"Stranger Things" is the best thing Netflix has ever done, full stop. It’s a horror/mystery drama exclusive to the streaming service. The writing, acting, cinematography and probably the craft services are better than any other streaming exclusive show I’ve seen. I devoured the entire season in one sitting. If you haven’t watched it, do that, please. Right now. There are minor spoilers in this articles.
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Great. Now that we’re on the same page, here are some of the ways "Stranger Things" ups the game for premium television.
1. It’s a tribute to some of our most beloved creators...
The general tone of the show is equal parts author Stephen King, director Steven Spielberg and general '80s nostalgia. The way the kids hide Eleven from government agents brings back memories of the ET. The way the kids fight an Lovecraftian menace plaguing a small town is like Stephen King’s "It." Winona Ryder is a dead ringer for the mother looking for her son in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The show name drops King not once but twice, even showing a security guard reading "Cujo." The show’s original score (which I will gush about two entries down) is a love letter to the music of director John Carpenter, whose movie, "The Thing," makes a cameo.
2. …But manages to put a fresh spin on old tropes.
Some media, like "Super 8" or "Kung Fury," lazily co-opts retro imagery in an effort to disguise how uninspiring its content is; shows or movies that do this might seem “vintage," but it’s about as substantive as an Instagram filter. "Stranger Things" isn’t just imitating classic '80s fare; it seems like it could be classic '80s fare. The show’s setting and homages don’t make up for glaring deficiencies; they only enhance the experience.
3. Oh my god, the soundtrack
Fuck, it is so good.
4. The intro sequence
Fuck it is so good.
5. Wynona Ryder crushes it.
You might know Wynona Ryder from "Beetlejuice," "Heathers" or "Edward Scissorhands." She has been in a state of semi-retirement as a result of her very public struggles with depression and anxiety, but "Stranger Things" might be her big comeback. Even though she’s the most well-known actress in the show, she completely disappears in her role as a panicked mother looking for her son. The range of emotions she displays is show stealing.
6. It has child actors that you don’t want to strangle.
Child actors are usually the worst part of any show or movie. "Breaking Bad" is great but Walt Jr.’s role was completely inconsequential. "Terminator 2" is a classic, but it’s a struggle to not mute every scene with shitty teenage John Connor.
"Stranger Things," by some feat of casting or directing magic, manages to have child actors that are charismatic and likable. The kid actors manage to be realistic yet still hold their own with the adult cast; that’s a rare feat, especially with a cast this strong.
7. It has a child actor who is insanely good.
Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the mysterious Eleven, is a name we’re going to keep hearing about for the foreseeable future. She has very few lines and sparse backstory, yet the entire show depends on of the audience connecting with this strange girl. A lesser actor might have made the character feel flat, but Brown wordlessly commands every scene she’s in. Her character is at once sympathetic and unnerving; she might be a terrified little girl, but nobody on the show is completely sure what she’s capable of. It’s a nuanced, subtle performance that still manages to outshine her more experienced co-stars. She, like everything else on this show, deserves a dump truck full of awards.
