Stranger Things - Season 3

I think the third season of Stranger Things is a bit of an embarrassment. The incredibly cool girl with great powers is barely featured, preferring to focus on other not-so-interesting teenagers with weird haircuts and one supposedly amusing love story. At least the soundtrack and actors are still great, although plot-wise, it is not as charming as previous seasons. (26/10/2019)

The Soviets are in fashion this year. After remembering Chernobyl, it turns out that they had something to do with making holes through to the other side. The romantic storyline from the first episode doesn't have the wow factor that I would have expected, but once “Shitface" comes on the scene, it starts to get heavy. All apart from that brutal flashing light; horror can be done in other ways… The new characters are fine, the references are very well done this year and the season finale is a huge tear-jerker. (23/07/2019)

Well, the third season may not particularly deepen the mythology of The Upside Down and so forth, that's a fact, but I didn't mind it at all. The main characters have grown up, become teenagers, and are hitting puberty, and the series has adapted to that. So it's more frenetic, a lot more comedic than previous seasons (while benefiting a lot from their clashes with desperate adults in addition to the verbal shootouts between the teens), doesn't wait for anything, and pedals more than ever. What the creators saved for the finale last time happens somewhere in the middle this time, it's grittier and, I have to say, a lot more suspenseful and horrific. However, the main strength is still the characters, interestingly evolving (the amazing Steve and all he experiences with Dustin, Erica, and Robin!), naturally believable (El and Mike, El and Hopper, Hopper and Joyce), and mysterious (Billy)... The script has a lot of cards up its sleeve, so it doesn't skimp on them and lays them out on the table whenever it can. Of the actors, I must single out the impeccable David Harbour, and of the other artists, composers Dixon and Stein, who this time were heavily inspired by Philip Glass. (09/07/2019)

I can’t say I’m disappointed, it’s still too well narrated and formally gripping for that, but there were already some things that bothered me. It’s very clear now that the show is at its best when it fully focuses on the characters, while saving the world feels somewhat forced and unoriginal. I can partially forgive that because the show it’s clearly built on parodying 1980s tropes and ridiculing the incompetent and irrational Russians (with the exception of their Terminator, whom only fat Rambo could beat). But then, among the over-the-top wanderings in a top secret underground base and the road trip with the funny Russian deserter, there are these deadly serious and at times very brutal scenes, which are great on their own, but don’t quite fit together with the rest. Overall, however, I don’t have any major complaints, it still has its author’s signature and a unique atmosphere, and every episode has something to offer, not to mention the sophisticated way it arranges the communication and the continuity of the information. I’m looking forward to the next round, but I no longer expect the pure originality of the first seasons. 85% (15/03/2020)

Fans of Stranger Things had to wait two years for the third season of this beloved series, and I’m genuinely glad they took the time to perfect it. The Duffer brothers’ ideas seem incredible to me; they keep coming up with new twists and stories while maintaining the original, proven charm of the first season from 2016. They have truly exceptional talent. The third season naturally has a more mature tone; the main characters are no longer little kids playing D&D in the basement but have grown up and are dealing with teenage issues. However, we’re not just getting a romantic comedy with sitcom elements; the drama with horror elements that we’ve come to expect is still there (though viewers should expect fewer such moments). The subplot involving the Russian base is appropriately over-the-top, and the one with the monster was also enjoyable. The return of familiar characters was heartwarming, and the new faces made a strong impression as well (especially Robin, whose perfect chemistry with Steve entertained me throughout all eight episodes—great casting... and I mustn’t forget Alexei). Sheriff Hopper faces a minor existential crisis; his occasionally comical behavior initially annoyed me, but over time I grew quite fond of his new image. Besides the excellently written characters (again!), there’s a top-notch soundtrack; I’m now listening to ‘80s hits (this saga has influenced me that much), and the CGI has once again been pushed to a higher level. The ending was epic, with strong emotional moments that brought me to tears. I didn’t think the fourth season could match its successful predecessors, but I thought the same after season two. So I eagerly anticipate what the creators have in store for the coming years. I give it 93%. (23/07/2019)