Netflix Original, Stranger Things, is the newest series to take the Internet by storm. Set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, the show follows the story of a group of boys: Will, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. A mysterious disappearance shakes the normally quiet town. It soon becomes clear that there may be more to this disappearance than meets the eye. This sci-fi drama is set in the early 80s and is sure to keep you on your toes!
The first season is divided into eight chapters (episodes), and we’re recapping each one!
Warning: Spoilers below!
Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street
After finding Eleven in the woods, the boys take her back to Mike’s house. A bit on edge and wary of their guest, the boys try to get some information out of Eleven. Their efforts are in vain, as Eleven responds to none of their questions- except one. When asked what her name was, she responds by pulling her sleeve back to reveal her ‘011’ tattoo. Mike decides to call her ‘El’ for short.
El ends up pointing Will out from a photo, leading Mike to believe that she knows where he is. She shows off her powers once again when Lucas threatens to go tell an adult. Using only her mind she slams and locks the door, giving herself a nosebleed.
We’re shown more of El’s past in a flashback scene. She’s being held against her will in a tiny room, in a hospital gown. The scene implies that Dr. Brenner is her father! Color us confused. El fiddles with the Dungeons and Dragons pieces. She grabs one and says “Will.” She then flips the board over, black side up and places “Will” there and says, “hiding.” When asked what he’s hiding from El says nothing, but places the Demogorgon piece next to him. So the entire game in the first episode was foreshadowing! Is it just that, though; is this D&D come to life, or something more sinister?
Can we just take a moment to discuss the opening theme song? It’s a purely instrumental song, and it’s electronic and eerie. Is anyone else getting any Tron vibes from it? We think it perfectly matches the tone of the show! Give it a listen here.
Over at Will’s house, Joyce is an emotional mess- who wouldn’t be? She gets another weird phone call full of static and muffled breathing. This time, she hears Will’s voice. We learn that Dr. Brenner is listening in on her phone calls and keeping himself informed of the situation. While Joyce is at the store, Dr. B. and his men search around her house in hazmat suits. Brenner ends up in the shed where Will disappeared and the machine he using (to detect monster stuff?) beeps erratically as he’s points it at the remanent sludge.
Nancy and Barb go to a party at Steve’s house. Barb, being the absolute sweetheart that she is, warns Nancy about Steve’s intentions. Nancy, being the stereotypical infatuated teenager, assures her that everything is going to be fine. While Barb is alone outside she gets taken by the monster, who only seems to attack from above.
In a flashback scene, Jonathan and Will are listening to The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I go.” Joyce can be heard in the background, yelling at Lonnie over the phone for canceling plans with Will. The two brothers are obviously close, as Jonathan comforts a disappointed Will, and offers him the mixtape.
We learn that Joyce believes that Will is speaking to her through the lights in her house. While trying to have a chat with a lamp, the wall begins to shift next to her. It looks like someone- or something- is trying to crawl out of the wall. Joyce is all of us, as she runs screaming from the house. She goes back inside when the lights go on in his room and music starts playing (“Should I Stay or Should I Go). We actually really love Joyce. She’s passionate and determined about finding her son, even if that means facing some pretty scary extra-terrestrial stuff.
After a tip from a diner who was at Benny’s the night of his death, the search party moves to that area. Benny’s death is made to look like a suicide, thanks to Dr. B’s posse. We have to admit, we’re also becoming a bit suspicious of Mr. Clarke. During the search near Benny’s, he finds a ripped piece of cloth, which came from the hospital gown El was wearing, near a tunnel that leads to- of course- the lab.
Questions we want answered:
- Is Dr. Brenner Eleven’s dad?
- Is it really Will in the lights?
- Is Barb coming back? We really love Barb
We’re hooked! Attention to detail is crucial when watching this show, so we’re definitely taking notes. We’re loving the nostalgia of the 80’s, seeing the pop culture references, and also noticing parallels to classic horror films. This is the kind of show that makes you take advantage of Netflix’s autoplay option!
Are you as obsessed with Stranger Things as we are? Let’s talk about it @CelebMix!