Latest news with #WillByers
Digital Trends
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
I'm confident that Stranger Things 5 will be the Netflix show's best season
Stranger Things season 5 is shaping up to be one of the biggest television events of the century. After the evil Vecna opened a giant portal to the Upside Down in Hawkins, the show will present the final chapter of the heroes' years-long war with him and his legion of monsters. As one of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time, Stranger Things has set some high bars for itself, particularly with its first and fourth seasons on Netflix. The show will have to live up to a lot of lofty expectations to provide a satisfying final season for audiences. However, Stranger Things has already shown it has the key ingredients to make season 5 the best chapter in the show's history. Will will play a central role in the season's story Since the show's inception, Will Byers has been one of the most important characters in Stranger Things. Though he was absent for most of season 1, his kidnapping by the Demogorgon was the catalyst for the events of the entire series. While Will had a greater presence in subsequent seasons, his role in the story gradually diminished over time. In season 4, Will's character largely took a back seat while he and his friends focused on rescuing Eleven. Recommended Videos This should all change with season 5 now that Will and his family are back in Hawkins, which has been infiltrated by the Upside Down. Stranger Things should thus give a greater spotlight on Will and how he has been affected by Vecna's reign of terror, with the season 5 trailer teasing more of young Will's fight for survival during his time in the Upside Down. Since Will and Vecna continue to share a psychic link, the former may be a crucial part of the villain's plan in season 5. However, this bond may also help Will and his allies destroy Vecna once and for all, bringing the series full circle. Stranger Things 5 should also continue Will's arc of opening up to his loved ones about his sexuality. The show has been giving subtle hints to audiences that Will has been hiding his true self from everyone throughout its four seasons. After all the trauma and hardships Will has endured in the show, season 5 should finally give his character the closure he deserves and hopefully have him find the love he's been longing for in the series. The story will focus on the characters in Hawkins In season 4, the characters split up and embarked on missions in different corners of the globe. While some of the kids and adults stayed in Hawkins, other characters traveled across America or even into Russia. This massive, epic scope made for a distinctive story, but most of the cast were unable to showcase their compelling dynamics for much of the season. At the same time, the series just began to descend; the townspeople descended into panic as Vecna's actions killed more and more people. Stranger Things 5 will depict the main cast back together again since their return to Hawkins in season 4, allowing them to continue their lovable on-screen relationships in their hometown. From Hopper and Joyce embracing their romantic feelings to Nancy and Jonathan reuniting, the heroes of Hawkins may finally have the happy ending audiences have waited years to see once they defeat Vecna. With more monsters sprouting up, the series may also have the heroes finally opening up to their peers and loved ones about the cosmic terrors they have battled for so long in secret. This seems like it will be the case for Mike and Nancy, as the trailer implies that Vecna and his monsters will target the rest of their family. The truth about the Upside Down will be revealed Even after all these years, the Upside Down remains the biggest mystery in Stranger Things. The fourth season revealed that this strange, alternate dimension wasn't always a dark reflection of Hawkins. It also showed audiences that this world has somehow been frozen in time since Eleven opened the gate to it when the series began. Stranger Things 5 has plenty of mysteries to unravel to satisfy audiences who have stuck with the show for so long. As the heroes continue to explore the Upside Down to prevent it from consuming Hawkins, it's likely that the show will explain more of this world's history and origins. It may even elaborate more on the complex history Vecna has with the dreaded Mind Flayer, with one or both of them unleashing more hidden horrors from their dark dimension. Season 5 will feature the final battle against Vecna The entire series has been building up to the heroes' climactic battle with Vecna. Season 4 finally brought this psychic villain out of the shadows, revealing how he pulled the strings from the Upside Down and caused suffering for so many characters. Now that Vecna has created a giant gate in Hawkins, he seems ready to unleash an army of monsters on the town in an epic battle for the fate of humanity. The Stranger Things season 5 trailer has already shown Vecna appearing in Hawkins and hunting the heroes with his Demogorgons. With the U.S. military now stationed in the town, trying to stop the Upside Down's spread, audiences can expect to see a massive, bloody, and spectacular showdown straight out of The Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. Overall, fans of Stranger Things have a lot to look forward to watching in the show's fifth and final season. The main characters will reunite in Hawkins to protect everyone in one last stand against Vecna and the Upside Down. Stranger Things should pay off all its build-up to present an epic, emotional, and mind-blowing conclusion to the series. Stranger Things 5 will premiere on Netflix on November 26, 2025.
