Stranger Things is absolutely as good as everyone says it is. When a show is as talked about about as much as this one has been it's hard to live up to expectations. Stranger Things has not only met those expectations but has surpassed them in every way. This is the show that our Netflix on the map as far as original shows go as this was not only one of their first but their biggest. As much as I love this show it's probably time for it for end and it is. This upcoming season is going to be the last. We have literally watched this cast grow up, they were children when this show first started and now they're all in their 20's. I can't wait for this last season and going to miss it when it's gone!
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Rob133111 March 2023
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Supermanfan-1323 January 2023Stranger Things absolutely lives up to all the hype! This worldwide phenomenon has been one of the most talked about shows since it came out back in 2016 and for good reason...it's terrific! It's an absolute blast to watch and will keep you entertained throughout the entire series. This has everything a show needs to be great...action, comedy, drama, suspense, even nostalgia with this show. You really come to care for these characters and what happens to them. Obviously, season 1 was the best but the others are not far off. All are absolutely worth watching and I can't wait for the new season! Season 5 of s going to be its last so hopefully it goes out as good as it started. I can't wait!
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planktonrules23 November 2016"Stranger Things" is a very big surprise. After all, it's a made for Netflix series, so it's going to be cheap and suck...right?! Well, no...fortunately. Despite having mostly no-name actors and a modest budget, this show turned out to be a hit and one that promises to bring us more episodes. At the time I am writing this, the eighth episode has been aired and the series appears over...or so you think until the very end.
So what is this show? Well, in many ways it's like some Steven King novels (particularly "Firestarter"), the 1980s and "Gravity Falls" all mashed up into one really strange but fascinating show.
The show begins with a child being lost into another dimension and his mother is naturally out of her mind with worry. But soon this sense of panic is felt by many in this small community. In the midst of this, a young girl, who is simply named '11' arrives in the town and is hidden by some middle school boys. They know she's being hunted...but what does she have to do with the disappearance as well as folks seeing monsters?! Well, watch this paranoid show and you'll see.
So why was the show so effective and why are so many folks eagerly awaiting more episodes? Well, the writing is terrific and the direction really keeps you on the edge of your seats. The acting is also surprisingly good and overall the package is well worth seeing and will impress you. Far better than network television. -
cherold22 July 2016There is no reason, in terms of story, for Stranger Things to take place in the '80s. But the '80s atmosphere - the dial phones, the chain smoking, Winona Ryder - are there to clue you in on the inspiration for this movie, which is pretty much every supernatural movie from the 80s with a focus on kids. E.T., Poltergeist, that sort of thing.
The wondrous thing is how dead-on this tribute. It's not just the clothes and hair, but the style of acting, the scripting approach, the structure, all hold true to their inspiration. You've got the young nerdy kids, the horny, unsure teenagers, the monster, the mysterious one with the power, the bad science/government people, the conflicted investigator, the tearful mom.
You could argue that this entire season is simply a pastiche made up of recycled elements, and I wouldn't disagree, but it really feels less like a copy and more like something of that era, as though the writers had fallen into a coma in 1985, woke up and got to working.
While it doesn't have the high style of the Spielberg films that are a primary influence, it does have the likability. The story is consistently engaging and fun, the acting is excellent, and the movie has sufficient laughs and tears to satisfy. -
Sleepin_Dragon9 January 2018I am one of those people that was put of by the thought that this was a kid's drama, from the advertising you'd swear this was aimed at a 4 o'clock after school transmission time, the reality is far from that. It's quite intense drama, thoroughly absorbing, the kind of show you can't help but binge watch. As someone that grew up in the Eighties, I can appreciate the detail that's gone into the production, it's like they slipped back and filmed it live, it is incredibly well made. I utterly love the music, it is so fitting, takes me back to wonderful eighties shows. Quality in both season one and two, I like the build up and tension that is abundant in the first. It's like the Goonies meets The Quatermass Experiment.
