OPINIONS

A few weeks ago, I talked about Stranger Things. That’s no surprise, as Stranger Things might be my favorite show ever. So what makes it this powerful and affecting? It is, of course, not perfect. The writing can be messy at times. The second season has a few missteps. But beneath these flaws, there are amazing moments. The show speaks volumes in every portrayal of every relationship. The kids have charm that makes there friendship believable, and Hopper and Joyce have a connection that makes sense beyond just “these characters have a relationship because they are the main characters.” The town of Hawkins is built excellently, and the villains are all fascinating in their motives.

Why is this memorable? Plenty of other shows have this. It’s because in the sci-fi genre, this is notoriously difficult to do. In sci-fi, you have to create an original world, original monsters, and a conflict from scratch. Far too often, the characters are sidelined in favor of showing the viewer something otherworldly. This is a sacrifice that has to be made sometimes, and it takes writers of skill to create characters that can co-exist in a strange, but captivating world. And Stranger Things does this amazingly.

And that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of this shows world. The atmosphere is tense, but can effortlessly shift from dark to lighthearted and nostalgic. In the scenes that show us the Upside Down, we can feel the dampness, the foreboding dread, the pounding fear. Hoppers desperation gives an aura of fleeting abandon and all-time lows, and as he grows, he becomes a more sympathetic character with real hope for the world.

The music is amazing and should not be overlooked, if you don’t believe me, listen to the song Kids from season 1, and Soldiers from season 2. The music compliments the scenes, and the scenes compliment the music.

Netflix is a streaming service that produces original content. It could be argued that this is the show that opened peoples eyes and made them see that original streaming content can be just as good as cable TV shows. This is why Stranger Things is not only awesome and well crafted, but also ground breaking.

The fans of this show are a lovely bunch, creating some top-notch parodies and homages, such as this one.

LISTS 

BEST ORIGINAL SONGS

1. Stranger Things Theme: Doo Doo Doo Doo Duh Duh Doo Duh DuH dUH… dAH dI!!
2. Kids: This song makes me nostalgic, and I wasn’t even alive in the 80’s.
3. Soldiers: This IS dramatic music.
4. Eulogy: A simple, but magnificently effective song that is sad, but hopeful at the same time.
5.  Eight Fifteen: You thought that Season One’s soundtrack was good? Um…. Listen to this.

BEST CHARACTERS

1. Dustin: HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE DUSTIN?

2. Eleven: A more fascinating character than the show first lets on.

3. Bob: Bob was awesome. Even if he did like Kenny Rogers.

4. Steve: Steve would be on this list just for his hair, but with Season 2 redeeming him, he is a true hero.

5. Erica: We get so little of her so far. Can Season 3 be all about Lucas’s awesome little sister?

7. Ted Wheeler: Mike’s totally clueless dad steals every scene that he’s in.

8. Jim Hopper: His old guy dance and Eleven’s reaction is funny and heartwarming. “You don’t mess around with Jim!”

WORST CHARACTERS

1. Billy: Here’s hoping he doesn’t go full Steve and get redeemed.

2. Axel: In a world full of awesome, interesting characters, you have Axel, a horrific amalgam of every punk stereotype ever.

3. Lonnie Byers: He appeared for about an episode in season 1, and thankfully was absent for season 2.

4. Season 2 Jonathan :  Season 1 Jonathan was a good character, but in season 2 he became nothing but a sulky, awkward guy. He had his moments, but his appearances in this season seem like a simple afterthought.

5. Demo-dogs: You killed Bob.

So this is my weird article about Stranger Things. Thanks for listening to my rants.