10 Best Sci-Fi Horror Shows Ever Made
5. Stranger Things
Stranger Things was infamously rejected by numerous studios because the lead characters were children. Ironically, that detail became the show's greatest strength.
Though the 1980s nods are executed masterfully and the lingering mystery is fascinating, it's the camaraderie between Eleven and her friends that makes Stranger Things work. Chief Hopper and Joyce are great to watch, but the story wouldn't have the same oomph if wasn't seen through the lens of the kids.
Rather than cramming in every 1980s reference for the sake of nostalgia, Stranger Things incorporates music, movies, and board games from that era into the overarching narrative. Although references to The Neverending Story, E.T., the D&D moral panic, and eggos should feel forced, they're some of the series' most memorable moments. (Who wasn't on the edge of their seat during that Running Up That Hill sequence?)
Even though Season 4 retconned the hell out of The Upside-Down and the origin of Eleven's powers, it was for the best, since it created a more personal relationship between our telekinetic heroine and her arch-nemesis, Vecna.
If it wasn't for that one annoying episode (you know the one I'm talking about) Stranger Things would be borderline perfect.