How was the pull-out?
Jul. 12th, 2019 12:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lunabee34Anybody have recs for Stranger Things icons, preferably from seasons 1-2 so I don't spoil myself too badly for season 3?
Episode 5
El breaks my heart in this episode. Hopper didn't lie exactly when he said her mother is gone; she is, from his perspective. He doesn't believe she can communicate with anyone is any meaningful way, and he knows that El's aunt can't protect El at all. But I also understand why El feels betrayed. She sees pretty quickly that her mother isn't going to get any better, and she accepts her aunt's offer to stay and be part of the family. All I could think while I was watching this episode is how selfless Becky is. Being a caregiver is really hard, especially for someone who is catatonic and can give zero feedback or affection in return; and yet Becky has done this for about ten years. And now she just opens her arms to Jane and welcomes her in like suddenly parenting a traumatized child isn't going to complicate her life any. Becky's heart is huge, and I have so much respect for her and so much sadness for what Hawkins has taken from her, too.
I love that even though she can't really communicate with anyone else, El's mom can communicate with her, and she gives her enough info to let her know that she has "siblings" out there. I cannot imagine the horror of being stuck forever on endless repeat in a cycle of the worst memories of my life. :(
I love that Hop is the damsel in distress and that Joyce is the knight errant who rescues him. I mean, she just fucking jumps down into that creepy hole like it's nothing. I love her so hard. She is so damn badass.
I also love Bob, and every sweet and wonderful thing he does just paints a bigger and bigger target on his back. HE'S TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD!! I love that he figures out Will's map.
Dustin kills it in this episode. I feel so sorry for him having to handle everything with Dart on his own, but he steps up to the challenge like a boss. He really grows into a leader this season. All the kids grow in different ways: Lucas matures through his feelings for Max, Mike matures through grief and loss, and Will--well, poor Will. Maybe he will get to do something next season besides lay around with his eyes closed. LOL I love that Dustin commandeers Steve, and every single second of Steve big-brothering Dustin is kinda my absolute favorite thing I've ever seen.
I am so digging the Nancy and Jonathon will they-won't they dance. I love the chemistry between them. I did not expect them to take the tape to the conspiracy theory dude, and I'm interested to see what comes of their plan to release a watered down version of what happened to the public.
And, naturally, all the pieces of the Upside Down are connected which means that Will gets hurt when the Upside Down gets hurt.
Episode 6
Oh, man! They went there. I wasn't sure if Nancy and Jonathon would actually hook up, but they do! Yay! Poor Steve. :(
Every second of Steve giving Dustin girl advice and hair secrets is worth the price of admission. I love him corralling all the kids to make the Demogorgon trap and offering himself up as bait. Steve is so damn brave. That moment when you realize it's not just Dart but also a handful of his buddies--eep!
I think what they do with Will is really interesting. It's not just that he's ill, which he is; it's that he's now an agent of the Shadow Monster, which is a really interesting position to put him in. Will being coerced into leading those soldiers into a trap is a really heavy burden for a kid. I wonder if season 3 is going to show him having psychological fallout from that.
Paul Reiser is not the bad guy! Whaaaat? I love that he stands up to the other scientists advocating for killing Will.
Hopper's message to El hurts my heart. I'm so glad she gets to hear it.
I like Max so much, and I hate the way all the kids are being dicks to her except for Lucas. Dustin is the most understandable because he likes her and sees he's losing out to Lucas; he is also operating under some rather dubious advice from Steve. But I get really fed up with Mike being ugly to her (which I don't think even happens in this episode, but whatever), and I hate El being ugly to her. I'm hoping that in season 3 that will just stop, especially since El's antipathy stems entirely from a misunderstanding.
I love that Max and Lucas have a real conversation, and I feel so badly for her. The naked pain in her voice when she says she doesn't ever want to be like Billy is devastating.
Episode 7
So, this episode derails the momentum of the season; it kinda messes up the pacing IMHO. However, I love it because El has been able to make very few decisions on her own. Despite being the most powerful person around, she's had very little agency. This episode is important because it's about El making choices--about where she wants to live, who her friends are, where home is, what's worth fighting for, whether she wants revenge or not. She makes the choice. It's also important because she learns to use her powers more effectively. This is her quest episode; she goes on a quest, finds a mentor, and returns home ready to defeat the monster.
