What would you do if a kid with powers was the only thing standing in between you and the end of the world…? The Netflix series Stranger Things by The Duffer Brothers is one of the most watched English-language TV shows with 1.2 billion views across all five seasons. It recently concluded last year, so I figured I should give my opinion and recommend the show to others. I first watched Stranger Things because it was based on kids my age getting themselves into mysteries. This series is definitely my favorite so far and it was very sad to see it end.
Stranger Things follows a group of kids in a small town who discover a secret government experiment and a parallel universe called the Upside Down. Stranger Things is a mix of different types of genres: horror, romance, mystery, and supernatural. The story takes place in Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s. Even though there are many memorable characters in the series, there are five main characters that shape the entire show: Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin. The first season premiered July 15, 2016 and the final season ended December 31, 2025.
It took 10 years to make five seasons, and they spent every day working and writing to put as much detail and backstory to each episode. They brought new monsters to surprise the audience every soon. Multiple times through the series they put flashbacks or referred back to different episodes like season 4, episode 9 named “The Piggyback” this whole episode they include new monsters in the Upside Down and character sacrifices that made the episode more interesting.
Two of the best seasons in my opinion were Season 3 and 5. In Season 3 they introduce a new character named Robin, who plays a significant role by helping the original group of kids uncover a secret Russian code that leads them to a government mystery. I liked season 3 so much that I couldn’t even give you a favorite episode because they all had their own perks to them.They chose really good actors and it made it feel realistic. Along with the hours spent on special effects makeup, CGI, and camera angles it made the audience feel a lot of emotion in the show. With the editing process you need good music choice also. Since music is one of the most important factors of the show, you need to choose wisely considering the time period.
There were many strengths with this show; there was a memorable cast, an engaging mystery, and high production values. But by the end of the show, there are way too many characters; for example season 5, episode 7 “The Bridge,” there are approximately 13-16 people in a group that used to have 4-7 people. This leads to plots that drag, like in season 2, episode 7 “The Lost Sister,” which had no place in the show. (In the final season, this plot gets brought back up but it includes an ending that many people were annoyed by.) Each season the same structure is repeated, their lives are back to normal and then a new monster appears to attack them once again. It’s almost too predictable.
Stranger Things producers put so much time and effort into editing each episode, so the fictional monsters looked realistic. The target audience for Stranger Things is teens/adults who are interested in mystery/horror genres. Since this series has a long run time, it’s a good binge show. It’s good to watch when you have a lot of free time or start watching it now and do an episode a night to make it a part of your day. And even if you finish the series, there is also a spin-off on Netflix called Stranger Things: Tales from ’85.
