Stranger Things Review [1×04]: “The Body”

‘Stranger Things’ braces itself for the fallout of Will’s body, interspersing what should be a traumatic episode with humour, sweetness, tragedy and mystery.

Stranger Things’ sombre tone is set immediately by Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) as Hopper informs her of his discovery of Will’s (Noah Schnapp) body. Joyce can’t believe it, breaking down hysterically. She still maintains an eccentric belief in her son’s life, and perhaps the whole town thinks she’s mad—but Hopper remains a sturdy presence.

The boys continue their search party, venturing into the woods. Another problem is trying to sneak Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) into school to access the A.V club’s radio—which makes for a rather hysterical wig-and-dress sequence for “El”.

Dr. Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) team continue to mystify us with their study involving The Monster, as Jim Hopper may be catching on. He notices that the usual coroner didn’t perform the autopsy on Will’s body. Instead, someone from the ‘State’ had. Meanwhile, Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) bond as they try to figure out if The Monster was present when Barbara (Shannon Purser) vanished:

It’s just…sometimes…people don’t really say what they’re really thinking. But when you capture the right moment, it says more. – Jonathan

But it’s Hopper who captures the episode as he storms into the morgue. He makes it to Will’s body and with a clench of the jaw, stabs through him…only to find that it’s filled with cotton. The horror is blatant on Hopper’s usually calm face. Will’s body had been a fake.

David Harbour and Winona Ryder showcase an acting master-class as the duo finally butt heads for real: Joyce’s broken hysteria versus Hopper’s muted pain.

When Joyce and Hopper first met, Joyce’s near-tearful report of missing Will was dismissed by a cynical Hopper. But then reality started to swarm around him, and to Hopper a missing kids report is no joke.

As the pair drew closer—platonically, thank goodness—it didn’t exclude them from yanking hard in this tug-of-war. Though Hopper’s gentle and tries to understand, he simply can’t. How exactly do you explain to someone that you’re communicating to your son through lights? Yes, Hopper still talks of his daughter, sometimes in present-tense—but that kind of grief is common. It’s not unknown. A supernatural monster possibly coming through a wall, and a lost boy within some Christmas lights? Tell that to anyone in Indiana, 1983, and townsfolk would think you’re barking mad.

It’s so agonizing, because we know Joyce is right. We know what she’s experiencing is real, but she isn’t in our world. And perhaps her closest confidant, presently, is Hopper—who tries to understand but truly cannot. It isn’t out of cynicism. It’s just beyond him, and perhaps it is equally heartbreaking on both sides—that Joyce cannot find understanding, and neither can Hopper.

Everything needs a “transformation” sequence, right? And ‘Stranger Things’ pulled it off rather hysterically with the nerdy boys dressing Eleven as a ‘normal girl’. Oh dear.

We’re not sure what the boys’ idea of good-looking is (though Eleven’s hideous wig did look sweet with her bewildered face). It was a much-needed hysterical boost to an otherwise draining episode—and the Duffer brothers balanced this perfectly. We needed a reminder that despite these hideous circumstances, these kids are…kids. And when Eleven looks at her newly-transformed self in the mirror, Millie Bobby Brown’s amazed mumble of “pretty” would melt the iciest of hearts.

Frankly, Eleven resembled a Victorian lady. But in lacing the humour of a dress-up montage and the boys’ utter haplessness in this situation with that singular word: “pretty”…oh, it worked so well.

Yes, it was amusing. We loved that the boys were in adamant agreement that she looked good. But once more we were subtly grounded to reality by, again, a singular, stunningly-performed word. Pretty. Has anyone ever called Eleven that? Has she ever even considered the notion? The answer would likely be a no. So whilst the youthful delight of that scene was enchanting, the sober backdrop remained, lurking like The Monster itself.

We know The Big Momma Monster is trapped under the Hawkins facility, conveniently located next to the woods in question, so how’s Dr. Brenner involved?

