www.redlettermedia.com - Mike and Jay discuss the Netflix series Stranger Things, the first and last TV series to ever be discussed on Half in the Bag! OMG!
@@aarondavis8943 Season 2 looks like a masterpiece when compared to the sh itshow that was season 3. I haven't even bothered with season 4 because #3 just broke me completely.
It’s sad how almost all the things they liked about season 1 have melted away & all of their worst case fears about future seasons have been realized 😂
EDIT: I hope this doesn't come across as piling-on against Jay's honest opinion, I was just sharing my personal experiences with people just like Ryder's character. It's easy to lose track of intent in these RU-vid comments... Winona Ryder is my mother. She's my mother after losing 8-year-old me at SeaWorld. Because of that, believe it or not, I connected with her more than any other character; she's the character that *really* drew me into the show and more so than the 80s nostalgia and synth score (which I adore). Sure, she is kind of one note, but my mother only felt one thing when it came to me: unabashed over-protection.
I love Jay but his comments was like he was an empty seashell that dont know how a woman behaves. And it is not like she is crazy all the time. Like when they sit and watch old photos for the posters or when she comforts El. Or when she uses her vulnerability to haggle the clerk. Top acting top writing
I'm 48 and was a kid in the early 80s. All of my friends and I loved The Thing and Evil Dead. We read Fangoria and Famous Monster magazine. I didn't find the poster out of place at all.
The point is, you numbskulls, is that films like "The Thing" and "Evil Dead" were not these acclaimed horror classics and that they only became huge cult movies OVER TIME, not immediately in the early '80s when these movies first came out. "The Thing" was hated by critics and audiences at the time, and Evil Dead's widest release was only in 128 theaters worldwide and it only made $2 million-- meaning not many people saw it. So, yes, it would've been EXTREMELY rare for people to have these posters at the time. It's common today but it certainly wasn't back then. But the way the Duffer brothers displayed those posters so prominently in the show makes it seem like it was common to have back then. Plus, the kids in season 1 of "Stranger Things" were 10, meaning they'd be 8 when "Evil Dead" came out and 9 when "The Thing" came out. 8 and 9 year old kids in the early '80s would have been obsessed with "Star Wars" movies, not gore-fests like "Evil Dead" and "The Thing". You guys are the less sharp "less specific audience" that Mike describes at 16:04. That's why these guys are smarter than y'all. I said the EXACT same thing when season 1 came out and was so glad Jay and Mike pointed it out in this review.
Stephen king summed this show up best with a tweet he made the week it came out "Watching Stranger things, I didn't know I had a greatest hits collection".
Jay, I was 17 in '83 and *I* had a poster of The Thing in my room! My friends and I went to see it opening night & loved it! Well, we WERE dorks who made Super 8 horror movies.
fun fact: the girl who played Eleven didn't want to shave her head, but by the time the show went into pre production, Fury Road was being advertised, and the image of Furiosa with a shaved head to inspire El's actress to go through with the haircut.
Since it was her first big role I am sure she didn't get paid "shitload". Also she was only 12. Despite her great performance she was just a kid who didnt want to lose all her hair
just to mention, nancy and jonathan fighting the monster was necesary to the creature bleeds and go back to the "hive" leaving the blood trail behind that joy and the sheriff will follow to find will
I have to say--I was 12 when The Thing came out. I saw it in the theatre. It was my favorite film of all time. I bought both the novelization and the poster.
I've met plenty of people who have the same constant kooky insecurity as Winona Rider in this show, and I think she gave enough empathy and dignity to that type of person that her role worked
Yeah I wasn’t bothered at all. Personally I thought she did a great job and the direction was fine too but maybe this is an example of art being subjective who knows.
The character of Joyce was based on Richard Dreyfus' character Roy in _Close Encounters of the Third Kind._ Both characters witness something other-worldly and become obsessed, to the point that those around them think they're totally bonkers.
I thought Winona's performance was perfect. Your kid disappears and you know people are lying to you and you can hear him? You'd be going nuts 24/7! And she wasn't hysterical before he went missing - she was just a harassed mom
I had a poster from The Thing on my wall about that time. I was 8 and my Uncle owned a video store. My wall was covered in posters for flops I wasn't allowed to see. :) I'm 100% that 80s kid.
