Stranger Things Season 3 Review: 6 Ups & 6 Downs

3. Nostalgia Is A Substitute For Substance (Again)

One of the most consistent complaints about Stranger Things ever since its inception has been its over-indulgence in nostalgia-bait, leaning heavily on 1980s pop-culture hallmarks to score easy points with audiences.

Sadly season three commits probably the most consistently egregious set of offences in this regard, invoking 1980s sound and imagery to frequently pandering levels.

First and foremost, not since Suicide Squad has a media product so lazily used classic pop songs to convey a feeling or mood.

It's rare for more than 10 minutes to go by, especially in the season's first half, without the show pulling a hamfisted pop lick out of its sizeable jukebox, and it's ultimately more groan-worthy than charming.

In visual terms, there's a cringe-worthy recurring gag that pays awkward tribute to The Terminator, a sequence that lazily invokes Back to the Future, and an embarrassing nod to The Neverending Story that's sure to be talked about until season four is finally with us.

Ultimately, these nods will work fine enough for many, but it's hard to escape the feeling the creators are talking down to audiences and using nostalgia as not only a crutch but a substitute for quality storytelling.