I have a confession. I have yet to watch Stranger Things. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s right up my alley with its 80’s noir science fiction drama with young people solving a dark mystery. It also seems that everybody is watching the show, and with Season 2 out today, I am seeing it in my news feed all the time. And I’m tempted.

The thing is though my daughter wants to watch it too, and for many of the same reasons. 

Stranger Things is the new breakout show on Netflix. It started last year and everybody was talking about it at that time. If, like me, you haven’t seen it yet then here’s a recap. It’s a sci-fi drama where a child goes missing and there is a mysterious, dangerous creature involved, one that is only heard, never seen. It’s all very creepy and scary, I hear. The mother is terrified, and she along with her older son and the police and other friends search for the missing boy. There’s a lot of scary stuff along the way. You can read the plot line here on CommonSenseMedia.org.

Totally fun. I know! Something I could binge-watch this weekend for sure!

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But my daughter also wants to watch Stranger Things. She likes the dramatic, sci-fi genre and the part where kids are investigating the mystery. To top it off – all her friends are watching it. All of them. They even have a Google Hangout group where they discuss the latest on the show. So what’s holding me back, you ask?

It’s the fear factor! 

What the Reviews say

TV viewing is dependent on family preferences and is so subjective but I still like to do my research and look at ratings before I select a show. Both Common Sense Media and Netflix give the show a 14+ rating. My oldest tells me she’s almost 12, and parents and kids on Common Sense Media have reviewed the show as 13+. So we’re almost there. Can you hear the justification in my reasoning? That’s how much I want to watch Stranger Things.

A lot of kids and adults like much scarier fare than we do but my gut tells me to hold off on the show because it is dark. It is scary. It is about missing kids. Children are put in danger. And there’s the death of a friendly and trustworthy character, along with the general sense of foreboding that you may not be able to trust some (many) of the adults.  

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So what’s the verdict?

Is Stranger Things Scary?

Yes! That’s why I am a little hesitant to introduce the show to my family. We are still recovering from the heartbreak of Frozen. Remember that scene when Anna comes knocking on Elsa’s door after the death of their parents? She’s lonely and looking for her sister. We haven’t forgotten!  

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Netflix Canada Stream Team where I receive special perks. The opinion as always is honest and all mine. 

I am also a member of the Common Sense Media Insiders programme; this is a volunteer position.