Here comes the next novel length response in my rewatch
Pardon the potential typos!
"Are you constipated again?" Dustin's scenes with his mom are so funny
I love how that was her first question to ask when she thought he was acting weird. And he was quick on his feet to say he rigged his Ghostbusters trap with a motor to make it look like he caught something. Little did his mom know he really did catch something
3 Musketeers got fantastic promo thanks to Dustin and Dart. It's like the official candy bar of Stranger Things, inspiring Dart's name and all!
What I'm still forever curious about is what made Hopper leave Eggos in the woods. I understand why he KEPT doing it because they were being eaten, but what possessed him to do it the first time? Just a feeling or hope he had that if he left them randomly in the woods they would be helpful?
Eleven giving Hopper the cold shoulder until the words "Triple decker Eggo extravaganza" left his lips
Honestly his concoction did look rather enticing! Their conversation was one of their first rather intense ones. She wants to know what his vague definition of "soon" is as she has been counting the days that she can see Mike again which makes him wonder if she thinks she is some sort of prisoner or something. She kind of is, being trapped in that home and unable to leave. The poor Eggo extravaganza was demolished in this conversation
"Found them! Hiding under some jeans sneaky little buggers." -Precious Bob talking about car keys. There's no point really in me noting this quote it's just that he's so freaking cute with everything he says. And poor, poor Bob, who always has the best intentions in the world, drives Will to school and unknowingly gives him the worst advice ever. I mean how was he to know that what Will was going through was VERY different than the Mr. Baldo clown he used to dream about? Will looked so encouraged too
It was a nice exchange between them aside from the worst advice ever.
Dustin is on a curiosity voyage and he needs his paddles, aka books. I love that he basically stole (borrowed
) from the library. What a rebellious rule breaker
Max getting info, sort of, from Caleb about why Will is called zombie boy and not understanding anything
I would be the same way. Speaking of, Will looks so tiny and fragile when he walks into school without his friends around him
Dustin coming into class late and having to repeatedly be told to pay attention. He's just the best
"Yes, my lord"
This was a small thing, but I love how Eleven kicked her feet against the door to get snow off just because she saw Hopper do it first. I'm going to admit that the first time I saw Hopper dancing there was something about the lighting that made him appear lowkey creepy, but now in watching again I can respect it and the montage of them working on the house together a lot more
We get to see a completely different side to Hopper and it was a lot to take in
Which leads to the rules that Eleven is fed up with and she's breaking them all: The "Don't Be Stupid" Rules
Rule #1: Always keep the curtains drawn (that's so depressing. Adds more to that kind of prison vibe)
Rule #2: Only open the door if you hear my secret knock
Rule #3: Don't ever go out alone, especially not in the daylight.
My gosh those basketball shorts were so very short back then
Steve and Billy playing some hoops and, as per usual, Billy is being super extra. Poor Steve got his heart broken again by Nancy who first blamed the alcohol on all the things she said and then said nothing when Steve asked to hear that she loved him. I'm glad she didn't say it just to say it though. It's good she didn't lie.
"He's like a living booger." Caleb's first impression of Dart
Everyone seems rather grossed out by him except for Dustin who is beaming with pride. I really love when the kids play detective together to try and sort things out and all answers lead Dustin to believe that he discovered a new species in Dart while poor Will wonders to himself if he threw up Dart.
"That's what I really love about you, you punch back. I was never really one to put up a fight." Bob really kills me with so many quotes. Because now that I know what happens to him...darn it
He really does seem to love Joyce so much and he cares about Will and Jonathan also. I was suspicious of him during my first watch through because he's too good for the world and I didn't know if that was genuine. It hurts that it really was
It was hilarious when Joyce was trying to watch the video from trick or treating, but didn't understand how to get the tiny tape to play so had to ask Bob for help
When she discovered the image of Will's drawing of the shadow monster matched a freeze frame on the tape I got chills
I like that Jonathan pointed out to Nancy that Steve was the one that told him to bring her home which is good because if he left her in such a state to be left to her own devices that would have kind of sucked of him despite the fact she said terrible things to him. Much like the 3 Musketeers bar, Radio Shack is getting some great promo this season! I like how Nancy hatched a plan in her head over seeing some random dude using his Walkman
Of course that led to her calling Barb's mother which kind of sucks even though it's part of the plan it's unfortunate Barb's parents couldn't be left alone.
Dustin is such a protective parent over Dart. He doesn't want anyone to hurt him even if he might be from the Upside Down. Meanwhile, Mike admits that maybe Dart should be dead so we have a lot of differing opinions here! But at least they start piecing together that Will might have "true sight" and he can see into the Upside Down. I like how when Max was locked out of the room she was essentially like "screw that" and picked the lock to let herself in. Girl has some useful talents!
Lucas kicking down the classroom door and scaring a teacher on his quest to look for Dart
I thought the scene between Mike and Max was important. He was saying they didn't need anyone else in their party (and I think speaking for a lot of fans who were saying the group didn't need another girl which I cringe at) and Max said she could be their "Zoomer" which Mike points out isn't a thing. But the actual point is she isn't trying to replace anyone, she's trying to bring something new to the group and it would be nice if she could be cut some slack so she could try and have some friends. And of course this is a REALLY unfortunate scene for Eleven to see, especially out of context, and she forces Max to fall which brings up an important question for future seasons concerning Eleven controlling her temper and not using her powers so frivolously like that. She could really hurt someone. That aside, it was SUCH a tease to have Mike and Eleven be in the same place, but not interact! Even when she saw him and then he suspected she might have been there. It's torture!
Oh! That reminds me! I forgot to talk about Hopper hinting to Eleven that her mother was dead when she asked about her...and in many ways she is. It was an awkward question to answer and I think he handled it the best he could in that moment. Oh again! Eleven using her powers on that swing set wasn't exactly subtle of her.
Joyce can drive just as wildly as Billy does
I don't really blame Dustin for hiding the fact that he does know where Dart is considering his friends are a bit murderous toward the creature that he has grown so fond of, but before that Dart scares Will and in enters Bob's terrible advice
Whew that was a crazy episode ending!