My Cultural Diet

Given that Stranger Things’ fifth and final season starts later this month, now seemed like a good time to rewatch the first season with my kids. Not surprisingly, they loved it. (In fact, we blew through all eight episodes in just two days.) My wife likes to say that Stranger Things’ first season was healing for me, and that’s a pretty good way of putting it. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a slice of television that so perfectly aligned with the nerdy themes and narrative tropes that are near and dear to my heart. As I’ve written elsewhere, “it’s almost like Matt and Ross Duffer tapped directly into my subconscious when they were creating the show.” Rewatching it nearly ten years later, it still holds up well, and “The Vanishing of Will Byers” is one of the best series premieres I’ve ever seen. Sure, the season might be a little too crammed with ideas, as if the Duffers were scared they might not get additional seasons. But I’ll take a wealth of ideas any day of the week, especially when they’re delivered with as much heart and charm — and as little cynicism — as they are here.

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