#stranger things rewatch

[froof-of-the-loof]

Okay this isn't something I usually ship from Stranger Things but the way Jonathan just:

Grab girlfriend #1 ✔️

Grab girlfriend #2 ✔️

[goonflower]

this is how nancy looks at steve after his confession, right before robin shows up. you can literally see her discomfort. like, you expect me to believe the next words out of her mouth after that dejected "steve..." and this expression would have been anything close to reciprical? this is not the face you make when you're about to confess your love to someone, it's the face you make right before the rejection.

i honestly don't know how anyone ships st*ncy anymore. in s1 and s2 i could kind of see ppl shipping it. but by s4? they've been broken up for years and nancy looks uncomfortable in most of their scenes together. even those lingering camera shots where they're trying to sell an attraction between st*ncy can not hide nancy's discomfort.

[cutemothman]

Stranger Things 2.01 "Chapter One: MADMAX"

[hugsandnoregrets]

like some people just don’t understand the fundamental differences that Jonathan lives with that can make him appear less sympathetic than Steve or Nancy because he is truly and deeply different. like he was raised by an abusive father and after the divorce he was heavily parentified. Joyce tried her best but it’s clear that Jonathan regularly watched Will, picked up shifts to pay the bills, worked while attending school, took over parenting aspects such as pep talks and emotional support, regularly made breakfast or dinner, and didn’t seem overly surprised that he was the one responsible for planning the funeral while Joyce was convinced (rightfully) that Will was alive. and that’s just season 1!! no wonder he didn’t have time to make friends or be happy, he spent his whole life with responsibilities thrust onto him to keep his family afloat, and he does it with little complaint until he reaches a breaking point.

Jonathan is poor. He doesn’t have the financial support or options that Nancy or Steve have. He cannot afford to go to a different college with Nancy and he is scared to leave Will and Joyce and now El because he has been living life as a parental figure for years. Being poor when people you love aren’t is embarrassing and it can be very alienating especially because of the shame that goes with it. His self medicating with weed and avoiding his problems in my opinion is symptomatic of depression because he feels trapped but he can’t afford to get out and he’s afraid of abandoning Will and Joyce just like Lonnie did.

It’s clear that the moment things got bad, Jonathan took back on the role of big brother, father, practical and protective. He immediately realized what his absence had done to Will, which likely reaffirms his fear of leaving Will for any form of college and not being there. He took care of Will and El and was able to make it back to Hawkins. But no matter where his plot goes, being raised with an abusive absent father, being parentified at a young age, and being poor will always influence his decision making - which adds layers to his sometimes confusing and offputting behavior.

I really hope that while Nancy is allowed to express rightful feelings of abandonment, the show doesn’t gloss over the affects that being poor has had on his life and choices. Jonathan deserves to have that acknowledged.

[steviesbicrisis]

Stranger Things S2 rewatch thoughts

I finally finished rewatching S2 and this is everything I've written down as I was watching lmao

KEITH USED TO WORK AT THE ARCADE?? Also the arcade is right next to family video so Keith just moved next door in season 3 lmao

Steve omg you’re so cute stop

FINALLY MAX IS HERE

Okay Billie is bad, yes? We all agree Billie is bad, right? But Dacre IS SO HOT I CANNOT HE TOOK A “PORCA TROIA” OUT OF ME LIKE IT WAS NOTHING

Honestly they’re so dope for dressing up as ghostbusters and going to school with matching outfits

Ugh Nancy and Steve are so terrible for each other

Steve’s face during the bullshit scene really broke my heart 🥺

People being annoyed at Joyce for being super protective of Will like what?? That boy was proclaimed dead, they had a funeral and he turned out to be in another dimension??? I dare you to not be at least a little paranoid

I’m getting the gayest vibes ever from this basketball + shower scene I’m not even joking, Harrington 100% felt what it is like to be a girl objectified in a nightclub

Billy calling Steve pretty boy is so fucked up like are you Eddie Munson? No so imma need you to back off ✋

Jfc no wonder Vecna chose max she’s a walking gold mine for therapists

One drive with Billy would be enough for me to become a target for Vecna I swear

A part of me will always blame Dustin for the cat’s death 🥲

Stranger things is so good I cannot fucking believe my eyes sometimes

First Nancy, now Hopper… can they like, stop going inside creepy ass portals all by themselves? FFS

