A Look at Stranger Things

This week, after hearing all kinds of good things about it, I finally watched Stranger Things.  If you haven't heard about it, don't worry, it's only the biggest series this summer.  Two episodes each day for four days.  Let me cut to the quick: there's a lot of good and some not so good in this series.

The Good:

One thing entertainment is supposed to do is hook you, leave you wanting more. Or in the case of a series, leaving you wanting to continue watching.  This had it in spades.  A lot of it had to do with the mystery.  Just what the heck is going on?  Then, once you pretty much know where it's going, the characters and the story are good enough to keep you coming back. 

Another thing entertainment is supposed to do is keep you thinking about it after you've finished.  Again, yes.  A couple of days after I finished it, I'm still thinking about it, still reading about it, still watching videos about it on Youtube, I even went back to watch the beginning of the first episode to see the introduction of the characters for a second time.  I'm not obsessed, but it did leave me thinking about it and wanting more.

The characters are pretty good and memorable as well.  Part of this is the writing, a lot of it is the actors.  In fact, I would say in general the child actors were better than the adults.  In recent memory, I can only think of Super 8 as a story with better children actors.

There was just enough comedy sprinkled in to make me laugh at times.  There were two things in particular that worked for me.  One was the interplay between the kids when they weren't yelling at each other, just being friends.  Especially when they're being nerds (remember kids, in the 80s nerds were not cool!) and quoting Lord of the Rings (Mirkwood) and Star Wars (Lando!).  Probably my favorite quote I won't get right but it was something like "going against that with a wrist rocket is like R2D2 fighting Darth Vader."  That really made me laugh.  Then there were the deputies reactions to the bully.  "She can...make you piss yourself."  "What?!?!"

Then there's the 80s nostalgia.  They pretty much hit on everything.  It felt like the 80s, and I especially loved the "vintage" look titles.

  But this is where the good starts to blend with the not so good.  There's a fine line between paying homage to a time, and relying on/depending on period clichés.  This came very close to crossing that line.

Another era, related to the last, that comes verges on transitioning to bad is the myriad of homages.  Again, some are good, too many are too many, and it's close.  I get that they were going for a Spielberg/Goonies/Stephen King feel, and they definitely got there, but it bordered on completely unoriginal and hackneyed.  At one point, (MILD SPOILER) when they're on the bikes riding away from the vans, I was waiting for the E.T. music to cue up.  But overall, it's ok.

The Bad:

One problem with these kind of horror shows is they can become to formulaic.  There were a couple of times when it fell into that trap.  There were a few too many times when I knew exactly what was going to happen because that's what happens.  It was especially apparent at the end of episodes, when you could tell they were about to wrap up but then had to throw in a mini cliffhanger to make you want to watch more.  Guess what: by the end of the second episode, I'm in.  You don't need to "shock" me for me to come back.  Never mind the end of the seventh.

Then there's the ending of the series.  I really don't know why horror feels like they have to have an open ending like that.  Maybe I'm in the minority, but I actually would have preferred if they ended the series, no cliffhangers, and then had a second series that was completely different.  No continuing story.  No continuing characters.  Like an Outer Limits or Twilight Zone or I guess American Horror Story  (I've never watched it so I'm just guessing there) where each series is independent.  The only common thread being some kind of weird supernatural/science fictiony mystery.

The monster/the upside down.  The concept in the end is not terrible, just at times it wasn't scary enough.  The monster itself wasn't that interesting.  By the end of the series I knew the main characters were going to make it.  I knew they wouldn't kill any of the kids.  I knew Wynona Rider and the sheriff were going to make it.  So while I was still interested in seeing what would happen, it wasn't as edge-of-your-seat as it could have been with higher stakes.

SO

In the end, it does what it's supposed to do.  It's entertaining, interesting, keeps you hooked, and makes you think about it.  But it's not perfect.  It relies just a tad too much on 80s nostalgia.  It sticks a little too close to horror genre clichés.  But I am definitely excited about a second season.

B+

RIP Astros 2016

The Astros are 75-70.  They are 4.5 games back in the Wild Card with 17 games left to go.  There are five teams ahead of them.  The West is much worse (11.5 games back).  It is time to put the final nail in the coffin.  It's time to pack it up and start thinking about next year.  2016 is done.

But let's be honest, it was done way back in April.  The dug themselves a huge hole starting 7-17.  Yes, they had a great June, going 18-8.  Everything was clicking.  The problem is, May, July, and August were all about .500 months.  September they are 4-8 so far.  It's hard to make the playoffs with one terrible month, one great month, and three mediocre months, especially in the tough AL.  It's darn near impossible to do well going 3-15 against a division opponent.  Speaking of that division opponent, the Astros just happen to be going up against one of the luckiest teams in baseball history (it's been documented elsewhere).  They are 33-10 in one run games, despite the worst bullpen in the American League.  They are 12 games over their pythagorean W-L record.  Don't give me the "they've overcome so many injuries," most of those injuries helped them (i.e. Prince Fielder).

Enough about the team that makes my blood boil.  What happened with the Astros?

Inconsistency is a big problem.  At the beginning of the season, the pitching was holding the team together.  Now that the offense is straightened out (June was the one month they were more or less together), the pitching has taken a huge dive.  Doug Fister went from a 3.55 ERA and 1.241 WHIP to 5.20 ERA and 1.609 WHIP.  Collin McHugh from 3.76/1.352 to 6.04/1.645.  Mike Fiers from 4.35/1.355 to 5.09/1.440.  Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers improved in the second half, but for Keuchel it for both it was hard to get worse and both have been injured.

  All that being said, the pitching staff totals are still Top 5 in the league.  So what else?

