A homage to every 80s movie you could possibly think of, Stranger Things nevertheless stands up as an enjoyable and satisfying piece of work in its own right.

Most of the characters in the show are interesting and well-acted. Central to the story is a group of somewhat nerdy young friends, who behave and interact like real kids. It's absolutely delightful watching them navigating their way through the bizarre story.

The episodes are shot extremely well, and the directors keep an excellent grip on the tone throughout, which manages to intermingle tension, creepiness and light-heartedness seamlessly.

However, this show has received somewhat over-exuberant praise. The show does not simply nod towards previous horror/sci-fi works - it actively recycles elements to such an extent that very little here can be claimed as original. Furthermore (without wishing to spoil the plot), the mystery which is revealed to underpin the plot is somewhat shallow. The 'bad guys', such as they are, are neither nuanced or fleshed-out and the viewers are left with absolutely no interest in them. Although the show successfully reaches a satisfying narrative conclusion within its eight episodes, ultimately there's nothing very complex here.

This is well-made sci-fi/horror which is absolutely delightful and charming to watch, whilst also being creepy, tense and gripping. It can be appreciated by people without any interest in the 80s nostalgia indulgence with which the show is associated (most of all, it reminded me of the more recent series Fringe). Lovers of good film and TV will enjoy watching this, but a 'masterpiece' it is not.