Do you ever see something - a painting, a Broadway musical, a stand up routine - and think "I wish I had created that?" Because I do that. A lot. It's a weird feeling. On one hand, you're so in awe of a piece of culture existing as though it had been poured from your subconscious. It makes the world feel a little less lonely for a moment. On the other hand, though, you're frustrated - why don't I possess the skill to actually create something as equally amazing? It's begrudging admiration. Reluctant awe. At the worst of times, it makes you throw up your hands and throw in the towel - you'll never make something as good. At the best of times, that feeling can inspire you to get back to work.
That's the feeling Stranger Things gave me: inspiration. For those of you who don't know, I've been writing (or mostly NOT writing) a novel, Dreamland. It's about a group of kids who get into shenanigans when exploring government conspiracies, cover ups, Area 51, aliens, etc. It hasn't gone particularly well, mostly because I'm both lazy and a perfectionist. Not a great combo.
So when I watched the first few episodes of Stranger Things, I was struck by how easily my characters could fit into the world created in this TV show. It made me excited to get back to Dreamland, to get back to a world of friendship and dark optimism. To say I loved Stranger Things would be an understatement.
The show is, at it's core, a mystery. At times, it's a horror story, others a romance, but Stranger Things ultimately follows the search for a missing boy. That's compelling enough a premise, but throw in parallel universes, shady federal agents, and a girl with telekinesis, and I'm sold. The show also features Winona Ryder, who is a national treasure and has been unfairly discriminated against for a lapse in her mental health more than a decade ago. But that's a topic for another blog!
There have been a lot of Stephen King/Stranger Things comparisons since the show premiered, and for good reason. The show does what King does so well. It creates a world that feels real, then throws in familiar, likable characters and mixes it all together with sinister yet strangely plausible forces of evil.
Oh yeah, and there's the suspense. Tons of it. As much as I love TV, I'm actually not a huge binge watcher. I prefer to stretch out my favorite shows for as long as I can, savoring each line of dialogue before ultimately rewatching the entire season ad nauseum. But with Stranger Things, there was no doubt that I would be starting the next episode as fast as humanly possible.
The show isn't perfect. Though the show might pass the Bechdel Test in spirit, it barely achieves the required conversation between two female characters that isn't about a man. But I get it: this is a show about the friendship between prepubescent boys, about how alien girls can seem at that age, about how sadistic bullies (particularly the macho male ones) can be.But the show uses one of the only female characters - looking at you, Barb - as a plot device.
The female lead, El, maybe speaks five lines of dialogue the whole show. Sure, her silence helps illustrate her naivete, but it reminded me of an actual alien character: ET. Swap out Eggos for Reese's Pieces and the similarities become even more obvious. They probably even sported the same blonde wig!
That's the feeling Stranger Things gave me: inspiration. For those of you who don't know, I've been writing (or mostly NOT writing) a novel, Dreamland. It's about a group of kids who get into shenanigans when exploring government conspiracies, cover ups, Area 51, aliens, etc. It hasn't gone particularly well, mostly because I'm both lazy and a perfectionist. Not a great combo.
So when I watched the first few episodes of Stranger Things, I was struck by how easily my characters could fit into the world created in this TV show. It made me excited to get back to Dreamland, to get back to a world of friendship and dark optimism. To say I loved Stranger Things would be an understatement.
The show is, at it's core, a mystery. At times, it's a horror story, others a romance, but Stranger Things ultimately follows the search for a missing boy. That's compelling enough a premise, but throw in parallel universes, shady federal agents, and a girl with telekinesis, and I'm sold. The show also features Winona Ryder, who is a national treasure and has been unfairly discriminated against for a lapse in her mental health more than a decade ago. But that's a topic for another blog!
There have been a lot of Stephen King/Stranger Things comparisons since the show premiered, and for good reason. The show does what King does so well. It creates a world that feels real, then throws in familiar, likable characters and mixes it all together with sinister yet strangely plausible forces of evil.
Oh yeah, and there's the suspense. Tons of it. As much as I love TV, I'm actually not a huge binge watcher. I prefer to stretch out my favorite shows for as long as I can, savoring each line of dialogue before ultimately rewatching the entire season ad nauseum. But with Stranger Things, there was no doubt that I would be starting the next episode as fast as humanly possible.
The show isn't perfect. Though the show might pass the Bechdel Test in spirit, it barely achieves the required conversation between two female characters that isn't about a man. But I get it: this is a show about the friendship between prepubescent boys, about how alien girls can seem at that age, about how sadistic bullies (particularly the macho male ones) can be.But the show uses one of the only female characters - looking at you, Barb - as a plot device.
The female lead, El, maybe speaks five lines of dialogue the whole show. Sure, her silence helps illustrate her naivete, but it reminded me of an actual alien character: ET. Swap out Eggos for Reese's Pieces and the similarities become even more obvious. They probably even sported the same blonde wig!
Anytime a story silences a female lead, I'm left cold. Couldn't the writers have come up with some other way to illustrate El's peculiarity? This is all very picky, of course, and I genuinely do appreciate that she is the most powerful character in the show, but I just would've liked to hear more from El. Maybe next season.
The other minor annoyance I have is the romance subplot between the older kids. I don't care about Nancy's boyfriend Steve. He's kind of the worst (and looks just like Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec). The pseudo love triangle that develops between the pair and Jonathan (brother of the missing boy) is boring. I don't like either guy, so I'm mostly just rooting for Nancy to go find her friend. Spoiler alert: I do, however, appreciate the friend-zoning that ultimately concludes this plot point. That Nancy isn't relegated to the prize won for battling a monster is refreshing.
Ultimately, Stranger Things lives up to the hype. Even if you didn't grow up in the show's 80s setting, anyone who's ever been a kid will enjoy the nostalgic freedom that a bicycle, walkie talkie and walk through the woods represent.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a manuscript to dust off.
The other minor annoyance I have is the romance subplot between the older kids. I don't care about Nancy's boyfriend Steve. He's kind of the worst (and looks just like Jean-Ralphio from Parks and Rec). The pseudo love triangle that develops between the pair and Jonathan (brother of the missing boy) is boring. I don't like either guy, so I'm mostly just rooting for Nancy to go find her friend. Spoiler alert: I do, however, appreciate the friend-zoning that ultimately concludes this plot point. That Nancy isn't relegated to the prize won for battling a monster is refreshing.
Ultimately, Stranger Things lives up to the hype. Even if you didn't grow up in the show's 80s setting, anyone who's ever been a kid will enjoy the nostalgic freedom that a bicycle, walkie talkie and walk through the woods represent.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a manuscript to dust off.
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