OH MY GOD ERICA WAS SO SMALL HOW CUTE SINDFKJDF

Lucas telling Max “if I tell you the truth, you could be arrested or killed. Do you accept the risk?” Hits different now

FINALLY THE DUSTIN/STEVE DUO IS BORN

I was today years old when I realized Nancy broke up with Steve in S1 for a month but then she got back with him because she got tired of waiting for Jonathan

Dustin’s proud smile when Steve told him “good call dude” I CANT IM WEEK IM CRYING ON THE FLOOR

I will never get over Dustin’s pure adoration for Steve in this season

JUSTICE FOR BOB

BOB NEWBY THE SUPERHERO 😭😭😭

Everyone: it’s like the mind flyer! Steve&Max: don’t speak nerd in my presence pls

I’m sorry but Mike holding that small trophy as a weapon LOL

I CANNOT BELIEVE THE KIDS WERE AT THE WINDOW WHEN BILLY CAME ARE STUPID

I cannot believe they wanted to leave a beaten-up and concussed Steve behind, are you crazy???

I totally forgot that Steve, in a span of a couple of hours, pushed his girlfriend to be with another guy, got beaten up defending kids he barely knows and then went down - all beaten up and concussed - the upside down tunnels just for said kids?? ARE U EVEN REAL MAN?

Will turning to Mike when that girl asked him to dance 🥺

Nancy is so fucking right, those girls are so stupid turning Dustin down like fuck you who do you think you are????

Jopper at the end, I love my parents so much

Here my thoughts on S1!

[deanismysavior]

No because Will's little "See you tomorrow!" to Mike before he bikes home is so devastating because it's simultaneously the cutest shit I've ever seen and the most heartbreaking line in all of season 1 because Mike doesn't know that the next time he sees what he thinks is Will, they're pulling what he believes to be Will's body from the quarry.

[hellfireclubnotcult]

steve’s character development is personally my favourite in the whole show because id kill season 1 steve but i’d kill for season 4 steve

[talkingstrangerthings]

While rewatching S1, EP5:

okay this is just a small weird detail i just noticed but when lonnie comes over to "help" joyce, he sits down on the couch with her, pours her something to drink and says smth like "here drink something, it'll calm your nerves and help you think straight". i never payed close attention to it and just assumed he got her some water but he literally put some rum (or other strong liquor?) into her glass?????!!!!! tbh that's really damn fcked up...

(sorry for the horrendous photo quality, had to take a pic of my ipad for this bcs netflix doesn't allow screenshots ☠️)

[elkdiaries]

no but seriously how did el know who will was when she pointed at the picture in season one

[ineffablelvrs]

gasp its feed henclair nation some content oclock

[counting-stars-gayly]

Okay, but in s1e5, when the boys and El are looking for the gate, Lucas, from a couple yards in front of El, turns around for one second and immediately asks Dustin if he thinks she’s acting weird. Meanwhile, Mike is walking RIGHT next to her and doesn’t notice her wiping her nose or anything. Then, in season two, Mike makes the comment, “He was quiet today,” about Will, only for a Lucas to respond, “He’s always quiet.”

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Season 3 rewatch:

THAT HANDSHAKE BETWEEN DUSTIN AND STEVE IS STILL THE FUCKING CUTEST THING EVER. FUCK I MIGHT DIE. Ugh, it has no right to be that cute.

[goonflower]

1x02

el/jane walking into the wheelers living room and her first reaction is to go up to nancy's picture to say "pretty"?? that girl is gay and i truly do believe that.

also super relatable natalia dyer is gorgeous

[cutemothman]

Stranger Things

1.06 "Chapter Six: The Monster"

[thegayhimbo]

Stranger Things Rewatch: "The Vanishing of Will Byers" (Part 1 of 2)

Disclaimer: This is NOT a traditional review/analysis, but a collection of observations, brief commentary, favorite moments, and so on that I'm noting as I go through these episodes. All of these are just my opinions and/or theories, and can be subjected to change as the rewatch continues.

