“Stranger Things,” a Netflix original science fiction series, made its streaming debut on July 15. In the span of a week, it earned a five-star rating on Netflix and generated some internet buzz. However, “Stranger Things” lives up to the hype.
After the disappearance of young Will Byers and the appearance of a strange girl with supernatural powers, a mystery unfolds in tiny Hawkins, Indiana involving monsters and government conspiracies.
From the title screen and on, everything about “Stranger Things” is drenched in 80’s nostalgia. Music and movie references pop up throughout the plot. The theme music consists entirely of spooky, arpeggiating synthesizers. Even the title text is scrawled out in vintage, neon lettering fit for a pulp sci-fi novel found in a thrift store.
Though at times heavy handed, the commitment to nostalgia is endearing. Watching Will’s friends play Dungeons and Dragons in the basement reminds me of playing board games as a kid.
There is a compelling narrative that stretches across multiple storylines. Will’s mother and brother descend deeper into desperation over his disappearance, the young girl with super powers tries to hide from the government agents she escaped from and the local police officers and Will’s young friends both try to uncover his whereabouts: all while a monster from a government laboratory is on the loose.
Almost every plotline is steeped in weirdness. “Stranger Things” sticks heavily to its genre. If science fiction or fantasy isn’t your thing, then you won’t get much out of it. Sure, there are some quality character development scenes, but these are so intertwined with the other parts of the story that it would be hard to enjoy it otherwise.
With all this drama, “Stranger Things” is a show that doesn’t really take itself too seriously. The kids still act like kids, and well too. There are jokes littered throughout each episode, which adds a lightness that only intensifies the other scarier parts of the show. It’s by no means horror, but a thriller.
All in all, “Stranger Things” is a television show that is definitely worth the watch, if you are into nostalgia or science fiction. Sadly, there is only one season available right now, but more are sure to be on the way.