I have to say I was a kid in the 80s (I was ten when the movie came out) and I had a Thing poster. I know the film historically didn't do well, but to geeks like us, it was one of the greatest horror films ever made
I don't think Jay realizes back then you couldn't use your phone to access websites and forums full of people who were obsessed with box office figures and ratings. I was 13 when The Thing came out, it was a big deal because it was John Carpenter, my friends and I all loved it. We didn't know if it was "successful," we couldn't have cared less.
I feel bad for Barb because she never seemed to be any sort of priority for anyone but Nancy, and even then Nancy didn't seem too affected by her death. Sure, she pushed to kill the monster after, but she was already planning to do that so it kinda lessens the impact of that decision.
Jeremy Barbati I think the season 2 focus on barb was the writers’ acknowledging they fucked up her death in the first season a bit. It was the only vaguely negative thing I remember everyone saying was how seemingly nobody really cared that she had died. Season 2 fixed that.
I was a teenager when the Thing came out; I went to see it in the theater, and if I could've found a movie poster I would've proudly put it up on my wall.
There's no inherent value in an original concept or idea, the value of media comes from how existing idea's and tropes are improved and expanded upon. Taking something like the Star Wars original trilogy or Indiana Jones, two franchises that people currently perceive as wholey original, but are actually heavily inspired by the adventure serials of the 1940s that Spielberg and Lucas grew up with. But they work because they have stories to tell. Stranger Things is very similar in this regard, it takes idea's and tropes used in the movies from the 80s that the Duffer brothers grew up with and expands on them. Compare this to something like Uncharted, that exists purely to *be* Indiana Jones. Pretty much, my message is this: There's very little value in an original idea. "What something is," is much less interesting than "why they are that way."
I'd put it this way: What the idea is isn't as important as how it is used/executed. There's no new idea under the sun... There are only new ways to explore or have fun with old ideas.
The reason why the kid had The Thing poster is because their teacher is obviously a huge fan of the film. When he's with his girlfriend, they watch The Thing on VHS and, though, she doesn't enjoy it, he still spouts trivia about practical effects at her. The teacher is clearly a huge influence on the boys, and I suspect he got them into DnD, too.
With the three sides of the story being the parents, teens, and the kids I was worried it would be one of the tropes where nobody communicates and if they only would then they figure everything out. Instead this show used the three sides to actual tell the whole story and when they all come together then they are able to figure everything out. This is what I enjoyed most about this show.
+Demonhorse1 she might be an ok actress, but she got annoying quick in that role. So you wanna take on Kubrick next tough guy, because he totally wasn't a fan of hers post filming either.
I guess you two were too young for Fangoria and Starlog magazines... as a kid, I was in tune with sci-fi and horror and absolutely had posters for obscure movies. You are rooted in the internet age, where the news of a film bombing is immediate and completely disseminated. Back in the 80s and 70s, you loved a movie, regardless of how bad it performed, probably because it was one of the few movies you actually got to watch. The hype before the movie came out was far more important to the fans than how well it did. I didn't even know about a little film called "Star Wars" until I begged my grandfather to buy me Starlog #7, mostly because it had blueprints for the Eagle Spacecraft from Space: 1999 included... but the cover had an awesome shot of spaceships fighting, and what was this mysterious villain, Darth Vader? Hype was everything. I looked forward to The Thing. In 1983, I had a poster of "Something Wicked This Way Comes" (though that was because I had won it in a contest)
Jay thinks he knows it all when it comes to stuff like that. He was a baby during that time so how the hell would he know if kids didn't have posters of The thing and other movies. He's can come off as a hipster cringy guy sometimes.
I liked Stranger Things because it managed to have human emotion while also being fun, scary, and with fairly decent pacing I actually gave a fuck about these characters
I have no nostalgia for the 80s, since I was 2 when the 80s was over. But my wife and I watched Stranger Things recently and were hooked from the first episode regardless, so y'all hit the nail on the head when you say that the "nostalgia bait" is the least compelling aspect of the show. I do think they put in a lot of effort to make it feel authentically 80s though, and that kind of effort is always appreciated.
