent casting.

My only criticism is with episode 7 and the whole 008 storyline. I wasn't mad keen on it in general, but I think this may have worked better being interspersed into other episodes. Dedicating a whole episode to it seemed a bit unnecessary.

Oh, and poor Bob!!

[gmillerdrake]

My only criticism is with episode 7 and the whole 008 storyline. I wasn't mad keen on it in general, but I think this may have worked better being interspersed into other episodes. Dedicating a whole episode to it seemed a bit unnecessary.

I can agree with that, and would be my only criticism of the season. I think the story itself was important because I can't imagine that 008 won't be part of the story moving forward....so forming that relationship probably was important......but I agree that a stand alone episode like that felt a bit much. Even then though the only reason the episode didn't seem to work was that it was sandwiched in a good run and flow of episodes....but the episode itself wasn't all that bad. Just felt out of place.

[jingle.boy]

My only beef with Ep 7 was ruining the continuity between 6 and 8.  If they had flip flopped 6 with 7, that might have been more tolerable.  Like RJ said, it really revealed Eleven's character, powers, and power.  I think all of it was relevant, but breaking the momentum of ep 6 was a bit of a killjoy.

Spoilers...





Mike was a dick to Max... you'd think that character would understand the relevance and impact of boy/girl friendship/camaraderie/relationship.  He was a douche to Max.

Mike's mom was smokin hawt in the final episode.  <insert Dustin's grlrlrlrlrlrl>  Nancy did a total solid for Dustin at the end.  While I agree with Accelerando, that was a great thing to do.  Billy was great... looking forward to how that character evolves.

I have/had a few minor nits in a few episodes, but nothing that detracted from the overall awesomeness of the season.  I'm looking forward to the reveal/discover of One thru Seven, as well as Nine and Ten.

Oh, and poor Bob!!

Too funny... I text RJ when it happened - "Poor Samwise".

[gmillerdrake]

There were several moments throughout the show that I thought Bob was going to be a 'bad' guy. There were some looks and certain ways the scenes went where I was like "is he a bad guy just spying on this family?"   Especially after he convinced Will to stand up to the Flayer monster thing.....thought for sure he was a 'bad guy' after that.

[Adami]

There were several moments throughout the show that I thought Bob was going to be a 'bad' guy. There were some looks and certain ways the scenes went where I was like "is he a bad guy just spying on this family?"   Especially after he convinced Will to stand up to the Flayer monster thing.....thought for sure he was a 'bad guy' after that.

I've heard that from a lot of people. I'm really glad he was just a good guy. I'm glad he had his major hero arc and that we rooted for him.

I love Bob.

[jammindude]

Late to the party, but started watching it last week and got about 5 or 6 episodes into season 1.   Really cool show.

[BlackInk]

Finished it a few days ago and really liked it. I absolutely loved the scene where they have Will tied up and just tell him stories. No score, no action, just a lot of genuine emotion. Loved that.

Also, I don't quite understand why everyone has such a problem with Nancy.

[Logain Ablar]

Mike's mom was smokin hawt in the final episode.

I totally loved that scene where she comes to the door in her bathrobe. Max's brother is all "Nobody told me Nancy had a sister". Brilliantly done.

El totally blew Max off when she tried to introduce herself. I wonder if that's going to be a recurring theme in S3?

[masterthes]

I don't think so. Now that the relationships are squared up, I think El's going to be fine with Max

[WDADU]

I think it'll be an issue for the first couple episodes, and then they will develop a genuine liking and respect for one another---especially since Max and Lucas seem to have a thang goin' on and is no longer a romantic threat to Mike and Eleven's relationship.

[abydos]

It felt much more like a high school movie than the first and Max and her brother felt utterly useless.

[jingle.boy]

I don't think so. Now that the relationships are squared up, I think El's going to be fine with Max

Agreed.

I also liked how the Doc was setup to look like a total douche - and still part of the 'evil' DoE, and during the climactic events, he was just as much the hero as Samwise.  It's still unclear to me how he survived - did he slip on the stairs or something?

[soupytwist]

Finished this up over the weekend.  Love the characters on this show, don't always think the story nails it - but I could happy watch most of these characters just chatting for 7 episodes!     Steve was my MVP of this second series.   Lost his spot as Top Jock, lost his Girl, took a Hollywood style beatdown - but still came out of the season as a really likeable guy, his stuff with Dustin was Gold.

[jingle.boy]

... Steve was the guy that I found most interesting, and evolved the most beyond S1.  Everyone else was the exact same character (not that it's a bad thing).  Hopper had a bit of an interesting twist by being 11's caretaker - and developing some feelings for her - but otherwise, there weren't that many surprises from any of the returning characters.  It's a good thing they threw in Bob/Bill/Max/The Doctor for some 'freshness'.

[soupytwist]

They didn't really have anything for Mike to do in this season.  Distin and Lucas both had there own stories, and Will was very much the focus point of the main plot, then there was Mike just there in the background pining for El to comeback.

[jingle.boy]

They didn't really have anything for Mike to do in this season.  Distin and Lucas both had there own stories, and Will was very much the focus point of the main plot, then there was Mike just there in the background pining for El to comeback.

Which I was ok with, since Mike was clearly the focus of the four of them in S1.  It's hard to shine the spotlight on so many characters.  I was actually ok with it being someone different in S2.  I can see Dustin and/or Lucas getting the spotlight in S3.

[sylvan]

But my girlfriend and I are in agreement that if Nancy ever gets killed, we won't cry about it  She's the Felicity Smoak (Arrow) of this show

Dude... Lana Lang from Smallville. That girl has a concussion in EVERY episode. Drs should be studying her brain for the most extrememe cases of CTE