The '80s, 'D&D' And Pre-Tech Nostalgia Return In 'Stranger Things'

"Stranger Things," the original Netflix sci-fi series full of 1980s nostalgia, synthesized music, kids on bikes and "Dungeons & Dragons," rocketed to the number one digital original series in the first week of its release last month, with about 44 million views.

Why is "Stranger Things" so popular? How do the references to other 1980s films influence the reception of the TV series?

Ethan Gilsdorf, pop culture correspondent for The Boston Globe and a contributor to WBUR's The ARTery. He tweets @ethanfreak.