Tag: Stranger Things

2026 TV Review Catch-Up, August Update | Bite-Sized Reviews

Top Row: Scrubs: Season 10 (ABC/Hulu); The Boroughs (Netflix); Your Friends & Neighbors: Season 2 (Apple TV+).
Bottom Row: The Boys: Season 5 (Amazon Prime Video); The Dark Wizard (HBO).

In this edition of TV-Review Catch-Up, I’m giving you my thoughts on 1) the return of one of my favorite shows of all-time, 2) an entertaining, now-cancelled Netflix sci-fi series, 3) the second season of an Apple series with some relatively big stars, 4) the final season of a major superhero series, and, finally, 5) my favorite documentary thus far this year.

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Stranger Things – Season Five (2025) | TV REVIEW

Gaten Matarazzo as ‘Dustin’ in Stranger Things: Season Five — PHOTO: Netflix (Still image from trailers).

Regardless of what you think about the show or this season, I think you have to admire the gusto of the release strategy for the final season of Stranger Things, of which the first volume (episodes one to four) was released early in December, the second volume on Christmas, and the series finale on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day (depending on your region). Stranger Things really took over a huge chunk of the online entertainment focus in December, despite the fact that massive trailers for huge films were released alongside a new Avatar film in theaters around the world. They really made the three-part release of the show into events. But did the series finale of the most popular US-based Netflix original series, or the season as a whole, live up to the hype it created for itself? Well, let’s talk about it, because it’s not a straightforward answer. 

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REVIEW: Stranger Things – Season Four, Vols. 1 & 2 (2022)

(Left-to-Right) Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Maya Hawke, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, and Caleb McLaughlin’s characters must confront a new mysterious and murderous monster in the latest season of ‘Stranger Things’ — Photo: NETFLIX.

This is a review of both halves — Vols. I & II– of Stranger Things: Season Four.

Like The Crown and BoJack Horseman, Stranger Things has long been one of Netflix’s most consistently good shows. The nostalgia-based supernatural coming-of-age horror-thriller show that was created by the Duffer brothers has managed to stay really good and really entertaining for four seasons now — including this latest season, which was split into two parts (with the season finale having a runtime of almost two-and-a-half hours) — and, even though the show still wears its inspirations on its sleeves, the show is getting better in many ways. In fact, I would say that this fourth season, which is probably the goriest and most horror-like of the bunch, is the best season of the show since the very rewatchable debut season, even though this latest season included two season-long subplots that were never as engaging as the main story was.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Stranger Things – Season Four, Vols. 1 & 2 (2022)” →

REVIEW: Stranger Things: Season Three (2019)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of the third season of Netflix’s Stranger Things — Created by the Duffer Brothers.

Today, Stranger Things is, alongside The Crown, probably the original show that has become the face of Netflix. The first season of the series was a surprise hit that seemed to have significantly overperformed. It was a nostalgic 80s science-fiction drama with children in the leading roles that made people think of E. T., The Goonies, and many other films like those. It was a 2016 breakout hit that gave career boosts to David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, and Finn Wolfhard. The much anticipated second season, which was released the following year, wasn’t met with as much acclaim, but still succeeded in developing characters’ relationships satisfyingly while still bringing pleasant references to the beloved 1980s-era cinema, with Aliens now being the primary inspiration. Continue reading “REVIEW: Stranger Things: Season Three (2019)” →

Top Ten TV-Shows of 2017

Television has never been better than right now in the New Golden Age of Television. 2017 continued that age, or trend, in which television was as effective as, or even more so than, cinema. For some, peak television in 2017 is described best by the return of Twin Peaks, and for others it is best described by shows that are not as iconic as Lynch’s famous show — at least not yet. Continue reading “Top Ten TV-Shows of 2017” →

REVIEW: Stranger Things – Season Two (2017)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a full review of the second season of Stranger Things. Available now on Netflix.

When I published my short review of the first season of Stranger Things five days after Netflix had released all eight episodes, I had no idea how big of a mainstream hit it would be. Although House of Cards was the first streaming show to appear as more than just a blip on the radar for television aficionados, Stranger Things seems to be the first Netflix show to hold the attention of western audiences the way the biggest AMC and HBO dramas have in previous years. Continue reading “REVIEW: Stranger Things – Season Two (2017)” →

Let’s talk about the Super Bowl 51 Trailers and TV Spots

Stranger Things Super Bowl

Super Bowl sunday has come and gone, and the New England Patriots are ‘world champions’ after winning Super Bowl 51. But that’s not what I want to talk about here. Every Super Bowl sunday always gives us these really great TV Spots for our favorite future films or shows, and this year was no different. Let’s take a look at the best and worst teasers of the night. Continue reading “Let’s talk about the Super Bowl 51 Trailers and TV Spots” →

Top Ten TV-Shows of 2016

top-ten-tv-shows-2016

When you watch the high number shows of that people who review television do, you get a ton of surprises, but you’re also often reminded of the greatness of a show that you may have underestimated in the past. This year shows like Westworld, The Night Of, and Stranger Things really surprised me. Whereas I was reminded how great BoJack Horseman and House of Cards can be.
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REVIEW: Stranger Things – Season One (2016)

Poster - Netflix
Poster – Netflix

The following is a quick review of the first season of Stranger Things. Available now on Netflix.

Stranger Things is Netflix’s newest original series, and, in my opinion, it might be the best new show they’ve done since maybe Marvel’s Jessica Jones. Stranger Things is a science fiction horror show, which is set in the 1980s, starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, and Millie Bobby Brown. Continue reading “REVIEW: Stranger Things – Season One (2016)” →