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EVON1TY13 March 2023I wasn't expecting this nostalgic TV show could be this good. In my opinion technical details in first season was not that charming but not only storyline that gets stranger, also all the technical details getting stranger.
I know first three seasons were quite the same in some ways. But the Season Four explains that situations. Not all minor things, but explains the major questions.
There is some great references to The Thing, E. T., D&D, Middle-earth and even more. That references makes ithe TV Show more exciting. Especially for geeks.
Film Editing was perfect even from the first season.
Cinematography, VFX and Sound is got better in the second season. They were a bit weak at first season.
Makeup, Costume Design, Scores, Art Direction & Set Decoration were quite good from the first season, they get a bit better along the seasons. -
gogoschka-123 January 2018There were two dominating forces in the eighties that had a lasting effect on my cinematic taste for ever after and also resulted in my undying love for fantasy, sci-fi and horror stories: Steven Spielberg and Stephen King. I guess it isn't an overstatement to say "The Two Steves" probably influenced and shaped the imagination - the dreams AND the nightmares - of an entire generation.
The main factor why I loved their movies and books was that kids roughly my own age figured so prominently in many of them. King wrote 'Firestarter', 'It' and 'Stand By Me', and Spielberg either directed or produced (via his company Amblin) 'E.T.', 'The Goonies' and 'Gremlins'. Those were stories where the young protagonists encountered aliens and monsters or where they themselves had supernatural powers - or where they just went on an adventure (to find a body or a long lost treasure) with grown-ups largely out of the picture. Now if you've seen 'Stranger Things', that should sound pretty familiar, right?
Of course it does: because 'Stranger Things' deliberately pays homage to all those stories - and it does it very, very well. And it's not a rip-off, it's a love letter. The show emulates the themes and a certain style from those eighties treasures, and while it is a (for me) very welcome callback to some of the favorite stories from my youth, it's also very much its own thing. I won't give away the plot here (I guess you get a pretty good picture what it's about from what I wrote above), but I would like to mention that it's beautifully shot, the effects and generally the production values are top-notch, and the period-inspired music is fantastic. The biggest shout-out, however, has to go to the ensemble of actors, especially the kids who play the protagonists: their charming performances are the key to why the show works as well as it does.
To sum it all up: If you're an eighties kid like me, this show is a must. For everyone else, it might depend a bit more on whether you're a genre fan or not, but if you do like supernatural stories, 'Stranger Things' is a treat. I'd rate it eight stars out of ten, but with an extra star for nostalgia, that's a 9.
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
Favorite films: IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-Known Masterpieces: imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: imdb.com/list/ls054808375/ -
Can't believe I never reviewed this yet, I was convinced I had. The premiere in 2016 hooked me and never let me go. The show that arguably launched streaming into the mainstream.
Stranger Things is pure nostalgia magic. But saying it just does undersells pretty much every other aspect of the show. Exceptionally solid actors and characters, excellent writing, incredible score, the list goes on.
As far as seasons go, season one is essentially perfect, enough mystery to want more but simple enough to be loved and enjoyed. Captured the magic of the 80s, even if you haven't lived those years. The childlike fun, it takes you right back. Season 2 and 3 try to repeat this but mostly miss out on some of the elements that made season 1, and now season 4 as well.. Horror. They both contain much more mystery and horror and that is one of the big pulls imo of this show, get you on your toes once in a while. S2-3 where focused more on fun, and went a bit too far with the whole Russian mall plot in S3.
I can't overstate how good Season 4 is and feels like a comeback, back to form and for that I cannot wait to see the next season. Stranger Things has a unique hold on 80s nostalgia, a combination of fun and horror. Season 4 manages to really expand on Eleven's story and gives a ton of meaningful depth on her character. We got lot's of time with Papa and everything surrounding it. The villain was good, though his form/the way he took shape didn't impress me as much, I wished it to be more disturbing/scary looking. But it's backstory is what gives the villain strength here. Also the underlying themes of mental health are well executed and never blatantly explained or anything, maybe I'm even reading into it too much but it's definitely the vibe I got. In general season 4 showcases a more diverse set of struggles which some characters have to deal with, sexuality, communication, rejection. Just a very diverse selection with a pretty big cast by now.
