Tell-Tale TV Panel: Stranger Things Season 1

If you haven’t watched Stranger Things on Netflix, then what are you doing with your life?

Stranger Things takes us on an adventure we’ll never forget. We play Dungeons and Dragons and go on bicycle rides with Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. Eleven introduces us to her insanely awesome powers, and the dangers that lurk in the Upside Down. It’s a crazy ride from start to finish, and now that it’s over, all we want to do is be able to watch it again for the first time.

What did you think of the season overall? Join the discussion by leaving your thoughts in the comments.

Our panelists are:

• Christine Laskodi, Associate Editor for Tell-Tale TV
• Caralynn Lippo, Staff Writer for Tell-Tale TV
• Shabnaj Chowdhury, Staff Writer for Tell-Tale TV
• Allison Nichols, Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the season overall?

Christine: 10. I think this was a perfect series, from start to finish. Everything about this show, from the sets, to the music, to the acting…everything about this show fired on all cylinders.

It was the most amazing mix of nostalgia and sci-fi. Ugh… I want to forget the show so that I can watch it all over again, brand new.

Caralynn: I’d give it an 8. It was wonderful, and those kids were AMAZING, but I’m taking 2 points off for it ultimately being fairly predictable. Maybe I just watch too much TV.

Shabnaj: A solid 9. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience from start to end, but to echo Caralynn’s point; the show’s tendency to fall into convention prevents it from getting a perfect score.

Allison: I’m going to give it a 9 as well. It was a thrilling ride from start to finish. I also loved the role the ’80s played in the show. 

What was the season’s biggest mistake?

Christine: I’d say my biggest complaint was the way the relationship between Nancy and Jonathan ended. I appreciate that they went for a different outcome than other shows would go for. However, in this case, I just wanted that safe and predictable ending for them.

Caralynn: I just wanted Jonathan to have happiness in all things!! So I’m with Christine.

But I think I was actually most bothered by Barb’s death. Poor Barb! It was so unsettlingly that this kind and genuine teen (out of all those other crappy teens) actually died in this horrific, disturbing matter. It almost seemed incongruous with the rest of the tone of the show.

Shabnaj: I’m not sure it’s the biggest mistake per say, but what irked me the most was Will and Jonathan’s returning dead-beat dad. I watched the series entirely with my cousins, and we were all but certain that they brought him back just to kill him off in some scary, grotesque way.

And we wouldn’t really care anyways, right? We could actually enjoy the machinations of the scene rather than regret the dad’s early demise.

But nothing happened and I think an opportunity was missed. My cousins and I later joked that his only purpose was to host the funeral. That’s why they brought him back.  

Allison: I’m with Shabnaj. I really didn’t like the Jonathan and Will’s father. I understand that we had to at least meet him or hear about him to rule him out as a suspect, but his last appearance should have been when Jonathan went to his dad’s house to make sure Will wasn’t there.

The dad added unnecessary drama, and I just wanted to punch him in the face most of the time. I would be okay if he was taken by the Demogorgon though. This way we could have watched someone else get taken because even though we are told multiple people were taken, we only saw Will and Barb’s disappearances.

What worked really well this season?

Christine: Gosh… can I say everything? Is everything a choice? Because if so, my answer is everything.

Caralynn: The dynamic with the kids. It was perfect and their performances were outstanding. It was so ‘80s. Of course, it was extremely reminiscent of movies like The Goonies and Stand By Me, but that really worked here, in this story and tone.

Shabnaj: I like that the show didn’t front-load the mythology and the conspiracies as much, but instead rooted the story in friendship and in a mother’s desperate quest to find her son. As a result, the characters became the real selling point for me.

The kids were funny and capable and distinct. There was a universal quality to characters like Nancy and Jonathan. And of course, many felt a strong identification with Barb. The characters were just really likable and endearing.

And, it was a lot of fun naming all the movies the show pays tribute to. Blending various genres together, and creating a wistful mood also worked incredibly well.

Allison: I really loved that we had multiple people investigating what happened to Will. I thought it might just be the case that the kids figure it out while the cops and the parents are clueless.

I absolutely loved that we had all these different people investigating Will’s disappearance. They all found and pursued different leads, which I really enjoyed.