Observations:

Happy Stranger Things Day! :) As of today, this took place 40 years ago.

Love how reminiscent this opening scene is to the climax of Ridley Scott's Alien when Ellen Ripley is escaping the USCSS Nostromo as the alarms go off. I wouldn't be surprised if this homage turned out to be intentional on the Duffer Brother's part:

When we're introduced to Mike's campaign, The Party is in the middle of being attacked by an army of Troglodytes. This is the image I found when I looked them up:

It's probably just a fun D&D moment, but since the Duffer Brothers have named a lot of their monsters (Demogorgon, Mind Flayer, Vecna) after D&D creatures, it makes me wonder if there's some kind of animal like a troglodyte in the Upside Down. It's unlikely we've seen all the monsters from that dimension, and they might introduce new ones in S5 that the Party hasn't encountered yet and will inevitably fight.

They do a good job with the establishing character moments for both Dustin and Lucas in Mike's D&D campaign: Dustin telling Will to use caution and cast a protective spell while Lucas insists Will fireballs the Demogorgon while he has the chance. Lucas's strategy is to go on the offense while Dustin's is to go on the defense. Specifically with Lucas, he uses that strategy in other situations he's in: Like when Lucas kicks Billy in the groin in S2 after being pinned to the wall by him, or gets an axe to chop at the Meat Flayer's tendril to save El in S3, or even how Lucas is the one who later convinces everyone to take the fireworks from the store to use as ammunition (which helps turn the tide at the Battle of Starcourt). By contrast, Dustin prioritizes the safety of the Party, from pointing out to Mike and Lucas that they might be walking into the same danger Will encountered when they later look for him in the woods, to telling Mike NOT to jump off a cliff when Troy threatens Dustin, to enlisting Steve's help in S2 because he knows Steve will be able to protect them due to his size and skill with the bat, to rescuing Steve and Robin from the Russians in S3.

This isn't to say that Lucas is wrong and Dustin is right, or even that Dustin is wrong and Lucas is right. It's merely noting they have opposite approaches. Each situation they encounter is different, and sometimes (just like with Will's dice role) it's really up to chance.

Also (as noted later in the episode by Mike), Will took Lucas's advice and used fireball as a means of protecting the Party instead of trying to save himself. He puts other people's safety before his own. The comic book "The Other Side" (which focuses on Will's perspective during the events of S1 while trapped in the UD) expands on this aspect of his personality by including several moments of him coming to the aid of others (including Nancy) while in the UD, despite knowing it would put him in danger.

Also, regardless of Lucas insisting the role doesn't count because Mike didn't see it, Will still chooses to be honest with Mike. He knows there are situations you can't cheat your way out of, or pretend didn't happen (as he's about to find out with the real Demogorgon).

The lights flash at Mike's house just as Will leaves. I'm assuming Vecna and the Demogorgon he was controlling were already beginning to track Will's movements here.

I've talked about this before in my review of "The Other Side" (and I know for a fact I'm not the only fan who's speculated on this), but I don't buy that Will's kidnapping by the Demogorgon was random. Given the revelations in S4, I'm inclined to believe Vecna deliberately targeted Will and used the Demogrogon under his control to bring Will alive to the Upside Down. I also would argue it was Vecna who used telekinesis to unlock the door to Will's house:

I know several episodes from now, Jonathan talks to Nancy about how his dad took him hunting when he was 10 and forced him to kill a rabbit, so I'm assuming Lonnie also taught Will about loading and shooting a gun. It's possible Jonathan could have, but considering how traumatized he was over what his dad made him do, IDK if I see Jonathan teaching Will how to use a gun.

I've said this before, but I don't buy Vecna wanted Will to just impregnate him with the larva's that would grow into future Demodogs/Demogorgons. He could have easily used the Demogorgon to kidnap other residents of Hawkins for that purpose if he wanted to. He didn't need Will specifically for that.

Still one of my favorite openings for any TV show I've seen:

I missed the drawing Sara did of her family the first time I saw this. Nice foreshadowing about Hopper's past life!

To this day, I still don't understand why Troy and James got their own graphic novel. Out of all the side characters they could have focused on, why did they choose these two? Was there some kind of demand from the fandom to bring them back that I'm unaware of?