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Stranger Things re-review: my verdict on episode 1 and 2
Join me in taking a trip back to Hawkins, Indiana as we rewatch Stranger Things from the start 📺 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Stranger Things will conclude later in 2025. Before the final trips to Hawkins, let's go back to the beginning. Join me on a full week-by-week rewatch of Stranger Things. It is hard to believe but in a little over five months time, Stranger Things will be finishing up for good. Netflix's signature show and calling card has recently celebrated nine years since its debut - if you can believe it. In the near decade since it first burst onto our screens, The Duffer Brothers' 80s-themed sci-fi/horror adventure has ballooned into the kind of blockbuster you only see once, or maybe twice, a decade. The fifth and final season is bound to be an event unlike any in the history of Netflix. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But since more than three years have passed since the monster-length fourth season finale was released, you might (like me) be considering rewatching the show ahead of its conclusion. After all, you may want to jog your memory and relive the biggest moments once more. So I decided to put together a Stranger Things re-watch schedule, covering the months between now and the first part of season five on November 26 (in the UK). I will be watching and re-reviewing two episodes every Thursday starting today (July 24), and you can join me. For the first week of our Stranger Things rewatch club, we are going all the way back to the beginning. Let's take a look at the first two episodes of series one - que the theme music. Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Stranger Things | Curtis Baker/Netflix Synopsis: On his way home from a friend's house, young Will sees something terrifying. Nearby, a sinister secret lurks in the depths of a government lab. It might be hard to imagine, given what Stranger Things has become, but the show initially arrived as just another 80s-inspired show back in the summer of 2016. Yet going back to the first episode, it is no surprise that it quickly became an absolute word-of-mouth juggernaut. Right from the opening sequence, it has an air of extreme confidence and trust in its audience. Perhaps it is a lack of budget, but the restraint (something that can't be said for future seasons) is really impressive. The opening sequence sets the tone so completely in just a few moments - an unnamed scientist running for his life, scared of something the audience can't see, before being grabbed by whatever was hunting him. As a scene, it is tense and spooky, but most importantly it leaves you desperate to know more. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Truth be told, the whole opening episode is like that. It quickly gets its hooks into you in a way that not all pilots do. I remember back when most American shows had 22 episodes a season, the rule of thumb would be to give a show at least three episodes before deciding whether to continue or stop. Stranger Things does not need that. We get a real feel for the core characters in just this 50-minute episode - the dynamic of Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas is beautifully set up through the opening D&D game. It drops enough breadcrumbs about the adult characters like Joyce, Hopper and the teens, to leave you wanting to find out more. And we start to get a sense of geography and place about Hawkins. The restraint shown in the opening sequence at the lab is maintained during the scene in which Will disappears. Like the chase with the scientist, we do not see whatever it is that is hunting him - just ominous sounds and flickering lights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It really does capture the vibe of reading a Stephen King novel on a chilly autumn night. I found myself wishing I had a blanket I could pull up to my chin during this scene. The elements that would go on to define Stranger Things are already present in this first episode. Shady government agents, unnatural goings on, references to Dungeons and Dragons and of course that pumping synth score. I am very glad that I could instantly hit play on the next episode. Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street Barb and Nancy in Stranger Things ep 2 | Curtis Baker/Netflix Synopsis: Lucas, Mike and Dustin try to talk to the girl they found in the woods. Hopper questions an anxious Jouce about an unsettling phone call. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Oh Barb, we hardly knew ye! If you weren't around in the early days of Stranger Things, you will not believe me when I say that the fandom around this extremely minor character was enormous. People started hashtags about Barb and there was a campaign called 'Justice for Barb' - which ended up influencing a part of season two. Think pieces were penned about the character, and what better time to bring that up than in her big moment. After the confident opening episode, chapter two is dealt the task of actually making Stranger Things into a proper television series. Will has disappeared, the plot has begun, the vibe of the show has been established, but how will it look episode by episode? Fortunately, The Weirdo on Maple Street picks up the baton and really runs with it. The trio of Mike, Dustin and Lucas (as well as Will) were so well introduced in the first episode - it was time for the rest of the cast to be expanded upon. