So... Hi.
I was supposed to have blog posts up last week. I mean, I had them planned and just needed to find time to actually write. But... well... Stranger Things happened.
I was already struggling with time, since I finally gave in to pausing my reading of the Chronicles of Elantra and start The Night Circus by Emily Morgensten, and I had decided to marathon Penny Dreadful. Both demanded attention because they were good, but I figured the time to write could be found somehow.
When Stranger Things premiered, though, I just couldn't resist, what with my social media feed was all about how wonderful it was. If there was ever a TV series to binge-watch, this was it. It took me five days to finish it, and in toddler-world, that's the equivalent of binge-watching.
When Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair and Will Byers finished their Dungeons and Dragons game and said goodbye to each other, little did they know that Will would end up missing. Chief Jim Hopper begins a search which leads him to Hawkins Laboratory, led by Dr. Martin Brenner. Will's brother Jonathan conducts his own search, as their mother Joyce seems to be losing her mind over the incident. Mike's sister Nancy starts dating Steve, and ends up alienating her best friend Barb, who also mysteriously disappears. Mike, Dustin and Lucas's own search for Will leads to a meeting with the mysterious girl, Eleven.
My first memories of film and TV series watching were the products of the 80s. My dad, in particular, was a fan of the decade's adventure films... the ones that started the trend of measuring a film's success with ticket sales. E.T., Jaws and Star Wars were the benchmarks for blockbuster films, and the visual media of the time featured storytelling that would endure over the decades. And what makes those films great are what Stranger Things is trying to achieve.
Stranger Things is a dream to watch. Firstly, the story is excellent, featuring a core mystery of a missing child (and later, people) and a dark figure that should only exist in nightmares. The buildup to the reveal of what lurks in the dark (and the rare, even more horrifying daytime appearance) is one that is rife with tension, with every major character finding themselves terrorized at the idea that they or their loved ones could fall prey to it. Every revelation is punctuated to great effect by the excellent background music, and I found myself watching through the end credits just because the music or sound effects they choose prolongs the overall experience imparted by every episode.
The cast is more than solid, with Winona Ryder giving Joyce Byers the right mix of concern and wide-eyed abandon in believing the unbelievable in her efforts to find her son. Matthew Modine's Dr. Brenner is a great antagonist, reminding viewers that while a literal monster lurks in the shadows, it's still possible to find a different kind of monster in humans. The fact that Eleven calls him "Papa" despite all he makes her do just pushes the viewers into wishing that his comeuppance come in the most satisfying of manners, even if you know it won't come soon. But it's the children in this story who really shines.
Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin played their roles as Mike, Dustin and Lucas believably. It's not hard to imagine how their particular mix of personalities would end up in friendship, even if they don't always end up agreeing. And it's the kids you root for, no matter how foolhardy their independent search for Will seems, especially when they have Eleven in tow. And can I just say that Millie Bobby Brown is perfectly cast as Eleven, giving the character the right combination of innocence and power. In every scene where she displays her determination, supernatural powers notwithstanding, you want to find somebody to share a high five with.
There's a lot to praise in Stranger Things, with its great story and stellar cast, and it's made all the more effective by how it was produced. The sets and costume are believably steeped in everything you can recall about the 80s (or what you would have watched from films that actually came from the 80s), giving you a sense of nostalgia if you have memories of the decade. The lack of technology that makes everything so easy to research these days give the series a sense of challenge, and I found myself feeling fond of good old Mr. Clarke, the boys' science teacher who is their own version of Google and can be relied upon to discuss topics like alternate dimensions and sensory deprivation tanks. Nancy and Jonathan's equally cowboy attitude in trying to kill the creature on their own provides a different flavor of problem-solving to the story, theirs featuring a sense of shedding of teenage innocence that contrasts with the boys' approach to Will's disappearance more akin to an adventure.
What elevates the series further is the sense of dread and suspense building. I've mentioned its excellent background music and sound effects, but I must emphasize just how much this makes Stranger Things such a joy to watch... even if it can lead to scares, as it should. Balancing that, though, is a sense of wonder. It's not as prevalent in the series, but there are characters that experience it and there are scenes that highlight it... that joy of discovery, of finding answers, no matter how vague their actual import at the time.
If you break down the different elements of Stranger Things, you might consider that it's not entirely original, whether in featuring kids at the center, a monster that lurks in the dark, a dubious research facility, concerned parents, or teenagers who are trying to be adults in their decision making. Yet, the sum of all the parts assembled by the Duffer Brothers leaves you with something memorable to watch. Something that stays with you.
And nearly a week since I watched the last scene that left an ending that raises questions as much as closure, Stranger Things is still in my mind. Wouldn't you want to experience that for yourself?
Happy viewing!!Labels: Adventure, Drama, Horror, Must-Watch, Netflix, Sci-fi, Stranger Things, Streaming, Supernatural, Thriller, TV
