--- title: "Stranger Things: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/stranger-things/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/stranger-things" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Stranger Things (2016): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 13 reviews: 12 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like it, and they like it for the same things. The reviews return again and again to the young cast, and to Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven above all, whom several critics credit with carrying the emotional weight of the series. David Harbour’s Hopper and Winona Ryder’s frightened mother are singled out too. Nearly every review notes the debt to Spielberg, Carpenter and Stephen King, and most find the homage affectionate and well made rather than lazy, with the synth score, the small-town setting and the slow reveal of the monster praised for building real tension. The reservations cluster around that same nostalgia. Several critics find the story predictable and the references overused, and IndieWire goes furthest, arguing the series borrows so heavily from the Eighties that it never quite develops ideas of its own. The AV Club adds that the female characters are thinner than the boys. The spread is narrow: twelve positive notices, one mixed, none negative. ## The AV Club — Emily L. Stephens Rating A-. 15 July 2016. The review praises the pilot's atmospheric tension, effective withholding of the monster, and strong character work for the boys and Hopper, while noting some reliance on familiar tropes and weaker development for female characters. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/stranger-things-mixes-its-nostalgic-glow-with-darkness-1798188523) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2016. The review calls the season a satisfying, spooky and well-arced mystery that succeeds through strong juvenile performances and a welcome lead for David Harbour. It singles out the kids' authentic writing and casting, especially Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven, for carrying the emotional weight alongside the nostalgia. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/winona-ryder-netflixs-stranger-things-909336/) ## Variety — Maureen Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 11 July 2016. The review praises the series as an enjoyable and evocative genre piece that balances familiar references with deeper emotional explorations of family and friendship. It singles out the strong casting of the young characters and Millie Bobby Brown's performance in particular for making the story binge-worthy. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/stranger-things-review-winona-ryder-netflix-matthew-modine-1201808737/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 2016. The series is a fun, creepy retro-fest that pays pitch-perfect homage to 1980s filmmakers like Spielberg, Carpenter and Hughes. It delivers a richly enjoyable shot of nostalgia whose cockle-warming qualities compensate for a slightly predictable narrative. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/jul/15/stranger-things-review-a-shot-of-80s-nostalgia-right-to-your-heart-winona-ryder) ## The Telegraph — Tristram Fane Saunders Rating 4/5. 22 July 2016. The critic praises the stylish, loving homage to Eighties sci-fi tropes with a brooding Stephen King atmosphere rather than Spielberg sentiment. The child actors, especially Millie Brown as Eleven, are singled out for strong performances that upstage Winona Ryder, while the grotesque portal design stands out as a highlight. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/0/stranger-things-spoiler-free-review-winona-ryder-is-upstaged-by/) ## Empire — Jonathan Pile Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 July 2016. The review finds the eight-episode series engaging overall despite some overused references and a lack of surprises. It singles out the group of young friends at the heart of the story for their camaraderie and the show's affectionate nostalgia for 1980s coming-of-age adventures. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/stranger-things-review/) ## The Times — Hugo Rifkind Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 August 2016. The critic notes the show's strong resemblance to Stephen King stories and its tense, scary atmosphere that makes viewers wary of being home alone. It is described as really very good, with Winona Ryder likely to win awards for her role. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/yes-its-scary-but-not-enough-to-make-you-spill-your-tesco-merlot-mnsxphwbm) ## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2016. Stranger Things successfully evokes 1980s films like E.T. and Poltergeist through its period-accurate world-building, synth score, and central mystery of a missing child and a mysterious lab creature. The critic highlights the strong performances from the child actors, particularly Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, while noting some minor issues with world-building logic. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2016/07/stranger-things-a-throwback-to-80s-terror.html) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 2016. The critic finds the performances strong, especially from Winona Ryder and the young cast, but notes that the series relies heavily on 1980s homages without enough fresh ideas to feel fully alive. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/stranger-things-review-netflix-winona-ryder-original-80s-horror-1201706344/) ## The Ringer — Chris Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 July 2016. The critic praises the show's affectionate recreation of 1980s sci-fi adventure tropes and nostalgic childhood wonder through its small-town setting and supernatural elements. They single out the effective blend of comforting safety and genuine scariness, along with strong performances like Winona Ryder's. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2016/07/18/stranger-things/stranger-things-netflix-80s-duffer-brothers-279deac579a9) ## Digital Spy Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2016. The critic describes the first episode as a suspenseful, playful tribute to 1980s horror and adventure films like Stand By Me, highlighting its fun factor, spooky atmosphere, and strong young cast despite minor flaws in subplots and casting. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a801231/stranger-things-review-netflixs-spooky-new-show-is-a-playful-tribute-to-80s-horror/) ## Collider — Chris Cabin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 19 July 2016. The series is an entertaining and impassioned throwback to 1980s Spielberg-style sci-fi and horror. The familial and neighborhood drama stands out as effective and nuanced, though the overall nostalgia limits its imagination. [Read the review](https://collider.com/stranger-things-review-netflix/) ## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 July 2016. The series delivers comforting nostalgia through its 1980s-inspired sci-fi horror story of a boy's disappearance and the young friends who investigate it. The critic praises the convincing young cast, especially Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, and the well-paced, satisfying storytelling that blends multiple plot threads effectively. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/netflixs-stranger-things-spoiler-free-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/stranger-things.md