Honest Review: Stranger Things

Warning: This post will contain spoilers (obviously, because it’s a review)

What’s the hype about guys? I watched all 8 episodes of Stranger Things and I really do not understand the hype at all. The actors are all talented and the story line is pretty good but it did not have me binge watching like other original series’ that Netflix have produced. It didn’t leave me wanting more; only asking 101 questions.

My favourite characters were Dustin and Lucas because they literally were kids playing kids. They were funny, insane, dorky kids and it worked perfectly. Their comical fights and teasing of one another was my favourite part of the entire show. I’d love them to be my dorky younger brothers in real life. I honestly can imagine all four boys (Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas) being best friends outside of the show and genuinely playing Dungeons and Dragons for ten hours a day. Next up, Nancy. I won’t lie, it took me at least three episodes to realise that Nancy wasn’t played by Ariana Grande. Like seriously, am I the only one who thought it was her? It was literally a 70s style Ariana. Finally, the only name I knew in the show: Winona Ryder. IMO, she was great as Joyce. She brought back that crazy, borderline psycho she embodied in Girl Interrupted back in the 90s. I genuinely thought her portrayal was brilliant and I couldn’t flaw any of her scenes. It was also great to see Winona Ryder in a popular TV show, I feel like she’s been under a rock for too many years and she is an extremely talented actor.

But onto the main character, Eleven. The whole back story is that she is the daughter of a woman who the government used to run tests on and was taken away from the mother at birth. Her mother was sent home and the government said she had a miscarriage in her third trimester. Right? So Eleven has the power of telekinesis and a few other mind powers and she originally was being forced to use these to spy on Russians; she was basically raised to be a weapon. I rather enjoyed Millie Bobby Brown’s portrayal of a “I’m gonna fuck you up” character and the fact she shaved her head in real life for the role shows her dedication. Millie really took the role and made it her own. Her deep stares and dark eyes were intimidating to say the least, and that little trickle of blood after every use of her powers was great. Even with the total of about 5 full sentences throughout the show, Eleven still owned everything like a boss. I mean that supermarket scene right? Bad-ass.

I do have one question though, the heck was going on in “The upside down” and what the fuck was that monster? Was it Eleven’s projection of pain or was it just a monster from another dimension that she accidentally brought back with her on one of her mind tests? In the final episode, all the kids including Eleven, are trapped in the town’s school whilst the monster gets closer and closer but predictably at the last second Eleven saves the day and she disappears along with the monster; yet the ‘upside down’ world still remains? I’m still unsure as to what happened there and really what the monster even was. All I know is that my boyfriend said “Alien rip off” every time it appeared on the screen.

Oh and does Nancy even feel bad about Barb anymore? She cared for about all of 2 episodes and then seemed to forget that whilst she was losing her virginity, Barb was being taken to another dimension to be killed by some Alien rip-off monster. But she is still dating fuckboy Steve in the final episode and snuggles up to him on the sofa? I don’t get it. If I was Nancy, I’d probably have nightmares every night for the rest of my life knowing that I’m part of the reason my friend is dead in another world. Maybe I’m just thinking too much into it, Barb really was just a plot device after all.

The whole season, all 8 episodes, did not leave me gagging for more. It’s got nothing on Orange is the New Black. The only question I do need answering is: Why the hell is Will coughing up slugs?

Should I try give it another go or do you think I should wait and see what the next season brings? What do you think of the first season and do you think Barb really is ‘amazing’? Comment below and let me know!