With sci-fi having strong titles in its genre, does Stranger Things add on to the roster or hinder it? Keep reading and find out.
A blast from the past. A time period when my parents were young, and I was not thought of yet. The 80s was home to key events in history like the outbreak of the AIDs virus and the release of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. Just like Thriller, Stranger Things deals with the spooky side of interdimensional beings. With plenty of laughs, scares, and a bit of a romance. It is perfect to watch especially around Halloween time.
The story of a young boy named Will, who disappears from the town called Hawkins Indiana. The mystery deepens with the appearance of a girl with psychic powers, a shadowy government agency, and a monster from another dimension. Will’s group of friends, that plays Dungeons and Dragons, tries to find him as well as his mother and a police officer. Everyone in the town thinks that they are crazy because the story is too impossible to believe. It is up to Will’s family and friends to find him and stop the monster from overrunning Hawkins.
Will (Noah Schnapp) is a nerd who has always had trouble making friends. He finds out how much he is loved by his friends and family when he sees how hard they try to find him. Joyce (Winona Ryder) is the mother of Will. She believes that she can hear will through the lights in her house. The town thinks that she is just delirious from losing her son and she seeks help from Chief Hopper (David Harbour). He doesn’t believe her at first and thinks that she is just paranoid. He starts to believe her when he starts to notice weird things happening around the town. He is accompanied by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who is an escapee from the government facility in Hawkins. She has psychic abilities and has a direct tie to the monster that has been attacking the town. She is befriended by Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), whom are also trying to find Will.
Being set in the 80s, it borrows a lot from the films of its time like ET and Alien. It is easily shown that the show was heavily influenced by Stephen King’s works. The 80s vibe with a creepy plot is something that Stephen King would have hatched up. Stranger Things has the perfect mixture of nostalgia for people who grew up in that era and resembles a history book for those (like myself) who did not grow up in this period. The Dungeons and Dragons references will make any nerd’s spine tingle. They call the monster a Demogorgon, which is a monster from the game. It is quite funny that they name the monsters after a board game that they play, it shows that they are just kids facing a dire situation. The kids are exactly what kids are, mischievous and carefree. They don’t really understand the severity of the situation that they are in. The kids have fowl mouths just like every kid that is not in front of their parents, which makes the show more interesting for an older audience.
This show has a great balance of horror and humor, it is especially great for those non-horror fans who get scared easily (like me). It is more creepy than scary, and the humor overcomes the horror. With barley any jump scares, those who are faint of heart do not need to worry about a potential heart attack. Stranger Things knocks on the door of Sci-fi, then remembers it has it keys and opens the door on its own.
With three seasons on Netflix and only eight episodes a season, it is a quick and enjoyable binge watch. With the Fourth season set to air sometime in 2021, this Netflix staple will not be going anywhere anytime soon.
Do you agree with me? Comment down below, share with your friends, and join the debate.