BY VERONICA SANSUR
Every student usually has a method to relax and keep calm after a full day of classes. Most methods are probably the same: Netflix. In the last years, Netflix has become the main source of entertainment for young people. In 2016, 10 years after its first appearance, the digital platform gained not only 93.8 million subscribers, but billions of dollars through its films and exclusive series.
Stranger Things was one of the series that was a boom with its first season last year. The science fiction show takes place in the ‘80s were a little boy disappears in and Indiana town without a logical reason. The disappearance is followed by eccentric occurrences. In less than two weeks after its first episode, Stranger Things reached the top of the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) list of most popular T.V. shows, winning to the highest ranked Game of Thrones.
Junior communication major Alexandra Tirado said she wanted to see Stranger Things because everybody was talking about it.
“The first three episodes were not as cool, but then the series goes just amazing,” Tirado said. “It is also such a note to Winona Ryder, she is one of the best actresses ever and I think she was like forgotten in Hollywood, but with Stranger Things I was so impressed by her performance.”
Season two of Stranger Things will consist of nine episodes, one more than the previous season. Although the launching date is not confirmed yet, it is speculated that it could arrive in July or even this spring.
Senior and business management major Andrew McDonald said that once he began to watch the series, he could not stop until the end.
“I watched the whole season of Stranger Things like twice, it definitely was amazing. I’m starting to like more Netflix’s original series rather than what is normally shows on T.V.,” McDonald said.
Stranger Things’ finale episode left the audience hanging. Tirado said that she loved the unexpected ending. Tirado also thinks that the series is going to continue its approval from the audience in 2017.
“I really did not expect that final episode. The producers and directors made such a good work with this series, I sense thrill but at the same time excitement,” Tirado said. “I think the most popular of the 2017 is going to be Stranger Things season two because it left such a clear hanger on season one.”
The Duffer brothers, who are the creators of the story, revealed that the second season will see the appearance of four new characters. They said that the inspiration for those stories will be the movies of James Cameron, director of Terminator, Abyss, Aliens and others.
“I honestly don’t know what to expect. I know that some new characters are coming, but I prefer the series to surprise me,” Tirado said. “The only thing I want to know is the parade of 11 (Millie Bobbie Brown), who disappeared after defending her friends of the creature.”
Students are looking forward to another show that might put up some competition against Stranger Things and probably would tie for first place as one of the most anticipated shows of 2017: A Series of Unfortunate Events.
A Series of Unfortunate Events tells the story of three kids who lost their parents during a fire and are adopted by their uncle, Count Olaf, the most unpleasant and evil man on Earth.
This show is already familiar, as it is based on the books written by Lemony Snicket between 1999 and 2006. Also, because of the 2004 film by Brad Silberling.
“I actually just started A Series of Unfortunate Events a couple days ago,” McDonald said. “I like it because I remember reading the books when I was younger, so I think is going to be a cool series to watch because it takes me back to my childhood.”
Junior education major John McMillian said that as a Netflix subscriber, he always look ahead of the new shows that are coming, and the one he is determined to watch next is Netflix’s new mystery.
“The one I’m most interested is in is A Series of Unfortunate Events, just because the history behind the title itself,” McMillian said. “Our teachers back in fifth grade used to read those stories to us, so it should be interesting to see how that translates into a show and how in particular they are able to bring it to life.”
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, it premiered on Jan. 13 and consists of 13 episodes. Neil Patrick Harris gives life to Count Olaf, who in an interview said that, although it is a difficult and a tough character to play, he is glad to give him life.
“They asked me to read the books, and I read the 13!” said Harris in a Brazilian Comic Con. “Then they told me that I had to watch the film and, although I refused at the beginning, I had to do it, too. It must have been torture for the scriptwriter and actors to pack both books so they fit into one movie.”
Veronica Sansur can be reached at mvsansurzapata@spartans.ut.edu