just finished, a few afterthoughts

Mostly on 2x07.

I get that the episode is “controversial,” and I get why. It’s just too much of a tonal break and sort of takes you out of things. I think I get what they were trying to get at, a whole metaphor of Eleven looking for home, and thinking she belonged with people based on them being “like her.” Was interesting how she was trying so hard to not fall back into a person who was simply being used as a means to an end, like most of her life. Yet, even with the best of intentions of Kali (and I have no doubt that Kali meant it that Eleven was one of their own and would be protected), Kali and her gang were still yet another group who had a specific use in mind for her.

I feel the episode went well with them showing a continuing expansion of their world. And really, since this is all supposed to be like a big 80s movie, let’s take into account: A 90-minute teen movie made in the 80s, not all that out of order for them to take 10 minutes to show a misguided independent foray into a larger world. Think Ferris Bueller if you will.

However, the whole thing made me think. Compared to Season 1, we have an “extra” hour here, so it seems a bit of a head-scratcher that they would give us an entire hour of this, a bottle episode with no other main characters. Almost feels a waste. Unless… Maybe it was intended as a backdoor pilot, or to get us used to a shift in tone? They say they don’t fully know yet where Season 3 is going. Makes me wonder if they’re intending to have Season 3 branch out even more. They could search for Brenner. Learn more about Jane’s mom’s backstory. Show them tracking down the other kids who have been tested on. Show Kali’s group tracking down other former lab workers to dole out justice to. All good stories in theory if done right. But how 2x07 has been received seems polarizing, a bit of backlash. So maybe if those were the original plans, they’d be changed now? I know I for one wouldn’t want the show to just leave Hawkins behind, that’s as much part of the story as any of the characters, in my mind.

That said, a few other more minor thoughts:

Was looking/waiting for Max and Billy to tie into the main story more, with a larger purpose, like maybe their parents worked at the lab or something. I wanted a bit more craziness from Billy, he reminded me strongly of Henry Bowers from Stephen King’s It. I wonder if that was intentional.

Also, given the trend, if Season 3 introduces a new character named Bub, he better fear for his life ;)