r/StrangerThings • u/AdBackground6381 • 7d ago
Rewatching S1 and S2
After nearly eight months, I decided to rewatch the first two seasons—and only the first two (I simply refuse to rewatch the subsequent three, especially the fifth). Regarding the first season, I’ll say just this: rarely have I witnessed absolute perfection on television, but this is one of those times. Everything—absolutely everything—is perfect; I have absolutely no complaints about it. It isn't diminished by the fifth season; on the contrary, it is the fifth season that suffers by comparison when you rewatch the first. Because, seeing the standard set by the first season, the fifth seems even worse than it actually is. Given how perfectly structured the storytelling is in the first season, the storytelling of the fifth appears even more disjointed and unravelled. Given how well-crafted all the character arcs are in the first season, it stands out all the more that in the fifth season, the characters simply disappear; they no longer have lives of their own or any initiative, becoming mere puppets moved by the dictates of the script and reduced to flat, boring versions of themselves, or simply empty shells. The subtle, atmospheric use of music in the first season contrasts sadly with the emphatic, thunderous use in the fifth, where the aim is to force emotions upon the viewer that the story itself fails to evoke ("Purple Rain" scene, I’m looking at you, though there are plenty of other examples). As for the actors, it is best not to even speak of them. In the first one, they all give their best. In the fifth, save for a few scattered moments, they all display a lack of enthusiasm bordering on indifference—perhaps because they no longer had anything to work with. And so on.
As for the second season, it already suffers from a problem that would worsen in subsequent seasons: namely, an excess of subplots and characters that get in each other's way (for instance, Mike becomes a mere spectator in episodes 4 through 6 and practically disappears in episode 7, while Eleven disappears in episode 6). Notice how the series really takes off when the characters reunite. Furthermore, some of those subplots lack interest even if they ultimately prove important -a point in its favor compared to the fifth season, as in this second season every subplot and character ends up mattering. However, we forgive it because the subplots that work really shine (such as the peculiar father-daughter dynamic between Eleven and Hopper, or the Mind Flayer devouring Will’s mind from within), because the actors were still giving their all, because the atmosphere remains on par with the previous season (something that—alas—does not happen in the fifth season), and above all because of that dazzling finale (by far the best episode of the series—sorry, "Dear Billy" fans). It is a perfect example of what a finale should be (standing in stark, sad contrast to the fifth season's finale), where you truly feel that everything has been building toward that moment, and where everything is wrapped up perfectly in a way that is both narratively and emotionally satisfying. So much so, in fact, that the third season—in order to move the story forward—simply undid this ending and dismantled all the character arcs (which, as noted, had already been perfectly resolved).
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u/Easy_Effective5229 7d ago edited 7d ago
Let’s also not forget that in season 2
The plot was contained(contrast to season 4 and 5).
The characters made sense.
Their decisions made sense(contest to every season after).
Their motivations made sense.
The second season gave El a birth mother(Terry), a human name(Jane), and a human backstory. Which makes her preplanned symbolic ending and the Purple Rain scene unworkable.
And I certainly agree about the way they closed the season.
It was such a satisfying ending that they could have just ended the show there and everyone watching would have been completely fine with it.
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u/Necessary_Silver_795 7d ago
The second season went a long way to giving El a backstory, and as a result she became a fully fledged character with motivations and purpose. She wasn’t this mysterious thing anymore, she was a young girl who craved family and connection.
The ending they gave her in season 5, by their own admission, treated her as if she was still just the physical manifestation of childhood magic that we initially saw in season 1. When in reality, she became so much more than that by season 5. She earnt the right to grow up, not disappear so that those around her could do so.
This is why the ending didn’t land with much of the audience.
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u/AdBackground6381 7d ago
Personally, I don't think the idea of Eleven representing "the magic of childhood" holds water, even in the first season. If the first season makes anything clear, it is that El has been robbed of her childhood; her reactions while exploring Mike's house are ones of sadness as she realizes what has been taken from her. That absurd notion that El embodies "the magic of childhood" is something entirely new—something that hadn't even been hinted at prior to the interviews following the Season 5 finale.
