"Stranger Things": what is this series and what to expect from the second season

What is the show about?

The 1980s adventure thriller Stranger Things became one of the most talked about TV series of the past summer. The plot of the first season told about mysterious incidents in the American town of Hawkins, where a secret government research center was located. During the experiment, scientists opened the door to a dangerous otherworldly world, where a bloodthirsty monster is in charge, who got a chance to penetrate our reality.

After an accidental night incident, the schoolboy Will enters a parallel world, and his mother, brother and three best friends begin their own investigation. Shortly after Will disappears, a silent, hairless girl with strong telepathic powers appears in the vicinity of Hawkins. After the first information about her, government agents go out on her trail, who must neutralize her at any cost.

Fortunately, she meets the schoolchildren who are looking for Will and becomes their main hope for saving a friend, while the ruthless monster begins to hunt their loved ones.

The series quickly built an understandable inner mythology. The guys themselves called the other world the Upside Down, and the monster was named Demogorgon after the monster from the beloved tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons.

What is the Downside?

The other side is a gloomy other dimension that exists in parallel with our world. It has the same locations and objects, but at the same time, this world is much colder, foggy and scarier. In the reverse side, habitual life forms are completely absent, and the landscape is covered with intertwining tentacle roots and biomembranes. The only known inhabitants of this dimension are predatory humanoid monsters.

Dustin likens the Reverse to the Valley of Shadows from Dungeons & Dragons, "an echo of our world, a place of decay and death, a shifted plane." She is always there for you, but you do not even notice her.

Who is Demogorgon?

The monster, called by the heroes Demogorgon, is a predatory upright creature from the Reverse Side. He entered our world through a portal that opened in the laboratory during the experiment, and later learned to move between worlds, creating temporary portals and taking his victims there with him. Demogorgon is attracted by the smell of blood, while he attacks both humans and animals.

In the game universe of Dungeons & Dragons, Demogorgon is one of the most powerful demons who is difficult to defeat.

What's the secret to the show's popularity?

The secret to the show's popularity lies in its strong nostalgic tone and references to cult sci-fi and 1980s horror movies. Teenagers with backpacks on bicycles with large round headlights bring the viewer back to childhood. Book lovers will immediately remember the series of detective stories for teenagers "The Three Investigators", where the main characters also ripped through the city on their bicycles, tracking down suspects and finding out the necessary information.

The series breathes with the spirit of Western youth TV series of the 80s and 90s, but even fans of Soviet adventure films can find familiar intonations for themselves. Stranger Things dominate the modern family-friendly fiction genre with a thoughtful script and thoughtful approach to creating a 1980s vibe.

Are there interesting Easter eggs?

The series evokes nostalgic emotions not only with a rare plot for today's television, but also with its references to many famous science fiction films. For example, portals with a bright red heart beating inside, leading to the other world, as if covered with a greenish cobweb, resemble the world from the movie "Alien".

It also includes the scene of the examination of the portal in the basement of the laboratory, where the suicide engineer is sent with a flashlight in his hand. This is a reference to the first part of "Alien", when Kane and his team are exploring the surface of the planet. As in the film, the hero of Stranger Things is strapped to a safety cable that is unlikely to be able to save him.

The atmospheric nighttime adventure with flashlights and the theme of children hiding from the government is reminiscent of Alien in many ways. The scene with Eleven's disguise in a dress and a wig clearly hints at Gertie's attempt to transform the alien.

Many of the visual and script elements of the series echo the major cinema events of the 1980s. The guys often refer to Star Wars characters, and the season 1 poster clearly mimics the red and blue collage of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The John Carpenter horror poster "The Thing" hangs on the wall in Mike's room, and the film itself in one of the scenes is watched by the physics teacher Mr. Clark.

It is also known about the love of the Duffer brothers for the works of Stephen King. In the series, Eleven is somewhat similar to Carrie from the novel of the same name. Fans of King's creativity can spend an unforgettable eight hours in front of the screen, not only watching with enthusiasm what is happening, but also looking for Easter eggs. Even the font in the title of the series is taken from the canonical covers of the works of the master of horrors.

The Duffer brothers themselves mention Stephen King as their main inspirations, as well as directors Steven Spielberg and David Fincher.

What is known about the second season?

The second season will premiere on October 27. The authors promise that he will be even darker and scarier, Dustin will have teeth, and Eleven will have a normal hairstyle. The continuation of the story will be dedicated to Will Byers, as well as Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler's boyfriend.

The events will take place in 1984, a year after the story shown in the first season. The time jump had to be done due to the growing up of child actors. Their heroes will also grow up. And we will wait for answers to the main questions, while those that remain unanswered: why did Hopper get into the mysterious car at the end of the eighth episode, what Will spat out into the sink, and what other horrors does the other side conceal?

Will your favorite characters return to the screens?

Yes. All the main characters will appear, and the second season will introduce us to three new teenagers. This is a half-brother with his sister Billy and Max, as well as a slightly more adult Roman. Max is a brave 13-year-old tomboy, skateboarding expertly, and her older brother, cruel and unpredictable Billy, is rumored to have committed murder in the past, and now leads a riotous lifestyle.

The role of Roman will be performed by the young actress Linnie Bertelsen. Fans of the show are leaning towards the theory that she will be a typical loner, hunting monsters in revenge for her terrible childhood.

New adult actors have also joined the series. Sean Astin (Sam from "The Lord of the Rings") starred as the kind-hearted nerd Bob Newby, who went to school with the police chief and Will's mom. Paul Reiser (the villain Burke from 1986's Aliens) will play Dr. Owens, sent by the Department of Energy to hush up the unfolding scandal in Hawkins. Comedian Brett Gelman ("Love") will play journalist Murray Bauman, chasing new conspiracy theories, one of which brought him to Hawkins.

Where can I watch the series?

Stranger Things has been released on Netflix, where you can watch it. The cheapest option for a monthly subscription will cost you 8 euros (about 560 rubles). The first month of using the service is free. The series is released in English.