Why People Love Stranger Things

Sometimes, TV shows become popular. Then sometimes TV shows become beloved. There’s a reason why people love Stranger Things.

Every child, no matter where you are born, has always dreamt of being a hero. A hero who fights frightening monsters. Overwhelms the odds. Faces your biggest fear and comes out as the one who saves everyone. Every child has at some time in life, wished that he or she has superpowers.

It could be the power to fly. Or maybe the power to run fast or in some cases the power to control the world around them. And finally, on July 15, 2016, everyone finally got a chance to live all their dreams. But through the cast of Stranger Things.

This Netflix original was and still is one of the most loved and watched show. Let’s dive deeper and see what made it such a phenomenon. Let’s revisit why people love Stranger Things so much.

Stranger Things – Where It All Started

Set in November 1983, it introduced us to Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas and above all Eleven. Will disappears in the first episode. By the end of the episode while searching for him Mike, Dustin and Lucas come face to face with Eleven.

This is when all our childhood memories come rushing in; every one of us has always secretly wished we were on a rescue mission to save our best friend. Away from the prying eyes of our parents and elders, we have all imagined making plans and secretly executing them.

Surprisingly, originally when the Duffer brothers presented the idea to multiple cable networks. However, they were rejected because the executives thought that a plot focused around children would not work. Looking back on the success of the show now, all those executives must be cursing themselves. They let go of the opportunity to create Stranger Things.

Why the Love? The Show Stealers

Although there are some well-established actors on the show, the show stealers are the kids. It is one of the main reasons why the show is loved so much.

We get to see innocence and honesty. It’s a type of friendship that we all cherish but seem to have forgotten as we all grew older. Slowly and steadily we find ourselves rooting for the four friends in their pursuit of finding their lost friend.

Although there are multiple characters on the show, every one of them gets enough screen time. This is one of the best things and one of the main reasons why people love Stranger Things is that.

In turn, it allows us to see their growth as a child and as a character very easily. No one can forget the scene where Eleven shows her powers for the first time. How she saves Dustin and Lucas from bullies at the quarry. The thrill of watching her take out the bullies telekinetically.

Also, the chase on bicycles which finally ends with Eleven flipping the van is such a legendary scene. Stranger Things allowed us all to live our childhood again. Allowed us to experience how we always wanted to do something extraordinary and be the good guy.

Stranger Things’ Upside Down

Another reason we love Stranger Things is that it fulfilled another childhood dream of ours: The Upside Down.  

Well, we may not have called it the “upside down” at that time. However, we all wanted to see another dimension where things were darker and scarier than our life. We so wished to be able to travel there and do something heroic again.

So much of our childhood was spent in woods. Trying to look for treasures and secrets which unfortunately we never found. But with Stranger Things we got to do all of those things and come out victorious.

The Stories Are Another Reason Why People Love Stranger Things

But Stranger Things was not all about kids; the elders in the show had their own story to tell. Joyce, Hopper, Nancy, Jonathan, Barb and even Dr. Benner have tremendous character arcs which develop throughout the two seasons.

Joyce

Watching Joyce struggle with her life issues and then losing her younger son was heartbreaking. But the courage of a mother to keep trying. Never giving up under rising odds was so powerful to watch.

Joyce’s efforts to reach out to Will using the Christmas lights was an awesome idea. Many of us have looked at the Christmas lights with a lot more respect ever since. Stranger Things showed us the strength and belief of a mother. Especially when Joyce refuses to hold a funeral for Will when a body is found in the quarry.

Hopper

We also see Hopper’s fatherly side when he struggles with his demons and yet keeps working hard to find Will. His ability to reach out to the kids and seek their help in finding Will makes him a crowd favorite.

Nancy & Jonathan

Then there is Nancy and Jonathan. Being Mike’s older sister, initially, she does seem disconnected from Will’s disappearance. But losing her friend Barb (which many could blame her for) bring out a different Nancy. Her closeness to Jonathan as the show progresses is interesting to watch. Especially after the photographs that he took of Nancy are discovered and ruthlessly destroyed by Steve and his friends.

Steve

Steve does seem like a bully and a jerk. But later in the show shows acceptance to Nancy and Jonathan’s chemistry. Steve’s character jumps many levels up in the second season of Stranger Things. He becomes a father figure to Dustin in the pursuit of his lady love.

Dr. Benner

On the other hand is Dr. Benner, probably the most ruthless and outright villainous character of Stranger Things (Even the Demogorgon seemed nicer than him). His sweet words are no mask for his true intentions. From making Eleven hurt others to nurturing the monster even after knowing what it could do. He is the villain of the show.

It is very satisfying when he meets his end by the hands of the Demogorgon on the season finale. We can’t forget the Demogorgon in all of this. This is one of the scariest monsters on TV (coming a close second to the Xenomorphs of the Aliens franchise). It has kept many awake at night. His mere presence made the viewer shiver.

Why People Love Stranger Things – It’s The Complete Package

All in all, Stranger Things is a complete package and satisfies every kind of viewer. It reignites the joy and innocence of childhood, the power of friendship, the strength and courage of parents and siblings.

Above all one of the major reasons why people love Stranger Things is that it’s from the ’80s. And we all can agree that ’80s was the best time of our lives (unless you were born in the ’90s or later).