# Stranger Things 3. No spoilers until post 54 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575 "2019-07-05T16:01:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/61 "2019-07-13T03:37:41Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Accepting my premise that there should be some time period, what time period seems right? July 18 is two weeks. Good? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/62 "2019-07-13T04:01:16Z")
Now. NOW is good! If you haven’t watched it, and don’t want spoilers, then don’t open a thread about it. Ferchrissakes why is that so difficult? ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/63 "2019-07-13T04:46:16Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Request made. > > I do think that the best approach for these dropped seasons is some arbitrary period of spoiler-free so those who ave not yet binged can get some reviews, but keeping that period short enough that it isn’t too annoying to others. Agree that until 8/1 is too long. One week would be I think too short. > > Accepting my premise that there should be some time period, what time period seems right? A couple of weeks seems right to me, a time frame which we are still in. Maybe more people just need to learn how to use spoiler tags; it’s not that hard. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/64 "2019-07-13T05:36:51Z")
Another message board I frequent has a method for movies that works pretty well. There will be an ‘anticipation’ thread for discussion before the release of the movie and spoiler-free discussion after the release. A second thread is opened when the movie comes out and that thread has open spoilers from the get-go (and the title indicates as such). Seems like that would be the best way to do it, and the safest way for ‘virgins’ to remain unspoiled. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/65 "2019-07-13T13:38:07Z")
Yeah, we often have that with movies, too, but it’s not systematic. Usually someone who’s interested just creates the anticipation thread, and whoever happens to see it first creates the “seen it” thread. But in the meanwhile, it looks like this should satisfy the consensus in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/66 "2019-07-13T20:30:02Z")
I think the “American” comment is a red herring re: Hopper. It’s Brenner in the Russian prison. Hopper, however is alive, but in the Upside Down. He squeezed through the opening just before the explosion. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/67 "2019-07-13T23:13:36Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I think the “American” comment is a red herring re: Hopper. It’s Brenner in the Russian prison. Hopper, however is alive, but in the Upside Down. He squeezed through the opening just before the explosion. I also had the idea that they might have an Expedition to the Upside Down trip next year. I hope Barb stays dead, though; having her survive for several years just to please a few fans seems kind of like a cop out. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/68 "2019-07-14T00:15:00Z")
Too many scenes with the savior coming from just off screen in the nick of time. The Russians having a gigantic underground base in the US isn’t believable. Plot wasn’t different enough from previous seasons. I like the performances and the nostalgia, but I was pretty bored through a lot of this. I’ll probably skip next season unless it gets rave reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/69 "2019-07-14T16:32:37Z")
Wow, I am utterly shocked to read so many people here thought this season was good. It was easily the worst of the 3! The first season was so great and it’s been going steadily downhill. Did I miss some piece of expository dialogue or were the Evil Russians wanting to open the gate just because they were Evil Russians and had to do something Evil? Not one throwaway line to explain what their purpose was? Just fucking dumb. The scenes of the kids were fun, but everything to do with the Evil Russians were some of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. Oh and any time a major character is killed and you don’t actually see their death, they’re not actually dead. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/70 "2019-07-14T17:54:21Z")
So depicting the U.S. government as evil in Season 1 is A-OK, but depicting the Soviet government as evil in Season 3 is stupid? ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/71 "2019-07-14T19:30:40Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > So depicting the U.S. government as evil in Season 1 is A-OK, but depicting the Soviet government as evil in Season 3 is stupid? It’s stupid, because how would they have gotten all that equipment in there to make the superlab thousands of feet under the mall without being detected? This was more elaborate than Gus Fring’s lab on Breaking Bad. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/72 "2019-07-14T19:32:05Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > It’s stupid, because how would they have gotten all that equipment in there to make the superlab thousands of feet under the mall without being detected? This was more elaborate than Gus Fring’s lab on Breaking Bad. Under the cover of building the Starcourt Mall obviously (using 1980s Spielbergian logic) ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/73 "2019-07-14T19:45:37Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > So depicting the U.S. government as evil in Season 1 is A-OK, but depicting the Soviet government as evil in Season 3 is stupid? The villains in S1 were given a motive. I don’t mind Russians as the villains as long as their purpose is more than simply being “Evil Russians for no reason.” And agreed. Them being able to build a huge underground complex with miles of tunnels with no one knowing was stupid. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/74 "2019-07-15T01:38:41Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Did I miss some piece of expository dialogue or were the Evil Russians wanting to open the gate just because they were Evil Russians and had to do something Evil? Not one throwaway line to explain what their purpose was? Just fucking dumb. As I said above, it was obvious to me that they were doing the research in order to keep up with the U.S. and they had a stated reason why it had to be in Hawkins. So that part didn’t bother me. > [@](#): > > The scenes of the kids were fun, but everything to do with the Evil Russians were some of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen. I think it’s a legitimate criticism to say that some parts of the season were goofier than previous seasons. I find the goofiness appealing (I couldn’t get past the first two humourless episodes of the German show “Dark”), and I don’t have a problem with the notion that a world inspired by '80s novels like “It” and “Firestarter” can also be inspired by cheesy '80s action movies like “Invasion U.S.A.” and “Cloak and Dagger”. But I can certainly see how some people might think that Season 1 level of goofiness is the most they can stand. I read one review that said that the Terminator-style Russian spy was the worst part of the whole series. I thought that was the best part, but it was a bit silly. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/75 "2019-07-15T01:57:53Z")
Yeah, the Terminator guy was the worst part of the whole thing. A homage is one thing, a straight copy, down to an actor who even looks like Arnold, is again a sign of lazy writing. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/76 "2019-07-15T02:13:11Z")
I’ve never been a fan of any of those 80s Cold War Russia spy action movies, which I’m sure also is why I really disliked this season. Not my thing at all. I guess if you like those, this would be more to your taste. I loved the first season of Stranger Things because it could have been straight out a Stephen King novel. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/77 "2019-07-15T10:41:46Z")
Russians building and running that huge lab in the center of the continental US was very stupid, agreed, but possibly even stupider was that they were wearing Russian uniforms. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/78 "2019-07-15T13:52:47Z")
It’s all a question of taste of course, but I have trouble accepting “kids saving the world while bumbling adults miss all the cues” as a less goofy trope than “evil Russians” and/or “villains build large base in secret”. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/79 "2019-07-15T15:00:51Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I’ve never been a fan of any of those 80s Cold War Russia spy action movies, which I’m sure also is why I really disliked this season. Not my thing at all. I guess if you like those, this would be more to your taste. I loved the first season of Stranger Things because it could have been straight out a Stephen King novel. But of course a main schtick of the show that it sends up, mocks, and honors, popular media culture of the time in which the show was set. Hell, 1985 even had _Rocky IV_ with the Soviet Ivan Drago as the bad guy … it is a movie meme of the time that couldn’t not throw in the mix. _Day of the Dead_, the zombie movie that is the biggest influence for the season, was Romero’s parody of Cold War militarism. His earlier _Dawn of the Dead_ (1978) had been set in a mall, making fun of consumerism, but and they went there too. Having fun with the stupid of the time is part of the point! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575/80 "2019-07-15T15:38:51Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Russians building and running that huge lab in the center of the continental US was very stupid, agreed, but possibly even stupider was that they were wearing Russian uniforms. What should have they worn instead? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stranger-things-3-no-spoilers-until-post-54/836575.md?page=5)