The anticipated third season of Netflix's "Stranger Things" kicks off July 4th. courtesy of creators Matt and Ron Duffer.
As with previous seasons, the Upside Down will be explored for the eight-episode sequel, with our young and old protagonists provoked and impacted along the way. There are also mall, Cold War and carnival backdrops, bracketed by generous, summer warmth. Sounds sweet...
To extend the ambiance, our humble, Hawkins, Indiana characters return: Millie Bobby Brown as El (aka Jane Hopper); Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler; Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler; Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair; Nicole Ferguson as Erica Sinclair; David Harbour as Jim Hopper; Noah Schnapp as Will Byers; Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers; Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers; Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler; Sadie Sink as Maxine Mayfield; Darce Montgomery as Billy Hargrove; Joe Keery as Steve Harrington; Paul Reiser as Dr. Sam Owens; and good ol' Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, who (per advanced insinuations) has a juicier part this time, though I think he pretty much devoured the scenery with his weird pet in Season 2, don't you?
Joining the gang is Maya Hawke as Robin, Cary Elwes as Mayor Larry Kline and Jake Busey as Bruce: the latter two horror/fantasy-film veterans. (Supposedly, the Duffer brothers sculpted Bruce for Busey, inspired by his role in Peter Jackson's "Frighteners". Even so, Bruce appears more journalistic than murderous, unless that's just a ruse.)
For better or worse, the founding gang has aged, which means for the kids, they (and we) will likely experience growing pains. Would moodiness and mush work as the emphasis? Aren't the gooey monsters supposed to be the show's adversarial crust? Ah, heck, I'm probably worrying over nothin'. The Duffers surely wouldn't screw with success. I mean, it's not like they've handed the reins over to Kathleen Kennedy.
The bottom line: I've no notion how Season 3 will fly. I can only presume that the favorable, '80s nostalgia will prevail: you know, those references to Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, Richard Donner...Stephen King. (I wouldn't mind a little hellraising Clive Barker woven in there, too, but hey, I ain't callin' the shots here.) Sources dare to declare that "Fletch" figures into the tapestry, as well as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: peculiar additives, but they could click if handled right. Maybe...
I just don't want things to get strained. If there's even the slightest trace of slippage, I trust the Duffers would throw in towel. I (and I'm sure most viewers) would rather see a shorter, quality span than something remembered for being beaten into the ground. In other words, it wouldn't hurt to give the concept a nice, long rest, and then in a few years, the kids could return as adults to fight a new day: no "It" recasting required. Capeesh?
Son of a gun! The featured film at the start of Season 3 is none other than George A. Romero's "Day of the Dead". I give the Duffers big-time credit for the inclusion. The season has kicked off on a respectable note. (The Cold War prelude was kinda neat, too, and I dig that one of my toy robots was featured. Good signs one and all...)
ReplyDeleteAbout five episodes in, and so far, Season 3 is exceeding my expectations. The vibe is "Red Dawn '84" meets "Invaders from Mars '86" meets "The Blob '88" meets "Strange Invaders", along with a bunch of other cool, creepy things.
ReplyDeleteNow that I've digested it all, I will declare that this was my favorite season. Go figure... Guess I shouldn't be so doubtful, so jaded... Let the Duffers do what they wanna do. I'm more than open to a Season 4 without years skippin' by.
ReplyDeleteI've hearing folks reference Season 3 as in tune with "Dawn of the Dead", due to the mall setting. Sure, I get the drift, but it's the bunker-like enclosures that bring out the "Day of the Dead" atmosphere. Also, "Day" is the third in a series, as is this season. Coincidence? I think not.
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