I was totally 80s'd out by season 3, it really hits you on the head with how 80s it is. Did you know it takes place in the 80s? Remember the 80s? Also the season wasn't particularly great if we're being honest.
I agree with Jay, I thought Winona was terrible. I am one of the few people who think Johnny Depp is bad too. All his characters are broad and shallow.
I wouldn't want Mike or Jay to subject themselves to the last two utterly shit tier seasons of Game Of Thrones. It feels like the equivalent of dangling keys in front of a cat, grand spectacle masking the fact that the show runners don't have a clue anymore and stopped giving a single fuck as soon as they reached the Red Wedding. I thought season 5 would never be topped in terms of its terribleness but somehow DnD managed to make every arc they had left even dumber in season 6.
Yeah, motivation wasn't the problem. But she's just frazzled all the time, it's like nails on chalkboard all the time. She doesn't have any variety in her performance.
+MarkAndrewEdwards you gotta have a better reason than a distressed character acting distressed. If that's the way she's been written and directed then I'd say it's a good performance
That is exactly how a real mother with prior mental issues would react though. She was very convincing. Do you think a mother in real life would not be frazzled and panicky?
+VultureClone not to mention the fact that she had reason to believe her son was alive but all of it was impossible to believe to anyone else. That only furthered the state she was in
I was so hoping you guys would do an episode on this show. I really didn't think you would, but I'm so glad you did. Now, I actually have to wait to see something to watch your show.
Did they forget the Winona Flashbacks where she isn't crazy? I think she was probably the best part, especially when she busts through that wall with an Axe.
@@patrickthomas8890 Dark, for one is incredible. Probably the best show that’s ever been on Netflix. I also enjoyed Russian Doll although not as much as Dark.
As someone who LOVES Stranger Things I agree with the criticisms about Winona Ryder seeming really one-note all the time. It got rather grating pretty quickly. Despite that she's still a sympathetic character, and I feel like her good moments outshine her less good ones. I think as far as if it was "too much homage" if it works, that's all that really matters. I think it more than succeeds in blending its elements without becoming egregiously derivative.
It's disappointing to me that what most people talk about when they mention Stranger Things is the references. As if that was somehow better than the great story, characters, visuals, lore and ideas (Spoiler Alert: It's not even close). Stranger Things has references like every TV show in existence, so what? They were the least interesting part of the show by far.
I don't really blame Winona, since it was mentioned in the discussion that it wasn't really her choice how to play the character... plus, I think it made sense for the setting. If you were a mom with their kid trapped in a dangerous alternate dimension, you would likely be freaked-the-fuck-out too. Especially since you know nobody is going to believe you. It made enough sense for me to be fine with her being frazzled 100% of the time. It worked for the story.
KabukiKid But they also mentioned that she was high strung and shrill before they even realized Will was missing. And I'm not blaming Ryder, just stating the fact that she seemed one-note, irrespective of whose creative choice it was.
Broseph Stalin Yeah, there can be a bit of complaint that it was uncalled for early like that. I definitely see that. She was described as having an anxiety issue, so I guess you can at least excuse it a bit for that. heh
I liked Winona Ryder in this, she played the crazy mother character perfectly. What everyone seems to be forgetting is that she was supposed to have mental issues even before Will went missing. Him going missing made it worse so it was probably difficult for her to even pretend to be calm and collected around others.
The scripting is amazing. That first scene with the family having dinner together was so interestingly scripted. Every character was interesting. And yes, as you say, incredibly well cast, and the music was terrific too.
I'm so glad they clarified that 80's nostalgia wasn't the draw of this. I personally have no nostalgia for the 80's since I wasn't alive. I still watched the entire show and it felt at home with things like Back to the Future and Twin Peaks.
I loved that it was 8 episodes long. Seemed short enough to marathon easily, while long enough to have a decent story. It is especially good if they do get many more seasons. Even with shows I enjoy, 20+ episodes a season at 40 minutes each means I get to about the 5th season and just lose interest in watching any more. Also I'd love if the show is an anthology. To me the season felt self-contained and I liked that. I'd love to see what other great stories they can come up with, instead of just trying to drag out this story for as long as they can.
