As I've been a bit under the weather it has given me a chance to catch up on some of my endless backlog of movies and tv shows to watch. I finally finished Married at First Sight Season 10 and decided to binge Stranger Things Season 4. Every time I re-enter the fascinating world of Stranger Things, I am reminded of the absolute genius of the writing, story, direction, and , most importantly, the iconic nostalgia that saturates the entire series.
As a person who was born in the 70's and grew up pretty much within the timeline set in this series, it makes me contemplate how much I appreciate the meticulous attention to detail with regards to the cultural aspects of the show for the time period for which it was written. It also makes me wonder if people from my generation enjoy the show more than other generations as these "nods to our childhood" are so prevalent and such a large factor for this series. Due to it's immense popularity I would say that is a resounding "yes" as it appears to have captured the hearts, minds, and imaginations of just about everyone who has seen it. I think that says quite a lot about the depth of the writing, character development, and direction of the series. That even though a specific time period plays such a pivotal role in the series, it is still adored by viewers of all ages and I also feel that is the test of many of the greatest shows in television history. The ones who can target a very specific timeframe, yet fully engage a huge spectrum of the population.
This season, so far, does not disappoint and as the complexities of the relationships between the characters further develop the story is still as rich and nostalgic as ever. One of the themes that really, really jumped out at me was the false narrative from conservative America at the time and the negative impact of Dungeons & Dragons. I vividly remember the hysteria surrounding this game and the rallying against the "evil" it brought into the world. I even remember a "afternoon" movie staring Tom Hanks called Mazes and Monsters with this as the entire theme, where people playing a game similar in nature to Dungeons & Dragons become so obsessed with the game that they lost their identity and were unable to determine reality from fantasy, which caused them to commit horrific crimes as they were always in character. While writing this and looking for a YouTube clip of the movie, I discovered you can actually watch the entire film for free with ads on YouTube, embedded below.
As the with the previous seasons, I am constantly amazed by the Duffy Brothers' ability to so cleanly and precisely recreate the "feel" of that time. I feel extremely fortunate to be a product of that generation and that is one of the many reasons I adore this series. Ok enough of a break from binging the rest of the season. Remember that I love you all and let me know what movie or tv series takes you back perfectly to your childhood!
All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter,
Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
-Tolkien
