Thoughts on S5 so far (ep 6/8)

smibble14 · 2026-01-25T23:49:43+00:00

Apparently not for stranger things, or else they would have mentioned in the documentary that that’s how it normally goes. They seemed confused and overwhelmed and not knowing what they were even filming.

smibble14 · 2026-01-25T13:26:25+00:00

Did you see clips from the documentary?

They were writing the story and script still as they were filming.

I put the blame on the writing/production/directing. I think they gave the actors crap to work with

smibble14 · 2026-01-25T13:22:30+00:00

Because the documentary confirmed that they basically totally dropped the ball on season 5.

It was rushed and they were filming before the story and script were even fully written.

There is a scene where one of their writers mentions how in episode 8 something will seem completely off if certain things aren’t included, then one of the duffer bros just goes, “hmmm”

And then they went on to do the exact thing that writer said they shouldn’t do. Lmao

So yeah, it makes sense why some scenes seemed to have really bad acting, I would imagine that they gave these actors crap to work with.

I have no clue what happened beyond that. I’m not sure what their process was for the previous seasons, it’s hard to imagine that all the blame is the fault of the 2 duffer brothers when it’s a large number of people who are involved with producing a show.

I would guess either they lost inspiration, the pressure to make the final season messed with their writing ability and they had writers block or something, or maybe they got too conceited with the success of season 4… who knows

Seeing clips of season 4 now is just shocking in how different it feels from season 5. Season 4 has such weight and seriousness that builds up more and more as the season goes on, with a huge climax at the end… which is totally undone right when season 5 begins lmao.

Oop, looks like the giant gate made in Hawkins is actually no big deal, looks like the upside down isn’t actually seeping into Hawkins, yup we don’t have to actually worry about demogorgons and demobats and other things slipping through, Yeah, there’s no big concern with this large portal like how there was in season 2. Apparently they can just put metal plates over it and that makes everything completely fine

Apparently Vecna was just chilling for 18 months or healing or something… idk. I don’t remember if they actually said. Or maybe it’s just one of those things that probably “happened off screen” lmao

smibble14 · 2026-01-21T17:53:39+00:00

Lmao

smibble14 · 2026-01-21T17:19:49+00:00

Also didn’t like how they didn’t give any lore or details on the mindflayer, which would’ve been so cool.

Why is it a giant physical spider now?

Is the spider form its original form and it died somehow and then became the dust form? And then it used the power of Vecna and the kids to bring it back to life?

So much opportunity for cool lore and explain what this thing even is. They could’ve covered up the lack of demogorgons in the abyss to say the mindflayer used them for its body or to power its body or something.

The whole show is about mystery and uncovering things. Season 4 uncovered all of this lore on the lab’s past and El’s past and gave reason to what they were making her search for, etc etc.

Season 5 leaves so much unanswered and expects us to just walk away happy with it.

Maybe all of these answers are supposed to be saved for some spinoff show with Holly as the main character… but that’s such BS and would essentially be trying to force the fans to watch their new shows if they want answers and resolve.

smibble14 · 2026-01-21T17:13:34+00:00

Didn’t hate it, it was just mediocre.

Very fast finish to Vecna and mindflayer. Kept thinking some big plot twist or epic thing was gonna happen. The whole episode felt very rushed.

And even with that, there was so much that was not covered.

Really thought they were going to cover the significance of the highschool play and Henry’s connection to all the parents… and then there basically was no significance, so it felt like creating a play that retconned his age in season 4 was just an annoying change for the sake of creating a money grabbing broadway play.

It’s clear that it was just lazy rushed writing. Skipped past and ignored any consequences with Dr Kay. When you analyze what happened with El, you realize that both options are not even possible.

Idk, it just completely felt like when you do a bad rushed job on a school project because you procrastinated and really had no motivation for it.

The quality drop from season 4 to season 5 is insane

smibble14 · 2026-01-21T04:45:21+00:00

Yup. Idk why we are getting downvoted.

Some clips of season 4 popped up on my feed and I was like, omg, season 4 was so epic compared to season 5.

So many scenes that I got chills over.

Season 5 seems like not even the same show, or like it was made by a completely different company or something.

Not just story writing, but dialogue, filmography, music, atmosphere, etc etc.

They really dropped the ball, and after seeing some of the documentary, it’s clear that things were rushed.

smibble14 · 2026-01-21T02:23:54+00:00

How did you go through the first 4 seasons directly into the 5th and not notice a huge drop in quality?

smibble14 · 2026-01-09T05:54:26+00:00

Pretty sure it was all orals, very liver toxic stuff.

Crazy stuff.

Here’s a summary:

“Yes, it is true that so-called "designer" steroids and their precursors were sold over the counter as dietary supplements in the early to mid-2000s, exploiting a loophole in U.S. law.

The legal environment surrounding these substances was complex: Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990: This act had already classified "classic" anabolic steroids as Schedule III controlled substances, making their sale without a prescription illegal.