I know Caleb McLaughlin gave an interview after season 4 aired where he expressed frustration over how certain fans have been dismissive of any racial trauma Lucas has gone through, and this goes all the way back to season 1. Both Troy and James's bullying of Lucas was racially motivated, and the graphic novel Zombie Boys also highlights this:

On a related note, Troy and James making fun of Dustin for having cleidocranial dysplasia is disgusting.

I've seen this discussion before in the fandom about Barb's attitude towards Nancy dating Steve, and this idea that Barb was jealous of the idea of Nancy possibly becoming popular, which.................is not an interpretation I've ever understood. I never once took Barb to be some kind of social climber. When she's talking with Nancy in her first scene, she sounds genuinely excited for Nancy about Steve calling her, as well as cheekily acknowledging that both Nancy and Steve are into each other.

On top of that, Barb knows Nancy well enough that she wouldn't discard her as a friend, even if she became popular. The way she talks with Nancy in this scene, she doesn't seem worried or upset with her. If anything, Barb is amused during this conversation (including when she sees the note Steve left for Nancy in her locker). There's also the way they both talk about Tommy and Carol, indicating they both have low opinions of them, and that Barb is aware that Nancy doesn't like them and isn't going to abandon her for them.

@will80sbyers pointed this out in a recent post, and I thought I'd note it here since it's a good observation: The first scene we see of Steve and Nancy's relationship is in a restroom..........and their breakup in S2 happens in a restroom as well. That's how things come full-circle for these two:

It's notable that the two times Steve and Nancy meet in this episode, it's in an area that's supposed to be private (the school restroom, Nancy's bedroom) but there's always the risk of someone (a high school student/teacher, Nancy's parents) walking in on them while they're making out (not that Steve seems to care). Both times involve Nancy interrupting to tell Steve she needs to study for a test, and while Steve initially tries to make it all fun-and-games between them, he eventually concedes when he realizes she's serious about her schoolwork and agrees to help her.

This still remains one of my favorite quotes from the show (and is literally what weekday mornings are like for me before I have to clock in for work):

This has been pointed out by others, but there's an interesting parallel between Joyce calling Will "sensitive" vs. Victor Creel calling his son Henry "sensitive."

Notably, when Joyce talks about Will being sensitive, it has more to do with him being aware of other people's feelings, as well as the way other people look at him and judge him. Meanwhile, I'm skeptical of that being the case with Henry. Maybe Victor thought Henry was sensitive because of his inability to "fit in" with the other kids (as well as being labeled "broken" by teachers and doctors), but considering how insulted Henry is at the idea that he was broken, as well as how he didn't care about torturing and killing animals before murdering his mom and sister in cold-blood (and letting his dad take the blame for it), I doubt Henry gave a damn about what others thought of him. His behavior indicates he doesn't feel empathy for anyone the same way Will does. Henry's "sensitivity" likely had more to do with the abilities he had locked inside of him, or even possibly being able to feel the presence of the Upside Down before he was banished there by El 20 years later. Maybe they'll expand on this in "The First Shadow" when it comes out.

They foreshadowed pretty early on that Will was secretly gay. I remember this was discussed by fans way back when season 1 first came out.

Yes Hopper, he is.

There's a dark irony in how Hopper's been working as Chief of Hawkins for 4 years, and claims that nothing awful has happened during his tenure. 4 years ago would have been in 1979, the same year Henry/One/Vecna slaughtered the special kids (and most of the staff) at the lab before El banished him to the Upside Down. I know Hopper wasn't aware of any of this when it happened, and none of that was his fault or responsibility, but still.........

Something I always found frustrating with the show (and even supplementary materials) is they never really explain how the chain-of-command works when it comes to government officials on this show. They establish Dr. Brenner as the head of Hawkins Lab (and later that role gets transferred to Dr. Owens in S2), but they never truly say which higher-ups Brenner answers to. Then there's the introduction of Colonel Sullivan in S4 (despite him never being hinted at or mentioned in the previous 3 seasons): Judging by the conversations he has with Dr. Owens, as well as how Dr. Owens got fired for the Russian infiltration of Hawkins in S3, I assumed Sullivan was Owen's superior. Does that mean that Brenner also answered to Sullivan during this time? Or was Sullivan just part of a different faction of the government (i.e. the same faction Ellen Stinson warns Mike about in S4) who was opposed to what Brenner was doing from the beginning, and only recently got involved?

