Sunday, July 16, 2017

Even Stranger Things



So it was exactly one year ago when Netflix dropped this original new series set in the early 80s, in the fictional Midwest town of Hawkins, Indiana. It largely centers around three nerdy middle school friends searching for their missing friend, Will. But then they find this strange girl named Eleven, who manifests even stranger powers. You have the mother and older brother of missing Will, dealing with the sheer terror of his disappearance, the gruff town police chief who harbors his own dark and tragic past. And that's just to name a few. Besides the obvious love-letter and homage to the Era it's set in, STRANGER THINGS is clearly influenced by the works of Lovecraft, Stephen King, John Carpenter, and even Spielberg, among others. It doesn't just resonate with those of us who grew up in that same time, but I think if you did, and perhaps you hung out with your geeky buddies playing D&D (or in my case, Top Secret, the espionage version of D&D), STRANGER THING really hit a definite chord. Even the theme music sounds like a John Carpenter 80s horror film...not to mention the numerous nods to his classic scifi horror flick, THE THING.


Recently Netflix released the poster for Season 2, due October 27th. And of course that stunning teaser trailer a few months before. Last week, it was announced that this blockbuster show had garnered an astounding 18 Emmy nominations. Needless to say, fans have been clamoring for more info, and plot details--while largely under wraps--have been few and far between, other than things leaked over the past several months. But we can only hope some unanswered questions from the first season get resolved, as I'm sure they will.  What happened to Doctor Brenner? Was he really killed by the Demogorgon? Where did Eleven go (because we know she's not dead)? And what's happening to Will? And what was this secret deal Hopper made with Brenner? And so much more.

Needless to say, late October can't get here fast enough.

Things are about to get even stranger in Hawkins.