One my good friend's and his wife usually do a cookout and have a little party for every season of Stranger Things. He asked if I would be going this year and I said no. He actually has gotten tired of the show but his wife still wants to watch. I thought the second season was worse but still didn't annoy me until the third season. I have reached a point of being so tired of the "girls who are much better than men" trope that is in everything and to top it off, they have the "insert unnecessary lgbt character"
I remember reading that she was supposed to be added as a romantic subplot for the reformed jock (makes sense for a show paying homage to the 80s) but then they decided to subvert expectations. So I would imagine the next season the four original boys will be background characters so the girls can shine. Also, that little sister was annoying, but of course the critics raved and said that lesbian character was the best one.
I think I read somewhere that Breaking Bad was written in it's entirety, with the ending already planned before the pilot ever even aired, and they stuck to it. That's why it was so good.
They made lots of big changes. Jesse was supposed to be killed by Tuco in the first season for instance.
I think it was good because of smart writers, but also because it was at the time the only thing AMC had going for it (still the crown jewel after Walking Dead). The show had all the power and the network couldn't step in and make bullshit hollywood changes. Gilligan really had them over a barrel. "Make Walt have a gay sex scene with Jesse" and Vince is like "fuck off" - probably happened hundreds of times.