Netflix’s new sci-fi thriller, “Stranger Things” became available to stream July 15 and viewers as well as critics have not been able to stop watching since. The eight episode series follows the story of the search for 12-year-old Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) who mysteriously goes missing one rainy night in 1983 Indiana. Byers’ mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) and his three friends follow the trail with the hopes that he is still alive despite the theory that he has been taken by a monster that threatens their lives the closer they get to finding Byers. Every episodes brings new twists, mystery and beautiful cinematic imagery to the screen leaving you clicking “next episode” as soon as your trembling fingers can reach the mouse.

1. The Duffer Brothers, twins Matt and Ross, drew inspiration from Steven Spielberg, Stephen King and John Carpenter when creating the show. This creates some spot on nostalgia of 1980’s horror films that gripped audiences and dominated box offices.
2. Much like “Jaws” viewers do not get a clear glimpse of the monster that torments the cast. It may be seen in a photograph, darting across the background, or just in a close up, but is not in a full wide shot showing it’s true form. This leaves audiences speculating and dramatizing the creature even more in their head.
3. Winona Ryder, our ’80s/‘90s queen who starred in hits such as “Heathers” and “Edward Scissorhands,” gives an amazing emotional performance that quickly draws viewers in. Watching a mother experience grief and anger over her missing child is heart wrenching. She does not give up on her boy, no matter what.
4. This movie does not look like any other decade piece. Like “Super 8,” the Duffer Brothers wanted their film to have the appearance that it was shot during its time. While they filmed with a digital cinema camera, they added a layer of scanned film grain to create the vintage coloring you see in the series.
5. As Byers disappears, the three friends Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas Sinclair( Caleb McLaughlin) are met by a mysterious mute girl with a shaved head. She has escaped from somewhere bad, but where?
6. This girl, Eleven as she calls herself or “El” for short, speaks few words and audiences learn puzzle pieces of her story through flashbacks episode by episode? Did she escape from where Byers disappeared to?
7. Eleven is not only tough but has telekinetic powers that help the boys in their quest and create some spectacular special effects thanks to the crew.
8. Many characters go through beautiful development throughout the series but Eleven’s stands out. Through the help of the boys she is able to learn to trust again finding true friends for the first time and accepts herself as being beautiful despite her dark past.
9. Of course there is a love triangle. Wheeler’s older sister Nancy (Natalia Dyer) is torn between bad boy turned sweet Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and the older brother of missing Byers and outsider, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). Wheelers and Harrington’s love is unexpected with the goody-two-shoes and jock dynamic. I was first against Harrington being a bad influence on Wheeler but she changes him instead making me love the pair. Wheeler and Byers also grow close in the pursuit of Byers’ brother and Wheelers’ friend Barb Holland (Shannon Purser) who seem to have disappeared in similar ways. Which boy does Wheeler choose?
10. The show explores the world of sci-fi without becoming too over the top or unrealistic as some other 1980s works of the same genre were guilty of. The special effects and subtleties that are worked into the series applies the perfect mix of terror and reality to suck audiences into the shows world.