conuly | Watching Stranger Things with Eva, on Episode 3

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1. If Nancy were to take a gun and do a mass shooting at her job, I would cheer her on.

2. Translation doesn't work like that.

3. Has El been getting any sort of education this past year? Is she enrolled in school for next year?

3a. Hopper is... kinda a bad option for dad. What with his dead daughter, and his repeated El-related traumatic experiences, plus the fact that El had to be isolated for a while for her own safety... I mean... I don't think anybody is in a position to realize this, but he already veers too hard on the bad side of overprotective. It's not a good fit.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

cloudsinvenice

Yeah, it really bothers me how his behaviour to Mike is so fucked-up and aggressive, yet it's played like this is some kind of comedy subplot. He already worried me in season 2 and I'm not fond of how it's just played like, "Awww, he's just a tad overprotective, which is how you know he's a loving father figure!"

I feel like when they put in all the 80s nostalgia they also transplanted some 80s attitudes - there's also that thing where every time we see a group of girls or women, they're being snotty or mean to another girl/girls (often someone younger or with less social power). I do like that El and Max are friends now, as their insta-hatred of each other in season 2 felt like part of the same lazy thinking about female characters.

I sound so grumpy about the show, and I don't mean to! I love Dustin's inventions, and Will desperately trying to get DnD to happen (I was definitely the Will of my various friendships at that age), and damn I just want Nancy to prosper in general, but it has these things that irk me and that seem to add up to an overall attitude in the writing room that is unfortunate...

From:

conuly

And the thing is, I don't think Hopper's overprotectiveness is his fault, but... nobody seems able/willing to say "You go way too far, and you're being harmful to both of you".

Among other things, why shouldn't El be allowed to go to the mall? If child services finds out that Hopper's kid isn't allowed in public, then she'll be in even more trouble!

And she does need to spend more time with other people. Her language skills need more practice.

Well, I'm done with the season anyway.

From:

cloudsinvenice

Yeah, I've noticed that she talks like someone who's just not getting to have enough conversations and learn from exposure. I feel like Joyce would realistically be taking her out and doing a lot of the stuff you'd want a mother to be doing, because she's got a big heart and she's basically the only adult woman who knows about El and she'll be very aware of all the stuff she needs to know at her age (not least because she is very vulnerable to being taken advantage of) - but they don't show that.

Actually, I just told R the above, and he cynically, but I suspect accurately, pointed out that the appeal of El lies in her vulnerability: she has powers, but she's naive, and reliant on male protectors. With hindsight, the storyline in season 2 when she ran away was really necessary.

From:

conuly

I feel like Joyce would've spent a lot of time over the past year getting her school-ready. And it doesn't have to be all on her - El has two adults, three young adults, and several older kids in on her secret. If each of the oldest took one evening to tutor, and her friends took the weekend to go out and talk with her and do things, El would be doing a lot better. (And THAT is the reason she shouldn't be holed up with Mike making out all the time. She needs to talk to a wide variety of people if her language skills aren't going to atrophy. That window is closing!)

From:

cloudsinvenice

Yeah, if they could've focused on getting her into middle school with a new intake of kids, maybe with a cover story that she's someone's niece from out of town who's been sick for a long time and needed a change of air...

She'd actually be better hidden the more normal a life she was living. One kid in a crowd of other kids doesn't stand out. One kid who seems to live in a cabin in the woods with an irascible guy who can't have a rational conversation about raising her, a kid who is never seen in class, who the local paediatricians don't know... THAT kid raises suspicions.

And as long as Hopper's on his "I'm the sheriff, I can do what I want!" kick, maybe he could be stealing her a social security number - I assume cops know more about how all that works than most people...

From:

conuly

Someone's niece from out of the country would be a better bet, cover up the language skills.

From:

cloudsinvenice

Right!! Just pass her off as a third culture kid; it'd explain everything.

From:

conuly

Also, didn't our semi-clandestine government agency give her a SSN when they gave her a new identity last season?

From:

cloudsinvenice

I shared this discussion with a friend and she pointed out the same thing!

Just what does Hopper think is going to happen? Or have the writers literally forgotten that development?

From:

conuly

He's not in a frame of mind to be reasonable. See: Dead daughter, lots of traumatic stuff involving El. Plus, the shadowy government agency did tell him to give it a year to let things calm down.

But... I mean... you can go too far!

From:

cloudsinvenice

I suppose another aspect of it is that Netflix series tend to have built-in three season obsolescence, so they're not even expecting to follow these kids all the way through high school/life...

From:

conuly

IDK, they ended on a sequel hook. But why do people keep breaking into the Upside Down!? Can't they find some other way to tear down creation for laughs?