Stranger Things characters

The Duffer Brothers

1980's films Stranger Things have referenced:

Ghostbusters (1984)

The most obvious link is their costumes for trick or treating, the reference shows the boys in their proton packs biking and singing to the movies theme. "If there's something strange, in the neighbourhood" is the tag line of Ghostbusters which represents the story of Stranger Things perfectly as a strange creature terrifies the neighbourhood. Also, in Dustin's bedroom he has a ' 'Ghostbusters Certificate of Anti-Paranormal Proficiency' hanging on his bedroom wall.




Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Hopper's outfit clearly portrays Jones especially focusing on his iconic hat in which he actually goes back to retreat which Jones would always do as well as shots that match directly to the movie including the one above and the image of Hopper's silhouette in the underground tunnel. The Duffers also stated the scene where Max drives to the pumpkin patch is a shot for shot remake of Short Round in Temple of Doom.















Firestarter (1984)

Stranger Things focuses on a young girl 'Eleven' who has superpowers which resembles Charlie in Firestarter who has pyro-kinesis powers that is hunted by a secret government agency. The scene is Eleven crushing the can with her mind is a shot for shot remake of a moment in Firestarter- both monitored by a science lab. In addition, one of the movie posters directly copies the Firestarter one with Elevan being the key focus like Charlie both with their hair appearing to float up.

Introduction to Stranger Things

The series is set in 1983 surrounding the story of a group who kids searching for their missing friend. Along the way, they meet an unusual girl with supernatural powers. Throughout the series, they u unravel extraordinary mysteries surrounding their small town including government secrets, supernatural forces and Eleven, a girl with powers.

- The 1st season had 8 episodes, costing $6 million per episode.
- The show was created by the Duffer brothers (Twins). Ross and Matt (Born in the 90s)
- The show pays homage to E.T
- It debuted in July 2016
- represents 1980s nostalgia
- The shows resembles many other 80s films such as Gremlins, the Goonies, Ghostbuster etc.
- Winona Ryder, a famous 80s actress, plays Will's mother. This further links the show to the 80s
- The show increased in marketing through online buzz and fan artwork.
- It was also the little things in the background of scenes that referenced the 80s. E.g. Trapper Keeper
- When looking for a broadcaster/platform, the show was rejected by most mainstream.
- Netflix accepted as they were known as 'rebels' showing TV that was risky and different.
- The 1st series finished with unresolved issued meaning that they could be resolved in the 2nd series.
- Series 2 was set in 1984 and focused on the theme of video games whereas the first was boardgames
- The show references the work of Stephen Spielberg and Stephen King (Who liked the show)
- The show contained weaponized intertextuality due to fan service
- Stranger Things is a Pastiche (Opposite of parody)
- The character Eleven is compared to the characters E.T., Carrie and the girl from fire starter
- Creative misprison is used.

Introduction into TV drama

LFTVD- Long form TV drama

• 2 questions: 30&15 marker
• Stranger Things and Deutschland 83
• Long series narrative- Tv drama series with a number of episodes to create a narrative

Network TV:

• US network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold market share. They are controlled by federal regulation.
• The impact of this on content is a reliance on highly formalised genre conventions and normative values which meet mainstream audience expectations but generate conservative drama. 

Cable Television: 

• Launched JBN in the 1970s, HBO was the first US national subscription cable TV channel. 
• Other US players include FX, Showtime, & AMC. Many are subsidiaries of media conglomerates (HBO/Warner, FX/Fox)
• These subscription based cable channels can take more risks with what they produce. 
• By early 2000s The Sopranos and The Wire won awards, audiences creating 'water cooler' TV.  

UK TV Drama:

• UK broadcasters have failed to meet the challenge of the US cable channels move to long form with their risk. 
• BBC and ITV 90s- relied on genre-based, formula drama.
• Sky co-opted success of US long form with Sky Atlantic however, commissioning remains tightly controlled with a conservative outlook

Subscription VOD (Viewing on demand)

• Content viewing via a TV still dominates in the UK.
• 3/4 UK households have PVR (Personal video recording) uptake but it has plateaued 
• Use of timeshift is increasing (You can watch whenever)
• Growth of SVOD (Streaming video on demand). Web based channels such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Now TV is considerable. 
• Netflix dominates with 24% of UK market & 5 million subscribers. 10% growth 2015-16

Audiences:

• Rise in binge watching started with DVD in late 90s/early C21. Partially due to syndication problems in the UK.
• A move from 'Water cooler' to 'Shared universe' fandom (as with cinema)
• US long form drama often uses Easter eggs, and mid-season breaks to generate fan intensity and maintain a media profile. 

Why audiences love LFTVD:

• High quality drama
• Multiple episodes, hours, years
• Content can be dark and difficult but innovative 
• It now attracts some of the best and innovative writers and actors
• Time shifting, easily accessible 
• Keeps people invested due to lots of creativity 
• Characters and themes change and develop
• Lots of different networks compete
• The show can cater to specific taste

'State of Nation' TV:

• LFTVD challenged the simply story lines and stereotypical characters that dominate network TV in US.
• CULTURAL ZEITGEIST

- Genres: LFTVD fits most: etc comedy, horror, thriller, mystery, drama, crime

- Themes: Any: etc relationships, murder, power, war, coming of age, family

- Narratives: Variety of all different worlds which are different to normality

- Characters: Interesting to watch and engaging so they are watched over long periods of time

- Production Values: Usually range from 4 million to 5 million per episode. 

- Methods/Platforms: Terrestrial TV, Cable TV, Subscriptions, Streaming 

- State of Nation: Escapist for the viewers, different to their everyday life.

