Confessions of a Literary Addict

!! BEWARE OF SPOILERS !!

Yes, I am binging these all in one sitting, but I thought it might be a bit much if I tried to cram every single episode into one post, so we’re going to scatter these along the next few days and hope for the best.

If you want to only know my thoughts on the episode, scroll to the end!

So, let’s do this.

Starting points before I get into everything: 

• I’m going into this with a completely different take on Billy than I did when I recapped my feelings on Season 2
• This is in part because I read Runaway Max by Brenna Yovanoff, but mostly because when I watched the season again to focus specifically on Billy (to try and figure out one of the fan theories that he’s being controlled by the end of the season) I realized he’s not nearly as bad as he seems to be on the surface. Yeah, he’s a total ass and he needs a lot of therapy and some behavior fixing, but there are these little mannerisms that just seem… off.
• (Maybe that’s the acting, but the fact even when he’s pushing Steve down he’s telling him to plant his feet? He’s not necessarily taunting Steve, it almost seems as if this is how he was taught, and that’s how he’s now teaching. Something about it just doesn’t seem as sinister as I thought it was initially, and now I’m having second thoughts about the guy)
• Idk I could say a lot about Billy, but the last thing I will say is I’m terrified of what they’re going to do to this kid. I have a strong tendency to want to scream at the stories that take the broken/abused kids (Draco Malfoy, Josh Washington, Nathan Prescott, etc.) and make them the absolute villains of it all. Rowling rectified Malfoy a little in the end, but he was hurt before he could get that little bit. I’m scared for Billy.
• I am wholly ready to reject this show if they screw too much up. Yes, this is because of Game of Thrones, who royally fucked everything I loved and wanted out of the last season.
  • I hate them.
    • So much.
  • But I am ready to forcibly eject this season from my life even though it’s possibly my favorite TV show I’ve ever watched. I’ll keep watching Seasons 1 & 2, but I’m too scorned to put up with bullshit anymore.
• Oh, and Marvel, but not nearly as much. Endgame just made me real mad.
• Steve. I want lots of Steve.
• Not thrilled he might have a romantic interest since I don’t want her to get hurt or something, but I just want to see him in his motherly action being an actual idiot.
• And on that note, totally ready to see what kind of character Robin will be.
• Bring it.
• Oh, side-note now that I’m totally done all of these. Lots of cussing exists throughout. I got really excited, especially towards the end, and looking back before I publish these I’m realizing I really had a potty mouth.
• Nothing has been edited now that I know what happens, though, so watch me spiral like a champ.

Let’s do this.

The Liveblog

• Well, that’s a strong start.
• Idiots opening up the portal?
• Again?
• Do we never learn?
• Absolute dinguses.
• Cinematography? Still on point.
• Kill him.
• Fucking do it.
• Oh. Russians!
• Is this a play on the whole Russian conspiracy stuff that happened in the 80s?
• That was the 80s, right.
• I get confused on that front, actually.
• Oh, okay.
• THE KIDS. THEY’RE GETTING SO BIG.
• Hopper oh my god.
• I love the dad persona he’s picked back up, it’s so nice.
• God I love this 80s aesthetic.
• WHERE’S DUSTIN.
• Awwwee Lucas and Max are confirmed BF/GF I love.
• MY BOY.
• YESSSSSSS!!!
• And she calls them his children.
• I love this fan service.
• Where the shit is Dustin?
• Oh wait is he at camp?
• That was a thing wasn’t it, I forgot.
• They’re all so cute though.
• I love Steve so much.
• Oh no. Total blackout? Fun.
• Okay that was cool.
• Terrifying, but cool.
• Awe, Will…
• Good Mike. You take care of your friend.
• NANCY!
• Oh and Jonathan hello.
• Is she also living with Joyce now?
• Ooooh. I see. Not living with Joyce.
• Bob 😦
• Dustin!
• God they’re getting SO BIG.
• I FEEL OLD.
• Oh yeah I remember this scene with Dustin coming home.
• Totally forgot it existed for a hot minute there.
• I missed them so much.
• I’m going to be repeating that a lot.
• Oop and here comes Billy.
• Ladies, stop being creepy. He’s a kid.
• You’re parents. Or one of you is at least, with a daughter the same age as Billy. Stop creeping on him.
• Jfc Billy, you asshole.
• I swear to god if they actually make Billy sleep with Mrs. Wheeler.
• Do not.
• (He is v hot though.)
• Awe Hopper. Poor Hopper.
• “What is that?” Oh Hop.
• Wow.
• I LOVE them.
• Steve. Okay, hun.
• Steve.
• I love Robin so much already.
• If she dies I riot.
• Please don’t die.
• Poor Hopper.
• I agree with Dustin there, poor guy. Everyone ditching him.
• Oh no, Will.
• WAIT, EXCUSE ME.
• WHAT THE FUCK.
• HELLO
• Is
• Is she wearing her makeup while swimming?
• Are you sure about that choice?
• Oh god here we go.
• Stop. Stop flirting.
• Stop.
• Stop it Billy she could BE YOUR MOM.
• Oh, wait. Oooohhh he’s got a complex doesn’t he.
• Still, ew.
• Stop.
• Lady, seriously.
• Omg Lucas.
• Oh no.
• I didn’t even notice the house before.
• It looks great from the last few seasons.
• 😦
• Bob. He was too good to die.
• Here we go again.
• Come on Hopper.
• You can do it.
• Mike, what the hell?
• Okay Hopper, low blow. Bad move.
• They used to get along, too.
• And now Lucas. Oof.
• Poor Lucas.
• Poor Dustin.
• Oh no.
• Oh NO.
• Holly’s getting so big too omg.
• Stop it, you guys. You’re making me feel so old.
• Oh, Billy.
• Man, though. Dacre really is a very pretty guy.
• Like goddamn.
• If he dies at the end I SWEAR TO GOD.

Final Thoughts

So. Strong starting episode, a good amount of nostalgia added in with the new elements, and with a nice taste of creep factor to start us off for what I hope will be the big guns. I was really excited to see almost everyone back on the screen again. Almost everyone meaning the only person I wasn’t really very happy to see was Mrs. Wheeler, and only because I know what they’re trying to pull there, and I find it really creepy.

Now that something’s obviously going to be happening to Billy, I hope that fully deters that whole line of plot, because I DO NOT want to see that. I also better not get through this season with Billy dead. He’s an actual sack of shit, but he doesn’t deserve to die just for being raised badly. I AM excited to see where his dark arc thing is going to do, since we know from the trailers that he’s possessed or something.

Wait. And there’s a girl with him in the trailer, isn’t there? It’s the lifeguard girl falling, but is it also her at his feet? It’s not Mrs. Wheeler, is it? I don’t like her, but I also don’t want her to just die. She has a family and everything.

God, there’s so much to worry about and seven more episodes to worry in.

Loving the setting, though. All the scenes are so pretty and the cinematography is looking so awesome, especially when things start to get spooky. Cam’t wait for more of that! Not looking forward to the hell that Will is pretty obviously going to have to go through, though. Poor guy, he was supposed to be getting a break this season. Mike better step up to the plate if shit hits the fan, because that’s his best friend and the guy he flipped his shit over to find that first season. Will is important to Mike, and we all know that.

Onto the next!

Thanks for reading!