In the small town of Hawkins, where everybody knows one another, a peculiar incident starts a chain of events that leads to the disappearance of a boy called Will. His disappearance begins to tear at the fabric of an otherwise-peaceful community. The people of the small town begin to uncover secrets of a government lab, portals to another world and sinister monsters. The boy's mother desperately tries to find him, convinced he is in grave danger, while the police chief searches for answers. Trying to help find him, Will's friends discover a strange little girl who is on the run from the "bad men". Stranger Things is a supernatural show that's a grand love letter to the 1980s. This show leans heavily into the horror and supernatural side, sprinkled with heaps of mystery to solve. My favourite decade of all time is undoubtedly the 1980s and this show managed to capture that feel perfectly. It felt like those days were alive again in this outstanding portrayal full of references and nods to the bygone era. The first season opens with the boy, Will, disappearing mysteriously, which leads his friends: Mike, Dustin and Lucas, to go out in search of him, where they discover a strange girl with a shaven head who speaks very little. It turns out that this girl is a secret government experiment called Eleven who they nickname El. She has telekinesis powers that help them against the forces of a strange other world. These monsters come from a place called: 'The Upside Down' where an alternate Hawkins exists, filled with a whole manner of creatures. With each new season, we are introduced to further threats from the Upside Down, like the Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer and, the most terrifying of all, Vecna. Many of these horrifying monsters begin to plague the real world leaving it up to our heroes to fend them off. My favourite of these creatures has to be the Demogorgon. It has an interesting design and looked very alien, much like the Xenomorph from
Alien (1979). I like how its face opens up, once again similar to Alien (but this time in regards to the eggs), which made it look even more menacing! They become a reoccurring monster throughout the show and have many amazing scenes with the best, in my opinion, being in season 4. Some prisoners are forced to fight one whilst trapped in a cage where it becomes utter chaos, yet it looks so visually stunning and was extremely well shot. The same can be said for the entirety of the show with some superb effects and storytelling, which only grew as the show progressed. As an enthusiast of everything and anything 80s, this show captivated the time in every way. From the music, films, clothing, toys, advertisements and even food, this show lived and breathed the 80s and I loved every second of it. The first season is set in 1983, with each new season taking us into the following year. I loved seeing all the 'new' releases of films from each year that get referenced constantly throughout much to my delight. From verbal mentions to visuals and background, this series features many easter eggs and references to find. My favourite (besides all the
Star Wars ones) has to be the scene in which Dustin tries to radio his girlfriend, Suzie, to help save the world. Her one condition on agreeing to help leads to Dustin singing the theme song to The NeverEnding Story (1984) with her. I was practically in tears when this happened, especially due to the fact he was in a dangerous situation, unbeknownst to her. It was unbelievably funny and came out of nowhere. There are many characters to fall in love with that only grow and develop with each new season. From Hopper, Steve, Robin, Joyce, Nancy, Erica, Eddie, Jonothan, Bald Eagle and many more, there are plenty of people to get invested in on this perilous adventure. Overall, Stranger Things is a must-see for fans of the 80s. It has some great attention to detail and loveable characters who have loads of charm and undergo shares of development throughout. It has some phenomenal and stunning visuals, especially from season 4 alone. This Netflix Original is one you cannot miss! It has so much to offer in every aspect possible and makes some ideal viewing during Halloween.
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