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is the episode where Eleven starts to become a character and not just some piece in the mystery. Sure, there are lots of questions about her powers and who she is - but we get the feel of her as someone who is looking for a place to belong and a flashback to what she is running from. Eleven's blossoming friendship with Mike (in particular) and the slapstick-esque moments when the boys are trying to keep her hidden are a highlight. The injection of levity really does help the show to maintain that 80s Spielberg adventure vibe - to counter the horror. This plotline also starts to introduce some of the wider 'mythology' of the show. It is the first time we get a reference to the Upside Down - as El recognises Will in a photo and uses D&D figures to explain where he is and what took him: the demogorgon. David Harbour continues to add deeper shades to Hopper, who could be simply a clichéd tortured detective figure. You can feel his grief and his feeling of being lost. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it is really Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) who get the most to do in this episode. A lot is asked of both characters - and if the actors didn't absolutely nail the assignment, it could sink the whole show. Winona Ryder manages to keep Joyce from slipping into being a one-note hysterical caricature. Charlie Heaton also imbues Jonathan with a deep sense of melancholy that counters the more 'creepy' stalker vibes that the character can give off - the whole sneakily taking pictures thing is not it, chief. Steve and Nancy are yet to really step up and become the fan favourites they inevitably will - and they feel like the weakest part at this point. Although Nancy's friendship with the soon-to-be-doomed Barb does work well in this episode, the actors manage to imbue it with a sense of history. You can feel Barb's sadness as she worries about losing Nancy now that she is entering the 'cool' circle. It is a human moment that perhaps goes a long way to explain why people latched onto it so quickly back in 2016. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This earlier moment foreshadows the end of the episode, when Barb is left alone outside by the pool after being dragged to a 'party' at Steve's by Nancy. Alone and dejected, she drips blood from a wound into the pool and is snatched away. It is another tantalising cliff-hanger and concludes an episode that is just as strong as the premiere. Stranger Things really does come out swinging and makes one seriously good first impression on viewers. Now I have to resist the urge to hit play next. See you all next week. If you love TV, check out our Screen Babble podcast to get the latest in TV and film.
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Stranger Things re-review: my verdict on episode 1 and 2
Join me in taking a trip back to Hawkins, Indiana as we rewatch Stranger Things from the start 📺 Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Stranger Things will conclude later in 2025. Before the final trips to Hawkins, let's go back to the beginning. Join me on a full week-by-week rewatch of Stranger Things. It is hard to believe but in a little over five months time, Stranger Things will be finishing up for good. Netflix's signature show and calling card has recently celebrated nine years since its debut - if you can believe it. In the near decade since it first burst onto our screens, The Duffer Brothers' 80s-themed sci-fi/horror adventure has ballooned into the kind of blockbuster you only see once, or maybe twice, a decade. The fifth and final season is bound to be an event unlike any in the history of Netflix. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But since more than three years have passed since the monster-length fourth season finale was released, you might (like me) be considering rewatching the show ahead of its conclusion. After all, you may want to jog your memory and relive the biggest moments once more. So I decided to put together a Stranger Things re-watch schedule, covering the months between now and the first part of season five on November 26 (in the UK). I will be watching and re-reviewing two episodes every Thursday starting today (July 24), and you can join me. For the first week of our Stranger Things rewatch club, we are going all the way back to the beginning. Let's take a look at the first two episodes of series one - que the theme music. Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Stranger Things | Curtis Baker/Netflix Synopsis: On his way home from a friend's house, young Will sees something terrifying. Nearby, a sinister secret lurks in the depths of a government lab. It might be hard to imagine, given what Stranger Things has become, but the show initially arrived as just another 80s-inspired show back in the summer of 2016. Yet going back to the first episode, it is no surprise that it quickly became an absolute word-of-mouth juggernaut. Right from the opening sequence, it has an air of extreme confidence and trust in its audience. Perhaps it is a lack of budget, but the restraint (something that can't be said for future seasons) is really impressive. The opening sequence sets the tone so completely in just a few moments - an unnamed scientist running for his life, scared of something the audience can't see, before being grabbed by whatever was hunting him. As a scene, it is tense and spooky, but most importantly it leaves you desperate to know more. