Stranger Things: Season 1, Episode 4 - . As a serialized chapter to a shortened season, “The Body” moves the narrative along (thanks to a script credited to Justin Doble and direction from industry vet Shawn Levy) without sacrificing the little moments that give this sci- fi horror drama its spark. Perhaps most importantly, Chapter Four partially answers an important question at the core of Chapter Three’s cliffhanger, but only enough to add narrative momentum without undo heavy exposition. In terms of continuity, the story flows on and builds toward a tense climax with subtle Abrahamic moral gravity. Nothing Good Comes From the Woodshed . Chief Hopper (David Harbour) tries to comfort Joyce (Winona Ryder), but senses she’s well into a mental breakdown in her grief. As a genre mixing homage to .

Supernatural was renewed for a twelfth season by The CW on March 12, 2016. The season consists. The third season of Supernatural, an American fantasy horror television series created by Eric Kripke, premiered on October 4, 2007, and concluded on May 15, 2008. Supernatural (TV Series 2005–) Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more.

The meta- textual moment adds narrative intensity just as it provides a quietly comical visual gag, recalling both Jack Nicholson’s manic performance in The Shining and Bruce Campbell. From Sheds to Ted. A news briefing on TV announces “David O’Bannon” to be the man who tipped off authorities to the body (perhaps a nod to screenwriter Dan O’Bannon, known for Alien, Aliens, and Total Recall). Mike’s dad Ted (Joe Chrest) continues to operate in passive neglect mode. He asks Karen (Cara Buono), “Should I go down and talk to Michael?” Karen reverts back to trickle- down parent- nomics, “Give him time.

He’ll come to us when he’s ready.” At this point I can only imagine these two on their honeymoon: Ted: Should I, uh, order the oysters, or? Karen: Just give it some time, hon. Both go back to watching the television above the hotel barstools, and scene. Down in the basement Mike (Finn Wolfhard) reaches full panic, unsure what to do next.

El (Millie Bobby Brown) holds up the giant transistor walkie- talkie. Over the speaker, clearer than ever, the voice of Will (Noah Schnapp), soft and still, quietly sings the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go”.

Mike rushes over to respond, but the signal breaks. As he looks over at El, her nosebleed returns (signaling her telekinesis use and its mental/physical toll on the body).

The next morning Mike pulls an “Elliot” (right out of E. T.) and fakes being sick to stay home from school.

In the episode. Why don’t you grab a book or something and come with me. We can, stop by the video store on the way back, pick out whatever you want—even R- rated.”The last line, particularly the dual promise of 1) video store nirvana and 2) R- rated permission synthesizes everything the Duffer Brothers understand and get right about how life happened for kids and parents and the dynamics between them in the . If she would have whipped out a couple of packages of Garbage Pail Kids trading cards, her attempt to cheer him up couldn’t have been any more perfect. More Than Meets the Eye.

Of course, Mike has an ulterior motive. The boys coordinate via walkie- talkies. Lucas (Caleb Mc. Laughlin) asks about Will’s looming funeral, but Mike is now on the Joyce bandwagon, a firm believer that Will isn’t dead. Likewise, at the funeral home Joyce remains unconvinced even after the coroner shows them the body (through a glass window). Hopper believes Will dead, but is still suspicious of the government facility and whoever phoned in the body. He finds out “The State” performed the autopsy, an unusual move for their small town. Repeated references to “the State” or “Staties” offers by the Hawkins Police offers an appropriate counterbalance of power alliance and recognition of small town distrust toward outside factions.

The teen angst fallout continues as Nancy (Natalie Dyer) tells Steve (Joe Keery) about the faceless person she saw in his backyard. Steve plays the pompous coward, unwilling to help Nancy at the risk of his parents finding out about the house party.

Whatever street cred Steve built up early on is quickly fading. All signs are clear that as the episodic mid- point nears, a narrative shift in character alliances is desperately warranted. As several Internet bloggers have already noted, the downtown more than resembles the Hill Valley town square in Back to the Future. Watch No Stranger Than Love Online Metacritic more. The storefront windows and municipal courthouse add a serene quaintness that becomes fractured by the intrusion of emotion The boys argue over whether or not El’s signal is really Will communicating. Mike persists: “All I know is Will’s alive”.

Mike’s steely determinism is an interesting continuation throughout the series. It’s tricky to get a handle on the implications here, at least beyond the obvious friendship mechanism of bonds between boys (and later El). Just In Singapore Episode 1. Given the numerous references to Will’s ambiguous identity, I’m reminded of the subtext often associated with the protagonist/antagonist relationship central to William Wyler’s Ben- Hur. If anything, the ambiguity sparks curiosity and open- ended interpretive agency for audiences. Ambiguities and Normalcy Performances. In another E. T. They grab a bunch of makeup (from mom or sis) and find a babydoll type vintage blonde wig that is one- part The Shining, one- part Children of the Damned, and all- parts Drew Barrymore in the umpteenth visual homage.

Speaking of visual reference, the Hazmat agents can’t quite see beyond the gooey under- terrain. Thus, they send in a brave volunteer (*cough* Redshirt *cough*) to investigate beyond the organic barrier. Later, the Hazmat agents unsuccessfully reel back a gory fragment of the steel cable harness as the organic crevice reseals itself. While not too gory, it’s a vivid reminder that genre mixing also equals blurred boundaries.

The Hawkins Police deputes interview Nancy about Barb’s (Shannon Purser) disappearance. Also at the school, a counseling service is held for the students in light of the news of Will’s death. Mike confronts the two jerkwad bullies after the service. The ringleader moves in to pound Mike, but halts suddenly under El’s telekinetic power. He then pees his pants in front of the many gathered schoolmates.

Laughs abound, and the toady friend abandons him for maximum public humiliation. El’s childlike gesture is a total hegemonic power move but equals a geek win for the Maple Street weirdoes(!) The pants’ peeing as an act also taps into dreamscape realism in so far as fear of water/urination and public humiliation rank among the primal dreams experienced by adults and children alike. El isn’t the only undercover agent on mission. Chief Hopper appears to go off on a bender at the local bar, but the scene quickly proves to be an off- duty cover to get closer to the man who “found that Byers boy”. Hopper is really showing some moxie by Chapter Four, willing to follow any lead necessary to protect his town and bring comfort to the families and townspeople of Hawkins. Getting close to the proverbial edge, Hopper slugs the man several times out back in the alley, striking him until he confesses to having been tipped off to the quarry and Will; s body. Hopper asks, “Who do you work for, the NSA?

Hawkins lab?” The man responds, “You’re gonna get us both killed!” just as a car spying on them peels out across the street. Increasing paranoia throughout Chapter Four heralds in a tonal shift at the mid- point of the season’s narrative arc. Hopper’s deep cover attempt to produce answers is a nice change of pace, albeit a strong breakaway from the hung over Mayberry malaise in which we first find him. Parental Figures Finding Frequencies and Breaking Boundaries. Flashbacks continue to flesh out El’s tortured relationship with Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine).

In terms of drawing from Firestarter (see episodes two and three), the Dr. Brenner flashbacks tease a benevolent father figure more interested in exploring (and exploiting) El’s gift by way of paternal power dynamics. Watch Martian Land Online Facebook more.

His emotional abuse is manipulative and isolating for El. Extreme isolation also speaks to her stunted speech patterning and blatant distrust of adults. Such close attention to character detail continues to authenticate El’s onscreen psychology.