By J1 Reviewer Delaney Jackson

*REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*

One of Netflix’s most popular original series, “Stranger Things,” follows a group of teenagers who deal with supernatural beings on a daily basis. The third season, which came out in 2019, is one of my favorite pieces of television I have ever viewed. Watching these eight episodes for the first time was astonishingly amazing– possibly even life changing.

The season begins in the town of Hawkins, Indiana. Viewers are reintroduced to some of the main characters– Eleven (El), Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, and Dustin Henderson.

Their adventures for the season begin when the entire town’s power mysteriously goes out one night. After some digging, the group, along with their older friends, learns that a new portal to the Upside-down, an alternate dimension, has been opened by Russian scientists (a portal/gate had been closed a couple months prior).

When the kids team up with their friends, they close the gate, however, not without casualties. Police chief of Hawkins and El’s father figure, Jim Hopper, mysteriously disappeared after closing the new portal. Citizens of the town, including Max’s brother Billy, were killed in a battle against the monster from the Upside-down. The season ends with El moving to California with Will’s family to escape their cursed hometown.

When I watched this show for the first time, only three seasons were out. Since then, specifically in 2022, a fourth season was released.

While watching, this show forced me to feel dozens of strong emotions– something that I had rarely experienced when watching TV previously. The connections I had to the characters were strong, and I found myself actually grieving Hopper’s disappearance.

One of the reasons I love these eight episodes so much is due to the “summer feeling” I experience while watching them. Go on any social media while summer is nearing, and you will most likely see someone talking about how they want to have a “‘Stranger Things’ summer.” The soundtrack, setting, and the overall idea of a small-town friend group exploring the paranormal all scream summer.

The impact that this show had on summer 2019 is unforgettable. This is a time period that many people, especially teenagers and young adults, are nostalgic for. It was the last summer before COVID, so more people were outside with their friends. Cherry slushies, carnivals, vibrant clothing, and 80s music all made a comeback among young people that summer due to the show’s popularity.

People often say that nostalgia is blinding– it can affect your true opinion of a piece of media just because it reminds you of childhood. However, “Stranger Things” season three will always be timeless for me.