First of all, let's get Joyce out of the way. Because we know why Joyce is awesome.
Who doesn't want to be the supermom that protects her kids at any cost? Not only is she determined, she's smart. See that life-insurance document lying on the table? That's right. ex-husband is a jerk. Get rid of him. See those flickering lights? If you buy awesome retro Christmas lights, you know the ones with the large bulbs, and then put letters above them, you'll be able to communicate with your missing son. And why else do we love her? Because when everyone else thinks she's nuts, she never really stops believing the truth.
Second, Hopper. I'm sorry, but who doesn't like a man who stops at nothing to find the truth? Reminiscent of Agent Mulder, you have to admire this guy for his courage in standing against a superpower he's doomed to lose to. We admire Hopper. We want to be Hopper. We sympathize with his circumstance as a father, and we cheer him on, even if his methods are unconventional. Don't we need a little unconventional in this world, anyway? Besides that, you know that underneath the rough-and-tough exterior is a caring and sensitive person. When I say sensitive I don't mean he cries or acts like a baby, but that he's aware of other people's feelings and he cares a lot about those kids.
I know young mom's weren't born in or grew up in the eighties, but many moms with teenagers were and did. I recognize the retro 3-Musketeers wrappers! I'm pretty sure we had Head & Shoulders that looked exactly like that bottle on the corner of the tub in the Byers house! Not only that, but I'm familiar with most of the music from both seasons. And they don't just play one genre, but they've got everything, from bands like The Clash and Foreigner to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. I think this is one reason why it appeals to most people from this era. We love seeing our childhood on TV again.
And what about those kids? They're adorable. They remind us of ourselves, and they remind us of our own kids. I have boys, one of them in middle school, and I can't help but see the amazing-ness of the characters in this show. Why is it that we love a story about outcasts or misfits? Why is it that we want to hug these boys, these little guys who start out nerds and don't really come out of it, who still have to fight their battles? I think the answer is in the question. I'm starting to believe that the world is full of misfits, and it's the "rule-makers" on cool that are the minority.
Oh gosh, I could go on. We love Jonathan for being a protective older brother, Nancy and Steve for their character developments, Lucas's parents for being such down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and in-control people. And oh! Bob. Bob! But really, we all love Eleven.
Think about why. Not necessarily because she's kick-butt awesome (though that's part of it), but because she makes mistakes, she learns from them, she constantly protects her friends however she has to. She runs, she screams, she cries. And when her friends are in trouble again, for the second time, she can't stay away. She's human, even if she's not normal. If I could be like her, if I could have her strength, her passion, her commitment...I mean...(dabs a tear away)...
There are a lot of reasons we watch. Kids could still run around unchecked in this era. There are no cell phones, no 9-11, no Apple (who was almost blacklisted in the eighties for how crappy their computers were). People are forced to communicate and take action. Maybe it's not just the entertainment value of the show. Maybe it's also the lessons we take away from it.
Who doesn't want to be the supermom that protects her kids at any cost? Not only is she determined, she's smart. See that life-insurance document lying on the table? That's right. ex-husband is a jerk. Get rid of him. See those flickering lights? If you buy awesome retro Christmas lights, you know the ones with the large bulbs, and then put letters above them, you'll be able to communicate with your missing son. And why else do we love her? Because when everyone else thinks she's nuts, she never really stops believing the truth.
Second, Hopper. I'm sorry, but who doesn't like a man who stops at nothing to find the truth? Reminiscent of Agent Mulder, you have to admire this guy for his courage in standing against a superpower he's doomed to lose to. We admire Hopper. We want to be Hopper. We sympathize with his circumstance as a father, and we cheer him on, even if his methods are unconventional. Don't we need a little unconventional in this world, anyway? Besides that, you know that underneath the rough-and-tough exterior is a caring and sensitive person. When I say sensitive I don't mean he cries or acts like a baby, but that he's aware of other people's feelings and he cares a lot about those kids.
I know young mom's weren't born in or grew up in the eighties, but many moms with teenagers were and did. I recognize the retro 3-Musketeers wrappers! I'm pretty sure we had Head & Shoulders that looked exactly like that bottle on the corner of the tub in the Byers house! Not only that, but I'm familiar with most of the music from both seasons. And they don't just play one genre, but they've got everything, from bands like The Clash and Foreigner to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. I think this is one reason why it appeals to most people from this era. We love seeing our childhood on TV again.
And what about those kids? They're adorable. They remind us of ourselves, and they remind us of our own kids. I have boys, one of them in middle school, and I can't help but see the amazing-ness of the characters in this show. Why is it that we love a story about outcasts or misfits? Why is it that we want to hug these boys, these little guys who start out nerds and don't really come out of it, who still have to fight their battles? I think the answer is in the question. I'm starting to believe that the world is full of misfits, and it's the "rule-makers" on cool that are the minority.
Oh gosh, I could go on. We love Jonathan for being a protective older brother, Nancy and Steve for their character developments, Lucas's parents for being such down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and in-control people. And oh! Bob. Bob! But really, we all love Eleven.
Think about why. Not necessarily because she's kick-butt awesome (though that's part of it), but because she makes mistakes, she learns from them, she constantly protects her friends however she has to. She runs, she screams, she cries. And when her friends are in trouble again, for the second time, she can't stay away. She's human, even if she's not normal. If I could be like her, if I could have her strength, her passion, her commitment...I mean...(dabs a tear away)...
There are a lot of reasons we watch. Kids could still run around unchecked in this era. There are no cell phones, no 9-11, no Apple (who was almost blacklisted in the eighties for how crappy their computers were). People are forced to communicate and take action. Maybe it's not just the entertainment value of the show. Maybe it's also the lessons we take away from it.
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