“Friends don’t lie.” It was a question, then a statement and then a promise. A promise between the show and the rest of us, of what life can be, even when it’s not. Now, as this escapist saga approaches its end, that promise feels bittersweet. For nearly a decade, the tale of a ragtag group of kids from Hawkins battling otherworldly evil has enthralled and comforted, challenged us and held up a mirror to our own lives in a blaze of eighties neon, cold war anxiety and the long lost summers we all wish we’d had. In the midst of its final season, lovers of Hawkins are grappling with mixed emotions: excitement for an epic conclusion, and heartache at saying goodbye to characters who feel like old friends, in a time when we all desperately could use more friends. How did an adult horror show starring mostly unknown child actors in 2016 explode into a cultural phenomenon that could crash Netflix’s servers, revive 80s music, and inspire millions to believe in the power of friendship? As we prepare for one last trip to the Upside Down, It’s worth asking why we are so desperate to escape into it. READ NOW
