At first I saw a lot of Spielburg in Stranger Things, then once I got a few episodes in I realized that it's actually inspired mostly by Stephen King stories. Stranger Things = Stephen King (get it?). The biggest contributors I've noticed are Stand By Me, Dead Zone, Creepshow and Firestarter.

It's very well done, the visuals are great, the acting is good and the pace is brisk enough that it should keep most people interested. It does help if you're familiar with 80's thrillers because nostalgia is one of Stranger Thing's strengths.

It's definitely weird, which is expected. I definitely see this show becoming a quick cult favorite.