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I know what you’re probably thinking: not another post in praise of the surprise Netflix summer hit Stranger Things. For those of you who haven’t yet jumped aboard the bandwagon, you’re probably wondering why everyone and their mother’s talking about this show in frenzied tones. Why are there countless articles, memes and even a font generator so that you can print whatever you want in the font used in the show’s opening credits? What did social media do before the Stranger Things craze?
To the surprise of no one who knows me well (or even those of you who just follow my Hotchka articles), I fell in love with this show at first viewing. A keen co-worker of mine was actually the first to steer me in the direction of Stranger Things, sharing a preview article about it with me a week or two prior to its Netflix launch. (He was casually like, “This sounds like it would be something right up your alley.”) So, naturally my curiosity was piqued. A show with supernatural/horror elements set in a small town in Indiana in the 1980s with plenty of nods to the era starring ‘80s queen Winona Ryder herself? Be still, my beating heart. If ever a show was tailor-made to my interests, this was undoubtedly it.
Like everybody else, I delved in eagerly and was not disappointed by the dramatic events unfolding on my television screen. What I think this show did really well aside from capturing the era down to the littlest details (from the clothing and hairstyles to the furniture, counter tops, movie posters, toys, etc.) was that it made me feel many, many strange things.
First and foremost, I had forgotten just how capable of an actress Winona Ryder is until I watched her gut-wrenching heartbreak at losing one of her kids. I don’t have any children of my own, so I can only begin to imagine what that kind of terror must feel like. She was absolutely perfect in the role, and it made me realize how much I had missed her strong, frenzied screen presence. Her fears and frustrations are painfully palpable, no matter how incredulous things seem as the series progresses.
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Her motherly instincts tell her that her son, Will, is alive no matter how much the odds stack up in favor of that not being the case. She defiantly stands up to the local law enforcement, pleading her case and urging them to not give up the search for the truth about what happened to her son. You desperately want her to be right. As crazy as it seems, you know you’d be right there with her trying to communicate with her son through those multiple strings of Christmas lights. Which reminds me: if I’m ever able to communicate from an existence beyond that of this earthly plane, it will decidedly be through Christmas lights. I cannot think of anything more fitting for myself, as I love Christmas with a sense of childlike wonderment that exceeds most other individuals I know.
From the talented, relatively unknown child actors they selected (Eleven, Mike and Toothless especially) to David Harbour as Police Chief Jim Hopper, the casting throughout the entire thing is a beauty in itself. I LOVE David Harbour’s sarcastic wit and take-no-shit-from-anyone attitude. “Mornings are for coffee and contemplation,” he wisecracks to the receptionist when she tries to talk to him about the Will Byers case as he walks through the door. Usually, cops are portrayed as bumbling, inept idiots in series such as this. It was refreshing that here was a guy who was able to look beyond the obvious and who was not afraid to explore alternate possibilities in order to do his job of serving and protecting accurately and fairly. This is exactly the kind of law enforcement I hope are patrolling the streets of my city. Winona and Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) are being given plenty of acting kudos for their performances in Stranger Things, but let’s not forget to praise David equally.
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Second, I adore the unexpected nods to other horror anthologies of a similar ilk. From those fantastic opening credits featuring a title font that looks like it was lifted directly out of a John Carpenter horror movie, or at the very least off the lesser-regarded ‘80s anthology series Tales from the Darkside (which scared the shit out of me when I was a kid) to the title of the second episode (“The Weirdo on Maple Street”) which could be an indirect nod to The Twilight Zone’s “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” there are so many quirky, subtle gems to appreciate. The entire feel hearkens to Stephen King’s It – a group of young, awkward misfits embarking upon an adventure to save the town and thwart evil despite all the odds. (How ironic that Mike [Finn Wolfhard] will soon be appearing in the remake of It as Richie Tozier.)
Finally, I enjoyed how it made me relate to misfits. I was shy and nerdy in my adolescence. Why is it that it’s the worst thing in the world to be different when you’re a kid, but cool in a way once you’ve become an adult? My heart experienced pangs of pity for Eleven, as I thought about what her lonely, loveless world must have been like prior to meeting Mike and his pals. No child should be subjected to an environment such as this. When she dons the blonde wig and dress and Mike tells her she is pretty, her reaction was so touching that it made me think about all those ‘80s classics I’ve always adored. It was an “a-ha” moment, as I recalled that magical scene in The Breakfast Club in which Emilio Estevez’s character sees Ally Sheedy’s character for the first time with a little bit of makeup and a more feminine appearance. The smiles were heartfelt in both circumstances. Eleven is not the monster – it’s society and the government who unleashed her powers. (I love the meme currently going around that states, “In a world full of 10s, be an 11.”)
I could also relate to Will’s older brother, Johnathan (Charlie Heaton). When Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and his cronies broke his camera, it elicited so much hatred within me for bullies. (Although really who can hate Steve for long with that perfect hair and adorable, impish grin of his? I spent far more time than I’d care to admit listening to real-life Steve’s psychedelic album with his band Post Animal this week, but it was surprisingly and – wait for it – strangely good. The talents of this cast are impressive.)
I don’t know if I can realistically wait for a second season of Stranger Things to satiate my appetite. I want it now in all of its tragically beautiful strangeness. No matter what path it chooses to take, these are characters that I genuinely care about and will follow into whatever dark recesses the creators’ minds can dream up. I await its return with bated breath. At least I can re-watch the series and listen to its fantastic soundtrack to hold me over until whatever day that may be.
Note: As of this time, Netflix has yet to officially announce a second season. Be sure to check out the Stranger Things After Show on YouTube.
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