Chapter Seven: The Bite

Most of the previous Season 3 episodes of 'Stranger Things' in my view have been disappointing. Liked a good deal "Chapter Three: The Case of the Missing Lifeguard" and loved "Chapter Four: The Sauna Test" (the latter a return to form for the show). The other four were average at best, with the premiere being a major disappointment after the previous season's finale being as outstandingly good as it was. So expectations were a bit mixed for "Chapter Seven: The Bite".

It luckily turned out to be a lot better than expected. Not "Chapter Four: The Sauna Test" level, but nearly on par with "Chapter Three: The Case of the Misssing Lifeguard" and much better than the rest of the previous episodes. "Chapter Seven: The Bite" is a long way from perfect and has a couple of the flaws of most of the previous episodes had, but it has also has a lot of truly great things and has less of the issues that the other episodes did have. Ranking the episodes, "Chapter Seven: The Bite" for Season 3 is one of the better ones generally.

"Chapter Seven: The Bite" isn't flawless. Not all the comedy hits, not that it is not funny but more in terms of placement as some of it situates awkwardly in serious situations so it occasionally felt out of place.

The whole Russian threat subplot was less than suspenseful and was actually somewhat heavy handed. It was a little too reliant on coincidence at times and some of the teen situational comedy induced some cringing.

A lot is fantastic though. The production values are superb. Very stylish and atmospheric, with some truly beautiful images that one can't believe such high quality comes from a Netflix show. Not to mention the highly impressive special effects that put a good deal of big budget films in recent years to shame. The music has a wonderful 80s nostalgic vibe while also being quite haunting, enhancing the atmosphere beautifully.

On the most part, the writing is a return to the brains and heart kind rather than what was seen and heard in the previous two episodes. The story has a lot more momentum and advances, with it being at its best with everything with the monster. The acting is never less than very good and is actually more than that.

Concluding, good but not great. 7/10.

Another fine episode building up to the finale. Yes it is packed with tropes, unnecessary agendas and is a bit slapstick at times, but as an overall package it is awesome. There is plenty of action and the jeopardy level is through the roof with the various strands coming together naturally to line up for a final showdown.

Never have I watched a show that I want to like so much but has failed. How I have got to EP7 I'll never know, S3 has been awful.

Jim and Joyce, uuuurgh, just terrible. As for the rest it's all so disjointed, the spookiness and goose bump moments all gone too.

This show had the potential to be epic, it's failed so badly.

Especially that back to the future part. Great episode overall

The penultimate chapter of Stranger Things 3 is another blinder, with plenty of action and excitement leading up to the season finale.

It's the 4th of July and the people of Hawkins are enjoying the county fair - except for Dustin, Robin, Erica and Steve, who are trying to escape from the Russian base, El and pals, who are fighting the Mindflayer monster, and Joyce and Hopper, who are planning to turn off the machine that the Russkies are using to open an inter-dimensional gate.

Robin and Steve spend most of the episode tripping, having been drugged by the Russian doctor, which leads to the pair sharing personal secrets. Hopper has a punch-up/shoot-out with Russians in a funhouse (my favourite scene of this chapter). And El saves her friends by throwing a car at the baddies. It all adds up to a hugely enjoyable episode, one that also sees the death of character and El suffering from a nasty injury, her leg infected by the monster.

Season finale, here we come...