I had no issue per say in the development of the characters, though some of them I still felt no real attachment too, because to me, the paranormal aspect of it was overshadow by the time spent with the characters back stories, and developing them to be ready for what was to come. But it felt like nothing ever came until we get to the last episode. And then everything that needs to be wrapped up is just shoved into 45 minutes and doesn't feel natural to me. Perhaps it was because of what it described itself to be, had little to do with what it really was. It was like going to watch Signs to see an alien invasion movie. Yeah, there was an invasion, but not globally like War of the Worlds, but just one farm house. Because the aliens weren't the star, it was the characters in the movie, and how they were tied together. But for some reason, for me personally, it worked in Signs, but not in Stranger Things. At least not as well, for me.

And I too was surprised by "the jerk's" turnaround. Really not who I thought she'd be with.