It’s finally inching ever so close to the end. In just a matter of days now, Stranger Things will wrap up the tumultuous yet exciting narrative surrounding the town of Hawkins and its unlikely heroes, led by Eleven (aka Jane Hopper/Ives), Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, and Will Byers.
For a decade, we’ve seen them grow up on our screens, all while challenging supernatural/ otherworldly forces that threaten to dominate their town and hurt the ones that they hold close. It’s a coming-of-age story that transcends age groups with its compelling storyline and top-of-the-line production. The Duffer Brothers achieved something rare: they united generations across the globe into a phenomenon that will become a quintessential classic, spoken in the same breath as Star Wars and Harry Potter. Both franchises experienced the power of their cult-like fame, having devoted followers throughout the 80s and the late 90s.
The reason why I’m even writing about this is to talk about the impact that this series had on me. I am not in my teenage years or twenties anymore, but what I appreciate most about this show is how it evokes nostalgia for a time that seems so close yet so far away from the world we live in now, where technology reigns supreme. At the same time, politics have become more divisive than ever.
Stranger Things takes us back to our parents’ youth, and for some, to the childhood we experienced growing up. People say the 80s were the worst for fashion and even music, dismissing them as a bad phase. I am one of those who vehemently disagree with that idea. And because of this sci-fi series, it’s having that resurgence where suddenly this generation’s youth cannot get enough of everything that they saw on that series.
Perhaps what appeals to Gen-Z is the magic our world once held, when constant connectivity wasn’t the norm and a slower life that allowed for playing outside, when mystery and boredom forced us to be creative? Truthfully, connecting from miles away was far more cumbersome than it is now, but I especially think that at this moment, everyone could use a little time to step away from the digital world. After all, wasn’t this the kind of future that we warned about in the movies? Think Terminator, Blade Runner, The Matrix, and the list goes on.
Going back to Stranger Things and the cultural legacy the show is about to leave after 10 years, one can’t help but wonder about the impact that it will have on this generation’s followers, and will it stand the test of time in becoming an iconic classic that we would revisit over and over again.
Images by Kevin Conopio