In any case, I'm assuming the men pictured above who are meeting with Brenner are either government agents sent to investigate the opening of the gate, or Brenner's superiors who want to know what happened the previous night.

I wonder if there will be a twist in S5 that Upside Down itself is one whole Lovecraftian-like monster, and stuff like the Demogorgons and other creatures are just extensions of it. Just the way that gate breathes, and how it looks like you're traveling through someone's insides.............

I missed Scott Clarke in S4, and I hope he comes back for S5 to give more scientific advice to the main characters (assuming he didn't leave Hawkins). Who knows? It may prove helpful against the upcoming fight against Vecna.

Since Stranger Things loves referencing Lord of the Rings (and The Hobbit), with the show even drawing parallels to the books (like the Upside Down being similar to Mordor, or even Hopper's fake death in S3 and return in S4 having similarities to Gandalf's apparent death in Moria and his later return), I am looking at the books as one possible blueprint to predict how Season 5 will go. That's just me though.

Also, Will disappearing near Mirkwood, which in The Hobbit is where Bilbo encounters the spiders that try to eat him and his companions, and Vecna has a creepy obsession with spiders and shaped the Mind Flayer into a spider, and the Mind Flayer later attacks Will..................

I'm sure there's somewhere I'm trying to go with this, but I can't articulate it in a way that makes sense.

SIDE NOTE: This particular scene with Dustin and Lucas fighting while Mike sits in the middle looking irritated is hilarious. 😂

Come to think of it, this scene is a perfect representation of the dynamic the kids have this episode: Dustin and Lucas argue (whether it's over D&D strategies, how to find Will, etc) and Mike is caught in the middle. This changes later once El is introduced where it's Mike and Lucas fighting, and Dustin is trying to act as the peacemaker.

To be continued in Part 2..........

[steviesbicrisis]

Stranger things rewatch thoughts

I’ve recently decided to do a rewatch since I don’t remember anything that happens before the scoops ahoy shorts™️ and all of my memories are covered in a thick layer of rainbows and unicorns thanks to Tumblr. I don’t know if anyone will be interested but I wrote down my thoughts while watching 😂 this is season 1:

Where is Steve? I miss Steve

EW STEVE GO AWAY EW

Honestly Mrs Wheeler isn’t half as bad as I remembered

Joyce best character ever I don’t make the rules

Mike your crush on will is showing, embarrassiiiing

Jonance looking cuuuute

But also Nancy this boi took pics of u naked how are u so chill about it

I’m remembering why I love hopper so much

YES SLASH THAT FAKE WILL

Nancy being scandalized by Jonathan taking a gun is cracking me up

Not Nancy crawling into a creepy ass portal in a tree like wtf dude who do you think you are? Alice in wonderland?

Steve I really hate your current friends, when are you going to ditch them and become fruity for our resident fav metalhead weirdo?

Me pulling out google translate to understand what the Russian are saying: am I Robin Buckley?

Wait a fucking minute, the Party’s bullies were just chilling in the woods, causally brought a knife with them and stumbled upon Mike and Dustin?? How in hell-

I swear to god I have no clue how Carol kept dating Tommy after he almost kissed Steve in front of her

I’m sorry Harrington but that ASS going up the ladder, wow

Hopper best dad ever 🥺

Will telling Mike he’s the one keeping them together meanwhile Dustin is literally the reason why they stayed together

Steve wanting to apologize is so cute, my poor heart

NANCY PUT THE GUN DOWN OMG

I’m sorry but there’s just no way Jonathan knew the lights were actually Joyce in the upside down, I call bs

Okay HOW DID BRENNER SURVIVE THAT??

I did not remember the Wheelers going to pick mike up at the school, what did they tell them? Did they give an explanation at all? Lmao

I cannot wait to see season 2 I need some answers

There are Christmas lights and the season ends with snow and Christmas, stranger things is a Christmas tv show #confirmed

Did Will just throw up Dustin’s future pet?

Here my thoughts on season 2!!