We now know that the government, or whomever Dr. Brenner is with, has The Monster trapped underneath the Hawkins facility. Aside from the obvious thoughts of Will and alternate reality—which would’ve been easy call-outs from chapter one—there are so many questions to ponder for a potential season two. Firstly: how did they capture The Monster? Or did The Monster just happen there and they built the facility around it?

How many men have they lost in their scientific endeavours? How far will they push to solve this puzzle? We’ve already seen Brenner and his mistreatment of Eleven in doing so. Therefore, is Eleven part of Brenner’s radical plan to try and weaponise her against it? Is that his hypothesis, in training her so articulately?

Is there just one Monster in the world? The doorway–is it an alternate reality or different planes of the same one? Hopper spoke of MK Ultra—so is he onto something? Are there more like Eleven? And can they all be played by Millie Bobby Brown?

Jim Hopper is blurring the lines between dutiful sheriff and professor-gone-rogue Indiana Jones…and it’s fascinating.

It’s easy to say Winona Ryder and Millie Bobby Brown are the award-winners. But with the ‘Stranger Things’ cast, it’s difficult to use that phrase so determinedly. David Harbour was once again brilliantly understated. He gives a subtle, restrained performance that’s also immensely powerful.

Hopper’s incessantly mesmerizing. He doesn’t have a hero complex—but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t get to the truth. His sombre propriety in the opening scene with Winona Ryder was a divine juxtaposition of their characters. Joyce is distraught, near manic. Hopper is keeping it tight to his chest. Not only is their chemistry scorching, but Harbour is excellent with everyone.

And his breakout moment had been some time coming. Knowing of something not quite right, Hopper can’t quite believe the ‘Staties’. He can’t quite disbelieve Joyce. Something pulls him to that morgue, to the truth—whether he’ll have to punch a dozen workers or not—to see Will’s body. It’s that determination and breakthrough of “oh my God” that is wondrously displayed on Harbour’s usually steady face. It’s unadulterated disbelief and terror. The appropriately slated stars of the show are well-deserved, but Harbour’s ethereal gift doesn’t deserve to go unnoticed.

Final Verdict: ‘Stranger Things’ chapters two to four have been relatively slow-moving, building up relationships and characters—but not so much the plot, as of yet. But we may be on the edge.

If the Cadillac had been purring the past few episodes, it’s time to rev the engine. Leaving us on that startling cliff-hanger was something else entirely. We’re about to kick something into notion, with Jonathan and Nancy spotting The Monster in Jonathan’s snaps, and Hopper discovering Will’s fake body. The question is, will they catch the conspiracy before the conspiracy snatches them? Masterfully directed by Shawn Levy, the tension was coiled so tight this entire episode, with a wonderful script yet again from the Duffer brothers.

The use of music will always be praised on this show. ‘Atmosphere’ by the Joy Division will surely have brought a few nostalgic head-nods and small-smiles. But as we started with Joyce’s meltdown, we as the audience are only really getting into the thick of it. And we cannot bear to imagine what else lays ahead for Joyce Byers, the boys, Hopper et al.

(So it’s a good job we just slam the next episode button, then, yes?)

Questions and Comments:

• For the first point, it could also be that in a small-town in Indiana, 1983, would you be able to sympathise, truly, with a near-hysterical woman who claims her son is communicating through fairy lights, or is a quietly grieving man’s present-tense talk of his daughter more understandable in terms of grief? Especially given Hopper’s position in society as the sheriff?
  • It’s not to say that any disbelief of Joyce’s theories are dismissed because of misogyny; quite frankly, it’s an unbelievable story. And it’s small-town Indiana, 1983. Attitudes back then were not as they are now.
• I love how every time Eleven learns just one word, it holds a world of meaning. It’s emphasised even more whenever she utters it.
• As everyone and their dog’s seen the whole thing: the season verdict’s next!
• Here’s how good Cara Buono is: people didn’t recognise her from the huge ‘Person of Interest’! Stranger things indeed…

Catch episodes of STRANGER THINGS on Netflix.