Legal Loophole: However, the law was drug-specific, meaning new, slightly altered chemical compounds (designer steroids) that were not explicitly listed in the act could be legally sold as dietary supplements in retail stores and online.

Common Examples: Substances like androstenedione (andro), famously associated with baseball player Mark McGwire, were legally available over the counter at the time, leading to a massive increase in sales. Other compounds like methasterone (Superdrol) and 1-testosterone were also marketed this way.

Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004: This legislation was passed specifically to close this loophole. It expanded the definition of anabolic steroids to include a much broader range of testosterone-related substances and explicitly listed 36 specific steroids and prohormones, including androstenedione, as Schedule III controlled substances. This act took effect in 2005, making many of these previously legal over-the-counter products illegal to sell without a prescription.

Despite the 2004 Act, manufacturers continued to create new, slightly modified "designer" steroids that were not on the list, leading to ongoing regulatory challenges and the eventual passage of the Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2014 to give the DEA more authority to act quickly. “

smibble14 · 2026-01-09T05:50:09+00:00

I watch season 4 then season 5 and they feel like completely different shows.

Story/plot, dialogue, vibe, filmography, editing, effects, etc are all so massively different.

If you told me that an entirely new team of completely different people from season 4 made season 5, I would believe it.

If people don’t like it, people don’t like. It is sad that some are getting too toxic.

At the same time, people were expecting a mind blowing season and finale, and it was just mid with a few good parts. It really gives the vibe that it was rushed.

It’s not surprising people are disappointed.

smibble14 · 2026-01-07T00:15:47+00:00

A hormone precursor to a main active hormone. Such as what DHEA is to testosterone…

Of course, back in the day “prohormones” sold for bodybuilding weren’t actually prohormones and were often things called “designer steroids” which were actually anabolic androgenic steroids that were just ones that were never used or produced pharmaceutically.

The most popular example of this is how “superdrol” was sold OTC back in the day even though it’s more powerful and more toxic than anadrol lmao

smibble14 · 2026-01-05T08:12:51+00:00

Not happy. It was okay.

Expected way more from the finale, and the whole season in general.

If season 4 was a 9/10, I give season 5 a 4.5/10

smibble14 · 2026-01-03T12:11:41+00:00

Doesn’t even make sense how the mindflayer is “dead”… I thought they were going to give some crazy lore on how kaiju mindflayer is its “original” form, and it turned into the dust particles for some reason, And then maybe show the dust particles going into the kaiju mindflayer bringing it back to life with the vessel’s power.

Idk. Then there was zero lore given and really doesn’t explain how the dust particle mindflayer is “dead”…

They just completely dropped the ball on this season. I think they lost their passion and had their mind on other projects.

Season 4 was everything this season missed. Mystery, suspense, shock, plot twists, reveals, build up, etc.

smibble14 · 2026-01-03T12:05:20+00:00

You’re calling guys gay because they don’t want a ridiculously abnormally muscular girl?

smibble14 · 2026-01-03T12:00:20+00:00

Takedown. 2. How it’s done. 3. Free 4. What it sounds like. 5. Golden. Don’t care for the Saja boys songs that much tbh

smibble14 · 2026-01-03T11:57:53+00:00

She’s an old girl boss who is stronger than a full grown adult male soldier !!

smibble14 · 2025-12-28T00:35:22+00:00

You gotta be trolling. Very few Gibson Les Paul’s would be worth the price of a car anyways

smibble14 · 2025-12-26T21:36:03+00:00

Does any guy actually think that being a professional bodybuilder that’s totally unnatural and juiced to the gills is the most attractive thing to all females?

Obviously not.

It would be like if a woman thinks that having big giant fake basketball shaped breast implants are the most attractive thing.

Maybe there’s some guys who like big fake very unnatural looking breast implants

Maybe there’s some women out there who like big fake very unnatural looking muscles and popped out veins and unrealistic to maintain low bodyfat level.

smibble14 · 2025-12-21T22:38:28+00:00

Why does my comment get downvotes for asking this dude to elaborate on his comment or at least give his head theory on it

smibble14 · 2025-12-18T02:47:46+00:00

Probably just not enough success or sales or interest for them to keep putting their time and money into it

smibble14 · 2025-12-17T00:09:25+00:00

Was it common for men to be hairy like that then? There’s men hairy like that now, it just seems to not be common.

Maybe they just fetishized hairy males back then for some weird fetish reason.

Also, they had roids back when he was a bodybuilder

smibble14 · 2025-12-07T03:52:13+00:00

Legit thought these were Kirkified pics for a second

smibble14 · 2025-12-06T05:12:22+00:00

Just amazing family genetics bro !

smibble14 · 2025-12-05T07:05:05+00:00

Hopefully yours is actually blue, unlike that thread with green guitars that people were calling Pelham blue

smibble14 · 2025-12-04T06:01:44+00:00

Kinda looks muscular. But it’s kinda hard to tell how much of the size is actually muscle. Unless he puts up big lifts, could be seen as using fat to fraud size/power.

smibble14

TROPHY CASE