Potentially Hot Takes: I Hated Everything About Volume 2
(Except you Jamie you’re doing great sweetie)
Let me be clear. Im not objecting to death scenes. I love shows that make me feel something, even if it’s tears. But. As a writer who loves the art of a meaningful character death, I’m ashamed of the Duffer Brothers today.
You permanently killed the biggest fan favorite of the season, and it meant nothing.
Eddie’s final act is wholly unnecessary, both to the plot and from his perspective. Steve, Nancy and Robin are incapacitated by vines; they aren’t fighting Vecna at all. The bats don’t even appear to be going to them because why would they when they would just be going to kill something the vines will have already killed by the time they got there. A bat distraction is no longer necessary. Moreover, Eddie decides to go against the plan at a point when he doesn’t have any reason to believe it’s necessary. As far as he’s aware it’s going off without a hitch. He doesn’t need to do it for the plot, and in his mind as a character he has no reason to. You don’t even try to present us with a halfhearted reason he should. There’s no “oh no the bats are coming” because the vines are already there doing that. He doesn’t die to save the Fruity Four or Dustin or someone he doesn’t know in a heroic act. He doesn’t face down Jason. Nothing. He died because he died. That’s it.
And, no one acknowledges his contribution. Dustin is the only one who witnesses what Eddie did, and the dialogue in that scene is pretty shit. Not gonna lie. He’s the only one who mourns Eddie. He mourns him with his uncle, but there’s no attempt by him or anyone to clear Eddie’s name as a thank you for what he did. And no one else seems to care that he’s gone. They don’t even tell Mike he’s dead.
Also, the news reports him as a serial killer. No one makes an effort to change that narrative. None of the characters seem to mind that Eddie will be remembered as a murderer not a hero, except Dustin who doesn’t do much beyond tell Eddies uncle. You’re about to have a multi year time jump. Eddie will officially be cemented in history as a serial killer by that point.
He was my favorite and I didn’t even cry. That’s how poorly you killed him off. Game of Thrones was shit due to lack of talent. This wasn’t lack of talent. It was lack of effort and planning.
I have more words but I’m visibly fuming right now so I won’t.
Very short point. I know I made jokes about Jamie Campbell Bower being too hot to stay in that makeup but I also partially meant it.
Jamie is a great actor, and he does great in the suit. But you took away his face and his voice and told him to act, and even he can only do so much. You grossly underutilized one of the greatest villain actors of our generation.
It would’ve been deeply poignant if, once Eleven arrived, he put on the face of Peter Ballard even if it was just a facade. It would’ve forced Eleven to confront what happened in the lab. It would’ve been added torture for her on Vecna’s part. And it would’ve given Jamie his face back. You know, to act with? That thing you hired him to do?
(Nothing against you Jamie, I still love you)
Mike is an asshole. He is not the heart of the group, and I think I knew the moment I saw you paint him as the heart of the group (not just wills heart but the groups heart) that you fundamentally misunderstood, if not the characters themselves than at least the fans perceptions of them.
Mike is a little shit most of the series. No one is that emotionally attached to him. You gave every fan a top five characters they could save from Vecna and Mike is in no one’s top five. He is not the heart and it’s a small misstep indicative of greater ones.
Stop pretending to give us ensemble fights when you neuter every single member of the cast except Eleven.
Am I supposed to value Mike’s contribution when all he did was talk to Eleven? Steve, Nancy, and Robin spent 90% of the fight tied to a wall. Eddie’s death was pointless. Dustin did literally nothing. Lucas was in a whole different fight. And Max hid inside a happy memory waiting for help that didn’t come.
Eleven is once again the only person who contributes. And that’s not because she’s the only one who can. You can write ensemble fights with varying degrees of power. Look at Avengers. Everyone can contribute and not be meaningless. You just don’t do that.
She never acts with any urgency. No dig at Millie. Full dig at directors telling her to fucking walk to save max.
She walks in every scene even when she knows Max is facing eminent death. She takes her sweet ole time reviving Max. Breaking out of Vecna’s bonds comes because Mike gives her a little speech? I’m supposed to buy that? Not because she’s watching Max die right in front of her and that’s her only positive female friendship and she might want to save her?
Note: this also applies to Joyce. Why do you make her move so slow to help in every urgent situation.
I’ve made it known I hate this ship. They’re both good characters but they both grew up in very different ways and to me just don’t seem at all compatible anymore.
That said, if you’re GOING to do it. At least do it right. You shoved it so far down my throat I choked on it. It was over the top, ostentatious, in my face. Downright shitty writing.
Did you forget Jonathan existed or did you just hope I would? Did Steve digress in his character arc to the type of guy who tries to steal women? Is Nancy a cheater or does she want to be a cheater with the looks she shot Steve? Why are Eddie and Robin encouraging it? Why are they so obvious about it? Why is it so in my face?
Stancy just happened again out of nowhere for no reason. There wasn’t any buildup it was just boom. Lake. Steve. Hot. They’re back on. Their characters developed into new and different people and you didn’t show me anything of them coming back together.
The only relationship that actually saw any progression this season (positive or negative, platonic or romantic) was Lucas and Max. Everyone else just existed or magically noticed each other again cause why not.
Across the board Volume 2 was poorly written.
The Duffer Brothers are known for not really planning things out in as much detail as normal shows, and I think this is finally the consequences of those actions. Because you can start a story really well without planning it but you can’t end a story well without planning it.
Also, shit dialogue, especially in Volume 2. Eddie’s death scene was pathetically bad but so we’re several other scenes.
As a subset of my issues with the writing. You kept the Brenner plot going way too damn long.
I’m actually fine with the amount of screen time devoted to that plot. That’s not my problem. My problem is the number of twists you put into that amount of screen time.
Oh he won’t let her leave, but Owen is going to. Oh Owens locked up. Oh the doors locked. Oh he’s threatening her. Oh he drugged her. Oh the collar. Oh he’s taking her from the military. Oh he took her outside where she almost got shot.
Do you see how that’s too many things happening in rapid succession? How it would’ve been so much better if Brenner only had one coup against Eleven and Owen for power to make it more concise. If instead of some sidetrack with the door that obviously wasn’t gonna work, Brenner heard Owen tell her they were leaving and immediately shot Owen and drugged her. Cut out the shit with the door? It could’ve been less screen time, or more if you wanted to draw out the drama of it. But it would’ve been more succinct.
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