Let’s Get Reel: Stranger Things

Who: Three 10-year-old boys and a peculiar little girl

Where: Presumably middle-country USA

When: 1970’s

Initial thoughts: This is weird; Why do I find this so scary?; I am kind of into this; Did I just move that cup with my brain?

It began like any good Netflix binge does: you think about all the work you have to do, you plan out how you will finish all the work you have to do, you then write down a list of all the work you have to do, then you put that list away and accept the reality that thinking about the work you have to do was enough work in itself.

It was a Saturday, early afternoon, spirits were high but motivation was low. Naturally, my three roommates and myself took to the couch to find a show to watch, and happened to decide on “Stranger Things.”

Why: There was a lot of hype around the series and you hate to be the one who isn’t in the loop. It looked kind of spooky and it was rare that all four of us were together in the house so we knew we would be a fraction less afraid.

We were all just generally indifferent about our choice as long as it meant we weren’t doing work.

Personally, I wasn’t sold, at first, by the sci-fi premise and the young protagonists. I thought it was going to be some artsy spin-off of “Pretty Little Liars” or something like that (in all honesty, “Pretty Little Liars” was a good show so I am not throwing any judgment).

I don’t claim to be a film expert—I will argue until the day that I die that Beyoncé’s Lemonade will forever be the best thing to ever grace a filmstrip—however I can appreciate the complexity and detail of this series’ storyline. I am a slow TV-show watcher, so I can’t say that I have finished the season, however I am thoroughly intrigued and engaged in the story. The show does a good job at keeping you interested to the point where you are not sure if you are fully understanding what you are watching, but you keep going instead of rewinding because you are sure that it will make sense eventually.

I was worried that the show would try and make the main characters, a trio of ten-year-old-boys too overdone, but they do a good job at balancing all that is good, and equally bad about 10-year-olds, while not playing it up to the point where it’s too much.

My only criticism is that I wish the “horror” element was more relatable. I’m not a huge sci-fi person, and while I don’t consider this full-blown sci-fi, I do wish that the show had a more realistic villain. This is a double-edged sword, because I’m thankful for no nightmares, but I’m also up for a more chilling story.

I’m excited to see where the show will go—I think there is something to say about the fact that I’m still excited to pick it back up, even after having taken a hiatus from the series a week ago!

Not sure if this clarified any questions or has motivated you to tune in, but I can say that it is worth a view during your next lazy Saturday afternoon!