5th July, 2022.
Did I ever mention that today — the day I started this post? — is 5th July, 2022?
It’s 5th July, 2022.
And a few things are happening.
I’ve had a repair man down: to look at my washing machine.
He’s back next Tuesday: complete with the relevant part.
I’m also listening to the News: very aware that (former) Health Secretary, Sajid Javid and (former) Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, have resigned their posts.
Sunak going is a worry.
He’s authorised a £650 payment to those of us in need: half this month, and half in the autumn.
Frankly?
Will it go through? Given the man who organised it has handed in his notice?
I’m blowed if I know, but it is a worry.
At any rate?
It’s Tuesday.
And?
I’m going to be sitting in front of my TV, watching the second episode of Stranger Things, series four.
Hopefully?
Vecna’s Curse will live up to the promise of The Hellfire Club.
6th July, 2022.
Chapter 2 — Vecna’s Curse* — opens with a summary of The Battle of Starcourt: the last episode of Stranger Things’ third season.
Replaying the climatic battle not from the view point of Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder): but from Sheriff Hopper (David Harbour).
Showing us that he’d survived the explosion: only to be captured by Soviet troops.
Post titles?
We see Max (Sadie Sink) troubled by the usual nightmares: waking up in the family trailer to find that there’s a nightmare on her door step.
Just over the way from the Mayfield trailer?
Is the trailer where Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) lives with his uncle, Wayne.
There’s no sign of Eddie.
But plenty of police talking to Wayne about the dead body on the floor of the family home: and police wondering where Eddie is.
Meanwhile, in California?
Will and Eleven (Noah Schnapp and Millie Bobby Brown) are welcoming Mike (Finn Wolfhard) to California.
He’s fresh off the plane from Indiana: spending summer with Eleven and the Byers family.
Not knowing that Eleven is in more trouble than she seems to be.
And not knowing that Joyce (Winona Ryder) is in full on investigation mode. She’s enlisted the help of Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman) in her attempt find Sheriff Hopper.
Between them? They contact the mysterious Enzo: who tells them he wants $40,000 dollars before he does anything else!
We also see Nancy (Natalia Dyer) working for the local paper: trying to find out exactly why there’s a dead cheerleader in a trailer.
And Max joining Dustin, Steve and Robin (Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery and Maya Hawke) in trying to find the well hidden Eddie.
Before the baseball team do.
The team — captained by the vengeful Jason (Mason Dye) and joined by the reluctant Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) — want a serious word with Eddie.
Those games of Dungeons and Dragon … ?
Have obviously turned him in to a Satanic killer …
~≈🧟♂️≈~
Now … what did I think of this episode?
Good, bad, indifferent … or an episode with more ups than downs?
I suspect Vecna’s Curse is the latter: a good episode with down sides.
At least one downside.
On the (many) upsides?
We have a superb cast, here: two episodes in, the series regulars are turning in great performances.
Keery and Hawke as best buddies Steve and Robin, are a highlight.
Gaten Matarazzo, as Dustin?
Great.
Millie Bobbie Brown’s as the tortured Eleven? Is on form.
Caleb McLaughlin as the sympathetic Lucas? Caught my attention.
As a referee, player, collector and seller of role playing games, I can remember the moral panic around Dungeons and Dragons, back in the day.
I can remember the mildly disapproving looks from some of my Christian friends, when the subject came up.
So Lucas’ conundrum — trying to explain an innocent pastime to a bunch of baying fanatics? — is something I identified with.
The potential star of the episode?
Was Mason Dye: as Jason Carver, the (human) villain of the episode.
It’s quite a performance, I feel!
Needless to say? The Duffer Brother’s writing and direction were impeccable.
The episode’s downsides?
We didn’t get to see much of Quinn’s performance as Eddie Munson in Vecna’s Curse.
But, to play fair?
He did spend most of the episode in hiding!
About the only other thing I felt let Vecna’s Curse down?
Was the length: at one hour and seventeen minutes?
At one hour seventeen, it did have me twitching in my seat.
At any rate? And at the risk of repeating myself?
I’ll ask again: was this a good episode?
Yes: Vecna’s Curse was good.
Good enough to make me want to watch the next episode.
I’ll be watching the next episode of Star Trek Picard — Assimilation — on Friday, 8th July, and reviewing it on Saturday, 9th, July.
I’ll be watching chapter three of Stranger Things, The Monster and the Superhero, next Tuesday, and let you know what I though, the following night.
See you next Wednesday!
Vecna’s Curse.★★★☆
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