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Truth be told, the whole opening episode is like that. It quickly gets its hooks into you in a way that not all pilots do. I remember back when most American shows had 22 episodes a season, the rule of thumb would be to give a show at least three episodes before deciding whether to continue or stop. Stranger Things does not need that. We get a real feel for the core characters in just this 50-minute episode - the dynamic of Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas is beautifully set up through the opening D&D game. It drops enough breadcrumbs about the adult characters like Joyce, Hopper and the teens, to leave you wanting to find out more. And we start to get a sense of geography and place about Hawkins. The restraint shown in the opening sequence at the lab is maintained during the scene in which Will disappears. Like the chase with the scientist, we do not see whatever it is that is hunting him - just ominous sounds and flickering lights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It really does capture the vibe of reading a Stephen King novel on a chilly autumn night. I found myself wishing I had a blanket I could pull up to my chin during this scene. The elements that would go on to define Stranger Things are already present in this first episode. Shady government agents, unnatural goings on, references to Dungeons and Dragons and of course that pumping synth score. I am very glad that I could instantly hit play on the next episode. Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street Barb and Nancy in Stranger Things ep 2 | Curtis Baker/Netflix Synopsis: Lucas, Mike and Dustin try to talk to the girl they found in the woods. Hopper questions an anxious Jouce about an unsettling phone call. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Oh Barb, we hardly knew ye! If you weren't around in the early days of Stranger Things, you will not believe me when I say that the fandom around this extremely minor character was enormous. People started hashtags about Barb and there was a campaign called 'Justice for Barb' - which ended up influencing a part of season two. Think pieces were penned about the character, and what better time to bring that up than in her big moment. After the confident opening episode, chapter two is dealt the task of actually making Stranger Things into a proper television series. Will has disappeared, the plot has begun, the vibe of the show has been established, but how will it look episode by episode? Fortunately, The Weirdo on Maple Street picks up the baton and really runs with it. The trio of Mike, Dustin and Lucas (as well as Will) were so well introduced in the first episode - it was time for the rest of the cast to be expanded upon. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is the episode where Eleven starts to become a character and not just some piece in the mystery. Sure, there are lots of questions about her powers and who she is - but we get the feel of her as someone who is looking for a place to belong and a flashback to what she is running from. Eleven's blossoming friendship with Mike (in particular) and the slapstick-esque moments when the boys are trying to keep her hidden are a highlight. The injection of levity really does help the show to maintain that 80s Spielberg adventure vibe - to counter the horror. This plotline also starts to introduce some of the wider 'mythology' of the show. It is the first time we get a reference to the Upside Down - as El recognises Will in a photo and uses D&D figures to explain where he is and what took him: the demogorgon. David Harbour continues to add deeper shades to Hopper, who could be simply a clichéd tortured detective figure. You can feel his grief and his feeling of being lost. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it is really Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) who get the most to do in this episode. A lot is asked of both characters - and if the actors didn't absolutely nail the assignment, it could sink the whole show. Winona Ryder manages to keep Joyce from slipping into being a one-note hysterical caricature. Charlie Heaton also imbues Jonathan with a deep sense of melancholy that counters the more 'creepy' stalker vibes that the character can give off - the whole sneakily taking pictures thing is not it, chief. Steve and Nancy are yet to really step up and become the fan favourites they inevitably will - and they feel like the weakest part at this point. Although Nancy's friendship with the soon-to-be-doomed Barb does work well in this episode, the actors manage to imbue it with a sense of history. You can feel Barb's sadness as she worries about losing Nancy now that she is entering the 'cool' circle. It is a human moment that perhaps goes a long way to explain why people latched onto it so quickly back in 2016. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This earlier moment foreshadows the end of the episode, when Barb is left alone outside by the pool after being dragged to a 'party' at Steve's by Nancy. Alone and dejected, she drips blood from a wound into the pool and is snatched away. It is another tantalising cliff-hanger and concludes an episode that is just as strong as the premiere. Stranger Things really does come out swinging and makes one seriously good first impression on viewers. Now I have to resist the urge to hit play next. See you all next week.
