The Netflix original series Stranger Things has viewers hooked from the very beginning. The 1980s flashback, small town setting and amazing cast impresses fans with every episode. Set in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the mid 80s, a boy named Will Byers is kidnapped by an otherworldly creature, that escaped from a secret government laboratory. The whole town and Will’s best friends go on the hunt looking for him.

While searching for Will, his friends, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas, discover a strange girl, named Eleven, who escaped from the same secret government laboratory. While getting to know Eleven, the boys discover she has a superhuman ability and was subject to government testing while inside the laboratory.

As the hunt for the truth continues, secrets are revealed and bonds are made as Eleven’s connection to Will is discovered.

While the disappearance of Will Byers is no longer a big deal for the rest of the town, Will’s mother, Joyce, and brother, Jonathan, with the help of the local sheriff, stop at nothing to find Will, as they battle against government officials and the otherworldly creature.  

Stranger Things blends together some parallels from some of the best films from the 1980s, including E.T., Poltergeist, and The Goonies.

The poster art for the series has similar art styles to Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., and Back to the Future.

The series all portrays homages to the king of horror, Stephen King. Many of King’s novels or movies that are featured such as Stand By Me, It, Cujo, The Mist, and Firestarter.

Other popular 1980s films that are featured throughout the series include, The Thing, Evil Dead, Alien, Predator, and The Terminator.

Being ranked #35 on IMDb.com’s Top 250 Rated TV Shows and two Golden Globe nominations after the first season is a huge achievement for the cast and crew. The budget per episode was raised for season 2 of the series by Netflix from $6 million dollars to $8 million, because of its increase in ratings, popularity, and views per episode.

Whether you’re an adult that gets some memories from the past or a kid who wonders what it would be like to be in that situation, Stranger Things will excite whoever the viewer may be.