It’s October 1984. The first true essences of fall have made landfall in the humble town of Hawkins, Indiana. Chilling winds whisper a-top dry corn fields, swaying the stalks ever so slightly. Pumpkin patches thrive as local farmers capitalize on the spookiest time of the year.
The leaves surrender their verdigris shade and don colors of warm brown and soft orange. Melvald’s General store is stocked with spooky halloween decorations, bombarding the shelves for all to partake, as the sheriff watches over the quiet town with a worrisome eye, and only the warmth of his cigarette to bear the cold. These are just a handful of the fall settings portrayed in the second season of Stranger Things, the hit Netflix series created by The Duffer Brothers. As autumn arrives in the real world, there’s no better time to watch (or rewatch) this Halloween-centric season of spooky television.

The tight grip that the ‘80s has on our generation is gnarly, as they used to say. A time of hairspray, phones that resembled cement blocks, and the uprise of what we recognize today as a modern society. For those not born anywhere close to the ‘80s, we have probably all seen sprinkles of it throughout our lives, more than any other decade. For those born closer to such an unforgettable decade, the revival of its trends and music brings nostalgia and life to your inner child. This experience is partly due to fashion and the recurrent nature of trends; however, the most significant influence on our generations’ love for the ‘80s lies within the Wheeler’s basement, where a session of Dungeons & Dragons is taking place.