So, whether you are a season watcher or a new fan! Stranger Things season 1 recap is going to be an unforgettable journey that keeps you in knowing more and more. The series presents a world of the 1980s where government experiments, friendship, and Supernatural things collide with one another.
Netflix presents this science fiction + horror drama series on its streaming platform in the year 2016. Duffer Brothers, the creator of this program, takes the viewers to the mysterious world of upside down!
Let’s move back to the beginning from where it all begins!
The story begins in the year 1983, in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. Everything is going well in the town. Suddenly, one day a young boy “Will Byers” disappears all the way going to his home! Later, his family and friends search for him.
But, they counter with a strange girl named “Eleven” with a shaved head & supernatural powers.
Now, are they able to find Will, and how is Eleven going to help them? Let’s tune in with the whole story through Stranger Things Season 1 recap. Here you will find everything you need to know about season 1 review and recap.
Stranger Things Season 1 Recap: The Mystery
Let’s take a look at the Stranger Things season 1 recap to refresh the memory and story of this hit series. This mysterious series starts when a young boy goes missing.
So, how, when, and why he is missing? Is he alive or not? The answer is full of surprise, thrilling elements, and horrifying truth.
There are a total of enthralling eight episodes in this season which uncover the truth & all the abnormal events taking place in the small town of Hawkins.
So, we will discuss the Stranger Things season 1 recap in chronological order of the astonishing events as they happen in the series. Therefore, let’s catch up with the secret of the first season as follows and unravel the TRUTH.
Surely, it is going to keep you entertained with comedy, drama & suspense.
Chapter 1 – Will goes MISSING!
The first episode takes place in the small town of Hawkins. Where four friends namely Will Byers, Lucas, Dustin, & Mike are playing Dungeons and Dragons. After they finish their game. The young boys return to their home.
One of the young boys named “Will”, encounters something unusual. He sees a horrifying creature. (This creature escapes from the U.S. Department of Energy.)
He is so terrified because of this creature that he starts running towards his home. But, on the way to his home, he mysteriously goes missing.
Later, when his friends & mother come to know that he doesn’t return to the home. Then, they start searching for him.
Meanwhile, a strange & weird girl with a shaved head “Eleven” encounters Lucas, Dustin & Mike in the woods.
Chapter 2- The Weirdo!
In the second episode, the young boy is still missing. But, the boys bring Eleven to Mike’s house and hide her from everyone. Later, the girl sees a photograph of Will and convinces the boys that she can find him using her powers.
On the other side, Nancy visits Steve’s party with Barbara. Also, Will’s Brother Jonathan visits his father Lonnie in search of his brother.
In between these events, Joyce (Will’s mother) receives a call from his son who is crying for help. Barbara who is at Steve’s house is left alone at the swimming. Where she is attacked by the creature and she also goes missing.
Chapter 3- The Alternate Dimension
In the Third episode, the missing Barbara awakens in the alternate dimension. This is the Upside-down dimension, a dark parallel universe.
Meanwhile, Will tries to communicate with his Mother Joyce through light bulbs. Even, he signals to her “She needs to run” as the monster is coming.
Also, Hopper tries to investigate the night when the young boy goes missing. Later, Nancy realizes that her friend Barb is missing. So, she tries to find her and encounters with the strange creature.
At the end of the episode, the body recovers from the water. So, whose body is this?
Chapter 4- Will is dead!
In the fourth episode, when a dead body just as Will recovers from the water. Everyone is in shock. Joyce refuses to believe that this body belongs to her son. But, Eleven convinces Mike, and other friends that their friend is ALIVE.
So, what’s the truth? Is he dead or not?
To find the truth the boys & Eleven decide to go to their school. So, those eleven can use the ham radio to communicate with their missing friend. Through Ham radio- she can use her telepathy skills to listen to voices. Meanwhile, Joyce heard the voice of his son from the living room.
Also, Hopper goes to investigate that, is the dead body belongs to Joyce’s son or not. At the end of the episode, it is found that the dead body is fake.
Chapter 5- The Secret Gate
In the fifth episode, when it is found that the body does not belong to the young boy. Hopper tries to sneak into Hawkins Lab to know the truth.
But, he is knocked out by the guards.
In the school, the boys learn about “A secret gate” (Earth’s electromagnetic field) that opens the door to the other dimension. So, with the help of a compass they go to search the Gate.
Meanwhile, Nancy & Jonathan decide to encounter and kill the monster. Therefore, they go inside the woods where they find a wounded deer. There she finds the Secret gate to the alternate dimension. So, she decides to go inside the gate.
Chapter 6- The Monster: How he came from Upside down
In the sixth episode, when Nancy is crawling through the gate. The Monster “ Demogorgon” sees her.
But, Jonathan pulls her back through the gate and saves her. Now, Both of them know about the Monster. So, they stockpile weapons to kill it. In between, Mike, Dustin, & Eleven goes to the grocery store. Where they are being bullied by some boys.
So, Eleven tries to save themselves using her supernatural powers. But, suddenly she collapses. Later she recalls that she is responsible for allowing the monster to enter their dimension.
