The Strange Thing About Stranger Things
Netflix favorite beginning to feel a bit off?
Stranger Things is a Netflix television series created by The Duffer Brothers. The show premiered on screen in 2016, with the first episode being released July 15 of that year. Stranger Things follows a group of young kids growing up in 1980s Hawkins Indiana.
This group of friends is made up of Will Byers played by Noah Schnapp, Mike Wheeler played by Finn Wolfhard, the iconic Eleven played by Millie Bobby Brown, the sarcastic Max Mayfield played by Sadie Sink, the adorable Dustin Henderson played by Gaten Matarazzo, and the witty Lucas Sinclair played by Caleb McLaughlin. The show is also full of a phenomenal ensemble of other actors playing fabulous roles such as Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, and more.
When I first saw the trailer for Stranger Things, I was in awe of its magnificence. I was uncertain of what the show was about. A missing young boy? Aliens? Was it a classic horror show? A spooky show?
I remember being so intrigued by the trailer, and if you remember 2016, you were most likely intrigued by it as well. It was so simple. It didn’t tell us the full story. It led us to believe that the show was about a young boy being abducted. By whom? That was for us to figure out. The strange thing about Stranger Things back then was its ambiguity. We as the viewers did not know what we were in for.
What made Stranger Things a fantastic show was its focus on science fiction, horror, mystery, and fantasy. The show was a combination of 1980s nostalgia, alternate dimensions, and government conspiracies, all carefully blended with a good mix of drama, comedy, and adventure.
Recently I decided to rewatch Stranger Things and relive the experience. Although I must preface with the concession that I hadn’t watched the most recent season, and thus decided to start over so I can refresh my memory.
The first two seasons of Stranger Things are solid. They are absolutely beautiful. Season 1 introduced a unique concept. A group of kids in a small town facing an ambiguous threat. Their friend Will has mysteriously disappeared. Enter a mysterious young girl, Eleven – whose backstory is slowly revealed – to help the group. The first season focused on friendship, suspense, and the reality of the unknown ultimately made it a highly compelling series.
Season 2 expanded on the story. It introduced new layers to the Upside Down, and some interesting new characters. Season 2 was still amazing to watch as it retained the show’s suspense and close-knit friendships of the first season. It was a natural progression that stayed true to its backstory whilst unravelling itself.
By the time I got to Season 3, I was a little uncertain. It wasn’t entirely awful, but it was clear that things were changing. Unfortunately, by then it was too late for me to drop the show. I had already invested hours into reliving the nostalgia from a decade I have never experienced.
By Season 3, it was clear that the show was starting to shift its gears. It was more action focused. Additionally, the show had bigger special effects, more comedy, and a strong emphasis on the group’s dynamic. The colours, costumes, and the lighting in this season were all impeccably done. It stayed true to the show’s 80s aesthetic. However, it was missing the dark and suspenseful tone it had started with.
Season 4 was a complete shift from the show’s story and theme. For starters, it had storylines that were lengthier than they needed to be. Additionally, the main cast was separated, and the show jumped between these characters and their plotlines, leading to a slower pace, and this made the season feel like a broken puzzle piece. With each storyline, there was a special focus, which then led to longer episodes and extended storylines that served no distinct purpose to the plot.
Furthermore, the overall aesthetic had changed by Season 4. It feels like an entirely different show. The show shifted to darker, heavier horror. It had explicit and intense horror scenes, along with the introduction of Vecna, a “new” villain whose full form was now on screen.
What made Stranger Things special is that the villains were unknown or undistinguishable creatures. They were unique. The introduction of Vecna, a villain who had a human form as well as alternate versions of himself, took away the “It” factor that Stranger Things initially had. The villains in earlier seasons, the Demogorgon or the Mind Flayer, were interesting because we as viewers were completely uncertain as to what they were exactly. These mysterious figures created intrigue for the show.
Vecna as the new villain changes the original tone of the show. What made the previous seasons unique was the mysterious and unknown threats in the Upside Down. The use of a human yet sinister villain such as Vecna creates a new tone that is rooted in horror and a very predictable plot line. The issue with Stranger Things is that by Season 4, it made Vecna the scapegoat for all events in Hawkins. This ultimately detracted from the eerie ambiguity of Stranger Things.
Furthermore, Stranger Things relies on its main characters way too much. This creates an issue in the storyline, as the main characters become central to the storyline and the side characters are killed off. Put bluntly, the show would make for a more intriguing storyline if it was not afraid of what will happen if a main character is killed off.
Season 4 created a new show in which the story no longer has any emotional depth. Whilst the increased budget led to impressive special effects, elaborate visuals, and stunning cinematography, the season lacked in originality. For all we know, Season 5 might wrap the story up in the most beautiful way possible. Or it might be a complete failure. That’s the strange thing about Stranger Things. You don’t know what you are going to get.