Eddie Munson was a fantastic addition to season 4, he grew to be one of the most likable characters in a very short while even whilst they put us on the wrong foot. The stoner friend was alright but never a comedic relief I cared too much about.
Directing has been rock solid the whole series so far, every shot looks beautiful and it just hooks you in. Just fantastic and never slacks. Set design as well, it so much 80s, it's perfectly done.
Combined with the directing and editing the Music is just the finishing touch to making a perfect series like this. The songs are expertly chosen and this show does not shy away from using music as much as they can. Honestly, if they'd use less the show would feel completely different. But that synth is everywhere and you will always know you are watching something in 80s. This could also get old, but hasn't for me as of yet. Music plays a huge part in this show and it just elevates so many scenes, expertly chosen.
Characters, what can I say, wat is there not to like? The writing is just so good for most of them, though sometimes it leans a bit too hard into comedy/cheese but it's alright. They toned it down a lot in S4, S3 being the worst offender of poor(er) writing.
S4 story wise was some of the best, the three different storylines blending into one towards the end. But also the diversity of those storylines was what kept it all so interesting and great to watch. In particular here, even though it was the worst story in S3, the Soviet storyline in S4 was my favorite of the bunch. Harbour gives another excellent performance but Gellman and Ryder also give their best. Djuricko (Yuri) and Wlaschiha (Dimitri) also very great, well written and very enjoyable.
The finale of S4 was great, did it need to be a single episode with a length of two and half hours? Not really, it could've been split up in my opinion. But still it was great, though the stakes were lower in the end than I had hoped (even though that would've hurt). Though whereas other seasons didn't end on as heavy of a cliffhanger, this one did. And we know exactly what were are in for with Season 5. The final season. Regarding music, notably they used the ''When It's Cold I Like to Die.'' and my god, that's one heavy song that slapped me in the face, I've heard it before so I knew what was coming after those first few piano notes. Great choice but a gut puncher.
I would have a lot more to say if I edited this review season by season but I never did until now, too late. I'm sure this series will go down as one of the big ones. Maybe it already is but it still needs to stick the landing. And I can't wait for that. But I will be sad that a show like this will be hard to replicate again. You really do get jealous of people who lived the 80s, though of course, it's romanticized here by a lot. -
magnoliacream22 June 2022Season after season, this always leaves me feeling amazed, exhilarated and fully satisfied. There is an element of familiarity, even cliche, about the stories involving aliens, monsters, lab experiments, orphans and family relationships, yet the way they are presented is both nostalgic and magical.
It's definitely one of the best series on Netflix. -
pnxrxvgcfg4 July 2022Season 4 deliver on everything I hoped to see, even though the gruesomeness is sometimes a bit much. I love the old school vibe, characters and character development these guys go through!! Greatest series I have ever watched !!!!
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cc007710 July 2022I just finished the last episode of season 4 and that was QUITE THE EXPERIENCE, I was shocked by how long the episode was but every second of it was entertaining. Season 3 was personally my favorite because I think that season had the most comedic scenes, and it just felt very vibrant in general. I LOVED HOPPER AND JOYCE and I'm so excited to see them in future seasons as well. So excited for season 5!!
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personalhonor23 September 2020Awesome characters, great story, great balance between drama and action, love the humour in the series.... In my opinion it is a must watch.
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I don't know what happened but this is a different show, it's almost a comedy now. Everything about it feels off, the pacing, the directing, the dialogue and writing, even the characters are almost caricatured versions of themselves. Only fitting that My Bologna by Weird Al played in the second episode.
First two seasons were great, S3 is a parody of those two. -
Season 1 was pretty good. Season 2 regular OK. But they ruined everything on 3rd season turning it into a childish sunday afternoon movie, full of cliches, sketchy BD-like villans and failed attempts to make comedy wich ended up destroying all the great misterious atmosphere of the 1st season. It's a shame.
