Binge Watch Away: Stranger Things Blows TV Out of the Water
The Duffer Brothers might have been writing for TV and Film for over 10 years but their new show for Netflix, titled Stranger Things just put them permanently on the map. My opinion, the Duffer’s are on the road to join the ranks with other great writers like Spielberg, Lynch and Abrams. I’ve been looking forward to the show because I am a huge Wynona Ryder. The show had me at the intro of the first episode. I even posted a video of the intro on social media the other week, it’s that good. The intro sets the tone for the whole show, the graphics and theme song alone bring back so many great memories. Think 1978’s Halloween meets 80’s Twin Peaks with just a dash of Super 8.
The first couple of episodes suck you in with it’s heavy time warp back to 80’s. The fashion, the food, the town and even the chosen topics of discussion. What develops though the first season is a captivating storyline that twists and turns, while venturing into human tales of loss and pain. The only disclaimer I can give this show is, if you have issue watching children go through pain and suffering. Then this show might be tough to get through. I promise you, by the end of the season, it will all come together and you will hunt for more to come. While I get that the show does draw inspiration from the video game and movie Silent Hill, this show takes the who realm of alternate realities to another level.
The casting of the show is also it’s strongest pilar. While Ryder’s performance as the scattered and passionate mother is amazing and is a testament to her longevity as an actress. She is paired with a relatively freshman cast, who shine on their own. The main kid characters alone are enough to write a whole article about. The cast seems so fractured in the early part of the series but that’s due to the amazing writing of the Duffer Brothers. They manage to not only pull the story together but also the cast as a whole.
David Harbour’s portrayal of the sheriff is amazing but I must tip my hat off to some of the kids characters like Gaten Matarazzo’s portrayal of Dustin. Who shines as the comedic and lion-hearted boy of a band of young brothers. Another shocker was actress Natalia Dyer’s portrayal of Nancy. She embraced the role and broke the mold of the good girl trying to go bad. Matt and Ross Duffer birthed this show from the writing to directing 6 of the 8 episodes. There stamp is almost all over the show, although I was surprised to read that they only actually wrote only 4 episodes. My two least favorite episodes turned out to be the 2 episodes not directed by the twin brothers. Now, I have to admit those two episodes are still pivotal and deliver much to the overall storyline. In a recent article the brothers mentioned that they hope the show will see a second season. Those dangling threads are certainly there for a second season! Thank you Duffer Brothers for ending the show with a little Christmas Tradition. It’s summer, it’s okay to binge watch this show. This worth every hour on the couch. This show could easily be seen on the big screen and I look forward to a second season like you will once you see one episode, you’ll get hooked.