2016 - 8 episodes
Creator(s): The Duffer Brothers
Country: USA
IMDB: 9.1
RT: 95%
CinemaChagrin's Rating: A
Watch this show if you enjoy:
- 1980s pop culture
- Spectacular child actors
- Genre-bending / mixing
- Science-fiction / horror elements
Avoid this show if you dislike:
- 1980s pop culture
- Horror / supernatural elements
- "Soft R" levels of blood / violence
(spoiler-free review!)
Where in the world did this show come from? The latest Netflix original series exploded onto the TV scene earlier this summer and instantly generated feverish levels of hype. After a friend of mine recommended it, calling it an "homage to 80s pop culture / sci-fi", I knew I had to get around to watching it eventually. My only regret is it took me so long. Simply put, Stranger Things may be the most enjoyable and entertaining television production I've ever experienced. That's not to say it's the most well-executed show ever - it's not perfect. But I haven't had so much darn fun watching TV in years!
Set in the fictional suburban town of Hawkins, Indiana in 1983, the plot of Stranger Things centers on the sudden disappearance of a local middle school boy. Over the course of eight episodes, several inhabitants of Hawkins attempt to unravel the mystery behind his disappearance and encounter various supernatural occurrences.
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| The gang is out to find their missing friend! |
Stranger Things has been billed as an homage to 1980s pop culture, and the show does an excellent job at establishing an atmosphere uncannily reminiscent of a whole slew of films from that decade. It's got a crew of middle school boys who cruise the town on bikes straight out of Spielberg classics like E.T. or The Goonies, Lovecraftian monsters straight out of a Stephen King novel, and a moody synthesizer score that could have been plucked from any of the works of John Carpenter. Movie posters for The Evil Dead and The Thing line the walls of bedrooms, the protagonists play Dungeons & Dragons and use walkie-talkies to communicate, and the ongoing Cold War serves to justify the presence of a top-secret U.S. Government military installation that looms over the town.
All of these elements combine together to make the show one massive nostalgia trip. I was born in the early 1990s, but love all-things 80s. Anyone who was alive during the 80s or appreciates the decade will find a lot to love in this show, from the music (a big fat grin splayed across my face when Toto's "Africa" started playing) to the tech (tape cassettes are omnipresent). I mean, even the intro just oozes an 80s vibe - right down to the Stephen King-esque font!
Stranger Things certainly doesn't score high in the originality department, essentially functioning as a pastiche of 80s horror/coming-of-age tropes. Some have levied criticisms at the show, calling it a collection of ideas and themes ripped off from other movies. However, Stranger Things doesn't just rely on a barrage of allusions and references for cheap entertainment value. Its execution of nearly every cinematic element - acting, writing, pacing, effects, music, cinematography, etc. - is nearly flawless.
On the acting front, child actors can oftentimes be a kiss of death for a film or television production. Relying so heavily on a cast of young and largely unknown children was a huge risk for the show creators, but it paid off in a big way. These kids are nothing short of spectacular - authentically argumentative and whiny yet compassionate and surprisingly emotional. Their performances are on the level of The Stand and The Goonies, but with an added layer of depth in some respects.
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| A successful D&D campaign completed |
Also of note are the show's two adult leads - Winona Ryder and David Harbour. Ryder delivers an Emmy-worthy performance as the anxious and determined mother of the missing boy, while Harbour's portrayal of a town sheriff haunted by a tragic past is equally convincing.
Successful acting rarely exists in a vacuum without a solid script, and Stranger Things has outstanding (and frequently hysterical) dialogue in spades. The kids talk like kids, the teenagers talk like teenagers, and one character barely speaks at all (to great effect). The aforementioned atmospheric synth soundtrack matches the events unfolding on screen perfectly, and the special effects work is quite solid and suitably terrifying at times. Interestingly enough, the show is also a visual feast - something that many of the films it drew inspiration from are not. In particular, the use (and absence of) lighting is just superb and dials the tension up to 100 at key moments.
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| Winona Ryder's performance is award-worthy material |
Finally, I want to highlight the most impressive aspect of the series - its pacing and structure. While the era of Netflix has popularized the concept of "binge-watching" TV shows, Stranger Things is perhaps the first production I've seen that actually feels like it should be consumed in a single sitting (alas, I had to settle for a 24-hour period). The show's structure feels less like that of a miniseries and more like that of a 7-hour movie - expertly paced, with zero filler. It knows when to pull back and when to speed up, and always keeps the viewer intimately connected with its characters and their struggles.
Going into Stranger Things, I had high expectations from the widespread acclaim and personal recommendations I'd heard. However, I didn't fully expect to love it as much as I did. I was glued to the screen during its entire run-time. Not once did I become bored or disinterested, and I practically shook with excitement several times each episode. Are there a few plot holes here and there? Sure. Is it the most original storyline in the world? Heck no. Minor flaws aside (and I mean very minor), it's not too often I encounter a television production so visceral, exhilarating, and emotional. Netflix has created something really special here, and I can already tell this will be a show I come back to again and again.
-CC
Check out the trailer!
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