In the beginning of the summer, I posted about how I finally plunged into Stranger Things and then neglected to report that I finished all three seasons in a few short weeks. There's been a lot of mixed responses to Season 3, and I can see why. The freshness of the concept has waned, expectations were through the roof, and the characters have changed (ie. grown). For my part however, while I thought the first two seasons to be brilliant, I also thoroughly enjoyed the third one.
The strength of this show is how it masterfully borrows from classics of the 80's, and therefore my childhood, but doesn't simply rehash them. It reshapes elements into a new story with new characters that feed off iconic characters, making them familiar and entertaining. The inclusion of Max in the second season, and her role in the third season, definitely made the stories stronger. The growth of Steve Harrington was also a positive for the show.
Yes, the whole Russian thing in the third season was a little far-fetched, but being a kid from the 80s, it was nostalgic to see our old foes the Soviets again. I will say that I think the show probably can only squeeze out another season or two before it devolves, but I'm definitely still game for more.
