Stranger things is what you get if the classic TV show Twilight Zone is crossed with the Disney movie Enchanted. The story for this series is set in the '80s when the Landline was the cutting edge of communications technology. But it manages to serve up the nostalgia of that time with the fast-paced storytelling style of today. Read on to find out if this weird sounding series is your cup of tea.

Stranger Things Plot Summary

Stranger Things starts off with a suspense-filled scene where a group of people who look like scientists is being hunted in an underground facility. The scene is edge of the seat stuff. A lone person in a lab coat is trying to close elevator doors with lights flickering in a long dark hallway. 

This cuts to kids playing Dungeons and Dragons in a basement. One of these kids

(Will Byers) goes missing in the town of Hawkins in the US where they live. The connection between these scenes is that an interdimensional gateway is discovered that lets monsters out and leads people into it. 

The plot is centred around how this interdimensional gateway is closed, stopping an invasion of sorts. On the way to saving the world, government conspiracies and human experimentation are uncovered. There is telekinesis, telepathy, people falling in love, and more.

Unique Things

Stranger Things has great visuals and good depth to its characters. It has great casting with Winona Ryder playing the missing boy's mother and energetic young preteens who are fresh new faces. It has a background score that is calm and reminds one of life in the suburbs. The title theme, of course, is thrilling and what made me start watching in the first place. The title Stranger Things is a callback to the era of Neon lights- the iridescent red glowy letters ( u can almost imagine the buzzing ). It has a good blend of CGI and actual stunts. The characters actually grow significantly as individuals,  as the plot moves forward. This is rarely seen in most series. 

Similar Things

Stranger things has drawn inspiration from shows like "The Outer Limits" and the "The Twilight Zone". It pays tribute to them through subtle similarity in plot and music. It also reminds one of the Stephen King novel-turned-movie "The Mist". It sees people trapped in a supermarket and surrounded by a thick fog while monsters pour in out of the fog. This also has an interdimensional gateway. There is also a light X-Files vibe if it was slightly older. 

Of course, there is a clear reference to the Steven Spielberg movie E.T where the alien is carried in a bike basket. A central character named Elle ( short for Eleven ) flips a truck while sitting on a kiddie bike in the front.

All Things Put Together

This series has something for everyone. There are good character arcs, there are action and suspense. There's young love and sacrifice. This is a soulful endeavor that will leave you wanting more. Give it a go

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