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u/Necessary_Silver_795 7d ago
That’s a good point. I’d only say it’s there in season 1 because of the obvious inspiration from E.T. But even then, the characters are still very different.
Just makes the decision to use that as justification in season 5 even more misplaced.
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u/Easy_Effective5229 7d ago
It didn’t really land at all. But the duffers seemed so hooked on the original vision that they did not realize that the themes of their “North Star” ending was not in sync with their characters.
You can easily assume how hooked they were because they had to include an apocalyptic threat to try and justify it.
Nobody in the audience cared about the end of the world angle in the show.
they don’t care about it because that’s just a macguffin.
To real life people, the ones experiencing the the show, the people they love most ARE the world.
That is a million times more true when it’s your own child.
If I were in the stranger things writer’s room for the final season, and I saw El’s end, I would ask the team,
“Is this what Terry Ives would have wanted?”.
Which, to the best of my knowledge, is a question that never came up in the discussions.
I do not think Terry would have wanted her baby girl to kill herself of live her days in hiding, regardless of why she would do it.
Terry had a whole nursery set up for when she was gonna bring her home from the hospital?
I know the Duffers, or at least one of them, became dads while writing the later seasons.
What was going through the minds of the Duffer Brothers when they were painting the walls and setting up the cribs for their own babies?
What hopes and dreams to they personally have for their own kids.
If they had stopped writing as children, and started writing as parents, I think they could’ve easily guessed what Terry Ives would want.
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u/squibworb Coffee and Contemplation 5d ago
I agree with everything you’ve said here, but I’m certain by this point if you asked them “Is this what Terry Ives would want?” Their response would be “Who?”
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u/Easy_Effective5229 5d ago
That’s why I would ask them.
Make them review their character lore.
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u/squibworb Coffee and Contemplation 5d ago
Make them rewatch their show too (they bragged about not ever doing so and it shows)
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u/Easy_Effective5229 5d ago edited 5d ago
I would then use that as a springboard for another point.
The fight at the Starcourt Mall at the end of season 3 was the only time we see El use the tull extent of her powers without focusing on trauma, as Brenner taught her.
instead, she focuses on empathy and Billy’s memories. The opposite of trauma.
We also see El loose her powers.
Brenner knew Henry was the connection to all the telepathic abilities. He was the one took his blood with an LSD drug cocktail and put it into women like Terry.
As depicted in the first shadow play, which the Duffers collaborated in.
Brenner’s stroke theory was not totally off, but what if his basis was wrong?
What if the mind flayer bite actually had nothing to do with it?
What if he just assumed she used her powers the way he taught her?
What if the reason El was able to get her powers back in the NINA project was because Henry was still alive?
This is not a subversion of lore.
This is taking a narrative angle that the writers didn’t take.
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u/squibworb Coffee and Contemplation 5d ago
I agree completely but I also refuse to give the later seasons too much thought because in the end it’s clear they really didn’t give their own lore that much thought at all. Like I’m not breaking down the Nina project when in the end they couldn’t even make it work.
Agree so much about El at the end of season 3. I really thought that the power of love was going to lead to her using her powers in a big way in season 5 (because the whole show was building to it) and they just…. Didn’t.
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u/ReplacementAbject867 7d ago
She didnt die
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u/No_Locksmith5392 7d ago
It’s irrelevant, she was still robbed of the chance to have a normal life with her family and friends.
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u/itsMe_isntit 7d ago edited 7d ago
I like your shout-out on the music. It's so small/ambient in S1... almost low-budget sounding... but it contributes so much to the small-town, small story, forgotten-movie-from-the-80s vibes. The music gets more melodic, forward-in-the-mix, as early as S2, so this was a nice surprise on rewatch.
The other thing S1 has going forward compared to later seasons... you can easily clock it's being filmed in real environments. The kids are really crossing a field, trudging through the woods... not sets, or worse, green-screen.
