By Brian Kwon

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

Are you interested in science fiction set in the 1980’s? Do you like mystery? Are you into Russian conspiracy theories? Do you like Eggo waffles? Would you want to watch a Netflix show with a “never-ending story”? Well, then Netflix’s Stranger Things might be the show for you.

Stranger Things 3 promotional poster. 

Stranger Things is a mystery/sci-fi show set in the 1980’s, directed and created by the Duffer Brothers. The series has been extremely popular and enjoyed by many audiences, but season three has truly risen above other shows within the Netflix menagerie. 

The three seasons of Stranger Things are about the obstacle-filled journey of a group of friends in Hawkins, Indiana, trying to fight off an intimidating monster from the Upside Down that is the Demogorgon. The Upside Down is a dimension full of monsters that is essentially a dark and realistic reflection of our world. In season one, the main objective is about trying to find their friend Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), who has disappeared into The Upside Down, with the help of Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), his other friends, and a girl named Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who has special telekinetic powers that stem from her time as the subject of a secret government research project. They eventually find Byers, but the Demogorgon finds it way into Hawkins, which creates other conflicts and transitions for season two and three. 

What makes Stranger Things so much better than other Netflix shows? The Duffer Brothers have done a magnificent job of making the show appealing to all ages. First, they included a multitude of throwback factors that are considered nostalgia for adults, and even some teen audiences. The series is an ode to the 80’s, and it has factors that are classic throwbacks, especially in season three. For example, season three takes place in the summer of 1985, and one of the scenes involves Will and his friends going to see the new blockbuster hit, Back to the Future in the movie theater at Starcourt Mall. Another example of a throwback would be one of the Russian hitmen in season three, who resembles and moves like Arnold Schwarzeneggar in the original Terminator, which was released in 1984. But even the small details the Duffer Brothers included in the show, such as clothing, the setting, and how people acted as a society, accurately resembles the 80’s era. 

Upper School English teacher and Match adviser Vlastik Svab likes the nostalgic elements of the show. He was “impressed at how well the production captures the 80s: the details, the clothing, the hairstyles, the culture, etc.” He has only watched the first half of the first season, but he can still relate to all of the vintage qualities of the show.

When Stranger Things was first released in 2016, it marked a significant change for Netflix. Because of the immense popularity of seasons one and two, Netflix audiences couldn’t wait for the anticipated season three that came out over the July 4th weekend this summer. Nielsen, the media research firm famous for TV show ratings, said that “a record 26.4 million U.S. viewers watched the third season over the July 4th weekend.” Nielsen also stated that is was “the most watched Netflix original series” they have ever analyzed.

The main characters in season 3.

One of the main reasons audiences love Stranger Things is the great character development throughout the three seasons. Since the series is set in the same place and consists mostly of the same characters (and some that are new), character development is crucial to the storyline. All of the main characters show some type of development throughout the seasons, but there are lots of varied opinions about which characters did and did not. According to writer and critic John Squires, the characters that have shown the most development are Steve Harrington (played by Joe Keery) and Jim Hopper (played by David Harbour). Harrington started off season one as the stereotypically charming high school jock who wasn’t very likable. Transitioning into seasons two and three, Harrington changed into a completely new character. He has progressed into a fan-favorite Steve, who found out he is very fond of babysitting kids and looking out for them. He definitely showed more signs of sentimentality throughout seasons two and three.

Hopper’s character development took more of a subtle route. In season one, Hopper started off as a struggling and divorced police officer who didn’t have much in his life, because his biological daughter had passed away. From dealing with finding Will with Joyce to becoming the father of Eleven, his life went through a turning point that transitions into a different Hopper in seasons two and three. In season three, as Squires put it, Hopper is going through an “internal fight” with himself, dealing with a maturing Eleven and a town that has been overtaken by monsters for the third time. Harbour does an excellent job of showing the flawed Hopper, who is just barely living day-to-day with his problems. 

The case in the Starcourt Mall in season 3.

Student opinions on the show vary greatly, from favoring everything about the show to thinking that the show has some work to do. When asked about their favorite season, Lauren Brabrand (‘21) and Joseph Ascoli (‘20) both stated that season three was their favorite. Brabrand stated that she “liked Eleven and Max’s friendship in season three,” and how they went from not being friends at all in season two to being best friends who were inseparable in season three.

Ascoli is fond of the show primarily because of the great character development between the three seasons and the 80’s nostalgia. When asked about the aspects of the show that he liked, he said he liked how “every last episode was really thrilling,” and that it was the best episode of each season.

Chase Conquest (‘21) likes the series as a whole, but had some different opinions for season three. “I thought season three was a little bit too far-fetched for me,” primarily because of how producers incorporated the whole Russian theme into the season. Now Stranger Things enthusiasts are waiting for a season four. After the post-credits scene on the last episode of season three, there is a scene where the Russians keep their prisoners, and there are questions being raised on who is behind those prison doors. This scene pretty much provides a transition into a season four. While there is no set release date on season four, the Duffer brothers told Vulture that they do plan on having a season four, and quite possibly a fifth.

All images courtesy of Netflix.