 

What was the biggest surprise of the season?

Christine: Honestly, for me, I said it above. It was the that the writers really surprised me with the Nancy/Jonathan/Steve storyline. I expected a completely different outcome than what we were given. I’m genuinely shocked that Nancy stayed with Steve.

Caralynn: Similar to what Christine said, but slightly different: Steve’s redemption was the biggest surprise for me. We’ve all seen that stereotypical ‘80s d-bag boyfriend in plenty of movies.

It certainly seemed like they were going there with Steve (especially after the movie theater graffiti incident), but then they pulled it back, and Steve recovered really well. He even basically saved Nancy and Jonathan in the fight with the monster.

Shabnaj: Like you guys, I was surprised Jonathan and Nancy didn’t end up together. But I actually liked that they didn’t. It would have been too clean and neat of an ending, otherwise.

I also think they need to get to know each other more. And for me, the best part of a love story is usually the stage with all the longing and the yearning and the pushing away of one’s own feelings.

Plus, this way, we have confirmation that Steve is part of the gang, which I fully support because he’s entertaining in the obvious love-to-hate kind of way.

Allison: I was completely shocked by where this little love triangle went. After the slutshaming, I expected Steve to be done and forever labeled the jerk.

I was surprised to see him make his way back into the fold, and I still don’t understand why Nancy stayed with him. I did love him stumbling in on Nancy and Jonathan’s Demogorgan showdown.

Theory time! Do you have any theories as to how Eleven is alive or what’s going on with Will?

Christine: Well, we didn’t SEE the Sheriff’s conversation. My guess is that he either promised to keep her alive in secret, or that he made the decision to help her on his own in order to save her. He’s obviously bringing her Eggos. He’s looking out for her.

As for Will, I think he’s going to have some serious PTSD to handle. I mean…they can’t pretend he’s fine. There’s obviously some upside-down side effects.

Caralynn: Oh my gosh, Eleven! I automatically assumed that, in using up all of her powers to destroy (or apparently destroy) the Demogorgon, she wound up trapped in the Upside Down herself.

As for Will, I think it might have something to do with whatever that weird vine down the Demogorgon’s victims’ throats was. Something is very, very wrong with Will, to put it lightly. I’m so curious as to why he hasn’t said anything to his mother or Jonathan.

Shabnaj: Will is probably a host for the critters from the other dimension, right? That was my read. The flickering lights in the bathroom seemed to suggest that Will brought home some friends when he came back to the land of the living.

As for Eleven, I haven’t got a clue, but it seems like she’s out there somewhere, and I need her back. Her trembling chin and wide watery eyes just broke me.

Allison: I have the same Hopper theory as Christine. When Hopper has his super secret conversation with the feds when he leaves the hospital, I think he was brought into the loop on what happened to Eleven. He did make a deal not to make what happened public, so I can see the feds trusting him to look after Eleven.

As for Will, I kind of think he might be turning into the Demogorgon. We don’t really know how the Demogorgon traveled between the Upside Down and our world, but it could have just been a natural switch, kind of like what happened to Will in the bathroom.

If we get a Season 2, what would you like to see?

Christine: Well, Season 2 has already been announced, and it’s been announced that it’s a continuation of this story. I’d prefer it if this was an anthology, and it was a brand new story.

But since it will be a continuation, I guess I want them to spend some more time on Will and Joyce. As much as Will is forever changed, I think Joyce is equally. And I wouldn’t mind a cute coming-of-age story between Mike and Eleven. I think the show was definitely headed there.

Caralynn: There are so many ways that they can go. I honestly don’t know. I would like to see resolution of Eleven’s story, and I really want her to have a happy life, either adopted by Joyce or something else. That’s really what I most want to see happen.

Shabnaj: I think Hopper and Joyce had an intriguing relationship that could be further developed, even on a platonic level. And I actually would love to see the show get darker and creepier, but without losing its deep sense of childlike wonder.

Allison: Like Christine said, I’d prefer it was an anthology. It could also be fun to have a new weird/Upside Down case in the same town that brought back all of our characters and further explored what happened to Will and Eleven. This way we would get something new, and some of our favorite characters would be roped back into it.

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