At first, I was really worried that Kali is trying to trick El, that she's really roping her into some criminal scheme for financial gain and hiding it under the veneer of revenge against Hawkins. I'm really glad that's not the case. I'm also glad that Kali doesn't die; that means she can show up again in future episodes (along with other "siblings"; they are 8 and 11 after all).
If Papa really is alive, that's one hell of a fake out. He looked pretty chomped on by the Demogorgon to me. I suppose one of the plot threads of season 3 will be determining whether Kali was lying about that or not.
Episode 8
Gah, this show. Now I have sympathy for Billy. His dad is abusive and horrible. :(
The siege of the Hawkins Lab is so harrowing. Good thinking on Mike's part to put Will to sleep. Bob is so fucking brave. When he tells Hopper not to wait for him, just to get Joyce and the kids out, I knew he was a goner. *sobs* Original founder of Hawkins AV. *sobs more*
Now everybody who knows what's going on is in one place. I love their plan to interrogate Will. I had the sniffles all throughout their stories to bring him back to himself. You know, Will may not get to do much in the show except be dead or lost or sick, but he's one tough cookie. That he's able to break the Shadow Monster's control enough to tap out Morse code is amazing.
Dustin's apology to Lucas is one of my favorite moments of the show. Dustin makes a huge mistake, one with consequences, but it's a mistake that saves their asses. He treats Dart with compassion and continues to do that past the point where everybody watching knows he's screwing up. Then he has to clean up the mess that hiding Dart makes, and he largely does so on his own; he takes responsibility. However, without Dart, they wouldn't have even known about the Demodogs. And without his compassion, Dart would kill them all in the tunnels.
I love the end scene of this episode with all of them standing back to back waiting for the Demodogs--Nancy with the gun, Lucas with his slingshot--and then El opening the door. There was some screaming in this house.
Episode 9
The Mike/El reunion does not disappoint. I love when she tells him how many days it's been and that she was listening the whole time.
That scene with Hopper and Mike is also awesome. When Mike finally stops hitting him, and Hop just hugs him--I'm tearing up just typing this.
And then she hugs everybody! Yay!
Okay, I'm not gonna lie. Mike's mom in the bath reading Johanna Lindsey and then having a cougar moment with Billy is a sorely needed respite of humor in this very tense episode. LOL
Again, Steve with the selflessness and telling Nancy it's okay she's with Jonathon and vowing to protect the kids. *my heart*
When Hopper actually apologizes to El, genuinely apologizes to her and explains that he was wrong and he was afraid, my respect for him goes through the roof. As a parent and grownup, his actions make absolute sense to me, and I'm not sure I'd have done anything differently in his place (except be less brave and badass), but he gets that he screwed up, and he's sorry. AND THEN SHE TAKES HIS HAND! OMG, y'all, his reaction to her story of hitchhiking is kinda the best thing ever.
I can't believe Dustin put the Demogorgon in the fridge. *dies*
Love Max's quick thinking with the sedative and the bat. And Steve trying his best to protect them all. *love*
My heart was in my throat the whole time the kids are setting the fire, but they made El closing the gate possible.
So glad Will is 100% Shadow Monster free.
El going nuclear and closing the gate is awesome.
Not only is Paul Reiser not the bad guy, he gets Hopper a birth certificate for El. I feel like at this point in the episode, I cannot take much more emotionally. So naturally, this is followed up by the dance which is kinda the sweetest ever. I mean, Steve takes Dustin under his wing! That hair! Nancy dancing with him and saying what we've all been thinking this whole time--favorite indeed. Max kisses Lucas! El kisses Mike! Joyce and Hopper sharing a cigarette! (I would have been ecstatic for Bob to survive, but I ship Hopper/Joyce pretty hard.)
I'm glad that Nancy and Jonathon are able to get closure for Barb's parents, too. Their gamble with the tape paid off.
