Cruisin’ For A Bitchin’

As arguable as it is to consider how many properties of entertainment strive towards and inevitably lack any original idea which either reference something else from pop-culture or is adapted from a well-known book, it’s easy to fathom how hard success really is for a lot of established franchises. Of course, it’s only natural for an over-arching story-line to blossom, if no other reason than to allow its creators new ways to thrive creatively and distinctively. This is certainly the case with Netflix’s adhered series of Stranger Things – a show from its inception which is inherently self-reflective in its different stylistic choices and embraces these specific genre iconographies to the point of a satisfying metamorphosis. From its different shifts towards different genre’s of 80’s horror and thriller and embodying contextual tropes from films and books of the said era, it’s used these aspects to the point of the series itself seeming to original; obligatory authenticity which seemingly amalgamates the different pastiche’s and ethos of 80’s pop-culture towards an addicting and entertaining watch. With it’s lauded critical acclaim, it’s arguable to state that Stranger Things has a become a contemporary referential touchstone for the younger generation of today, even for those who haven’t seen the films and books that have inspired it. With much of the emphasis heavily focusing adult horror and the portrayal of teenage angst, does this latest third season of Stranger Things still provide an engagement that so many people found from the very beginning of the show?… 

With the arrival of summer in Hawkins comes radical change for all our established characters. Whilst the likes of Sheriff Jim Hopper is conflicted over Eleven’s budding teenage relationship with Mike, Joyce Byers considers a move away from Hawkins for better prospects, leaving the state of the children’s friendships and her own relationship with Hopper in the air. However, with the arrival of Starcourt Mall, the now focal point of Hawkins which has driven other local stores out of business, strange and otherworldly things start to creep into our protagonists lives. With Will’s awareness of somethings eerie happening, Jonathan and Nancy investigating weird happenings of the residents of Hawkins and both Eleven and Max sensing something off about Billy, fears of the The Mind Flayer crop-up once again to haunt not only these characters, but potentially the rest of the world…  

What was initially seen as a rightfully self-referential T.V. Series which subtly occupied and amalgamated visual/contextual references from the likes of Spielberg’s renowned 80’s filmic phenomena and Stephen King’s lauded novel’s of similar thematical volition, Stranger Things has now since evolved from it’s charming ways enveloping cute innuendo’s and has rather cemented itself as a staple concept that demonstrates these aspects as its own; especially for the younger generation. Indeed, as much as there are clear and palpable reference to popular 80’s culture that will wow those who are familiar, whether it’s the portrayal of a Russian hard hit-man that’s a laughable yet enjoyable nod to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s infamous role as the T-100 in James Cameron’s The Terminator or a scene in which Hopper and Joyce are infiltrating a Russian base in disguise, referencing George Lucas’ A New Hope, it’s a synonymous trope now to fathom the Duffer Brothers’ tendency to adhere towards particular references and how they make it their own; by accommodating towards its own context and structure. However, Stranger Things wouldn’t necessarily be worth watching if it was purely based on providing the watcher with nostalgia that has been regurgitated through different concepts. What’s always been a staple quality of this popular Netflix show is its characterisation and how naturally protagonists and antagonists alike develop and change into something new and compelling. Much of the evidence of this lies within season three, where growing pains are the order of the day in Hawkins, Indiana. In similar vein to the adolescence of Game of Thrones, the pubescent cast members of Stranger Things have not only undergone an anticipated yet striking transformation in contrast to how they were portrayed since season one, but it’s this physical change that effectively highlights the profound changes affecting the kids of Hawkins as they prepare for the consequences of growing-up as well as spotlighting an imperative theme – relationships. As noticeable as the interaction between Mike and Eleven is a clear nod to this specific thematic – with the two frequently having make-out sessions with one another at the beginning that quickly transpires into a deconstruction of a stereotypical and angsty teenage romance – it’s the other relationships that come into fruition more which exemplifies the shows enrich qualities. With this romance between Mike and Eleven being the centre of attention, it not only means the likes of Will’s yearning to play Dungeons and Dragons with the boys is put across, with a fantastic scene of Noah Schnapp’s character wishing that things went back to ‘normal’ due to what has happened to him in the preceding seasons, but there’s also Dustin’s return home from a month-long summer camp which doesn’t produce the happiest of reunions he was expecting and further establishes the friendship and common-ground he has with Steve Harrington. As much as its heartbreaking to see hormones getting in the way of established relationships, the group’s division leads to a division of teams that are all, in their own way, fun and engaging to perceive. Indeed, it’s this very contextual device, of allowing to show different perspectives of character teams developing their own personality whilst dealing with the Upside Down issues at hand, in which Stranger Things has always excelled at. Whether it’s Nancy and Jonathan who are both investigating weird cases in Hawkins or Hopper and Joyce pursuing their own mission, it’s these specific pairings which audiences will be familiar with, and not just because of the romanticism between the respective two pairings. There’s an inherent allure between certain characters that never stale’s and is invitingly complex once all these characters converge to rid of the threat they’re all faced with.

