HHN 29: Stranger Things

[captainmoch]

Haven't had a chance to research the house too much yet, but I'm curious: does the house lean more towards season 2, more towards season 3, or is it a 50/50 split?

 

[Tbad556]

Haven't had a chance to research the house too much yet, but I'm curious: does the house lean more towards season 2, more towards season 3, or is it a 50/50 split?

Mostly season 2 with a few scenes from season 3.

 

[Legacy]

Mostly season 2 with a few scenes from season 3.

Maybe it feels different in the house itself, but...

14 total scenes

Spoiler

1 - Recap

Scenes 2 - 7
Season 2
2 - Arcade
3 - Bathroom/Byers house
4 - Tunnels
5 - Dustin’s Room and Bus
6 - Hawkins Lab/Bob Death
7 - Closing the Door Season 2 climax

6 scenes (I’ll let you argue 7 because of Dustin’s room)

Season 3
8 - Void/Transition
9 - Steelworks
10 - Hospital
11 - Hopper’s Cabin
12 - Russian Tunnel
13 - Starcourt
14 - “Credits/Russian Cell”

7 total scenes.

The way A&D designed the house, there’s more Season 3 than season 2. You can argue 50/50.

I think what’s throwing people in the early part of the house are the “half scenes;” scenes that aren’t full ideas on their own but allow more visual variation and story telling. Think of them as transitioning tricks, or an apron scene (a scene that occurs in front of the curtain while a set change is occurring).

It’s something Universal hasn’t really done before, but scenes 3 and 5 both feature them.

 

[Tbad556]

Maybe it feels different in the house itself, but...

14 total scenes

Spoiler

1 - Recap

Scenes 2 - 7
Season 2
2 - Arcade
3 - Bathroom/Byers house
4 - Tunnels
5 - Dustin’s Room and Bus
6 - Hawkins Lab/Bob Death
7 - Closing the Door Season 2 climax

6 scenes (I’ll let you argue 7 because of Dustin’s room)

Season 3
8 - Void/Transition
9 - Steelworks
10 - Hospital
11 - Hopper’s Cabin
12 - Russian Tunnel
13 - Starcourt
14 - “Credits/Russian Cell”

7 total scenes.

The way A&D designed the house, there’s more Season 3 than season 2. You can argue 50/50.

I think what’s throwing people in the early part of the house are the “half scenes;” scenes that aren’t full ideas on their own but allow more visual variation and story telling. Think of them as transitioning tricks, or an apron scene (a scene that occurs in front of the curtain while a set change is occurring).

It’s something Universal hasn’t really done before, but scenes 3 and 5 both feature them.

I guess you're right. I honestly was just going off of the common dialog here pre-event. Never really thought to question it while actually being in the house. I think you're right about the half scenes throwing people off though. That's fascinating.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I cant even remember what the russian tunnels were

 

[GA-MBIT]

I think there’s also a conversation to be had about the amount of iconic scenes in the season’s themselves. Even if S2 and S3 are actually equal in numbers in the house, S3 has quite a few more big scenes that weren’t really included. And even if that wasn’t true, S3 is definitely still in people’s heads more than S2 is, thus the feeling of too much S2.

 

[Lucky Planet]

I think there’s also a conversation to be had about the amount of iconic scenes in the season’s themselves. Even if S2 and S3 are actually equal in numbers in the house, S3 has quite a few more big scenes that weren’t really included. And even if that wasn’t true, S3 is definitely still in people’s heads more than S2 is, thus the feeling of too much S2.

I rewatched season 2 very recently, like two weeks ago.
Season 2 didn't really had that many iconic scenes, the season was more about character growth and more suspense stuff. More about the human characters. And the introduction of Max and Billy.

This is why i was always happy season 2 was never added to season 1 last year. Last year was perfect

 

[SpoopySkeletons]

One of my biggest “???” About the house this year is the choice of which characters to include and where, and if they are static figures or real people.

I went through on employee preview so I got to see it as it was originally planned before they removed some puppets and added more people. But who they chose to add and where did really improve it for me, besides putting Erika where Lucas was and moving Lucas to star court. Now as much as that helped, I still wish there was another kid or Steve or robin in that scene to add to how intense and chaotic / busy that scene felt in the show. While the mind flayer three person puppet is cool, it doesn’t move nearly enough to get that momentum going in the scene. I have some more issues with why they decided that puppet needed three people but that’s neither here nor there lol.

