Stranger Things (Netflix Series)

[KiramidHead]

Just finished off the season, and loved every bit of it. The kids were especially great, and dayummm, Winona still has it.

[Corporal Hicks]

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/stranger-things-finale-duffer-brothers-interview-season-2-1201816664/ Interview with the Brothers. Talks about Season 1 and 2 so spoilers.

[Bughunter S. Thomson]

Great show, highly recommend. An ode to 80's horror and directors such as Carpenter and Spielberg without ever feeling like a rip-off. Everything works great - The acting, the visuals, the music, the story. Only gripe was that a scene in the climax feels a little cheesy, but so did a lot of 80's stuff so I guess it's acceptable. Can't wait for season 2.

[bobby brown]

So great. Loved it.
I now crave a demogorgon actionfigure.

[Perfect-Organism]

I looked around but couldn't find a Stranger Things thread, so I figured I'd start one.  If one already exists somewhere, we can merge them.

So I'm almost done watching this on Netflix.  Pretty good series.  I've never seen such a mix of sci-fi, horror, and fantasy all rolled into one.  There are some specific pop-culture films that are referenced in this series, Alien being one of them.  The directors do a tasteful homage and the result is a really great show.

[Corporal Hicks]

Merged with existing thread. 

[SpreadEagleBeagle]

Such an amazing show in so many different ways. I'm delighted to hear that there is a 99% chance there will be a second season.

However...

Spoiler

As much as I love all the characters in the show, I don't see how they can make a season in the same town and with the same characters without making it repetitive and cheesy. I know they've been talking about exploring the Upside-Down more, dealing with Sarah's death more, Will possibly being changed by the parasite and his time in the other dimension as well as dealing with Ell's death... But still. I'm not a big fan of too many epic and fantastic things happening to the same people at the same place over and over again.

Now, a route that I think would be worth considering for the next season is if it shows up that all of them, without knowing it, are now living in another dimension, or in separate dimensions. Realizing that you are lost and that nothing is essentially "real", would induce panic and fear in most people (I know, it's very Twilight Zone, but what's wrong with that?). Maybe Ell and the Monster are still alive and are the only ones able to correct the damage. They could also explore the origins of the monster, as long as it brings up way more questions than answers.

[close]

[Perfect-Organism]

I just finished watching this.  Really enjoyed it.

Regarding the idea of referencing existing films and stories, I think this couldn't have been better.  Rather than copying things directly, the film mixed ideas in such a cleverly fluid way that it came off as somewhat of a spoof of the times.  It allowed the viewer to engage in a game to try to figure out what was being referenced, at every point.  It really captured the zeitgeist of the 80's.

Here are the referenced films and stories I caught:

ET
Stand By Me
IT
Alien
Poltergeist
Nightmare on Elm Street
X-Files - nineties, I know, but still
X-Men - Ditto

I am sure I missed many nuances.  Anyone caught other film references?

I know Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Dungeons N' Dragons were obviously referenced, but I found that this was a literal reference, and not an implied characteristic reference.

Can't wait for season 2!

[Corporal Hicks]

I thought this might tickle folk!

http://makeitstranger.com/

[monkeylove]

Warning: possible spoilers in these videos

[hfeldhaus]

The kids are great in this. Too much time was spent on teenager storyline, it started to piss me off. It was most likely just the actress who played the missing boys sister. I wouldn't say this is the best show of the year so far. Night Of takes that. Still a very good start.

Anyone else think Wayward Pines season 1 was better? They're similar in feel for me.

[SuicideDoors]

I always love finding something me and my girlfriend mutually love, and this was one. We were enthralled start to finish. Fantastic characters, and such a cool b-movie small town alien invasion vibe that AvP requiem failed to capture

[426Buddy]

Finished the series the other day, was really great!

My wife and I can't get enough, going to be a long wait for season 2.

So many mysteries and questions, I can't wait to explore more of this world.

[Space Invader]

Just finished it, wow , one of my favourite shows now. Also, the music was similar to The Terminator chase theme.

[Perfect-Organism]

I always love finding something me and my girlfriend mutually love, and this was one. We were enthralled start to finish. Fantastic characters, and such a cool b-movie small town alien invasion vibe that AvP requiem failed to capture

You nailed it.  It should have been basically the same vibe, but one worked, the other, well...

Just finished it, wow , one of my favourite shows now. Also, the music was similar to The Terminator chase theme.

Yes!  I used to have Brad Fiedel's music was just amazing in Terminator.  Between that and my Vangelis music, my dorm-mates must have thought I was a couple cans short of a six pack.  (Which I most certainly was)  It was sorely lacking in some of the sequels.

And yes, the score of Stranger Things nailed the vibe..