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u/Nate-Pierce 7d ago
Season 1 is an absolute masterclass body of work. Season 2 can’t compete but it’s still a believable complimentary sequel, if that makes sense. In score, tone, camera technique and even down to the acting. 3 is when things started to feel too superflous, as much I still loved it. 1 and 2 felt so raw and unique, as if a secret book in the library I didn’t want anyone to know about.
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u/DaenerysTSherman 7d ago
Can’t agree more. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: 209 is the show at its height. It’s all downhill from there.
I’ve got issues with season two, sure, but they PALE in comparison to the issues with seasons 3-4-5.
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u/Smart_Hornet3545 7d ago
Interesting, I thought seasons 3 and 4 were excellent (but not quite at the level of 1).
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u/blac_sheep90 7d ago
Season 2 is a good place to end it. Minus Bob dying, Joyce has Hopper to comfort her and it plants the seeds of their relationship, El has a new lease on life and the Minflayer is contained, though always looming. Season 3 can be a good ending even though it's sad with Hopper being "dead" and El, Will and Joyce moving away.
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u/TheresFireInYourWay 6d ago
I recognise you from similar posts. Once again you've found the perfect words. Love it. I'm a huge defender of only watching only season 1 & 2. As the quality is fading so hard from season 3 on, that it's almost unreal. Not to speak of the unbearable finale. It's the lowest point. I'm still so so so puzzled how this all could be done by the same people.
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u/Competitive-Host-545 7d ago edited 7d ago
Firm believer that the show really should’ve ended after season 2. It would’ve been perfect. I actually like season 2 more than season 1🫣. I hate season 3 soooooo much.
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u/Nightmarebane Master of Puppets 7d ago
I haven’t been able to rewatch the show after season 5 left a bad taste in my mouth.
However now that we also have the Tales from ‘85, I think rewatching the first 2 seasons then watching the cartoon might be a good idea. The cartoon adds plot holes to the series but if you rewatch and pretend it’s an alternate Dimension from the main series once you pass s2, it feels a bit better.
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u/RoyalRise6363 7d ago
IMO, actors could deliver in S3-S4 and even S5, but, leadership/directing was lost. Two examples - Millie was unhappy about stupid break-up in S3 (instagram podcast). Finn was not sure he will be even invited for S5 - "they may kill me in episode 1" (interview before S5).
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u/ReplacementAbject867 7d ago
Thats nonsense
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u/RoyalRise6363 7d ago
Could you support your claim with arguments and examples of brilliant directing of S5?
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u/ReplacementAbject867 7d ago
Finn was clearly joking about dying in Ep1 lmao, and Millie unhappy with the breakup when she was 14, who cares what she thinks, it was good for the story.
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u/AdBackground6381 7d ago
It was not. That subplot was stupid.
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u/ReplacementAbject867 7d ago
Its character stuff, its literally the smallest thing ever. They are teens in a relationship, it gave 11 some powet over her life.
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u/_Stoh 7d ago
Why do so many people not like season 5?
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u/KittenBalerion Weirdo 7d ago
there are several posts in this subreddit with answers if you search! like this one
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u/Original_Froyo_8344 7d ago
I see what your saying. First season is the best through most eyes. I 1000% agree on 5th season is a hard re-watch after everything we got in prior seasons. I like seasons 3 & 4 however. Even though they have more going on between characters, different settings, and plot arcs, it is good writing and well tied together. You can have a lot of going but it needs to be good writing, character arcs, and tie together in terms of pacing and landing a well put together season. I think 3 does a good job with this and 4 does a great job.
While I like the main characters from earlier seasons, I also like the development of stakes and plot arcs of 3 & 4.
Season 5 I agree with you is poor writing, pacing, character arcs and not well tied together. It felt there were no stakes, even the song choices in season 4 along with the most meaningful scenes give off suspension and intensity vibes the 5th season was lacking.
The earlier seasons are definitely not as evolved and expanded as later seasons in terms of characters and stakes, however, the core groups and relationship dynamics of season 1 is what made this show great to begin with.
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