The first season stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, and Matthew Modine, with Noah Schnapp, Joe Keery, and Shannon Purser in recurring roles. The first season of Stranger Things received universal acclaim, particularly for its originality, characterization, visuals, humor, and acting (particularly that of Ryder, Harbour, Wolfhard, Brown, and Modine).