The Stranger Things Podcast

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TSTP 97- The Mine Sep 27, 2026

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After Charlie's terrifying encounter with something in the woods, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will set out on what starts as a school history project filming a mockumentary about town founder Samuel Hawkins, but quickly turns into a full-blown H.I.C. investigation. Join hosts Darrell and Addi as we break down "The Mine," diving into the boys' trip into the abandoned silver mine tied to the 1892 explosion caused by the legendary Bloodaxe Bill, and the unsettling discovery that someone (or something) broke OUT of the boarded-up mine rather than in. We talk through Mike's buried fear of ghosts stemming from a childhood Poltergeist screening, the group's skepticism toward Charlie's ghost story, and that terrifying cliffhanger when Mike falls into the mine and encounters a growling, screeching creature in the dark.

We also cover the girls' side plot as Nikki and Max launch a Valentine's Day flower-selling hustle to cover Nikki's busted amp. From dodging Lunch Lady Phyllis and her cockroach accusations, to the chaos that erupts when demomoths infest the school kitchen, this subplot takes a dark turn fast. We share our theories on what these creatures actually are, how they connect to the flowers, and what Mike's history of ghost-related trauma might mean for the season's bigger mystery. Whether you're Team "ghosts are real" or Team "it's definitely Upside Down business," this episode has plenty to talk about!

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TSTP 96- A Haunting in Hawkins Sep 20, 2026

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A petty robbery at the Palace Arcade, a missing town delinquent and a field of eerie bioluminescent flowers blooming in the dead of winter. Something is definitely haunting Hawkins again. Join us as we kick off coverage of Season 2 of Tales From '85, diving into the premiere episode set during a Valentine's Day-themed February 1985. We discuss the mysterious disappearance of Charlie Dandridge that kicks off this season's central mystery, dig into those glowing blue flowers appearing all over town, teased at the end of Season 1, and what they might mean for a new supernatural threat brewing beneath Hawkins.

We also explore how this season ties back to Hawkins' founding history and discuss what unfinished business from Season 1 might resurface. Whether you're new to this animated corner of the Stranger Things universe or you've been following the HIC's adventures from the start, this breakdown sets the stage for a season full of new monsters and old secrets. Let's dive into Hawkins' latest haunting!

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TSTP 95- The Countdown Jun 28, 2026

Show notes

The season finale is here and every thread we've been following finally snaps tight and the characters stop thinking about clues and start thinking about survival. Darrell and Addi walk through how the group rallies to take the fight where it matters most, pushing past exhaustion and fear to stop the next phase of Horde Prime. They also discuss the episode's most brutal emotional turns with Dan, the Baxters, and the core group of kids.

This finale did not disappoint, and by the end it sets up an epic clash between the remaining survivors and Horde Prime. With time running out, the party pulls together in that classic Stranger Things way, leaning on friendship, hard choices, and the kind of bravery that only shows up when there is no safe option left. Darrell and Addi break down every exciting moment, musical queue, the emotional epilogue, and of course, the tease for season 2!

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TSTP 94- The Suspect Jun 21, 2026

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A new piece of the puzzle lands in the Hawkins Investigators Club's hands, and the team fractures into three directions with one goal in mind: find something that explains what is happening in Hawkins before the next escalation turns into a full disaster. On one track, Mike, El, and Nikki end up under Mrs. Baxter's guidance as a set of unsettling encounters forces them to trust each other in real time, with more than one threat closing in at once. On another, Will and Max circle back around the Baxter house, hunting for details that feel small until they suddenly do not, all while Dustin and Lucas push deeper into a creepy, off-limits greenhouse that feels connected to something bigger than any "ordinary" mystery.

By the end of the chapter, the hunt stops being theoretical and starts becoming personal. Darrell and Addi tease the moment when the clues turn into confrontation, when the people trying to uncover the truth collide with the person protecting it, and when the greenhouse secret stops being a theory and becomes a problem they cannot outrun. Meanwhile, El's situation takes a sharp turn as the monster storyline reaches a point where "suspect" feels less like a label and more like a countdown. Tune in for Darrell and Addi's breakdown of the episode's smartest misdirections, the character dynamics under pressure, and what this chapter sets up for the next wave of trouble in Tales from '85.

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TSTP 93- The Party Jun 14, 2026

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Two terrifying creatures just crashed Dustin's solo run to the Food Mart, Eleven goes out on a limb to save him, and the gang goes underground to celebrate Nikki's birthday. In "The Party" (Chapter Eight), Darrell and Addi break down a pivotal episode that splits the tension right down the middle, balancing genuine warmth and celebration with full-on creature horror. The Hawkins Investigators Club gears up for big confontation underground and a birthday celebration that doubles as a true initiation into the group for Nikki. Your hosts dig into all these storylines, unpacking how the show manages to make you feel the joy of the party and dread over the reveal on who the queen of the creatures might actually be (or is it a misdirection??).

It's the moment the show has been building toward since the first episode, and Darrell and Addi give it the full breakdown it deserves. From the emotional weight of Nikki finally and officially becoming part of The Party, to the chaos unfolding at the Food Mart and the sewers, this episode fires on all cylinders.

David Harbor Interview with Variety

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TSTP 92- Enter the Storm Jun 07, 2026

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A blizzard has swallowed Hawkins whole, and the gang is more fractured and in more danger than ever before. In "Enter the Storm" (Chapter Seven), Darrell and Addi break down one of the season's most intense and emotionally charged episodes yet, as Lucas and Max are on the move, braving the storm to reach higher ground and get a Code Red out to the rest of the team — all while the threat from the Upside Down closes in. Meanwhile, on the other side of Hawkins, Will, Mike, and Nikki find themselves completely snowed in at school, and the tension between Mike and Will over Nikki's place in the group is still simmering just beneath the surface. But the cold outside is the least of anyone's worries because El senses something lurking inside the school.