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From_the_Future15 July 2016It can hook you immediately, everything seems fitting , the setting , the acting , the direction. Just as it should be. Bringing out the perfect blend of 1980s nostalgia. It gives mixture of taste of big 80's movies.
You immediately get hooked with the story , which is amazing because it takes time for me to get invested in a story.
I have been a fan of David Harbour Since the Newsroom , and he is just amazing.
You're scared , Intrigued , you're completely invested. With perfect setting.
I am really looking forward to where this goes from here on in. -
slayerjmk9515 July 2016Stranger Things is the newest foray into Netflix's original programming, of which brings us their most impressive- and strange- production to date. When a young boy named Will Byers goes missing, his friends, mother and the town are thrust into a conspiracy involving a mysterious girl named Eleven and something even more sinister hiding in the woods of Hawkins, Indiana.
From the get-go, you can tell this is an homage to classic '80s Spielberg, drawing on E.T. and Close Encounters, as well as JJ Abrams' Super 8. But, as the show progresses, it becomes more and more like a twisted Stephen King story set in a Spielberg movie. It becomes a dark and twisted ride into an even darker and more disturbing world where the stakes feel higher than anything before it.
I can't go into great detail because spoiling even just a bit of the story takes away from the greater mystery, but I can say, it's one of the most thrilling and intense series to be on TV, without being on TV. If it were to continue, they have to pull the same punches they did with the first season, because they took a great many clichés, and somehow made them fresh and surprising, save for just a couple that they purposefully left cliché. -
TurnWolf15 July 2016With its amazing 80s atmosphere and creepy X-files meets E.T feel this show is set to impress. Within its first 8 minutes of run time I could tell I had found something special here in Stranger Things.
Its intriguing story gives information at a great pace and I never felt myself getting confused of bored and there were enough twists or turns to keep me interested. This also had some rather great horror sequences and their use of lights flickering while yes a common trope fit so well in to the story I was on the edge of my seat every time the crackle of electricity shot through my speakers and the lights flickered.
The characters of the show are the true stars here, I loved every single one of them. They were all great with amazingly interesting flaws and the way they mix and clash with one another was fun to see unfold. They certainly help to carry this show although I would say that the government antagonists of the show felt a little flat and under developed and not nearly as memorable.
Production values are also quite good with some beautiful cinematography, editing, lighting and sound. My goodness I loved their music choices. I would say that the CGI does look a little obvious and from time to time I did notice some issues where the scenes didn't look quite up to scratch. I do think however I've been spoiled for visual quality since Game of Thrones so I would take that criticism with a grain of salt because it certainly didn't detract from the overall experience. The setting and style of everything in the locations where also great to see and felt real and interesting. The way everything was shot also captures every moment expertly and really helps to draw out those story moments with greater emotion.
Stranger Things is one of those special shows that I stumbled across and after the opening I knew I was hooked. Its exciting dark tale is expertly woven through its 8 episode run time and I know I will be back to re-watch this one. The ending is fairly well rapped up with a few loose story threads left hanging, with a promise for potential follow on seasons but the story is quite satisfyingly rapped up by the end. Memorable, exciting, dark and haunting Netflix knocks Stranger Things out of the park, 10/10. -
linakmustafa4 July 2022This is show is one of the best shows ever. The last season is just amazing and I love it!! I hope that there wil be more seasons to watch in future. Also Joseph Quinn character in the show was amazing.
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I've been trying to put my reaction to this series into cohesive sentences - even cohesive thoughts - and I just can't seem to do it. "Stranger Things" blended the best parts of some of the great 80's sci-fi films from "E.T." to "Poltergeist" to "The Goonies" to my all time favorite, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." It was simply brilliant, and brings you back to a time when you were still able to feel a sense of wonder.
Though there are plenty of thrilling moments, this film does not rely on heavy CGI or jump-scares. It focuses on relationships between parents and children, best friends, and even a touch of romance. It takes you on a journey from a parent's worst nightmare to the resilience of those who rely on friends and cling to hope.
