Stranger Things 5x06 Full Reaction!
Added 2026-01-06 21:11:11 +0000 UTC
Comments
You say about the wormhole thing being a retcon yet it never contradicts anything, so it still works. Sort of sounds like the reveal of Pennywise’s consciousness being detached from linear time where it is very much new yet meshes surprisingly well with the established lore. If I have names right, then with what Steve went through in Fargo, yeah, it’s not as if he has to look at the giant hole in his car anymore, so that is something. Though I’m blanking on examples at the moment, I do like when there’s a character or plotline, though maybe you weren’t always thrilled with it, when you see where it headed, it really does become great. Maybe Kallus in Rebels is a good example? Loving hearing Jess speak on the interpersonal relationships. The thing about love stories that don’t end with anyone together: depends on the couple, and depends on the story, though when you do it right, it can be terrific. No frame of reference for the refusal to accept because no one was screaming and immature about it. Still behind on Fullmetal Alchemist, google helped at least identify the reference. Again, I’m also still behind on the Last Airbender shows, so I’ll take your word on that one. Definitely get the thing of seeing something coming, yet you’re happy to wait so as to see the very good performances. I have been hearing about the continuity lockout with the stage show. Sounds hilarious, if I’m being honest. I recall you’ve said having not a great time with the trope of people being brought into the fold and they don’t believe anything until the evidence of their own eyes. Good to hear it’s relatively painless for you here. And it’s nice to see you’re happy about Karen getting in on the action.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-07 20:57:17 +0000 UTCThere's a Malcolm in the Middle episode where someone says "You're the Duran to my Duran," and it's supposed to be a joke but I always found it really sweet. The name thing is actually a lot like Seven of Nine, where if you think about it for just a couple seconds, it's really twisted that everyone continues to call her by the name the Borg gave her and by all rights she should just be Annika Hansen, but the show treats the whole thing so casually that you kind of have to just go along with it if you don't want to lose your mind. Or how for decades people could only call the main character of The Handmaid's Tale "Offred" because there was simply no other option, but then suddenly the show's first episode reveals her name is June with Margaret Atwood's full blessing.
Ryan
2026-01-07 20:38:02 +0000 UTCPretty clearly, this whole thing with the Upside Down just being a wormhole to the real other dimension is a total retcon that had never once been on anyone's mind until this season. But it also doesn't contradict anything we've seen before, and makes for a handy "oh shit" moment leading into the big climax, so I'm perfectly fine with it. And Steve doesn't need to worry about the giant hole in his car anymore, so win win. I've been pretty vocal about hating all the interpersonal drama this season, but now that we know this is what it was all leading to, it gets a lot better and I won't be nearly as annoyed on rewatches. I'm always up for more love stories that don't end with anyone together, and the epiphany happening in Gluttony's stomach without even Envy there to spoil the mood is some great background flavor. It even led to some great real world amusement with all the fans who refused to accept this was Nancy and Jonathan breaking up because no one was screaming and immature about it, and listen, I've seen The Legend of Korra so I know what a true badly written breakup scene that's too subtle for its own good looks like. I noticed right from the start that the cave was the exact shape of the hole in the spyglass cover so that was just a couple episodes of waiting for Max and Holly to catch up, but since that all comes back to watching two great actresses work off each other, I really didn't mind at all. Also, nice way around the thorny issue of Holly finding a way out in just two days when Max had been trying for years, since she didn't have that spyglass. From what I hear, the whole briefcase thing is another tie-in to the stage show, and I can't quite go into more details yet, so that's for the future. Two more people are brought into the fold, which means we have to deal with the most annoying part of any story like this where they don't believe anything until the evidence of their own eyes. But this one goes relatively painlessly by relegating Mr. Clark's offscreen for the entire episode after that opening scene, and then Vicki's response is entirely rooted in genuine worry for Robin which only takes about ten minutes to get past as the Demodogs are decent enough to show themselves. This ending so easily could have gone wrong, coming off as a pitiful attempt at regaining former glory with another escape by Max to the real world while Running Up That Hill plays. But all the extra material around it absolutely makes it work for me, with Holly running in the other direction while in the real world everyone's in a situation that's impressively nail-biting considering how unlikely it is that after spending three quarters of the season building to this moment, the escape wouldn't work. And of course Karen coming in the clutch and proving they really should have put her on the team way sooner. This whole episode is a big highlight of the season, and had me very pumped at what the ending could be like. And we'll see how that turned out in due time.
Ryan
2026-01-07 20:25:04 +0000 UTCVery short and sweet intro. Makes sense as you had the holiday festivities. Again, behind on the show, so can’t add much. One amusing thing: Skipped past most of the reaction itself. Caught the last sound of the heart monitor in the episode. And now, in addition to the It comparisons that I keep hearing, I now have another, more recent Stephen King property on the brain hearing the heart monitor. Lucas stressed you out it seems. We each have our priorities and/or singular focuses. Lucas being the big one for you. My focuses usually are on the villains, so you win on that one. I recall how Ryan said after Rich in the Derry show, (which my brother and my sister in-law are still behind on that show, and it is a mighty struggle for endurance of waiting until I can talk to them about that,) that he really hopes that Lucas will live. No emotional investment in the show, but I know you, Jess, and I hope that too. Considering how Lucas is in the thumbnail, and the image of you in the thumbnail is not you bawling your eyes out, I’d say the young man’s in the clear. (At least, for now. Hoping that still stands by the end of the series.) Not much else to add. You talked about the dynamic of Nancy and Jonathan. Rather loved the words you had to say about them. See we repeat of getting shit out in the open. Know jackshit about either character, but you got me a bit emotional hearing your words about them. Reiterating how we share the thing of going through shit how it’s hard to help others if you haven’t helped yourself. You talked about how you have to work through shit, heal, if you are going to commit to relationships and spend and share your life with someone. Hear you there as that is one of the more significant reasons why I’m single. There’s a lot I need to heal before I find the woman for me. The, what’s a good comparison to, well, I know I keep citing Daredevil, so I could say I need to work on myself before finding the Vanessa to my Kingpin. And if you want more positive examples, I could say the Beverly to my Picard. Or the River and/or Clara to my Twelve. Assuming there is that someone for me. Great further words on Dustin. Then there’s your question of how you refer to Eleven in the post-episode thoughts. A chuckle is had on how you say she’s not offered a particular preference. I was VERY adamant about, in the Welcome to Derry show, calling Margie by that name. I see most everyone else outside of here on your patreon doesn’t call her Margie much. I’m standing by calling her Margie. Especially after Pennywise called her that in what he intended to be the last words she ever heard. Reminds me to that when I would talk, so to speak to Pennywise, I kept calling him Bob as he introduced himself to Georgie as Bob Gray in the book. I just did that for fun, not knowing that the show was going to do the deep dive into that. Thankfully, nothing really got spoiled for you. You also keep calling Vecna by the name of Henry, which took me a sec. So, I can understand the question. I almost entirely heard Eleven, and certain spoilery headlines about this last season have been keeping that up. Meaning I’m sort of stuck calling her Eleven. I guess? Supposing we did crossover with Doctor Who, I probably would switch to El so as to not create confusion of if I’m referring to her or your honey. Still sorry that I can’t fully share the show with you, but it’s lovely to hear what you’ve had to say about it. Thanks, Jess.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-06 21:44:53 +0000 UTC
