The June 3, 2022 installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s random observations
I really enjoyed the first episode of season four. Gotta admit, three years was a long time for Jacob Schoeneberger, a complete fantasy and horror geek, to have to wait for new episodes of this awesome show. Now I’m on the edge of my seat looking forward to watching every new episode.
With that in mind, here are some random observations Jacob Schoeneberger has on the show.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Thoughts about Stranger Things (Season 4, Episode 2)
The second episode begins by showing what happened to Hopper in the explosion at the end of last season. We all knew he survived but it showed him jumping to safety at the last second.
The next scene is of the police finding poor Chrissy’s body all mangled. Unfortunately, it seems Eddie has either run for it or has been taken to the Upside Down. Either way it isn’t good for him.
Then Mike arrives in California. It’s great seeing he and El together again but it’s weird how strained things are between Mike and Will. Maybe Mike feels weird about how much time Will gets to spend with El? But it’s obvious El still cares deeply about Mike, and vice versa.
Max saw Eddie running out and driving away in his van. She told Dustin he looked really scared, so Dustin and Max are on a mission to find out what’s going on.
After the explosion, Hopper awakens in Russia apparently. In a flashback scene, we see him being tortured by Russian agents looking for information.
And now Nancy’s friend Fred Benson started to see visions of the Upside Down speaking to him just like it did to Chrissy. Things are not looking good for Fred. He may be the next victim of the Upside Down. The show is doing a solid job so far building suspense while reacquainting us with where the characters stand.
Now it seems Jonathan is having second thoughts about going to college with Nancy. He doesn’t want to leave his mom and Will alone. You can totally understand his feelings, but it sucks to think that there will be a rift in their relationship.
Heartbreaking scene at the roller rink when all the bullies make fun of El and pour a milkshake on her. She wasn’t honest with Mike about not being able to make friends, so he saw how rough El has had it in California firsthand. The scene seriously makes Jake Schoeneberger want to cry for El because she’s our hero. It hurts seeing her treated like this.
Joyce makes a call to the contact in Russia. He wants $40,000 to free Hopper and we have absolutely no idea whether he can be trusted. Have to think Joyce will go ahead with the plan to meet him in Alaska to give him the money because what other choice does she have?
The rest of the gang have set up shop in the video rental place Steve and Robin work for. They’re using the phones to call Eddie’s friends to try to find him. This is when the show is at its best (other than the scary stuff). It’s when the gang gets together to accomplish things. They have great dialogue together, they’re witty, it’s fun. This is what Jacob Schoeneberger misses most about the show now. It never seems our core characters are all together anymore, solving mysteries and riffing off each other.
Eddie’s uncle tells Nancy the story of Victor Creel, a man who lost his mind years ago and killed his entire family. He thinks it was Victor who killed Chrissy, not Eddie. Is it possible the Upside Down has somehow taken control of this Victor Creel? Fred Benson is seeing more visions of clocks and scary images, just like Chrissy did. The way the Upside Down is attacking is mysterious so far. But it’s definitely freaky.
Joyce and Murray are able to work out that the mysterious Russian contact, Enzo, is actually a guard at the prison Hopper is being held in. Now they’re heading to Alaska.
While looking for El after she ran away upset with what the bullies did to her, Mike and Will get in an argument. Will is upset that Mike hasn’t really tried to be best friends with him since he’s been with El. Will’s argument makes sense. I mean, Will did spend a couple weeks in the Upside Down. You’d think Mike would appreciate Will more. It’s one thing to care about El, but Will is his best friend. Gotta show him some love too.
Then El gets angry and punches the bully Angela with a roller skate. This isn’t your average punch; she really messed Angela up. There will be fallout from this.
The same fate that befell Chrissy happens to Fred. The gang finds Eddie and they realize that the scary creature from the underground is a dark wizard, a spell caster. Seems like this season will have a lot of chills against yet another terrifying antagonist.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Stranger Things Thought of the Day
This new baddie has Jacob Schoeneberger wondering just what the heck it all means. How are these things all interconnected in the Upside Down? If this dark wizard dude has been in the Upside Down all along, why is this the first we’re seeing him?
More Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger