Inconsistency is the new most terrifying monster this season as the show makes you sit through an hour of cliché high school drama, and then at the end shocks you into interest!
Seriously though, I have mixed feelings about this episode.
The first few minutes are probably the best and most interesting part about this episode, with an intriguing flashback adding details to Eleven's past, done mysteriously but also boldly, and it's a successful hook because Eleven is an important character with a lot of mystery surrounding her already.
Most of the rest of the episode just builds character dynamics, and is pretty slow, even during the simultaneous sequences of the basketball and d&d games.
There are a few things that were pretty interesting, like the clock stuck inside the tree during one of the cheerleader's hallucinations. I would've preferred to see more of that because time as a concept hasn't been explored yet in the show, and the imagery tied to the clock is legitimately very interesting.
The end of the episode really killed the hype I had for the show honestly. It just seemed over the top and wasn't really mysterious or slick or anything, just meant to scare the viewer into investment. While a lot of motifs (like the demogorgon, the mind flayer, the upside down, the flayed, and the clock) are interesting throughout the show, for some reason watching someone get thrown against the ceiling and gruesomely mutilated just doesn't seem that interesting to me?
The reason the shows mysteries are generally so interesting is that you watch the mysteries unravel with the progression and the intensity building, rather than the intensify being shoved down your throat without the mystery that made the show so intriguing. The hook that got audiences so invested in the show in the first place was the disappearing of Will in season one, which left all of the details up to the imagination of the viewer. It's much less interesting when it's revealed right away and you find out that it's extremely unpleasant to watch with no real payoff.
I get that it's setup for the rest of the season, so the boring parts are forgivable as the season is still bound to pick up a pace at one point, but the end is over the top just for the sake of shock value, and is a poorly executed hook.
Still interested in the show because of the motif with the clock and the partially revealed backstory of eleven. Interested, but not impressed.
5/10.
Seriously though, I have mixed feelings about this episode.
The first few minutes are probably the best and most interesting part about this episode, with an intriguing flashback adding details to Eleven's past, done mysteriously but also boldly, and it's a successful hook because Eleven is an important character with a lot of mystery surrounding her already.
Most of the rest of the episode just builds character dynamics, and is pretty slow, even during the simultaneous sequences of the basketball and d&d games.
There are a few things that were pretty interesting, like the clock stuck inside the tree during one of the cheerleader's hallucinations. I would've preferred to see more of that because time as a concept hasn't been explored yet in the show, and the imagery tied to the clock is legitimately very interesting.
The end of the episode really killed the hype I had for the show honestly. It just seemed over the top and wasn't really mysterious or slick or anything, just meant to scare the viewer into investment. While a lot of motifs (like the demogorgon, the mind flayer, the upside down, the flayed, and the clock) are interesting throughout the show, for some reason watching someone get thrown against the ceiling and gruesomely mutilated just doesn't seem that interesting to me?
The reason the shows mysteries are generally so interesting is that you watch the mysteries unravel with the progression and the intensity building, rather than the intensify being shoved down your throat without the mystery that made the show so intriguing. The hook that got audiences so invested in the show in the first place was the disappearing of Will in season one, which left all of the details up to the imagination of the viewer. It's much less interesting when it's revealed right away and you find out that it's extremely unpleasant to watch with no real payoff.
I get that it's setup for the rest of the season, so the boring parts are forgivable as the season is still bound to pick up a pace at one point, but the end is over the top just for the sake of shock value, and is a poorly executed hook.
Still interested in the show because of the motif with the clock and the partially revealed backstory of eleven. Interested, but not impressed.
5/10.