Stranger Things is a television series developed by the Duffer Brothers, who also act as showrunners and executive producers alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. The first season, produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment, was released on Netflix on July 15, 2016. The season’s second, third, and fourth seasons began in October 2017, July 2019, and May and July 2022, respectively. It was revived for a fifth and final season in February 2022.
Stranger Things is set in the 1980s in the fictional rural town of Hawkins, Indiana. The neighboring Hawkins National Laboratory purportedly conducts scientific research for the US Department of Energy but covertly conducts paranormal and supernatural tests, occasionally on human test subjects. They have unwittingly opened a gateway to an other reality known as the Upside Down, the existence of which begins to have disastrous consequences for the citizens of Hawkins.
In November 1983, the first season began. Will Byers is kidnapped by an Upside Down entity. Joyce, his mother, the town’s police chief, Jim Hopper, and a group of volunteers look for him. Eleven, a young psychokinetic girl, escapes from the laboratory and is discovered by Will’s pals. Eleven befriends them and supports them in their search for Will.
Stranger Things – Season 1 – Summary
In the first season of “Stranger Things,” the story is set in the 1980s in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. The season opens with the mysterious disappearance of a young boy named Will Byers on his way home from a Dungeons & Dragons game with his friends, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. As his friends and family search for him, they encounter a mysterious girl with a buzzed haircut and psychokinetic abilities, who goes by the name Eleven.
The boys take Eleven in and discover that she has escaped from a secretive government laboratory called Hawkins National Laboratory, where she was subjected to experiments. Eleven reveals that she made contact with a creature from a parallel dimension called the Upside Down, which is a dark and dangerous world. In the Upside Down, there exists a terrifying monster, known as the Demogorgon.
As the season progresses, more strange occurrences happen in Hawkins, including the disappearance of Mike’s older sister, Nancy’s friend, Barb. Nancy and Will’s older brother, Jonathan, team up to investigate these incidents and discover the existence of the Upside Down.
As the kids search for Will, they encounter supernatural events and government conspiracies. They eventually find Will trapped in the Upside Down and manage to rescue him. In the climax of the season, Eleven uses her powers to defeat the Demogorgon, sacrificing herself in the process.
In the aftermath, it’s revealed that Chief Jim Hopper made a deal with Hawkins National Laboratory to protect the kids and cover up the events. However, in a post-credits scene, it is implied that Eleven may still be alive.
The first season of “Stranger Things” showcases a thrilling mix of supernatural elements, 80s nostalgia, and heartfelt coming-of-age themes as the characters navigate the mysteries of the Upside Down and face the challenges that threaten their town and friendships.
Stranger Things – Season 1 – Trailer
