The Hawkins gang becomes separated for the first time after the events of season 3!
As they struggle through high school in California, where bullies make El's life in particular a living hell, El and Will are finding life to be particularly difficult.
While Mike's long-distance relationship with El is growing more tense, the rest of the gang is moving on back in Hawkins.
During spring break, the gang may reconvene for new adventures, which serves as the catalyst for the events of season 4. However, the fun-filled time they had planned rapidly turns into a nightmare as a new menace arises from the Upside Down!
When it comes to taking us back in time and reminding us how amazing Spring of 1986 was (of course, without Vecna...), nothing beats Stranger Things. From music, movies, and fashion, we can assure you that there's no need to run up the hill to be reminded what it feels like to be transported to 1986!
PHOEBE CATES CRAZE!
Of course Phoebe Cates was popular in the 1980s! How can we forget the episode when Fast Time at Ridgemont High was mentioned? Robin continues to have a supportive buddy in Steve, who this time uses their shared employment at a video store to encourage her that her new crush might like her back. His proofs? A copy of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" was given back by said new crush, and the DVD was paused just when Phoebe Cates's character donned (and then took off) a red bikini.
HELLFIRE PANIC!
Hellfire Club! When it comes to role-playing games, the 1980s have a sizable cult following. Let's not forget the "satanic panic" of the time, though! Well, nothing else than the fabled "hellfire club" can explain that!
The name of the Dungeons & Dragons group the Hawkins children join has two different meanings. First of all, it's a nod to the X-Men comics, where a gang referred to as the "Hellfire Club" play an important role in a number of tales. It also alludes to the period's "satanic panic." Eddie even reads a magazine article to the group on the "dangers" of allowing kids to play role-playing games like D&D.
NOSTALGIA IN VIDEO!
Family Video!Gen Z missed the era when video renting was the place to be for all movie geeks due to the availability of Netflix and many other streaming services nowadays (yes, you have to actually drive or walk to watch that blockbuster film)
This season, Steve and Robin's work at Scoops Ahoy in the mall has been replaced by a position at a video rental store. It goes without saying that video rental shops were a staple of '80s and '90s pop culture, so it makes sense that they would have a major role in this show that thrives on nostalgia!
HAWKINS IN STYLE
The 1980s will always be remembered for their fashion! Vickie, Robin's former bandmate-turned-crush who she swooned after during the fourth season, resembles another adolescent idol from the 1980s in a startling way. Vickie appears to have been modelled after Molly Ringwald, specifically after her quirky-fashion-loving "Pretty in Pink" character, Andie, with her short red hair and her distinctive hat-and-slouchy-jacket look.
FREDDIE IN THE FLESH
And nothing else evokes the 1980s like... Freddy Krueger! In the new season of "Stranger Things," actor Robert Englund plays Victor Creel, who is compared to Michael Myers, the horror villain from the Halloween series. This one gets a touch meta, but we wouldn't expect anything less from "Stranger Things." Freddy Krueger from "A Nightmare on Elm Street," who is also mentioned this season, was an iconic horror figure that Englund himself played.
Although the 1980s seem like a long time ago, thanks to Stranger things, they seem to be right in our hands now! While Gen Z is drawn to it for the vibe and aesthetic, 80s babies are living for the nostalgia.
Spring is such a wonderful season for getting outside, being carefree, and, in Kate Bush's words, "running up the hill," yet like in Stranger Things... the Spring comes with a little fear because we know what's next... Halloween!
