The much awaited season 3 of Stranger Things just premiered on the Fourth of July. I don’t know what your plans were, but mine were to be attached to my iPad all day. One, because we were driving to visit family and had the time, and two, because I was way too terrified to watch it on any screen bigger than an iPad. I kid you not, I was even watching on my phone on the way to Fourth of July fireworks. I have issues. But scrolling through social media I see I’m not the only one that binged all 8 episodes in a day. (Okay to be fair, I finished the finale early this morning and was crying my eyes out and my face is still swollen).
Stranger Things is literally that, really strange things haha. I am not a fan of horror or a lot of scary stuff, but there’s just something about this show that I am so attracted to. The cast is incredible and the acting is out of this world. Plus, there is a TON of 80s nostalgia in there. Especially in this season as a lot of it takes place at a mall in the 80s where they use the old logos for stores like Gap and Orange Julius. As an Advertising major back in the day, I loved getting to see what all the old logos used to look like.
Watch Stranger Things Season 1 and 2 synopsis by the cast beforehand.
Trust me, it’s important. It’s been nearly two years since season 2 came out. I honestly forgot everything from the first two seasons until watching the recap!
Okay, if you haven’t binged Stranger Things season 3 yet, DO NOT READ BELOW—SPOILERS.
So first of all, one of my notes on my phone that I took, literally just said “wtf”. That’s it. And that’s the best way I can describe this season and all the seasons really. I have to say this season was probably my favorite out of all of them.
Some observations:
When they decide to “lay low” in a movie theatre in the mall to hide from the Mind Flayer…I just have to say, I could “lay low” in a movie theatre all day haha. Especially if they’re showing Back to the Future.
Okay this Mind Flayer, the Demagorgan I mean….geez. He basically devours your soul and then makes you do horrible things for him. AND he can also physically eat you and grow MASSIVE as we see his appearance at the mall towards the end. He reminds me of the character in Jessica Jones that could force you to do anything with his mind. Ugh to both.
I have to do a huge shoutout to two HUGE heroes in this season that lost their lives. Billy and Hopper. Two things—hasn’t Winona Ryder gone through enough suffering already losing people?! And two, hasn’t Billy gone through enough suffering doing the Demagorgans evil deeds?! God that poor boy. Also he had beautiful eyes and hair. Sidenote.
Okay continuing…the three most heartbreaking moments were: When Hopper gives Winona that final look and smile, knowing he’s going to die and sacrifice himself and be turned into dust by the machine in order for the hole to The Upside Down to be closed. Then, the letter Hopper had written to Eleven. Let’s take another look at what it said below so we can cry our eyes out even more:
"Feelings. Jesus. The truth is, for so long, I'd forgotten what those even were. I've been stuck in one place - in a cave, you might say. A deep dark cave. And then, I left some Eggos out in the woods and you came into my life and... for the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again. I started to feel happy.
But lately, I guess I've been feeling... distant from you. Like you're pulling away from me or something. I miss playing board games every night, making triple-decker Eggo extravaganzas at sunrise, watching westerns together before we doze off.
But I know you're getting older, growing, changing. And I guess... if i'm being really honest, that's what scares me. I don't want things to change. So I think maybe that's why I came here, to try to maybe... stop that change. To turn back the clock. To make things go back to how they were.
But I know that's naive. It's just... not how life works. It's moving. Always moving whether you like it or not. And yeah, sometimes it's painful. Sometimes it's sad and sometimes it's surprising. Happy.
So you know what? Keep on growing up, kid. Don't let me stop you. Make mistakes, learn from 'em, and when life hurts you - because it will - remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you're out of that cave.
But, please, if you don't mind, for the sake of your poor old dad, keep the door open three inches."
I mean…?! I’m dead. This hurt my heart so much. This wasn’t just sad, this was DEVASTATING. There are a lot of fan theories that he may come back somehow, because we didn’t see his body disintegrate like the Russians in hazmat suits did. BUT, since Eleven’s powers are practically gone, she can’t even try to go into the Upside Down to see if he’s in there or if there is a way to save him.
SPEAKING OF ALL OF THIS CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT THAT ANNOYING TERMINATOR LIKE RUSSIAN THAT KEPT BEATING UP HOPPER. UGH. GOOD RIDDANCE.
Okay also Winona accidentally throwing the gun to the Russian?! Actually I feel like that’s something I would accidentally do if put into a stressful situation like that so I’ll stop judging.
Let’s also discuss the rats. A year ago or so, Netflix released a video on Instagram with just a TON of rats running into a warehouse with NO explanation. And fans were PISSED and curious. God that poor Netflix guy he really gets it from these diehard fans.
Okay also MAJOR: Can we talk about how creepy it was every time Will could sense on the back of his neck….HIS NECK. Think about how sensitive that area is. That he could feel when the monster was near?! God poor Will, yet another character that has just been through WAY too much. Every time the camera would zoom in on him and he would touch the back of his neck, my heart would be racing. Like “no no no no please no c’mon no!!!” That was a fantastic way of keeping me glued to my screen though. There was so much of this season that didn’t include the monsters, that was just the kids and their storylines, and then OUT OF NOWHERE he would grab his neck and I would be reminded I’m watching a thriller. Will, you just need to move to Antarctica and get some PTSD help.
Another observation: Can Eleven please continue to throw cars every season like she has been? Those are some jaw dropping moments and effects that remind you just how powerful she is (or was).
I love how Netflix gives us bingers the option to “skip intro”, like are you kidding me right now?! We’re on the edge of our seats of course skip intro unless we need a bathroom break!!
Okay I could go on and on about this season, what did you think?!