Another character that’s weird to me is hopper in bobs death scene. I really expected Joyce to come around the corner screaming (especially when Bob was an actor not a mannequin) I think having him reach to her and her screaming before running back out would of made that scene so much more iconic. But no we just made the will throwing up behind the mirror a real actor for some reason...

 

[uso345]

One of my biggest “???” About the house this year is the choice of which characters to include and where, and if they are static figures or real people.

I went through on employee preview so I got to see it as it was originally planned before they removed some puppets and added more people. But who they chose to add and where did really improve it for me, besides putting Erika where Lucas was and moving Lucas to star court. Now as much as that helped, I still wish there was another kid or Steve or robin in that scene to add to how intense and chaotic / busy that scene felt in the show. While the mind flayer three person puppet is cool, it doesn’t move nearly enough to get that momentum going in the scene. I have some more issues with why they decided that puppet needed three people but that’s neither here nor there lol.

Another character that’s weird to me is hopper in bobs death scene. I really expected Joyce to come around the corner screaming (especially when Bob was an actor not a mannequin) I think having him reach to her and her screaming before running back out would of made that scene so much more iconic. But no we just made the will throwing up behind the mirror a real actor for some reason...

That was Hopper?! When I went through the house, I was scratching my head trying to figure out who the random dude with the gun was in that scene.

I would definitely have to agree with you on Joyce. She was one of the characters missing for me this year. And I just wish they were able to figure out the Bob rigging/cast swap situation so that they could have a live actor in there. With the room heavily relying on strobe, plus the mannequin, the room felt dead and not as immersive as it could have been. One of the very few things Hollywood's house was able to manage was having the Bob scareactor. One of the bigger S2 moments that fell a little short for me.

 

[SpoopySkeletons]

That was Hopper?! When I went through the house, I was scratching my head trying to figure out who the random dude with the gun was in that scene.

I would definitely have to agree with you on Joyce. She was one of the characters missing for me this year. And I just wish they were able to figure out the Bob rigging/cast swap situation so that they could have a live actor in there. With the room heavily relying on strobe, plus the mannequin, the room felt dead and not as immersive as it could have been. One of the very few things Hollywood's house was able to manage was having the Bob scareactor. One of the bigger S2 moments that fell a little short for me.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! I feel like there is so many characters in the house, and some multiple times (Hopper is technically in it 4 times) which is cool but I was like where’s Joyce? Cause if there’s a season in season 2 that is one of the few that would be iconic enough for a house and also have a good “jump” or scare factor it would be that lol! But yeah... that was supposed to be hopper. It’s disapponting, he looked so good last year haha. Mayve a sign that it’s better to have the character in it once and have them be a great look alike than multiple times and not be distinguishable.

And agreed on bob! Like I wish if the puppet / actor wasn’t possible we could of at least kept the live actor like Hollywood

 

[sjago13]

While it may be a 50/50 split on rooms the season 2 stuff has the longer scenes that just drag (tunnel and lab hallways). You spend more time in S2 and then the S3 stuff you seem to fly by.

 

[Nick]

Maybe it feels different in the house itself, but...

14 total scenes

Spoiler

1 - Recap

Scenes 2 - 7
Season 2
2 - Arcade
3 - Bathroom/Byers house
4 - Tunnels
5 - Dustin’s Room and Bus
6 - Hawkins Lab/Bob Death
7 - Closing the Door Season 2 climax

6 scenes (I’ll let you argue 7 because of Dustin’s room)

Season 3
8 - Void/Transition
9 - Steelworks
10 - Hospital
11 - Hopper’s Cabin
12 - Russian Tunnel
13 - Starcourt
14 - “Credits/Russian Cell”

7 total scenes.

The way A&D designed the house, there’s more Season 3 than season 2. You can argue 50/50.

I think what’s throwing people in the early part of the house are the “half scenes;” scenes that aren’t full ideas on their own but allow more visual variation and story telling. Think of them as transitioning tricks, or an apron scene (a scene that occurs in front of the curtain while a set change is occurring).

It’s something Universal hasn’t really done before, but scenes 3 and 5 both feature them.

Season 2 is all meat though whereas 2 of the 7 scenes you listed for Season 3 barely count as actual scenes (transition and Credits). The season 3 scenes were also very short in comparison to the Season 2 scenes, which were far more fleshed out.