Darrell and Addi unpack the creeping dread of what it means when Eleven's instincts kick in and what she picks up on while trapped in the school with Mike, Will, and Nikki. The episode masterfully uses the blizzard as both a physical barrier and a storytelling device, trapping characters in tight spaces with rising fears and unresolved conflict. Tune in as your hosts break down the episode's standout moments, debate what El's warning could mean for the group, and tease what this perfectly crafted slow-burn setup might be building toward in the episodes to come. PLUS, a special guest joins in for our feedback segment!

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TSTP 91- A Storm is Coming May 31, 2026

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A blizzard is rolling into Hawkins, and the cold outside is the least of everyone's problems. Chapter Six of Stranger Things: Tales From '85 opens with a chilling flashback to November 1984, right on the heels of the original series' second season, before snapping back to a winter that is quickly getting out of hand. The gang is scattered and the stakes are multiplying fast: Dustin heads off on a solo side quest, Max and Lucas find themselves pulled toward a desperate cry for help, and a bold move by one of the crew lands Will, Mike, and Nikki in detention. Outside the school walls, scientists are quietly experimenting on the remnants of the Upside Down vines in a secret lab, injecting them with something that almost certainly should not exist.

In this episode, Darrell and Addi dig into everything Chapter Six is juggling. They break down the November '84 flashback and what it reveals about where these characters have been, explore how the split storylines keep the episode moving even as the blizzard locks Hawkins down, and get into the detention subplot and the bold choice that triggered it. We also unpack the secret lab thread, what the vine experiments mean for the mythology of Tales From '85, and how this episode feels like the season shifting into a higher gear. Plus, as always, we share your thoughts! Listener feedback was great for this episode and we had a blast interacting with you all!

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TSTP 90- The Weekly Watcher May 24, 2026

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A secret photo, a tabloid newspaper, and an unknown monster lurking beneath Hawkins. This week's episode of Tales from '85 is packed with tension, teamwork, and an settling final reveal. In "The Weekly Watcher" (Chapter Five), Darrell and Addi break down one of the season's funnest episodes yet, where the Hawkins Investigators Club finds themselves in a race against the press after a polaroid photo of one of their Upside Down encounters lands in the hands of a tabloid editor. With Keith having already handed off Dustin's snapshot to The Weekly Watcher, the gang — with a crucial assist from Nancy — must launch a full-on newspaper office infiltration to keep Hawkins' paranormal secrets under wraps. Darrell and Addi dive deep into the episode's standout moments, including Eleven's storm-conjuring save that pulls Lucas out of an impossible corner, and the satisfying (but short-lived) sense of relief when Dustin destroys the photo for good.

But it wouldn't be Stranger Things without a twist that changes everything. Darrell and Addi also dig into the emotional undercurrents running through the episode, namely the ongoing tension around Nikki's place in the group and what it means for the gang's dynamic going forward. And just when you think the crisis has been handled? The episode's closing moment pulls the rug out entirely, revealing that the so-called "snake monster" featured in The Weekly Watcher is not tabloid fiction at all. It's a very real creature from the Upside Down, and it has Jeff. Tune in as your hosts unpack all of it, including what this cliffhanger could mean for the rest of the season.

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TSTP 89- The Confession May 17, 2026

Show notes

Secrets have a short shelf life in Hawkins, and Chapter Four of Stranger Things: Tales From '85 puts that truth front and center. A rattled Mike decides it is time to come clean to Hopper, setting off a chain of events that builds into a tense, action-packed race against something monstrous. Meanwhile, Dustin pulls Steve into the Hawkins Investigators Club, Nikki welcomes Will into her world with a trip to the mosh pit, and Lucas and Max carve out a moment of normalcy at the arcade. It is a quieter setup that explodes into anything but quiet by the time Dustin and Steve are incinerating monsters to keep the confession from spiraling into disaster.

In this episode, Darrell and Addi break down everything Chapter Four brings to the table. They dig into Mike's decision to go to Hopper, what it means for the group's secrecy going forward, and the quiet tension that makes the episode's payoff hit so hard. They also get into Steve's long-overdue entry into the H.I.C., what his dynamic with Dustin adds to the animated series, and how Nikki and Will's mosh pit moment continues to build her place in the gang. Plus, Darrell and Addi weigh in on how "The Confession" balances humor, heart, and genuine stakes, and what this episode sets up as Tales From '85 heads into its second half.

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TSTP 88- Evolution May 10, 2026

Show notes

Something is changing in Hawkins, and the gang is starting to realize the threat they are facing is bigger than anything they have dealt with before. Chapter Three of Stranger Things: Tales From '85, "Evolution," picks up the pace in a big way, as Nikki's mysterious past begins to come into focus and the dangers lurking around Hawkins start to evolve into something far more unsettling. The Hawkins Investigators Club is put to the test as the stakes climb higher, and what started as strange occurrences around town is quickly revealing itself to be something deeply connected to the Upside Down.

In this episode, Darrell and Addi dig into everything "Evolution" throws at the audience. They break down the growing revelations around Nikki and what her relationship with Will, explore how the show is deepening its mythology while keeping that signature Stranger Things heart, and talk through the crew's evolving dynamic as trust is tested and the pressure mounts. They also weigh in on how "Evolution" raises the emotional stakes alongside the supernatural ones, and have a great time exploring all the great listener feedback!

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