On July 15, 2016, Netflix started streaming a new show that started gaining buzz. I was hearing about this new show from different people, namely my brother Jake, that I needed to see this. Should I watch or should I not? Well, the answer is I should and you should! I didn't start watching it until this week, but after finishing all 8 episodes, I honestly think this is one of the best first seasons of television I've ever seen. While I wish there were more episodes, I think 8 episodes gives you just enough. It makes the viewer want to see more based on each aspect of the show. The Duffer Brothers did great with this. Stranger Things is MUST SEE! I am not a big fan of most Netflix original shows, but I think Stranger Things is going to be extremely successful for the site and a treat for people trying to find that next show to get invested it. There is something for everybody in this show. I will list four reasons why I think you should be watching it.
1. THE COMPLEXITY & MYSTERY OF SCIENCE, TIME, & PARALLEL DIMENSIONS
2 THE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP
While the scientific aspects of this show are absolutely amazing, I think the heart of the show lies in the characters, particularly the characters of Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. They are on the hunt to find their friend Will Byers, who has disappeared. It reminds me of the bond in The Goonies or Stand By Me. These three show how important friendship is. Even if they stray from their mission, they find their way back to each other. There are other elements of friendship and relationships as well such as Mike's friendship with El (incredible scenes), Nancy's friendship with Barb, Nancy's bond with Jonathan (Nancy evolves so much as a character from when we first meet her), etc., but it's the friendship of Mike, Dustin, and Lucas that provides the best aspects of the show. I like how close the three are. It's very important for kids to have friends they can rely on and go above and beyond for each other. Stranger Things does a great job with that. It's a good message for younger audiences. Even if somebody may find your friend "weird", stick with them. That's a big element of Mike's friendship with El, and Dustin and Lucas have their doubts, but eventually they realize El is a good friend, and she's awesome just the way she is. I definitely could feel the emotion from these three. You laugh and cry with them. I was bawling at the quarry scene. I laughed when they teased each other. Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Mattarazzo, and Caleb McLaughlin made these characters believable. They're on an adventure as they battle monsters and bullies. While obstacles deter them, their bond helps them pull through. The performances from the young actors creates the heart of the show, and in turn, makes Stranger Things must see!
3. STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS
Stranger Things has the incredible bond between Mike, Dustin, and Lucas, but The Duffer Brothers also balanced it out by creating three strong female protagonists as well. Each of these three characters are strong in their own way: El is the product of government tests. She is my favorite character on the show. Her telekinesis makes her an absolute bad ass. Her awkwardness due to being cut off from the outside world is amazing to watch. Millie Bobby Brown stole the show every time she was on screen. She had amazing chemistry with everybody on screen. Her chemistry with Finn Wolfhard's Mike Wheeler is fun to watch. There's a certain innocence to it that's lost on so many shows and movies these days. Mike helps El navigate the world around her. El is able to adapt better in each situation. The blonde wig and pink dress is cool, but the shaved head and her Dark Phoenix/Jean Grey nature is a physical manifestation of who she is inside. Mike accepts her and treats her so well. I loved their scenes together. Dustin thinks she's awesome. Lucas is skeptical, but eventually accepts her. El's protection of her friends and expanding the scope of her powers is explored in each episode. The pain El has suffered throughout her life has caused her to become a stronger person. That aspect of the character might be lost on some people, but it's definitely a big part of the El character. El helps us to embrace the inner freak we all have inside of us. The thing is she's not a freak. It's what she knows and who she is. Mike helps us see that. El accepts it, because Mike, Dustin, and Lucas accept her. Another great female character is Nancy. She is Mike's brother. She evolves as a character over the course of the 1st season. Her striving to be popular in the first few episodes is what causes her to lose focus of who she is. After a certain moment in her life, she begins to change and grows stronger. Her bond with Steven shows her striving to be accepted for somebody she's not. This tells you she lacks confidence in who she is early on. However, her bond with Jonathan helps her to become a different character where she faces her challenges head on. Nancy seems like she is fragile, but she's tougher than the entire police department here. Jonathan is her unofficial guide to realizing that she is better than what she's striving to be. Natalie Dyer was great here. I loved watching her physically stare into the eye of the monster, both physically and mentally and tackle them in any way she could. She's similar to and definitely supposed to be a nod to Nancy in Nightmare on Elm Street. However, Nancy Wheeler is still her own entity. She is able to deal with the men in her life-Steve and Jonathan as well as the monster in front of her, and realizes the fire that burns deep within her. I really like the Nancy character. While she has guys by her through every step of her journey, she doesn't necessarily need them to protect her. They definitely made sure that Nancy could defend herself, and when she does, it's simply awesome. I have always been a Winona Ryder fan. Ever since I first saw her as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice, I was invested in her as an actress. She's somebody that is a perfect fit for Stranger Things. The Joyce Byers character shows how strong a mother can be. It's literally a mother going to the ends of the Earth to find her son. My mother would be going to the Upside Down in a hazmat suit as well to save me as well. What I love about Joyce is while all these people think she's a nutcase, she's out there pounding the pavement, never giving up on Will. She is even able to make everybody realize that what she's saying is true: Jonathan, Chief Hopper, etc. She finds ways to communicate with Will. She's spending every minute trying to find him. She does not rest. I also think it's awesome how well she knows her sons. While we see Chief Hopper evolve as a character, it's really Joyce that causes him to open his eyes and realize what's going on. While Joyce may get scared at things that go on, she keeps going. El, Nancy, and Joyce are all strong in their own ways. All three are connected to the big picture in their own way as well, which is awesome. As a fan female characters, it's great to see how much Stranger Things invests in that.
4. THE MUSIC
While it is important to create intriguing storylines and characters, it's also important to capture a certain atmosphere to make everything more believable. I think the music in this show is it's own character here. The theme music is incredible-it's an original piece, but really brings you back to those classic 80s horror themes that John Carpenter had in his movies. I love that synthesizer. Also, the songs used throughout the episodes are excellent. Should I Stay or Should I Go is an apropos song here. The instrumental music is well composed and really adds to the emotional aspect of El's character, the bond between Mike, Dustin, and Lucas, Nancy trying to find the girl she is inside, and Joyce pounding the pavement to find Will.
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