 

[uso345]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels that way! I feel like there is so many characters in the house, and some multiple times (Hopper is technically in it 4 times) which is cool but I was like where’s Joyce? Cause if there’s a season in season 2 that is one of the few that would be iconic enough for a house and also have a good “jump” or scare factor it would be that lol! But yeah... that was supposed to be hopper. It’s disapponting, he looked so good last year haha. Mayve a sign that it’s better to have the character in it once and have them be a great look alike than multiple times and not be distinguishable.

And agreed on bob! Like I wish if the puppet / actor wasn’t possible we could of at least kept the live actor like Hollywood

Agreed! The Hopper in the Russian hallway with the gun looked great on my run! Also helped that he was wearing the iconic shirt, etc. etc. I will say that scareactor demand of the house may affect the look-alike quality. The first two Elevens and the one in Hopper's Cabin on my run-through, however, were all amazing! I was amazed that they were able to pull off three Elevens this year.

 

[uso345]

While it may be a 50/50 split on rooms the season 2 stuff has the longer scenes that just drag (tunnel and lab hallways). You spend more time in S2 and then the S3 stuff you seem to fly by.

This is true, however, the Hopper's Cabin scene, which was Season 3, was the most comprehensive, kinetic scene in my opinion, and was quite large when compared to some of the other rooms.

 

[Legacy]

So, yeah. Season 2 takes up "more" space.

This (obviously) isn't exact. That's intentional, but it gives a sense of how much of the soundstage is used and by which season. It's also important to note that a lot of backstage support of scenes is taken into account with this, especially with Season 2. So, even though it does take up more space, not all of this is guests space.

 

[SpoopySkeletons]

Agreed! The Hopper in the Russian hallway with the gun looked great on my run! Also helped that he was wearing the iconic shirt, etc. etc. I will say that scareactor demand of the house may affect the look-alike quality. The first two Elevens and the one in Hopper's Cabin on my run-through, however, were all amazing! I was amazed that they were able to pull off three Elevens this year.

I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I do know that many of the AMAZING look a likes from last year were not used in the house this year which blows my mind. Literally only three of the actors in the house this year are from last year..... it baffles me. The look a likes last year were complimented endlessly and they worked so hard to get awesome fits... and then you only use 3 and put the others in other places?

I know there’s a lot that goes into those decisions, such as availability and what not, but I also know a lot about that and for most of them but a few that wasn’t an issue. So overall a questionable choice on castings part. I hate to say it but it really feels like casting didn’t care about the house this year

 

[uso345]

I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I do know that many of the AMAZING look a likes from last year were not used in the house this year which blows my mind. Literally only three of the actors in the house this year are from last year..... it baffles me. The look a likes last year were complimented endlessly and they worked so hard to get awesome fits... and then you only use 3 and put the others in other places?

I know there’s a lot that goes into those decisions, such as availability and what not, but I also know a lot about that and for most of them but a few that wasn’t an issue. So overall a questionable choice on castings part. I hate to say it but it really feels like casting didn’t care about the house this year

When you say other places, do you mean other places within the house or other mazes/streets entirely?

 

[hhnlover]

Honestly, i wish they included more scenes from season 3 so it´ll be a true 50/50. Things like the dinner scene, the sauna test, the old lady´s basement, and a more expanded version of the hospital scene. Now, i know people will say that they will need 4 Billy actors for the house then, and it´ll be impossible. We got 3 Elevens, 3 Hoppers, 2 Steves, 2 Max's, 2 Nancys, and 2 Dustin's.

 

[SpoopySkeletons]

When you say other places, do you mean other places within the house or other mazes/streets entirely?

Other mazes or streets entirely

Honestly, i wish they included more scenes from season 3 so it´ll be a true 50/50. Things like the dinner scene, the sauna test, the old lady´s basement, and a more expanded version of the hospital scene. Now, i know people will say that they will need 4 Billy actors for the house then, and it´ll be impossible. We got 3 Elevens, 3 Hoppers, 2 Steves, 2 Nancys, and 2 Dustin's.

I truly wish it was just season 2 this year, just season 3 next year, and presumably season 4 in 31. And not put it in SS25.... they just needed to focus on one thing at a time so that they put the same time and detail into it that they did the first year.
Oh, and also 2 maxs now

 

[uso345]

Other mazes or streets entirely



I truly wish it was just season 2 this year, just season 3 next year, and presumably season 4 in 31. And not put it in SS25.... they just needed to focus on one thing at a time so that they put the same time and detail into it that they did the first year.
Oh, and also 2 maxs now

So no Mikes at all?