Recently there has been so much talk about the Netflix TV series called “Stranger Things”. This show is in high demand and various thematic (and not only) media are full of reviews and discussions about its popularity. Some viewers ask for more and can’t wait for the next season, while others feel like “Stranger Things” has been overly popular and do not understand what the hype is all about. In this article, we will try to understand what makes “Stranger Things” fans so addicted to this show.

First of all, we will provide a little information about the show itself for those who have heard its name on every corner but have not seen a single episode. “Stranger Things” is an American sci-fi and horror TV series created by the Duffer Brothers. Events take place in a small provincial town of Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s. The life here is fairly calm, but from time to time local citizens get disturbed by mythical and mysterious events. The first season of the series shows a mysterious disappearance of a teenager named Will, which becomes yet another unexplained accident in the city. The local sheriff tries his best to discover at least something that could help find the boy. But one day he meets a group of people with supernatural powers. At this point, the sheriff is convinced that he is now closer than ever to finding Will.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of “Stranger Things” has a 94% of approval rating based on 69 reviews from major publications worldwide. On October 27th all nine episodes of the second season became available on Netflix. But while the season two has not yet been digested, the news about the third season has already appeared in the media. At the same time, the creators of “Stranger Things” the Duffer Brothers are full of determination and are already thinking about the fourth season, which should be final.

Why “Stranger Things” are so popular?

From the very first minutes of the first episode the viewer might feel déjà vu: every now and then you’ll notice the similarity between the “Stranger Things” and the “It” movie, King’s novella “The body” and the “X-Files”. And in some scenes, there are even direct references to the “E.T.”, “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Under the Skin”. Needless to say, that numerous references to various works of art take up an important place in the “Stranger Things” series. But at the same time, it is all organically intertwined with the plot. Despite so many similarities, the characters of the series cannot be confused with any others. Plus, the events are arranged in such a way, that you just cannot stop watching and wondering what will happen next.

Another secret weapon on the show’s creators is timing. The first season had an ideal number of episodes (8), which was enough to tell the story and not let the viewers be tired of the characters. The second season was released exactly during the Halloween season to become if not a symbol, yet one of the important attributes of the holiday, which is fueled by mass culture.

The Duffer Brothers also did a very good job on mixing the genres and its elements in a single TV series. Many publications describe the “Stranger Things” as a sci-fi/horror show, but this is not entirely true. Of course, if you need to submit a synopsis, these genres are the first to come to mind. However, they are distributed along the story in a very clever way, not overlapping the elements of comedy, drama and detective. As the result, the audience gets a fairly even narrative with well-defined dynamics and not too bright contrast between the scenes. Matt and Ross Duffer took many different elements and made the “Stranger Things” into a genre fusion.

Pop Culture – from merchandise to slot games

Think about the place where addiction and excitement are the main emotions. The first thing that comes to mind is the casino with all of its bright advertising lights and an atmosphere of mystery. The game process is not only entertaining but also triggers a release of dopamine during the wins. Pretty much the same thing happens when the next episode of your favorite show is released. Waiting and then watching a new season is definitely a burst of happiness. The “Stranger Things” TV show, for example, keeps its viewers in constant anticipation of what will happen next. Revealing character’s secrets and mysteries acts as a reward system. Such strategy is very similar to the approach of slot machines, where players receive little wins, which keeps their constant desire to continue the game.

They are already exploiting Stranger Things merchandise, for example toys and more adult products for example Stranger Things based slot games on Casumo. Of course, the main factors of the popularity of any TV series are still plot and actors crew, but there is a more powerful force, which makes viewers keep following the story. The “Stranger Things” have a lot of advantages, but it seems that the most valuable of them is the atmosphere of the show, which represents the 80s nostalgia. The thing is that in the US the sadness about the 80s retro culture has existed for a long time and recently has become even more vivid. While many try to explain why in 2017 pop culture is still obsessed with the vintage 80s, we will only mention that nostalgia itself is a feeling of pleasure and comfort about something in the past. Did not think that there can be any similarities with casino atmosphere? Well, there is. Have you ever noticed that the lights at the casino are always soft and slightly dimmed? This is done on purpose to make you have the feeling of comfort and relaxation, just if you were home on your favorite couch watching your favorite show.

And in the end, the “Stranger Things” series is an example of how flair triumphs over common sense. When Matt and Ross Duffer tried to promote the idea of the show, they were turned away by more than a dozen TV channels. Producers found the plot to be too scary for children and too infantile for adults.

But did you know that any experienced gambler can name hundreds of situations when instincts pushed him to make the move and it became the right decision? The Duffer Brothers probably had a gambler instinct because they decided not to give up on the show and made their way to the worldwide audience.