The Student Room Group

Is anyone watching 'Stranger Things'?

New show on Netflix, it's absolutely amazing. The trailer doesn't do it justice, it's right up there with Mr Robot and The Americans in terms of quality. It's set in the 80s, kind of like Twin Peaks meets ET meets Stephen King. It's got inquisitive geeky kids, evil monsters, weird government conspiracies, 80s jocks vs geeks conflict... it's pitch perfect

I don't want to post the trailer as it gives too much away and it doesn't do it justice, so I'll just post the brilliant intro credits; it's a masterpiece of 80s nostalgia with the moody synth music and the grainy crackle of real film

[video="youtube;VPDZkbq0Zp8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPDZkbq0Zp8[/video]
(edited 7 years ago)
It almost passed without comment, the young actress who plays El, Millie Brown (who I think it about 12) is clearly some kind of acting prodigy. She gives astonishingly textured and nuanced performances that actors two or three times her age struggle to do. You wonder how she can do it given she's so young, she doesn't have a lot of life experience to draw on. But whatever it is, she's a big part of making the show what it is
It's decent. Two unnecessarily slow episodes at the start, but once it gets going it's good fun, breakneck pace. It's basically a copy of all the stuff that OP mentions (along with dozens more, but it's mostly King, Spielberg, Craven, Carpenter IMO): whole scenes to settings to clothes to lines to monsters to props etc etc. They've attempted to recreate the feel of that time (78-85) and they've probably done as good as job as you would hope. I wanted to love the soundtrack, but it was a bit of a let down, and found it bizarrely off in the first couple of episodes. *

It's fun, especially if you were an eighties kid, but ultimately not that impressive.

Recommend though. Duffer Brothers were involved in Wayward Pines, and while you could attempt to make an argument that was a little more original, it was craaaaap. This is also just 8 episodes, which was a relief.

7/10. Watch it
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Mister Dead

It's fun, especially if you were an eighties kid, but ultimately not that impressive.

Recommend though. Duffer Brothers were involved in Wayward Pines, and while you could attempt to make an argument that was a little more original, it was craaaaap. This is also just 8 episodes, which was a relief.

7/10. Watch it


Having now watched the whole thing, I'd give it a 7 too. Though in terms of its production design, stylistically and for it's score, I would give them an 8. There was some excellent cinematography in it, some beautiful homage shots to 80s stuff
I started watching it then I saw a poster and waz liek NUP not for me. Barely got through the starting sequence of the first episode.
Original post by CorpusLuteum
I started watching it then I saw a poster and waz liek NUP not for me. Barely got through the starting sequence of the first episode.



Eh? Why would you do that? That seems a bit odd to start watching it and then see the poster and say "Nah. I'm offended".

Also, how could you not like this poster? It's an awesome homage to 1980s movie posters

I just disliked the fact it's about a monster - I'm not into that kind of stuff. Or something extra terrestrial anyway.

Ps I saw a different poster, that one is quite impressive.

Original post by AlexanderHam
Eh? Why would you do that? That seems a bit odd to start watching it and then see the poster and say "Nah. I'm offended".

Also, how could you not like this poster? It's an awesome homage to 1980s movie posters

(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by CorpusLuteum
I just disliked the fact it's about a monster - I'm not into that kind of stuff. Or something extra terrestrial anyway.

Ps I saw a different poster, that one is quite impressive.


It is about a monster and I'm not usually into horror (it's not horror, more sci-fi perhaps). But it really is well-written. Most impressive is Millie Brown (the actress who plays the young girl in the centre of the poster); she is an amazing actress. I think she's like an acting prodigy, she's one of the best I've seen either adult or child actor.

I'd say it's worth watching
Original post by AlexanderHam
It is about a monster and I'm not usually into horror (it's not horror, more sci-fi perhaps). But it really is well-written. Most impressive is Millie Brown (the actress who plays the young girl in the centre of the poster); she is an amazing actress. I think she's like an acting prodigy, she's one of the best I've seen either adult or child actor.

