Against my better judgment, I ignored the long list of TV shows I needed to catch up on and hopped on the "Stranger Things" bandwagon last week.

The eight-episode sci-fi horror series quickly garnered enthusiastic viewers and positive reviews upon its release last month on Netflix.

Set in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana in 1983, 12-year-old Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) mysteriously disappears one night, prompting his panicked mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) to seek the help of a skeptical Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour). Will's friends Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) start their own investigation and stumble upon a mysterious girl who calls herself Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and seems connected to Will's disappearance. Pretty soon, everyone involved finds themselves neck-deep in paranoia, shady government experiments and... aliens?

If you're hesitant about watching the show because you're not sure if it's right for you, below is a rundown of what to expect and why so many people fell in love with it.

1. It's the ultimate homage to the '80s

Other than their firm commitment to immersing their audience in the time period, show creators the Duffer Brothers also made sure to meticulously reference many of their favorite films of the time, including, but not limited to: "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial," "Star Wars," "Alien," "The Shining," "The Nightmare on Elm Street," and many more.

"Stranger Things" is clearly a passion project at its core, and the Duffer Brothers' love and enthusiasm for it was enough to make me feel uncharacteristically nostalgic while I was watching it.

But I was born in the late '90s. Go figure.

2. It has top-notch production quality

Netflix original series have gained a reputation for how well-crafted they are, and "Stranger Things" is no exception.

The Duffer Brothers could have easily gone for a more campy tone and gotten away with it, but everything about the show--from the attention to small details to the realistic (and sometimes pretty gross) special effects--is delightfully engaging.

3. The music is catchy

A solid soundtrack is an integral facet of any type of visual entertainment that requires it because it's so important in setting up the environment.

While "Stranger Things" features many '80s pop hits, most notable The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go," it's the original compositions by Texas-based quartet S U R V I V E that truly encapsulates the eerie tone and mood of the show. You can learn a lot just by listening to the main theme.

4. It's predictable yet refreshing

"Stranger Things" is definitely not the most original production and it's aware of that fact. As mentioned above, it's an '80s homage. Not only is it filled with endless references, it's also chock full of cliches and tropes.

However, its execution of said cliches and tropes is handled tactfully; stereotypical characters are fleshed out, plot twists happen and it's fun for everyone.

5. It's more thriller than horror

This doesn't mean that "Stranger Things" doesn't have horror elements; it definitely has its gory moments and jump scares, so the faint of heart might still need something to hold on to. But as someone who doesn't particularly enjoy horror and spent the entirety of "The Conjuring" with my knees to my chest and hands covering my face, I didn't have a problem with watching "Stranger Things" with the lights off while also wearing headphones.

That said, horror fans will still get a kick out of the mounting tension and the finer aspects of the scary scenes.

These five points are nowhere near close to all the praises I can sing of "Stranger Things" but hopefully, it's a good start. Even if you're still unsure, Netflix is already talking about commissioning a second season, so what have you got to lose?