One of the more underappreciated aspects that the Duffer Brothers do exceptionally well in delivering Stranger Things is its visually nostalgic appeal and how its 80’s mise en scene approach feels natural and oddly contemporary. As said in my previous review of this show’s second season, as much as there’s a clear indication of an implementation of different literary and filmic references from the time of the 1980’s that is presented in a charming yet naturalistic mode of means, much of this elaborate means of amalgamating facets from the likes of Spielberg and King of that time period feel justified since all of what is shown is highly detailed as well as the show being as good as it is. Indeed, it’s very much a product of intertextuality and has, in return, become a contemporary yardstick for younger audiences who aren’t familiar with every little homage remarked. As much as I have my qualms with the way in the Duffer Brothers rather rest on their usage of different references rather excessively, more specifically when they use contextual references from 80’s films to manoeuvre certain events and character choices (like how both Hopper and Joyce disguise themselves to infiltrate a Russian base similar to how Han Solo and Luke Skywalker disguise as Storm troopers in Episode IV of the Star Wars saga), much of the references that are used are greatly interweaved with the scenarios in which the characters are faced with. Despite the arguable notion that Stranger Things’ appeal heavily relies upon particular homages and tropes seen in entertainment and literal works, what’s presented anyway is justified since the creators do an outstanding job in creating a world that’s synonymous with the given time-period, yet modern all at the same time. The biggest inclusion to the franchise from this latest season was the introduction of Starcourt Mall which looks and feels like a genuine place. Not only is it presented in a way that feels natural, but it’s the deconstruction of the given space that highlights the context (how it interlinks to the central conspiracy) and how capitalism  and corporatism were slowly seeping into the mind-set of society; as seen from the first half of the season where people are no longer to be seen around the downtown businesses. 

As proudly highlighted from the first paragraph in discussing the aforesaid show’s premise in this latest season and how naturally poignant and charismatic all the performances are in trying to convey yet another mysterious and thrilling continuation, the biggest element in which Stranger Things brings forth is its development of its loveable characters and they’re very change in attitude and maturity draws us in to know what becomes of them by the time the conclusion appears. As much as I could now could go into detail on the likes of the young cast and prominent they’re all are in equally showcasing their bast qualities as actors, it’s equally imperative to mention the rest of the enactment periphery; characters and performances that have been newly introduced or those who were slightly under-devolved in the preceding season. Such a case where detail is applied to a side performer is Lucas’ little sister Erica, played by Priah Ferguson, who although could have easily backfired in being the annoyance of the group that she’s involved with, the precocious child performer proves to be a becomingly sassy addition that compliments well with the likes of Dustin and Steve. Her evolution into realising what sort of young pre-teen she’s becoming is an underappreciated highlight for sure and a possible story-arc in future projects that audiences wouldn’t be too grieved to see. Similar accolades can be said of Maya Hawke as Robin, Steve’s Russian speaking co-worker at Ahoy’s Ice-Cream, who is simply delightful to the point where you start to ask yourself as to why wasn’t she introduced much sooner? The chemistry she has with Steve in particular was a refreshing element to behold, since it didn’t mean that audiences would naturally expect to see only Steven and Dustin have their own little adventure. Even little elements such as Will’s desperate desire to re-capture the innocence of D&D sessions to Jonathan’s argument with Nancy about the the value of having a job and Hopper’s resentment and anguish in not wanting things to drastically change, which is beautifully resolved through a wonderful speech narrated by said character, are seamlessly dropped in to enrich the full context. One character, out of all the convincing performances, that stood out the most poignantly is Dacre Montgomery’s portrayal as Billie who’s effortless exploitation of specific body language techniques really convey to us not only the said character’s sinister side, in being taken over by the mysterious Mind Flayer, but also emphasising internal pain of losing his mother at a young age and the subsequent consequences that have lead to what he’s become and seen as. Like Erica, Billie gets a lot more to do, naturally being the new host of this haunting entity. However, when it comes to his rather Jekyll and Hyde-esque enactment that later ravages the central protagonists, it’s again another welcoming and different element to the context which doesn’t involve the teenage gang to defeat a monster. This time around, they all have to find a way to defeat the Mind Flayer through Billie which adds a sense of uncertainty. Apart from the expected monsters of the Upside Down, Stranger Things Season three boasts a bad-ass human villain in the form of Grigori who eerily and excitingly resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s infamous Terminator role. While he doesn’t say much, his threatening looks and persona alone speak louder than words needed. His many bouts with Hopper are certainly memorable and, like many of the little story elements that are neatly surmised, is concluded in an action-hero manner.

As grandiose as this may sound to some, what’s apparent to see from Stranger Things latest Season 3 is how much it lives up-to the legacy its preceding seasons had established. Comparable to breakout first season which many fans of the show still favour today, this latest season doesn’t shy away in elevating specific aspects to a bigger scale which although seems ambitious, it gracefully pays off thanks to the performances that seamlessly and charismatically embody the given themes of maturity, relationships and change. With the pre-teen kids maturing, so do their respective stories and the young actors continue to deliver the goods. Newcomers and side-characters from the preceding season further gestalt this likeability as each enactment is portrayed in a fashion that is generally favourable. What’s ultimately conceivable to perceive is the Duffer Brothers’ understanding in constructing a continuation; by not only adding new and grandiose elements that elevate the context for the fans of the show, but also retaining aspects that were so well received from the first outing of Stranger Things. As I went onto say from my previous review of Season two, it’ll be interesting to see where Stranger Things will go going forward…

On that note, it’s time for me to end this week’s T.V. Review. As always everyone, thank you for reading my latest T.V. Review of Netflix’s Stranger Things: Season 3 and if anyone happens to have an opinion on my review of the show itself, you’re more than welcome to share your thoughts down below. As next week marks the start of my holiday’s, there won’t be a review until I get back where I’ll be discussing Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: Far From Home and whether superhero films still have a lasting appeal after the momentous Avengers: Endgame. With that said, thank you once again for reading my latest Blog Post and I hope you’re all having a nice weekend! Adieu! 😃😱👽👾👥🐀🍦 

★★★★★ – Alex Rabbitte