Strange in ‘Stranger Things’

Watching ‘Stranger Things’ Season Two

As Halloween approaches, students are anxiously awaiting the next season of “Stranger Things.” Whether you loved it or hated it or have not watched it yet, you have probably heard of it one way or another as a hot new show on Netflix.

“When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl,” as self-described on Netflix.

One of the reasons the show is so popular is because of nostalgia since the show takes place in 1983 and is heavily influenced by the 1980s.

“[We] knew it would appeal to people who grew up like us, loving these movies from the ’80s and hoping and praying that would also work for a newer and younger generation,” said the Duffer Brothers, the creators of the show.

This also eliminates the often used plot hole of having the internet and phones to solve the mystery, since the internet and cell phones were not widely used by the public at the time.

In Netflix’s third Quarter, also known as “Stranger Things’s” first debut, quarterly global streaming revenue exceeded $2 billion for the first time (up 36 percent from the previous year).

Netflix also raised the price of subscription from $7.99 a month to $9.99 and then to $10.99 a month after “Stranger Things” released.

If you are a Stephen King fan, you will find some familiarity in “Stranger Things.” The title sequence uses “ITC Benguiat,” the font used in several King titles, and the episode names appear to be similar to King novels.

One of the episode names is actually a King novel: “The Body.”

After King watched the first season he tweeted,”Stranger Things is pure fun. A+. Do not miss it. Winona Ryder shines.”

Another big influence on the show is the director Steven Spielberg, specifically with his movie “ET.” There are many parallels, including the opening scene with the boys playing Dungeons and Dragons while eating sausage and pepperoni pizza.

Also channeling Spielberg, the character Eleven is eerily similar to “ET,” a weird outsider who is scared, alone, and has powers.

The Duffer brothers were rejected more than a dozen more times by mainstream Hollywood before joining with Netflix.

“She is our friend and she is crazy,” the brothers said, using a line they wrote in the show to describe Netflix.

Now if you will excuse me, I am going to binge watch the series all over again.