Stranger Things Earned Its Place as One of Netflix's Defining Shows
Nerdy Up North Podcast
The setup
When Will Byers disappears in Hawkins, Indiana, his friends discover a mysterious girl known as Eleven and learn that their town is connected to a terrifying alternate dimension. What begins as a search for one missing child grows across five seasons into a battle involving the Upside Down, government experiments and a group of characters who spend years growing up together while repeatedly trying to save Hawkins.
Positives
One of Netflix's defining shows; brilliant first season; fantastic ensemble cast; huge character arcs; Hopper, Dustin, Steve, Lucas and Will all develop massively; memorable supporting characters; excellent 1980s atmosphere; music used brilliantly; emotional ending; knows when to finally stop.
Negatives
Some seasons meander; groups are occasionally separated for too long; certain side plots overstay their welcome; some supporting characters simply disappear; Eleven's character development could have gone further; the ambiguous elements of the ending will frustrate some viewers.
Verdict
Stranger Things wasn't perfect for every episode of every season, but very few shows manage to become this big without completely losing what people liked in the first place. At its best it gave us horror, adventure, comedy, brilliant characters and a massive dose of nostalgia without forgetting the friendships underneath it all. Five seasons is enough. Now it gets to be one complete series we can go back and watch from the beginning.