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First Post
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Netflix's 'Stranger Things 5' Teaser Review: Get ready to experience emotions like never before in the final season
A year after the fourth season, in the fall of 1987, the group seeks to find and kill Vecna after the Rifts opened in Hawkins read more STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2025 Netflix's 'Stranger Things 5' teaser is here and it guarantees goosebumps and gob-smacking visuals. This is the final time we meet this fictional and fascinating characters that we first met in 2016. But as they say that all good things come to and end, so has this show. What was it about? Stranger Things is set in the fictional rural town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s. The nearby Hawkins National Laboratory ostensibly performs scientific research for the United States Department of Energy but also secretly experiments with the paranormal and supernatural, sometimes with human test subjects. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What to expect in the final season A year after the fourth season, in the fall of 1987, the group seeks to find and kill Vecna after the Rifts opened in Hawkins. The mission becomes complicated when the military arrives in Hawkins and begins hunting Eleven. Near the anniversary of Will Byers's disappearance, the group must stay together one last time for the final battle and face something more powerful and deadly than ever before. The grand ensemble The cast includes Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley) The team behind the camera Created by The Duffer Brothers, STRANGER THINGS is produced by Upside Down Pictures & 21 Laps Entertainment with The Duffer Brothers serving as executive producers, alongside Shawn Levy of 21 Laps Entertainment and Dan Cohen.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ex-NHL star and radio host Lyndon Byers dies at 61
Former Boston Bruins hero Lyndon Byers has tragically died at the age of 61, the team has announced. Byers, a Canadian enforcer who spent the majority of his career with the Bruins and featured in two Stanley Cup finals before going on to become a popular radio personality, passed away on the morning of Friday July 4. Boston did not share a cause of death. 'The Boston Bruins are deeply saddened by the passing of Lyndon Byers,' the NHL franchise said in a statement. 'Lyndon was a fan favorite across his nine seasons in the black & gold, thanks to his rugged, rough-and-tumble style and a key cog on the B's teams that made trips to the Stanley Cup final in 1988 and 1990. 'Following his playing career, Lyndon spent some 25 years as a local radio personality, entertaining scores of New Englanders every day with his quick wit and boisterous voice. 'A son of Nipawin, Lyndon became a true Bostonian and we will miss him dearly. He is forever a part of our Bruins family.' Byers is survived by his wife Annie and son Will. According to People, Annie also shared the news of her husband's heartbreaking death in a post on Facebook. A statement on the passing of former Bruin Lyndon Byers. — Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) July 5, 2025 'It is with deep regret that I have to announce that LB passed away yesterday morning,' she wrote. 'We recognize how many people loved and cared for him and considered him a friend. Keep LB in your memory, remember his smile, and know how much he cared about all of you.' Byers played for the Bruins from 1983 up until 1992 before heading to the San Jose Sharks. He later brought the curtain down on his career with two seasons in the now-defunct International Hockey League. His best season for Boston came in the 1987-88 season, when he scored 10 goals while registering 24 points and 236 penalty minutes. The Bruins were beaten in the Stanley Cup final that season and two years later in 1990 by the Edmonton Oilers on each occasion. Across his career in the regular season Byers racked up 28 goals and 71 points, while his total of 959 penalty minutes for the Bruins sit 11th in franchise history. After hanging up his skates, the Saskatchewan-born hockey player appeared on Boston's WAAF radio station while also enjoying several acting roles in films and TV shows.