- Memes/Accessories: Depends how popular the series is, especially the newer, more modern ones

Pass the pasty

After hearing Sarah Walker from Aberdeenshire had never eaten a Cornish pastry before, BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James launched a nation wide challenge to transfer the pasty from Cornwall to Aberdeenshire travelling 675.4 miles in a pass the parcel style travel.

It's been labelled #PassThePasty and is loosely Michael Owen's fault, Greg explains. "He confessed that he'd never had a cup of tea in his life before. And then we started talking about things that everyone has done that you haven't." As a result, people across Britain have been doing a relay race with a Cornish pasty in a plastic box, desperately trying to get it to a listener called Sarah who has never had one before.

The Pasty stopped at 19 stops most of them being famous iconic places such as Premiere League football ground, Britains biggest professional bike race, skiing and many more.

Year 13 summer work

Big news and current affairs:

Syrian War: 15 March 2011- Current: 13.5 million syrians needing humanitarian assistance.

Immigration: Immigration Act 12 May 2016: Introduces new sanctions on illegal workers

Joe Cox:16 June 2016: Member of parliament stabbed

Brexit: Referendum: 23 June 2016: Promised by Cameron. Leavers: 52% and Remainers: 48%

Cameron Resigns: 24 June 2016: Running for leadership - Theresa May - Michael Gove - Stephan Crabb - Andrea Leadsom - Liam Fox

Theresa May: 13 July 2016. Two days after becoming leader of the conservatives. 

Charlie Gard: 4 August 2016: 28 July 2017: Born with MDDS at Great Ormand Street.

Trump Election: November 8 2016: Trump: 306 VS Clinton: 232

Football Sex Abuse: November 2016: Footballers abused by managers and Coaches

Westminster Bridge: 22 March 2017: Terrorist Attack

Manchester: May 22 2017: Terrorist Attack at Ariana Grande 

London Bridge: 3 June 2017: Terrorist Attack

Borough Market: 3 June 2017: Terrorist Attack

General Election: 8 June 2017: Conservative: 297 Seats. Labour: 227 Seats. Libdem: 8 Seats. Green Party: 1 Seat

Grenfell Tower: 14 June 2017: Started from fridge: 71 Dead: Investigation Ongoing 

Queens 90th: 10-12 June. Royal Babies: George, Charlotte Louis

Finsbury Park Mosque: 19 June 2017

NHS: Doctors strikes: Junior Doctor strikes 2017. Privation: Private treatment is not the answer: September 2017 

Royals: Engagement: Announced: 27 November 2017

(Hashtag)Metoo campaign: Movement against sexual harrasment and assault - Spread virally October 2017

Windrushscandle: 2018: Political scandal - Concerning people wrongly detained etc. deporting from the UK

Youth Aggression: In London: Acid Attacks: 2016 - 395 attacks. 2017 - 465 Attacks. Stabbings: 2016 - 1749. 2017 - 80 died

Zeitgeist cultural trends of 2016-2018

Zeitgeist: A concept from 18th to 19th-century German philosophy, translated as "spirit of the age"/"spirit of the times". It refers to an invisible agent or force dominating the characteristics of a given epoch in world history.  

3) Social context:

Disability:

• The Para-Olympics was highly covered during Rio 2016- showing on the BBC and Channel 4. This highlights the Para-Olympics as being just as important as the normal Olympics showing equality.
• The recent Coronation Street storyline was about a boy getting sepsis and having to have his leg amputated. This shows the audience that this type of thing can happen to anyone even those you least expect.

Regionalism:

• TOWIE stars have always been seen as dumb, stuck up and fake, however influencers such as Tommy Mallett and Chloe Sims have set up businesses with the help of their fame to be successful for the right reasons and help reduce the stereotypes.
• Geordie Shore stars in particular have a bad reputation for being drunk and having sex on TV with them being easy targets for the press to slam. However some have had great success such as Charlotte Crosby and Holly Hagen who have their own businesses and shows and promote positivity and trying to get rid of that Geordie stereotype.

Class:

• ABC1 category tends to be upper/middle class people including doctors, lawyers, office workers and teachers.
• Chavs are known as being of a lower class and rude especially by the media- their stereotype shows them to wear tracksuits, swear, do drugs and carry weapons. The negative light they are shown with carry a negative image around them especially linked with crime.

Age:

• Elderly people are always shown as fragile and weak by the media and usually makes people feel sorry for them. A lot of stories get published about them being robbed or mistreated creating a synaptic feel for them.
• The younger generation mostly seem to get shone in a negative light for being rude and acting 'out of line' however this is only a small proportion of the younger generation not most as the media tend to make out.

Gender:

• The LGBT community are starting to have more of an impact in everyday life and building to educate. Influencers such as Courtney Act and India Willoughby who were on Celebrity Big Brother helped raise awareness of the matter and show people its right to accept everyone.

Ethnicity:

• Childish Gambinos new song 'This is America' had a huge impact on the media due to its music video being full of hidden messages. The video represents gun crime in America, black lives, our obsession for phones and technology and basically highlighting what needs to change in America to make it a better place.

Sexuality:

• Sports: Tom Daley an Olympic diver came out as gay through a Youtube video and was highly commemorated for his bravery and helped give people confidence that it is ok to be gay
• TV: Olympian and father to the famous Kardashians and Jenner family, Bruce Jenner had a sex change to become Caitlyn Jenner. Her first photoshoot for Vanity Fair gave people the confidence to also do the same especially as Caitlyn was part of such a high prestige family who were so accepting in his change.
• Netflix: Sophia burst from Orange is the new black transformed from male to female with the media showing her transformation as emotional and a positive step.

End of year assessment