The Strangest Thing

Binge-watching. A phenomenon that I have never really caught on to. Partly because there was never enough time to sit down and power through a series, and partly because there was always a nagging in my conscience urging me to finish the ever-growing list of things-to-do. That is, until recently.

Cult TV show “Stranger Things” debuted on Netflix in July of this past summer, and Netflix users all over the United States, and the world at large, spun into the 80s-themed frenzy of this captivatingly nostalgic thriller.

When “Stranger Things” came out, I was at summer camp, so the buzz had dampered down. My peers were hooked, and raved about the transportative aura of the show. Their hype was acknowledged, but I remained unphased. Intrigued, but not intent on delving into the dark hole that appeared to emotionally consume fans of the show.

But that all changed this past week. The occasional “Gilmore Girls” and “Friends” were as far as I had ventured into the gates of Netflix. That is, until this past month.

One dreary weekend day, the rain had me feeling cooped up. I wandered over my computer, and mechanically pulled up Netflix on the buzzing home screen. And, without thinking, my mouse hovered over the glowing, black box with a vintage red font blazing in the center. There it was. The world that oh-so-many friends had thrown themselves into. I had heard so much about it, and, suddenly, I needed to see if it was worth the hype.

It’s rare that the first five minutes of a TV show have me hooked. The first five minutes of anything, really. But this show, this world, had me enthralled in the plot, and the characters, in the first few moments of watching.

I had never thought that a dramatic thriller would have the capability to transfix me so much. The show itself is so nostalgic; the aroma of 80’s hairspray and oversized sweaters were almost palpable through the screen. It is hard to convey a past era through a TV screen and execute it in an accurate and mature manner, but The Duffer Brothers (creators of “Stranger Things”) did just that. A haunting cinematography and an eerie, electronic score add to the throwback vibe and chilling concept of the show as a whole. Additionally, the effectuation of the show wouldn’t have been possible, or even as closely successful, if it hadn’t been for the team of mature child actors, who prove themselves to be up to the monstrous challenge and depth that this show presents.

In short, the eight episode series left me speechless, chilled, and wanting more. Which, due to the announcement via Super-bowl Sunday commercial, has been ominously announced to be premiering on the spookily-fitting date of October 31.