Also, she opens the secret gate for the monster, when she is asked to contact the Demogorgon through Brenner ( he is a fake father and antagonist in the series).
But, is so horrified because of this creature that she forgets that the gate is still open and disconnects her telepathy.
Chapter 7- Uncovering the TRUTH!
Nancy & Jonathan reveals about the creature to Hopper & Joyce. So, they decide to contact Mike, Dustin, & Eleven to meet them at Byer’s house.
Soon, they realize that Eleven is Terry’s lost daughter “Jane Ives”. Now, they ask Eleven to use her telepathic power to contact Barb and Will.
Thereafter she finds that Bard is dead but Will is hiding in the upside-down version of his Backyard fort. Now, the gate to the alternate dimension is in the basement of the lab. So, Joyce & Hopper decide to break into the lab and go there.
Also, Nancy & Jonathan try to lure the creature and kill him. But, the monster breaks into the backyard’s fort.
Chapter 8- The FINALE: The Upside Down
The eighth episode is the season Finale where everyone is aware of the monster and the Upside world. When Joyce and Hopper try to enter the lab, Brenner finds them. So, in return, Hopper tells Brenner about eleven locations. Then, he allows them to enter the gate to find Will.
Now, to attract the creature both Nancy & his friend cut their hand to lure the creature through blood. While Eleven & her friends hide in the school to stay safe from Brenner. But, she is attacked by the agents of Brenner. Later she kills them all.
Soon, Joyce & her fellow-mate can find Will. Therefore, they made him come out of that place. Also, everyone tries to fight with the creature, and after several attempts. Eleven can disintegrate it but disappear after this event.
Then, Will is admitted to the hospital. After a month later everyone is back together.
At the end of the season’s episode, Will coughs a larva that contains a vision of the Upside Down. But, he keeps this a secret from his family.
Stranger Things Cast and Characters Season 1
Now, let’s learn about the main characters through the Stranger Things season 1 recap. The character names are as follows –
- Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
Her Birth name is Jane Ives. She has telepathic & psychokinetic abilities, her head is shaved.
She is also kidnapped by a person named Brenner who tries to use her abilities.
- Natalia Dyer as Nancy
She is Mike’s sister and girlfriend of Jonathan.
- Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
He is Will’s friend & Nancy’s brother. He is the central character in Stranger Things.
- Noah Schnapp as Will Byers
He is a young boy and a friend of Mike. He is the son of Joyce and brother of Jonathan.
- David Harbour as Jim Hopper
He is the chief of police in Hawkins. He investigates when Will and other people in the town start missing.
- Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
She is the single mother of Jonathan and Will.
- Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers
Charlie Heaton played a vital role in the Stranger Things season 1. He played the elder brother of character Will Byers.
Who is the Monster in Stranger Things Season 1?
The mysterious creature at the center of Stranger Things season 1 recap is named “Demogorgon”.
In the Hawkins National Laboratory, some secret experiments are taking place which lead to the creation of upside-down dimension
This monster lives in Upside Down i.e. a parallel-looking universe that is full of darkness. Demogorgon is attracted to blood and hunts people and animals with its teeth and powers. He can travel between dimensions. That is how he can capture Will and its prey.
Stranger Things Season 1 Review
In review of the Stranger Things season 1 recap we learn how Will goes missing. Then, the townspeople and Young boys along with eleven continue to find their friend.
Later, in search of him “Eleven” uncovers the reality of the alternate dimension. Also, uncover the truth about the dangerous experiment taking place in the Hawkins labs.
Meanwhile, they encounter a monster “Demogorgon”.
Together, all the friends confront this strange creature. Finally, they are successful in rescuing Will from the Upside down.
“Stranger Things” is a fascinating and mysterious series on Netflix. It comes with a total of eight episodes in season 1. It even receives quite good ratings i.e. 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.9/10 as IMBD ratings.
That is all with the Stranger Things Season 1 Recap.
Thank You!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stranger Things season 1 based on a true story?
No, it is not based on a true story. It is a sci-fi series created via Matt & Ross Duffer.
Are stranger things hit or flop?
Well, it is the most searched web series on Netflix and earns quite a great response worldwide. So, it is a hit program.
Stranger Things Rotten Tomatoes ratings of Stranger Things season 1 recap?
It obtains 92% ratings on rotten tomatoes.
How many episodes are there in season 1?
There are eight episodes in part 1 of this series. It introduces the main characters and the arrival of the monster in the town & its origin story as well.
Describe what powers Eleven has.
Eleven is also known as Jane Hopper. She is adopted by Police Chief Jim Hopper.
She has various powers such as telepathic and psychokinetic abilities.
Also, she has the power to move objects, people as well as creatures through her immense powers.
Moreover, she can locate and communicate with people across distances [by touching objects linked with them].
What is upside down?
So, the upside down is the alternate dimension. It is just like a mirror of the real world. But it is darker and an environment for dangerous creatures. Such as Demogorgon, Demodogs, and Mind Flyer.