I’m starting off this series of Netflix reviews with its hottest show this summer….Stranger Things. If you don’t have Netflix, then I highly suggest asking a friend for their Netflix account. If they say “No”, unfriend them.
These past few years, Netflix has stepped up its game with shows like Orange Is the New Black, Narcos, The Get Down, Hemlock Grove and a few others. Stranger Things hit us like a truck. Unless you’re like me, who likes to stay on top of things, you probably don’t follow Netflix on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat (yes, Netflix has a Snapchat. You should check it out for behind-the-scenes interviews). Netflix doesn’t normally hype up its new shows to the extent to where the audience can’t avoid it. They probably did promote Stranger Things, but we probably didn’t pay attention. Even so, NO ONE KNEW THE SHOW WOULD BE THIS GOOD.
Stranger Things is set in the early eighties. What once was a peaceful, tight-knit community is now being terrorized by a mysterious creature. Citizens (both young and old) begin to take matters into their own hands to find the “root of the problem”. I don’t want to give you too much because it is, after all, a mystery show. One of my favorite things about this show is that the cast isn’t mainstream. Seriously, when I first started watching the show the only person I recognized was Winona Ryder. And it just made me question why Johnny Depp and Winona broke up all over again. I’ll probably never get over it.
If you’re a costume/set fanatic, you will be impressed. I’m talking striped ringer tees, converse, and collared shirts. The soundtrack is so unique and nostalgic – featuring The Smiths, The Seeds, and Jefferson Airplane. I have teachers that are playing the Stranger Things score during class, because the intro gives off an eerie feeling. It all fits together so well.
Stranger Things is just one of those shows that gets you hooked instantly rather than taking a few episodes to warm up to. It’s more mystery than horror. If it was horror, then it would be old school horror that doesn’t depend on CGI and jump scares. Our idea of the monster isn’t ruined in the first episode either, the mystery builds up.
All in all, Stranger Things is a 10/10. People of all ages are raving about it and it teaches us about heroism, friendship, love, strength, and family.
Side note to those of you that have seen it – good news, there will be a new season in 2017.