TELLY TALK WEEKLY: Christmas Viewing Pick of the Year By Marjorie Fenwick, Television Correspondent, December 1985
Put the sherry on the sideboard and dim the lights. If you own a video recorder, or know a neighbour who does, there is one series you must track down before the Queen’s speech. It is called Stranger Things, and it has had our entire office whispering, gasping and sleeping with the landing light on.
Set in the sleepy American town of Hawkins in 1983, it follows a gang of bicycle-riding schoolboys whose friend Will vanishes one dark November night. What follows is part spine-chiller, part adventure, part heart-warming friendship story, and every minute of it is compulsive.
Key Takeaways
- Nostalgic 1980s setting: Bikes, walkie-talkies, arcade games and Dungeons & Dragons create a strong retro atmosphere.
- Compelling mystery: Will’s disappearance, Eleven’s powers and the mysterious laboratory keep the story engaging.
- Strong friendships: The bond between the young characters is central to the series.
- Mix of genres: It combines science fiction, horror, adventure, humour and emotional drama.
- Memorable characters: Eleven, Joyce, Hopper and the young boys each bring something distinctive to the story.
- Creepy atmosphere: The supernatural elements provide genuine suspense without relying entirely on gore.
- Pop-culture appeal: References to films, music and games of the 1980s add to its nostalgic charm.
- Christmas viewing appeal: Its mix of family, friendship, mystery and scares makes it suited to a festive group watch.
The Story: A Missing Boy and a Very Odd Girl
When young Will disappears on his way home from a game of Dungeons & Dragons, his mother Joyce (a wonderfully frazzled Winona Ryder) refuses to accept what the police tell her. Meanwhile, his three friends, Mike, Dustin and Lucas, take matters into their own hands and stumble upon a shaven-headed girl in a hospital gown who barely speaks and answers to the name Eleven.
She is no ordinary child. Eleven can move objects with her mind, and she is being hunted by shadowy men from a secret government laboratory on the edge of town. Add a snarling monster from another dimension, which the boys christen the Demogorgon after their favourite game, and you have the ingredients of a proper old-fashioned nightmare.
Why It Feels So Wonderfully Familiar
If you loved E.T., you will recognise the gang of cheeky boys on bicycles and the gentle friendship with a mysterious visitor. If you have ever peered through your fingers at a John Carpenter film, you will recognise the creeping dread. And if you have read a Stephen King paperback under the bedclothes with a torch, you will feel right at home in the small-town secrets and the woods that seem to watch you back.
Yet this is no mere copy. The writers have taken our favourite ingredients and stirred them into something fresh, funny and frightening in equal measure.
The Highlights
- The Children: The young cast are the beating heart of the show. Their bickering, their loyalty and their jokes about girls feel entirely genuine, like the gang you knew at school.
- The Christmas Lights: In the most unforgettable scene, Joyce covers her living room wall with strings of fairy lights and paints a letter beside each bulb, so that her missing son can “speak” to her through them. You will never look at your Christmas tree the same way again.
- The Police Chief: David Harbour is superb as the tired, grumpy Chief Hopper, a man with a sad past and a soft centre hidden beneath the moustache.
- The Music: The synthesiser score is a pulsing, chilly delight, all throbbing bass notes and eerie bleeps. Turn it up and let it creep across the room.
- The Waffles: Yes, the waffles. Eleven’s love of frozen waffles is already the talk of the playground, and we predict a run on the supermarket freezer aisle.
A Word of Warning for Nervous Viewers
The monster is truly frightening, and some scenes are not for the very young or the faint-hearted. We would suggest the series is best enjoyed by teenagers and grown-ups, ideally with the lights on and a big blanket to hide behind. Parents of sensitive children should watch the first episode alone before deciding.
The Verdict
| Category | Score | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Story | 9 / 10 | A tightly plotted mystery that never wastes a scene. |
| Performances | 9 / 10 | The children steal the show, and the grown-ups are excellent too. |
| Scares | 8 / 10 | Genuinely spooky without being needlessly gory. |
| Nostalgia | 10 / 10 | A love letter to the films and games we grew up on. |
OVERALL: 9 / 10
Stranger Things is thrilling, moving and beautifully made, the sort of programme families will argue over and then insist on watching again. If the broadcasters have any sense, they will schedule it in a prime Sunday-evening slot and let the whole country enjoy it together.
Best for: Fans of E.T., ghost stories, adventure yarns and anyone who ever built a den under the stairs.
Watch with: A mug of cocoa, a torch, and someone brave sitting next to you.
Available on rental from good video shops now. Be kind, rewind.
Helpful Questions
1. What is Stranger Things about?
Stranger Things follows a group of children searching for their missing friend while uncovering secret experiments, supernatural forces and a mysterious parallel dimension.
2. Why is Stranger Things associated with the 1980s?
The series is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, during the 1980s. Its music, fashion, games, technology and pop-culture references strongly reflect the era.
3. Who is Eleven in Stranger Things?
Eleven is a mysterious young girl with powerful psychic abilities. She becomes closely connected with Mike, Dustin, Lucas and their search for Will.
4. Is Stranger Things suitable for children?
The series contains frightening creatures, suspense, violence and mature themes. Parents may want to check the age rating and watch an episode first if younger viewers are sensitive to horror.
5. What makes Stranger Things so nostalgic?
Its bicycles, walkie-talkies, Dungeons & Dragons games, synthesiser music, 1980s films and small-town setting recreate the feel of classic American childhood adventures.
Closing Thoughts
Stranger Things brings together everything that makes a great nostalgic adventure: childhood friendship, eerie mysteries, supernatural scares and a wonderfully authentic 1980s atmosphere. From bicycles and bedroom walkie-talkies to Christmas lights and secret laboratories, the series turns familiar childhood memories into something mysterious and thrilling. Whether you watch for the horror, the humour, the characters or the nostalgia, it offers plenty to keep viewers hooked. For fans of E.T., classic adventure stories and supernatural mysteries, Stranger Things makes a memorable choice for a prime-time viewing session.