T.V. Show Review: Stranger Things

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The new drama series, Stranger Things, is a Netflix Original that leaves fans waiting for more.

Skyllar Dickerman, Staff Reporter

What happened to Will Byers, what’s the Upside Down, and who’s the girl with the shaved head? These questions are circulating heavily as the new hit TV show Stranger Things recently came out with its first season. The Netflix original series centers around a boy named Will Byers who mysteriously disappears. His three best friends, family, and town sheriff go looking for him, and come across a mysterious little girl with telekinetic powers, mysteries of the town, a force more powerful than they imagined. The supernatural thriller has had many viewers and reviews, although Netflix doesn’t keep viewership statistics. Professional reporters and regular teens alike have fallen in love with this short, but action packed series.

There are many reasons why this show has been hyped ever since its first season release. What catches the eyes of most people who don’t know anything about the show is that it’s only eight episodes long. It’s just the right length to give time to each specific character and plot point, but not too long that there is a monotonous amount of filler. It gets right to the point, but also gives leeway to the emotions and plot twists that appear recurrently in the show.

Stranger Things really has it all. The amount of genres that fit into this one show can appeal to anyone. Titled as a horror mystery, it also has a large humor side to it, making viewers laugh, get jump-scared, try to figure out clues, and smile at the relatable characters all in the same hour. The cliff-hanger endings to each episode has everyone hurriedly clicking to the next one, but it still gives people answers to large problems, not leaving any stone unturned.

What’s great about Stranger Things, and opinionated to be the best aspect, is how great the acting and setting is. In most shows, kid actors aren’t very talented and you can tell wholeheartedly that what you’re watching is through a camera and on a set. But that’s not with this show, though. Every child actor has impeccable performance, showing you that their age is truly young with their kid-like wonder and fearfulness in scary situations, but also not over exaggerating anything. The teens aren’t played by 20-something year olds like in Teen Wolf, High School Musical, or basically any other “teenage” movies and TV shows. Characters like Jonathan Byers and Nancy Wheeler are played by actual teenagers, making the show real and believable. Along with this, the 1980’s setting is completely accurate, referencing pop culture from the time. Even the minute details like what’s for breakfast, the way the homes are set up, clothing, and most definitely, the amount of smoking from most characters, feels extremely homely to the 80’s vibe Stranger Things illustrates.

The only thing wrong with this show is that many believe that the second season won’t hold up to the first. Yes, that was heard correctly. The only skepticism against Stranger Things is that it was so good, many are afraid the writers won’t be able to make another season that’s as amazing as the first. And if it’s really thought about, that’s not the worst problem a TV show can have. Overall, Stranger Things is an action packed thriller recommended to anyone who has Netflix. It’s short and sweet, but still leaves everyone on the edge of their seats, waiting for more. The second season comes out in a 2017, so nobody should procrastinate watching this series.