Stranger Things Uses Nostalgia For A Purpose

gamerant.com:

The following contains spoilers for Season 4 of Stranger Things.There has been a recent revival in nostalgia media, where a movie, TV show, or video game will be heavily influenced by the aesthetics of a past decade (usually somewhere in the 70s, 80s, or 90s) and use that as a backdrop to appeal to audiences who grew up during that time, as well as those that wish they did and have nostalgia about a time before they were born. There's a certain romanticization of the past that happens, and these pieces of media like to call back to specific references from the era to once again appeal to that viewer nostalgia.

Stranger Things was one of the leaders in getting this nostalgia media ball rolling with the success of its first season in 2016. The 80s aesthetic is so integral to the show and its particular style that it's hard to imagine the show without it. However, nostalgia isn't just used for aesthetic purposes in the show. Stranger Things is smart about the way that it utilizes trends and elements of culture from the 1980s to enhance the story and move the plot forward.

Stranger Things Uses Too Many Flashbacks

First of all, stories like this always benefit from characters not having cell phones. Anything horror or thriller inspired becomes much scarier when the characters can't contact each other or the police instantly. Stranger Things also gives a lot of time to letting the characters investigate the weird goings-on in the town by interviewing others or going to the library, because they can't just pull up Google on their cell phones. It really adds to the mystery element and makes the show much more engaging and tense.

In Season 4, one of the big set pieces is a roller rink. Eleven, Mike, and Will all hang out at the rink,