Nobody has stepped up to be that ace closer.  This is where I have to disagree with the Sabrmetric idea of "anyone can close."  Luke Gregerson has good overall numbers, but he is 14/19 in save opportunities.  Ken Giles, again good overall numbers, 10/14 in save opportunities.  Will Harris, gangbusters and deserved All Star as a setup man, 12/15.  The Astros are at 68% save percentage, just below league average but bottom 5.  18 blown saves ties them for third worst.  To show how it's closers only while the rest of the bullpen has been good if not great: they are second in the league with holds (89).

Oh yeah, and then there was the complete lack of anything at the trade deadline.  We need a bat in the outfield?  We need a closer?  Something?  Let's stand pat and just get rid of a couple of unnecessary arms (Feldman and Fields).  Meanwhile, let's watch our biggest rival fill our two biggest holes with a steal of a trade with the Brewers to get one of the best hitting catchers in the game and a closer.  Great job there.  Really proved to the fans and the team that we're in it to win it.  Though, maybe it was for the best given the trade history of our current front office (do I need to start the litany again of the Giles, Fowler, Gomez, etc. trades?)

I've ignored the offense to this point because, in general, they've greatly improved in the second half (though, unfortunately, Jose Altuve has been on a dreadful cold spell the last few weeks).  Much of this is because of fresh faces finally making a difference (remember my complaint about the young hitters in the first half?).  Alex Bregman, who I was ready to hang after a 1-22 start, has steadily improved and now looks like a solid 3B.

  Yuli Gurriel has been hitting since he was called up and finally added some power.

  Probably the best thing that happened was the two big minuses: Carlos Gomez off the team and a couple of lengthy injuries to Colby "Most Streaky Hitter Ever" Rasmus.  Oh yes, and again Evan Gattis hits like crazy when he catches.

So, some bright spots.  What to do?  Here are three keys for the off season:

1. Get a legitimate closer.  I would love to see them bring Mark Melancon back to Houston.  Of course Aroldis Chapman would be good on the field, but I don't love his price tag nor his off field problems.  Kenley Jansen would be another good free agent option.

2. Cut the deadweight.  I would have a hard time resigning any of the team's free agents.  Colby Rasmus has to go.  Luis Valbuena is definitely not needed.  We can find a replacement for Jason Castro (Gattis is not a full time answer.  Wilson Ramos, maybe?).  Doug Fister is the only one I would think about resigning, but only if cheap.

3.  Find an actual first baseman.  What is supposed to be the premier offensive position is one of the worst on the team, with .234/.300/.393 splits and only 18 home runs.  The OPS+ is a dreadful 87, 13% worse than league average.  That cannot happen on a team that wants to make the playoffs.  Heck, even Chris Carter was better than that last year (let's not talk about his 34 HR season this year).  Marwin Gonzalez cannot be the everyday guy.  Tyler White and A.J. Reed for whatever reason can't do it, at least not yet.  The best option might be having Gurriel go full bore this off season to play over there.  If they don't get a 1B replacement, they will need to get an outfield bat.

Right now, here's what I would like to see going into next season:

C: FA?/Gattis/Stassi

1B: Gurriel

2B: Altuve

3B: Bregman

SS: Correa

LF: FA/Teoscar Hernandez/Tucker

CF: FA/Marisnick

RF: Springer

DH: Gattis

Rotation: Keuchel, McHugh, McCullers, Feliz, Musgrove (Fister)

Closer: Melancon

Bullpen: Gregerson, Giles, Harris, Sipp, Devenski

There's always next year...

Teaching Parish Assignment

This weekend I was able to spend time in my new weekend assignment.  At St. Francis de Sales Seminary, we have a "Teaching Parish."  This will be our "home away from...seminary" for our four years of Theology.  To keep me in the Diocese of Madison, the powers that be chose for me St. Joseph's in Fort Atkinson.  It's a decently long 75 minutes away.

 Unfortunately it was difficult to get a good picture inside because the outside light streaming in makes it look darker than it was.

 This mosaic was in the "old" church behind the altar.  The "old" church was built in the 1960s and was praised as one of the "most modern" at the time.  So the new church is a great improvement.

The church is going through a bit of a transition with the new pastor (assigned last year).  He is a good man who cares for the Church, his people, and the Truth.  I think we will get along just fine.

I arrived around noon on Saturday.  Mass was at 5:00, with Confessions starting at 4:00.  We got there at 3:00 for a bit of a tour and to prepare for everything.  The new church is only 11 years old, so not so old that it's modern-ugly, but not so new that it's retro-beautiful.  Somewhere in between, and that's fine.  Sunday Masses are at 8:00 and 10:00.  A nice addition from the new pastor: they pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet after each Mass, with each of the five servers taking a set.

The pastor had me introduce myself after each of the Masses this weekend.  I gave a brief 1-2 minute history of myself and why I'm there.  The people all seemed to be excited to see me.  It's amazing how, even in this fairly small corner of the diocese, there were people with connections.  One family had a wife that went to that little school in Austin, and the husband went to University of North Texas.  They had lived in Houston, and asked me what part.  "Spring."  "Get out!  Which church?"  "Christ the Good Shepherd."  "GET OUT!  Our children had all their sacraments there!"  An amazingly small world.

One of the best parts of the weekend was after dinner Saturday, the pastor got a call by a family that needed a visit.  I don't want to go into details here, but it was a real experience to remind me why we are needed.

So this will be my weekend home for the next four years.  There are only two small difficulties.  One: the distance.  Two: the pastor is not a sports fan and has no television.  This means little if any Aggie football for the next four years (I was only able to catch the very end of overtime this Saturday, but at least it was a happy end).  I guess God has to teach me something.