And the Shadow Monster lurking in the Upside Down is the closing shot. *shudders*
Can't wait to watch season 3!
Episode 5
El breaks my heart in this episode. Hopper didn't lie exactly when he said her mother is gone; she is, from his perspective. He doesn't believe she can communicate with anyone is any meaningful way, and he knows that El's aunt can't protect El at all. But I also understand why El feels betrayed. She sees pretty quickly that her mother isn't going to get any better, and she accepts her aunt's offer to stay and be part of the family. All I could think while I was watching this episode is how selfless Becky is. Being a caregiver is really hard, especially for someone who is catatonic and can give zero feedback or affection in return; and yet Becky has done this for about ten years. And now she just opens her arms to Jane and welcomes her in like suddenly parenting a traumatized child isn't going to complicate her life any. Becky's heart is huge, and I have so much respect for her and so much sadness for what Hawkins has taken from her, too.
I love that even though she can't really communicate with anyone else, El's mom can communicate with her, and she gives her enough info to let her know that she has "siblings" out there. I cannot imagine the horror of being stuck forever on endless repeat in a cycle of the worst memories of my life. :(
I love that Hop is the damsel in distress and that Joyce is the knight errant who rescues him. I mean, she just fucking jumps down into that creepy hole like it's nothing. I love her so hard. She is so damn badass.
I also love Bob, and every sweet and wonderful thing he does just paints a bigger and bigger target on his back. HE'S TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD!! I love that he figures out Will's map.
Dustin kills it in this episode. I feel so sorry for him having to handle everything with Dart on his own, but he steps up to the challenge like a boss. He really grows into a leader this season. All the kids grow in different ways: Lucas matures through his feelings for Max, Mike matures through grief and loss, and Will--well, poor Will. Maybe he will get to do something next season besides lay around with his eyes closed. LOL I love that Dustin commandeers Steve, and every single second of Steve big-brothering Dustin is kinda my absolute favorite thing I've ever seen.
I am so digging the Nancy and Jonathon will they-won't they dance. I love the chemistry between them. I did not expect them to take the tape to the conspiracy theory dude, and I'm interested to see what comes of their plan to release a watered down version of what happened to the public.
And, naturally, all the pieces of the Upside Down are connected which means that Will gets hurt when the Upside Down gets hurt.
Episode 6
Oh, man! They went there. I wasn't sure if Nancy and Jonathon would actually hook up, but they do! Yay! Poor Steve. :(
Every second of Steve giving Dustin girl advice and hair secrets is worth the price of admission. I love him corralling all the kids to make the Demogorgon trap and offering himself up as bait. Steve is so damn brave. That moment when you realize it's not just Dart but also a handful of his buddies--eep!
I think what they do with Will is really interesting. It's not just that he's ill, which he is; it's that he's now an agent of the Shadow Monster, which is a really interesting position to put him in. Will being coerced into leading those soldiers into a trap is a really heavy burden for a kid. I wonder if season 3 is going to show him having psychological fallout from that.
Paul Reiser is not the bad guy! Whaaaat? I love that he stands up to the other scientists advocating for killing Will.
Hopper's message to El hurts my heart. I'm so glad she gets to hear it.
I like Max so much, and I hate the way all the kids are being dicks to her except for Lucas. Dustin is the most understandable because he likes her and sees he's losing out to Lucas; he is also operating under some rather dubious advice from Steve. But I get really fed up with Mike being ugly to her (which I don't think even happens in this episode, but whatever), and I hate El being ugly to her. I'm hoping that in season 3 that will just stop, especially since El's antipathy stems entirely from a misunderstanding.
I love that Max and Lucas have a real conversation, and I feel so badly for her. The naked pain in her voice when she says she doesn't ever want to be like Billy is devastating.
Episode 7
So, this episode derails the momentum of the season; it kinda messes up the pacing IMHO. However, I love it because El has been able to make very few decisions on her own. Despite being the most powerful person around, she's had very little agency. This episode is important because it's about El making choices--about where she wants to live, who her friends are, where home is, what's worth fighting for, whether she wants revenge or not. She makes the choice. It's also important because she learns to use her powers more effectively. This is her quest episode; she goes on a quest, finds a mentor, and returns home ready to defeat the monster.
