Stranger Things

Question 1

What company produced Stranger Things?

Answer 1

Netflix via the Duffer Brothers

Question 2

What was the budget for episode one?

Answer 2

$6 million

Question 3

What is the genre?

Answer 3

Science-fiction

Question 4

When and where is it set?

Answer 4

1980s, small town USA

Question 5

What is the basic plot of ST?

Answer 5

Spooky lab, Will disappears, Eleven is found by the cafe owner, boys decide to look for Will and find Eleven

Question 6

How can Barthes’ semiotics be applied?

Answer 6

Action code - lights flicker before Will disappears, signalling not everything is to plan

Semantic code - how they wiretap phone lines, audiences know the Hawkins lab is dodgy

Question 7

How can Van Zoonen be applied/not applied?

Answer 7

Countertype - police officer getting ready is somewhat objectified

Question 8

How can Hesmondhalugh be applied?

Answer 8

Minimise risk & maximise profit - English speaking drama which features somewhat well-known actors

also two audiences, people who were teens during the 80s and people are currently teens

Question 9

How can Baudrillard be applied

Answer 9

Multiple intertextual references:
- ITC Benguiat for the ST font
- Spielberg suburbia
-Boys on the bikes
- Elven found similar to ET

Question 10

How can Hall be applied?

Answer 10

Dominant reading: Good sci-fi through use of intertextual references

Negotiated: Good sci-fi however does references add anything?

Oppositional: Intertextual references make the show copy past from the 80s

Question 11

Audience reception

Answer 11

96% on Rotten Tomatoes audience score

Question 12

How to apply Jenkins to ST?

Answer 12

-Fans have appropriated the text in multiple way such as through fandoms and unofficial merchandise alongside official merchandise