A Totally Radical Show With Gnarly Tributes
You know, we all kind of miss the ‘80s. That decade birthed some of the best media and would quickly find its way back to center stage with future references in one of Netflix’s biggest shows. Join us in the fight against Demobats and spider monsters as we uncover the best ‘80s references from Stranger Things.
1. Dungeons & Dragons
We first meet the gang deep in a ten-hour D&D session, which already tipped off the audience that we were in for something special. But it’s a recurring theme throughout the series, and it pays homage to one of the best tabletop games of all time—one that’s older than some people may have thought!
2. The Hellfire Club
Speaking of D&D, true ‘80s nerds recognized this nod as soon as they heard it. But for those who don’t know, Eddie’s group pays homage to a notorious X-Men villain troupe of the same name. Then again, with Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw at the forefront, what did we expect from them?
3. Eddie’s Satanic Panic
We're not moving away from Eddie just yet! The fearful people of Hawkins hated on Eddie’s whole schtick—the clothing, the appearance, and the humor really worked them into a tizzy, which makes even more sense when you realize that his storyline was just the Satanic Panic all over again.
4. Nods to The Breakfast Club
Say what you want about Allison (so long as it’s all good), she was an iconic figure from an even more iconic film. Fans were delighted to see Eden’s getup a la The Breakfast Club in season four. She nailed everything from the wry personality to the endless layers of black.
5. Sean Astin’s Pirate Treasure
If you’re going to have a callback, you might as well recruit the OG actors! Sean Astin’s character (Bob Newby) just couldn’t help himself in season two as he and the gang tried to decipher Will’s maps. “What’s at the X? Pirate treasure?” was all we needed to hear to feel like kids again.
6. Firestarter Nosebleeds
Nosebleeds are hardly uncommon among great displays of power, but Eleven’s classic drip was the ultimate nod to Firestarter. It’s such an iconic look at this point that no Eleven cosplay is complete without it.
7. Train Track Travels
First of all, if you’ve never watched Stand By Me, we highly recommend you do so (but only after reading this article). Secondly, the first two seasons heavily featured heart-to-heart moments on the train tracks, and it’s an adorable homage we smile at every time.
8. Vickie’s Whole Appearance
If anyone screams “1980s,” it’s Molly Ringwald—and, of course, how could a series that dedicates itself to the decade go without giving her credit? Thankfully, Vickie had us covered with everything from the hair to the clothes.
9. The Red Beret
We’ll admit that this easter egg’s still up for debate, but we can’t help but think that Robin’s red beret was a small nod to Red Dawn. Even if it wasn’t, it is in our hearts, and that’s good enough for us.
10. Johanna Lindsey Novels
We don’t think BookTok knows about this kind of smut. For you kids in the audience, Johanna Lindsey was basically the adult romance queen in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but don’t let that fool you. Her fame continued well into the 2000s, and we can’t think of Fabio without remembering Lindsey or Karen by the pool.
11. The Ghostbusters Costumes
Okay, well, this one’s a no-brainer. Seeing the gang show up in little Ghostbuster replicas was an awesome nod to this classic flick. Their tiff over who gets to be Venkman was something a lot of older fans reported being able to relate to as well.
Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash
12. Vecna Meets Freddy Krueger
Alright, Vecna didn’t actually meet Freddy (though we’d pay money to see that). But the monstrous villain did bear a lot of resemblance to Krueger’s nightmarish appearance. It even attacks people in their dreams, so…
Enrique Guzmán Egas on Unsplash
13. Eddie the Head
As if Eddie needed a bigger nod to his metalhead persona, his name is quite literally based on Iron Maiden’s mascot, Eddie the Head. Come to think of it, they even look a little similar (and we mean that as a compliment).
14. Here’s Billy!
You know, that just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Either way, Billy was a terrifying antagonist throughout season three, and the actor himself said he was based around Jack Torrence. It’s hard to pinpoint right away, but Billy messing with the car immediately reminded us of poor Wendy and Danny trapped in that darn hotel.
Ashwini Chaudhary(Monty) on Unsplash
15. Eleven’s Makeover
We all remember the scene where Eleven gets a cute makeover thanks to her new friends. Not only was this moment adorable, but it paid homage to a great scene in E.T.! Alright, the movie scene may have been more funny than kind-hearted, but we still enjoyed it.
16. Conan’s Iconic Sword
Any Arnold fans in the house? If so, you undoubtedly spotted the Atlantean sword from Conan the Barbarian. What makes it even better is that it’s not a replica either—that’s the real thing!
17. Sheriff (Indiana) Jones
Indy may not have made an actual appearance, but we got the next best thing with Hopper. Everything from him picking up his fallen hat to his shadow in the cave pays serious tribute to everyone’s favorite archaeologist.
Intricate Explorer on Unsplash
18. A Thriller of an Opener
We hope a few decades is enough time to shake off Michael Jackson’s haunting music video. If not, you were in for a big surprise during season two’s opener. Blink and you’d miss it, but diligent fans spotted that bony hand poking up from beyond the grave, and couldn’t help but draw parallels between it and “Thriller.”
19. Dustin’s Pretty in Pink
Look, if we’re going to fawn over Molly Ringwald, we have to do the same for Jon Cryer. As Dustin gets ready for the big dance, ‘80s movie fans were delighted to see that unforgettable hairdo and sleek suit. He wasn’t technically “pretty in pink,” but he did score a dance with Nancy.
20. X-Men’s Dark Phoenix
Let’s dive back to season one for a second. You may or may not remember the boys talking about a very specific X-Men comic, X-Men #134. Well, that was no accident! That comic was smack dab in the middle of the Dark Phoenix saga, and was actually the first time Jean Grey’s dark side appeared. It’s not only brilliant foreshadowing for Eleven’s eventual telekinesis, but there was plenty of phoenix imagery throughout the season.