I think I said this before or I meant to, when they questioned a 2nd season I was thinking, 'they left so much unanswered and I want to know more, maybe the Duffers had a bigger idea if the show did well.. and than I watched season 2 and was really impressed with how they expanded the world, the characters and even the monsters. It's a great series. Highly recommended, there's something in there for everyone but you have to watch it from the beginning to get everything out of it. So very 😎...
Boom you guys nailed it. My thoughts about the show exactly. Definitely worried about a second season. The cracks were already starting to appear in 8 episodes.
They actually confirmed in an interview that the majority of the monster on screen is practical effects. Guy in animatronic suit and everything. The only time it's full CG are the few shots where they couldn't possibly pull it off with practical.
Stranger things is literally the best show I have seen. I love the 80's especially the music and movies, but it's not the fact that it is placed in the 80's, but the genre is just something I love, it just so happens to be associated with the 80's
I was 13 when The Thing was in theaters, and I can assure you it was pretty fucking popular among kids my age. We didn't know or care if it "flopped at the box office" or whether it got good or bad reviews, we weren't aware of that stuff. You need to remember, this was pre-world wide web. Back then there were no easily accessible websites/forums full of people obsessed with ratings and box office figures. Back then that shit was basically privy to people in the industry who subscribed to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. With hindsight, I can tell you that TONS of our favorite movies back then were in the same boat as The Thing. Low ratings, low review scores, but adored by little shits who loved blood and guts and wanted all we could eat. Hell, we had posters for flicks that were a hell of a lot more obscure than The Thing, with no benefit of "...from the director of Halloween!" So shut it Jay, you millennial twerp know-it-all nerd.
Nancy and Jonathan and Steve did help, they distracted the monster while Joyce and Hopper were searching for Will and made the Demigorgon go back to its nest in the upside down. Joyce and Hopper follow the blood trail and find Will.
I really enjoyed this show. I think that it does a good job of distinguishing between old and new. Like, we've seen some of these film cliches and actions so many times, yet the show keeps us going with so many new things, a great plot, likable characters, a unique vision, and really is ultimately super creative. I'm looking forward to seeing where the second season brings these characters in this giant mystery.
Here comes the people saying "Can you review Games of Thrones, American Horror Stories, House of Cards, Mr. Robot, Star Wars Rebels, New Star Trek, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Big Bang Theory, Keeping Up with The Kardashian, Empire, Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Simpson, Family Guy, Bob Burgers, New Girl, some random Novela in Univison or Telemundo, Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead, Narcos, Making a Murderer, Orange is a New Black, Transparent, The Wire, The Sopranos, Blackish, Veep, Adventure Time" shit I ran out of tv shows but you get the point
You said Big Bang Theory twice. Rich and Jack have talked about it on pre-rec at least once, and Jack gave the most perfect description of the show- he said that BBT is more or less blackface but with nerds instead of black people.
Mike might review the new Star Trek, he seemed pretty excited for it in the Star Trek Beyond review. And if he reviews Breaking Bad they can have Jack walk in and say, "Actually, I couldn't get through the first episode, because he starts cooking meth too quick--" and then Mike can cut him off by screaming "SHUT THE FUCK UP."
That deprivation tank scene you think is like the newer movie, I would argue it is an homage to "Altered States" which came out in 1980. I recognized the concepts and ideas immediately as coming from that movie in which he went into a deprivation tank to cross over into another dimension using drugs.
This series also reminded me a lot of a 80s-themed movie from 2010: beyond the black rainbow its one of my favourite horror-movies also has one of the best movie-OSTs ever its about a girl in a facility with psychic powers, she doesnt talk, is there since she was born and makes people bleed from their eyes (and die) but just on order to defend herself would be awesome if RedLetterMedia would review it, has some flaws, but also a lot strong upsides and a bit like stranger things it takes a pretty standard horror story and turns it into something unique, especially the visuals and sound are really, really amazing.
Don't know if this was already mentioned, but at first the show runners/writers wanted to make Stranger Things an anthology show with different characters in each season with their own stories. But since the majority of people loved the characters we've already met so much they changed their minds and are using the same characters in the second season.