Also - you'll never look at Christmas lights the same way again. -
chiragrathod1923 January 2023Stranger Things as a whole is one of the best shows I have seen so far. First three seasons have been exciting and stunning but season 4 is extraordinary 👌🏻. The Duffer Brothers knock it out of the park for what I believe that this series is one of the best netflix series so far. There are so many twists and turns and it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. This is one of the most addicting series that I have ever watched. I love the characters so much! The storylines and characters are so fleshed out and watching it gets me emotional and millies acting is superb. Can't wait for season 5.
From me 10/10 rating for this masterpiece❤. -
abbykitkatyomama24 July 2021!!!SMALL SPOILER FROM END OF EPISODE ONE!!!
This is my absolute favorite show. I give it a 10/10! I watched this show with my sister and I loved it so much! The way they just made the show makes you feel like you are a part of it. Like when will goes missing you wonder "what is that!?" or "no willllll!" you just feel like you are a part of the show! But a warning be careful because you will most likely get addicted! There are a bit of jump scares but there's also so many beautiful moments. The episodes are a bit long but it all pays off! Anyways, I totally recommend! -
navjotsingh-664017 July 2022This show has been amazing since the first season.
I remember when the show first came out. It was scary, eerie and had that unique 80s feeling to it.
The story of this show is unique, and the concept of the upside down is just fascinating...and scary.
I have just watched season 4 and it was nothing short of amazing. The way the characters have grown throughout the show, and the way all the seasons tie in with eachother is truly awesome.
I cannot wait for the final season to come out, and I'm sad that an amazing show like this is coming to an end. Hopefully, there will be opportunities for maybe a mini spin off series or something related to the stranger things universe in the future...but that's just wishful thinking.
If you haven't watched this show, I highly recommend you do. -
I guess plenty of people have said a lot of things about all the movie and TV references this series has and how it recreates the eighties in all their faults and splendor. I will not add to that.
With the release of the second season I'd simply like to advise that both seasons are very different animals. Think of it as the difference between the original Alien movie and the Aliens sequel: Whereas the first season was more about an unknown and unseen horror and the mystery behind the backstory, the second has more in-your-face action and horror laced with character development arcs which feel nice but sometimes sidetrack the series a bit.
Consequently, a fan of the show should probably watch the second season as a separate work of fiction rather than a true continuation of the first season in tone and spirit. The writers move the story forward and we get a very good piece of entertainment but the new season has to be judged on its own merits.
EDIT: Season 3 turned out to be a huge change in tone for the series. Maybe it's really hard keeping up the mystery if much of the "world" of Stranger Things already yielded many of its secrets but the overall "feel" of the series went into a different direction. Maybe the writers simply ran out of 80' templates to rip off. Season 1 was very much inspired by supernatural horror as in "Poltergeist". Season 2 took many cues from "Creature Features" like "Gremlins" or "Aliens". Season 3 now uses elements of 80' zombie flicks and low budget gore horror with a little bit of spy comedy mixed in (and fight scenes which feel straight out of "Die Hard"). All those genres didn't really mix well in the 80' and this strange cocktail sure doesn't work today. That doesn't mean that Season 3 is bad. It simply relies on characters who were established in previous seasons which used very different 80' story elements and tropes. It's almost like seeing Darth Vader in an Indiana Jones movie. Both work on their own but not together.
Basically, Season 3 is an all too transparent attempt to plough a fresh nostalgia field but it doesn't work in the context of previous seasons. -
cedrichudson9 July 2022I've enjoyed stranger things from seasons 1 through 4. In season 4, they took a lot of ideas from the Nightmare on Elm Street movies and made them their own. Still held its own. Overall great season. I wish we could have gotten 12-15 episodes.
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mmxool10 July 2019Season 1 = 9/10, season 2 = 7/10, season 3 = 2/10. Season 3 what a joke. No plot, no story, nothing new, cheesy, cliche, just plain annoying dialogues, illogical, cringey. CRINGEY! What a woeful, horrid season. Writers and producers should be ashamed.