At first, I was really worried that Kali is trying to trick El, that she's really roping her into some criminal scheme for financial gain and hiding it under the veneer of revenge against Hawkins. I'm really glad that's not the case. I'm also glad that Kali doesn't die; that means she can show up again in future episodes (along with other "siblings"; they are 8 and 11 after all).
If Papa really is alive, that's one hell of a fake out. He looked pretty chomped on by the Demogorgon to me. I suppose one of the plot threads of season 3 will be determining whether Kali was lying about that or not.
Episode 8
Gah, this show. Now I have sympathy for Billy. His dad is abusive and horrible. :(
The siege of the Hawkins Lab is so harrowing. Good thinking on Mike's part to put Will to sleep. Bob is so fucking brave. When he tells Hopper not to wait for him, just to get Joyce and the kids out, I knew he was a goner. *sobs* Original founder of Hawkins AV. *sobs more*
Now everybody who knows what's going on is in one place. I love their plan to interrogate Will. I had the sniffles all throughout their stories to bring him back to himself. You know, Will may not get to do much in the show except be dead or lost or sick, but he's one tough cookie. That he's able to break the Shadow Monster's control enough to tap out Morse code is amazing.
Dustin's apology to Lucas is one of my favorite moments of the show. Dustin makes a huge mistake, one with consequences, but it's a mistake that saves their asses. He treats Dart with compassion and continues to do that past the point where everybody watching knows he's screwing up. Then he has to clean up the mess that hiding Dart makes, and he largely does so on his own; he takes responsibility. However, without Dart, they wouldn't have even known about the Demodogs. And without his compassion, Dart would kill them all in the tunnels.
I love the end scene of this episode with all of them standing back to back waiting for the Demodogs--Nancy with the gun, Lucas with his slingshot--and then El opening the door. There was some screaming in this house.
Episode 9
The Mike/El reunion does not disappoint. I love when she tells him how many days it's been and that she was listening the whole time.
That scene with Hopper and Mike is also awesome. When Mike finally stops hitting him, and Hop just hugs him--I'm tearing up just typing this.
And then she hugs everybody! Yay!
Okay, I'm not gonna lie. Mike's mom in the bath reading Johanna Lindsey and then having a cougar moment with Billy is a sorely needed respite of humor in this very tense episode. LOL
Again, Steve with the selflessness and telling Nancy it's okay she's with Jonathon and vowing to protect the kids. *my heart*
When Hopper actually apologizes to El, genuinely apologizes to her and explains that he was wrong and he was afraid, my respect for him goes through the roof. As a parent and grownup, his actions make absolute sense to me, and I'm not sure I'd have done anything differently in his place (except be less brave and badass), but he gets that he screwed up, and he's sorry. AND THEN SHE TAKES HIS HAND! OMG, y'all, his reaction to her story of hitchhiking is kinda the best thing ever.
I can't believe Dustin put the Demogorgon in the fridge. *dies*
Love Max's quick thinking with the sedative and the bat. And Steve trying his best to protect them all. *love*
My heart was in my throat the whole time the kids are setting the fire, but they made El closing the gate possible.
So glad Will is 100% Shadow Monster free.
El going nuclear and closing the gate is awesome.
Not only is Paul Reiser not the bad guy, he gets Hopper a birth certificate for El. I feel like at this point in the episode, I cannot take much more emotionally. So naturally, this is followed up by the dance which is kinda the sweetest ever. I mean, Steve takes Dustin under his wing! That hair! Nancy dancing with him and saying what we've all been thinking this whole time--favorite indeed. Max kisses Lucas! El kisses Mike! Joyce and Hopper sharing a cigarette! (I would have been ecstatic for Bob to survive, but I ship Hopper/Joyce pretty hard.)
I'm glad that Nancy and Jonathon are able to get closure for Barb's parents, too. Their gamble with the tape paid off.
And the Shadow Monster lurking in the Upside Down is the closing shot. *shudders*
Can't wait to watch season 3!
