Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers

I'm not very quick on picking up new shows even when there is quite much hype about it. I guess I'm the kind of guy who likes to stay with his old favorites, and I'm not very persistent viewer of TV-shows (I still haven't seen farther than 6th season of my all time favorite 'The X-Files'). 'Stranger Things' was recommended to my by one of my colleagues who knew my interest in supernatural, 1980s, Stephen King and 'The X-Files'. I have to say I wasn't disappointed after watching the first two episodes and now I'm hooked.

The start is quite slow, but the characters are likeable, the atmosphere and tension are present to keep the viewer interested. The show is taking place in 1980s and it has the nice authentic feel of classic '80s horror movies (that authentic feel is something that most nostalgia driven movies fail to capture), so the shot of nostalgia is another strong reason to give 'Stranger Things' a shot. Wonderful synth score has a lot to do with adding more eeriness to the autumn forests surrounding the small town Hawkins.

Acting is great altogether, but besides Millie Bobby Brown's marvelous portrayal of Eleven, Winona Ryder's outstanding job as Joyce Byers definitely needs mentioning.

After first episode I was hooked and after second, I think, I might be an addict.

Eleven is the most promising prospect on this series. Interesting enough to see the next episode.

So i finally decided to watch this show, and.after this first episode, i am hooked! The premise is ingaging and it is very much about the mysteries! You know something is going on, but you don't know what! The child actors are also doing a great job! If you, like me, haven't watched this show yet, i suggest you do it now!

Writer/directors The Duffer Brothers pay homage to the fantasy series and films they (and I) enjoyed while growing up, with a particular leaning towards the work of Steven Spielberg. Set in the '80s, Stranger Things takes place in small town America (Indiana, renowned for all things eerie), where a group of teenage nerds find themselves involved in the search for missing friend Will, who has had the misfortune of encountering an escaped experiment from a local scientific research centre. While hunting for their pal, the kids encounter Eleven, a strange girl who is on the run, pursued by 'bad people'.

With children as their protagonists, the Duffers immediately set the '80s Spielbergian tone, and they continue the retro-vibe with parallels to Poltergeist (the missing child only able to communicate via technology) and similarities to ET (dysfunctional family, kids on BMX bikes), as well as numerous references to other genre classics (most noticeably, posters glimpsed on bedroom walls) and a wonderful synthesizer score. All of this will prove a lot of fun for fans of '80s pop culture, but with strong performances all round (even Winona Ryder isn't as annoying as usual), engaging characters, and a neat mystery, Stranger Things should appeal to viewers of all ages.

It is always hard to not expect a lot when the hype is so great, having heard nothing but good things about it from trusted friends. Also if the concept is so appetising and if the genre appeals (it did me). 'Stranger Things' in particularly its first season was a truly excellent show at its very best, and while it is not as good now as it was there is still enough to make it one of Netflix's better shows along with 'The Crown' and prime-'House of Cards' (Seasons 1-4).

"Chapter 1: The Vanishing of Will Byers" is a captivating start, and not only is it hugely effective setting things up and introducing all the chess pieces but it is clear what kind of show and tone that 'Stranger Things' was aiming for. Almost everything works here in "Chapter 1: The Vanishing of Will Byers" and it already feels remarkably well settled, not always the case for shows this early on where it can take time to find its groove. Already the groove here feels found.

The production values are superb. Very stylish and atmospheric, with some truly beautiful images that one can't believe such high quality comes from a Netflix show. Not to mention the highly impressive special effects that put a good deal of big budget films in recent years to shame. The music has a wonderful 80s nostalgic vibe while also being quite haunting, enhancing the atmosphere beautifully.

Writing is thought-probing and has a lot of brains and heart. The humour is gentle but very subtly witty and funny, while there is a poignancy (without being too sentimental) and tension. The story sets things, both in events and tone, up and does this incredibly well, while always being intriguing. With suspenseful mystery, darkly creepy horror, inventive sci-fi and 'Stand By Me'/'The Goonies'-like nostalgia, without being tonally muddled.

Characters are already very well written and even better in the acting stakes. While most of the adult cast do wonderfully, it's the younger cast that are even better. The standouts being Finn Wolfhard and particularly Millie Bobby Brown (such an expressive actress in a beyond-her-years subtle way), if they continue to act this way and be wise with their career choices they are very likely to have big careers.

Although some have praised Winona Ryder, for my tastes however she was a little too melodramatic here.

Overall, excellent start. 9/10