Less than a week ago one of the year's most exciting shows dropped on Netflix. Netflix originals are better than anything on TV and Stranger Things is no exception. "Stranger Things" is an 80's themed supernatural thriller. From the music to the clothing, everything about this show screams 80's. Created and directed by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things really does an impressive job of taking you back in time and keeping you on the edge of your seat. With each episode representing a chapter, the series tells the story of the search and mystery behind a missing boy, Will Byres in eight absolutely gripping episodes.

If you haven't checked out the first episode yet, do yourself a favor and check it out now. The opening credits will give you goosebumps with it's 80's synthesizers music and title screen that resembles Dark Shadows. The way the show is structured reminds me of a Vince Gilligan series (i.e Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) where more mystery, depth, and conflict is added before anything else is even explained in the slightest. It's a kind of structure that keeps you reeled in episode by episode and leaves you with your jaw on the floor when it all comes together.

Review of Season One

Now when I watch episode one, I was already hooked in the first 15 minutes. One thing about this show that I really like is it doesn't play around. Literally every second has some sort of tie or crucial important to the show. There is no fluff, the show gets right to it and that is why only 8 episodes were needed this season. At first, I thought the boys playing Dungeons and Dragons was just to set up the 80's feel in an attempt to be fun. In all honesty it felt like a nickelodeon show at this point. However little did I know that the dungeons and dragons game would be an crucial staple in the story line later on. The first scene between the boys is a little goofy, but it does set up the characters rather quickly.

What you don't see is scarier than what you do see. This was the logic used when creating Jaws. I felt like this show used the same logic whenever the demogorgon. In the first episode you see the monster just enough to know it's otherworldly,but not enough to really tell what it is. The fact that you don't see exactly what it does to Will is scarier than knowing what it did do.

Now at this point it seems like it's just going to be a missing boy story with an alien sci-fi element. I think one of the best things going for this, is that it isn't an alien really, and they don't really explain what it is. They just use Dungeons and Dragons as a comparison. Winona Ryder plays Will's Mother and shortly after we are introduced to Chief Hopper. Played by David Harbour, I absolutely hated this character in the beginning and it was in episode four when he discovers that Will's body is fake that he became my favorite character. Could by the hat, could by the sound of his voice, but Chief Hopper felt like an Indiana Jones.

I can't like the owner of the restaurant that Eleven goes to was my favorite character of episode one and I was so sad when they killed him off. Mike, Lucas and Dustin felt like they could've easily been characters from The Goonies. Dustin was sort of annoying to me in the first episode because he has some really cheesy lines. However, out of the three he easily was my favorite by the end. I struggled to like Lucas for the longest time because he was always so negative, but it took that falling out between him and Mike to redeem himself. By episode seven his role was clear and he turned into a great character. While that may seem pretty late in the season, Steve didn't really redeem himself until the final episode. But he turned up in a big way.

There are so many intertwining story lines in the show, but honestly they are all on par with one another. My personal favorite was Chief Hopper's, because I definitely thought he was going to get killed off for knowing too much. Nancy's story line, *at it's core,* was the only one that was pretty predictable. I say that because, besides searching for Barb (which intertwines with a few more), hers was just bouncing between two boys, which if season two follows the same characters I'm sure that one will continue.

The Hawkin's corporation story line is the kind of one that has you messed up. Eleven is the only product of these mind altering experiments that we get to meet. Millie Brown plays eleven and she is easily the best actress in the show. Eleven doesn't talk much which means she must emote through her facial expressions and body language and she masters that. She honestly does such an incredible job of making you feel her pain it makes you want to cry sometimes. Her and Mike's inevitable romance is the cutest thing, and definitely brings on the water works in the final episode where she gives her life to save his.

Now while the show makes you want to believe that killing the demogorgon destroyed her, a smart viewer will know that it can't be the end. When Mike still has her bed set up after a month it breaks your heart and I was honestly hoping that, because it was Christmas time that she would give Mike a sign through the lights. However Chief Hopper implies that she is alive somehow, when he visits the forest leaving her food, including her favorite, Eggo Waffles.

Where The Show Can Expand

Now let me start by saying, in no way does this show need a season two. The Duffer Brothers left plenty of room for a season two in the final episode. I have quite a few questions that I'm sure can and will be answered in the next season. First is what exactly was the agreement that Hopper made with Dr. Brenner at Hawkins because he told Will's mom one thing, but I think it was only partly true. I say that because after Hopper leaves the hospital he gets in a van with people from Hawkins indicating something. While it is implied that Dr Brenner is killed, I think Hawkin's is far from over with.

My second question is where did that slug that Will coughed up go and what will it spawn or morph into? Clearly Will is somehow infected still. He flushed the slug down the drain, but where will that lead the slug and can the slug evolve or open another door to the upside down? Also something weird was how Will just transported to the upside down for literally half a second. I think this could possibly lead to Will being a major asset to rescuing someone from the upside down in the future. Also will Will's dad ever come back into play?

I think everyone's big question is where is Eleven? I would like to see her come back, but at the same time I think the series can go in an entirely different direction. I could easily see a season two having nothing to do with anyone from season one, but existing in the same world and the same upside down. I could easily see a season two exploring the other ten experiments from Hawkins and if they are capable of different powers. Another thing to possibly explore that would be great for the emotional plane of the show is somehow reuniting eleven with her mother.

Finally the upside down. We don't know a whole lot about the upside down besides the fact that the air is toxic, it's an alternate reality, and demogorgons spawn there. Are there more demogorgons or their eggs lying around? What kind of other creatures might live in the upside down? After all, we never saw exactly what killed Barb. Finally, are there other versions of the upside down that could possibly be opened releasing more creatures into the world?

Regardless, season one was incredible and whether there is a season two or not, I'll definitely be looking forward to whatever the Duffer brothers put out next.