I'd say it's worth watching



Ehhhh, I liked Sherlock though! Heh heh, okay what

I WANNA WATCH HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER HAVE YOU WATCHED IT!?!?!
Original post by CorpusLuteum
Ehhhh, I liked Sherlock though! Heh heh, okay what

I WANNA WATCH HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER HAVE YOU WATCHED IT!?!?!


I did watch the first few episodes and I will go back to it and start watching again, but I don't tend to watch a lot of network television shows.

Basically, in the US they have two different types of television. They have network television (the original thee broadcasters CBS, NBC and ABC and also FOX which came later). These are the original channels and also the ones which are broadcast by radio waves.

Because radio bandwidth is limited and licenced by government, it means network television is regulated by the FCC (which is very strict about no swearing, very little sex though more in recent years, very little graphic violence). Traditionally it meant network TV was quite crappy compared to cable (which because there can be unlimited channels was not regulatable by the FCC and thus you can have graphic sex, swearing and violence).

The Good Wife was an example of a decent network TV show. And I was shocked to see gay rimming in How to Get Away with Murder, you would have never seen such a thing on network TV ten years ago. But I mostly watch cable shows as they tend to be better written.

By the way, have you seen The 100? Excellent show.

Anyway here's my list of the best shows I know of (there may be a couple missing but I think this is it).

The Americans
Mr Robot
The Wire
The Sopranos
Breaking Bad
Deadwood
Six Feet Under
Stranger Things
Love
Halt and Catch Fire
Master of None
Game of Thrones
Unreal
Bojack Horseman
Masters of Sex
The 100
Original post by AlexanderHam
I did watch the first few episodes and I will go back to it and start watching again, but I don't tend to watch a lot of network television shows.

Basically, in the US they have two different types of television. They have network television (the original thee broadcasters CBS, NBC and ABC and also FOX which came later). These are the original channels and also the ones which are broadcast by radio waves.

Because radio bandwidth is limited and licenced by government, it means network television is regulated by the FCC (which is very strict about no swearing, very little sex though more in recent years, very little graphic violence). Traditionally it meant network TV was quite crappy compared to cable (which because there can be unlimited channels was not regulatable by the FCC and thus you can have graphic sex, swearing and violence).

The Good Wife was an example of a decent network TV show. And I was shocked to see gay rimming in How to Get Away with Murder, you would have never seen such a thing on network TV ten years ago. But I mostly watch cable shows as they tend to be better written.

By the way, have you seen The 100? Excellent show.

Anyway here's my list of the best shows I know of (there may be a couple missing but I think this is it).

The Americans
Mr Robot
The Wire
The Sopranos
Breaking Bad
Deadwood
Six Feet Under
Stranger Things
Love
Halt and Catch Fire
Master of None
Game of Thrones
Unreal
Bojack Horseman
Masters of Sex
The 100


Holy crap I've watched nun.

I've inly watched:

The good witch WHICH WAS ****.
Sherlock
Ummmm, idk if I've watched another to series. I'm such a goddamn noob
Btw thanks for the information, who woulda thought I'd learn something this late at night.

Ive watched some of breaking bad.
Original post by CorpusLuteum
Holy crap I've watched nun.

I've inly watched:

The good witch WHICH WAS ****.
Sherlock
Ummmm, idk if I've watched another to series. I'm such a goddamn noob
Btw thanks for the information, who woulda thought I'd learn something this late at night.

Ive watched some of breaking bad.


I've only included the really good shows in there, the ones that are addictive ones where you can easily watch three or four hours and binge on them. I hope you enjoy :smile:
Original post by AlexanderHam
I've only included the really good shows in there, the ones that are addictive ones where you can easily watch three or four hours and binge on them. I hope you enjoy :smile:


Thanks. I'll get to it a when da internet has mercy on me.
Original post by AlexanderHam
Having now watched the whole thing, I'd give it a 7 too. Though in terms of its production design, stylistically and for it's score, I would give them an 8. There was some excellent cinematography in it, some beautiful homage shots to 80s stuff


we managed to get to about episode 5 before it occurred to either of us that Dustin is actually dressed as Speilberg

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