Netflix burst onto the scene in 2007 to introduce the world to a new way of watching movies and shows through digital streaming. Later, Netflix specialized in creating exciting new original content you can't find anywhere else. Since then, they have released big hits such as The Umbrella Academy and Squid Game. None of those popular shows could ever touch on what is considered to be one of Netflix’s crowning achievements, which is Stranger Things. Created by The Duffer Brothers named Matt and Ross, this show harkens back to the pop culture and storytelling of the 80s that has often been described as Steven Spielberg meets Stephen King. For me, the first season of Stranger Things is a clear passion project that mashes up many elements from the media of the 80s and earlier to create something exceptionally unique.
In 1983, in the sleepy town of Hawkins, Indiana, a boy named Will Byers (Noah Schnnap) is abducted by an unknown threat that sends him into the Upside-Down dimension. The town sends out a search party to find Will but can’t seem to find a hint of his traces. However, Will’s worried Mother, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), finds a strange way to reach Will and is convinced that he is in a world apart from theirs, even if nobody believes in her. The local police chief, Hopper (David Harbour), also suspects something is up when he discovers secrets from a place called the Hawkins Laboratory, which he is not authorized to find out, which could lead to where Will is hiding. Meanwhile, Will’s best friends Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) come into contact with a girl with a shaved head named Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who has psychic powers and could be the key to finding Will.
The Story could have been nothing but 80s references and cheap callbacks without any sort of uniqueness. The Duffer Brothers, however, found a way to make the 80s references and callbacks work within a story that will have the audience on their toes, hoping everything turns out okay for our heroes in each of their stories. Most episodes are written and directed by The Duffer Brothers. Still, other writers and directors, such as Shawn Levy, also come to help make Duffer’s vision cohesive and leave no such obvious plotholes in sight. The most impressive aspect of the show is how it manages to juggle many characters with different personalities and create their own adventures that eventually collide with each other; you’d think that would make everything too busy, but the writing and pacing give each character enough time to express and enough time for plot twists and unexpected turns to show their light. Conflicts are made clear and understandable. Even downer scenes that force characters to be apart from each other are short and satisfying when they come back to face the music. The tone is also unique, as it's not really a show made only for adults. Yet, it also has momments that can be appropriate for older kids and teens as it finds an outstanding balance between how different characters, whether young or old, would act in the situation they find themselves in. The writing is pretty great, and even when the storytelling finds itself in familiar Hollywood tropes, it always finds a way to move on to conclude a conflict and still end up being more exciting and less cliched.
The Characters are the bread and butter of the entire series; without their personalities, the show would not have the impact it does today. Mike, Lucas, and Dustin are not too dissimilar to kid character groups from movies such as The Goonies or Stand By Me. They constantly use mild swear words and their distinct personalities often clash. However, their friendship holds the group together even when faced with difficult situations. Millie Bobby Brown plays the breakout character Eleven; not only is she such a sweetheart, but she is also quite a badass. Eleven can be best described as a blend of E.T. and Carrie. Millie almost quit acting before Stranger Things, but I’m glad she gave this show a shot cause she might as well be the most iconic character this show has to offer. Joyce Byers plays a constantly paranoid but tough mother who is perfectly cast with Winona Ryder. Her determination makes her relatively easy to root for to find her son. David Harbour also shines as the police chief Hopper, who has a tragic backstory and a bit of a slump but still tries to do what he believes is right even when faced with opposing threats. The teens in the movies such as Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve are reminiscent of teens in most 80’s movies you’ve ever seen as they can be seen being insecure and sometimes make love with each other, yet just like movies like The Breakfast Club, they each have deeper meanings to their personas that make them more than just typical 80’s teens. Even Will himself, despite having limited screen time, seeing as he’s primarily absent, is likable and has the startings of a personality that will be explored later in future seasons. Each character is perfectly cast, and every character gets their moment in the spotlight to be as memorable as they can be, which is impressive considering how big the cast is for this show's first season.
The Cinematography harkens back to the 1980s and creates a nostalgic and even artistic interpretation of the period. The filmmakers did their homework and got almost everything right about the time period, including the clothes, hairstyles, technology, the way houses are decorated, and much more. There are many visual nods to past 80’s work that are not forced and feel more like respectful nods that enforce how the creators felt about being exposed to their favorite 80’s material back in the day. The most unique aspect of the show is how artistic it can be when the audience is transported to an environment such as inside Eleven’s black mind space, entering the unpredictable Upside-Down dimension, or even the iconic scene of Joyce setting up Christmas lights to contact Will. The only thing I wish they did better is blending the Demegorgon monster with the live-action cinematography. I’m not sure how they created it, but it looked fake as it felt more CGI and less practical, which can sometimes bring me out of the illusion. Like everything else in this show, the visuals are a clear homage to 80’s culture while adding new visual elements that make the show stand out in the best ways possible.
The Music was composed by Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon from the electronic band Survive. According to them, the soundtrack mainly consists of synthesizer tunes that harken to music artists such as Tangerine Dream and John Carpenter. The inspiration is shown in the music, perfectly encapsulating the feel of the most well-known 80s films. The show's theme is similar to that of John Carpenter's Halloween. The rest of the soundtrack carefully places copyrighted 80’s music to be essential to the plot or characters without feeling like it's trying to manipulate the audience.
With a unique blend of 80’s Pop Culture and mashed-up elements inspired by many movies and shows around the 80’s decade, Stranger Things harkens back to a period when things were a lot more carefree but also edgy and even quite dangerous and scary. The storytelling takes many cues from other 80’s flicks and shows but arranges them to feel more like inspiration and shows love for them while forming newer storytelling elements in a combination to make for a show that stands out. The characters are instantly recognizable and lovable, and the visuals and music have that classic 80s feel that helps bring the audience back in time to remember how life used to be back then. It's no wonder the success this show would receive, especially since Stranger Things would go on to have more seasons after its massive audience for this season. The Duffer Brothers have created something unlike anything seen at the time by combining old filmmaking traditions while adding new spins to keep it fresh for audiences who have never lived through the 80’s.
(Final Grade: A-)