S03E06 - Stranger Things and Welcome to Derry: A Useless Showdown

Sometimes the best way to analyze two massive horror franchises is simply to stumble into them on the streets of Hollywood. That’s what happened to me a few weeks ago: stepping out of the Chinese Theatre, I saw four strangely dressed people holding a red balloon — a Welcome to Derry street team staring at me with unsettling, era-appropriate smiles. Broad daylight, yet full goosebumps. It felt like Pennywise had crossed dimensions just to mess with me.

Later that day, I walked into Target and found the exact opposite energy: Stranger Things merchandise overflowing from every shelf — vinyls, hoodies, chips, scented candles, Gatorade, a turntable, and even D&D sets. It felt like Hawkins, Indiana had turned into a lifestyle brand.

And that’s when it clicked: these two franchises embody opposite ends of cozy horror.

Stranger Things is the safe, nostalgic, Amblin-inspired side of the genre — kids on bikes, supernatural mysteries, soft edges, suburban charm. Over time, it expanded, brightened, added characters, and lost a bit of the intimate darkness that made its first season so magnetic. Yet it remains comfort food for the soul.

Welcome to Derry, on the other hand, taps into the darker, older roots of horror — trauma, danger, emotional stakes, and the cruel unpredictability of King’s universe. In Derry, children are not protected by plot armor. Violence feels real. The tone is colder, sharper, and far less forgiving.

Both serve a purpose. Stranger Things comforts us. Derry confronts us.

And maybe that duality is why these worlds are resurfacing. The 80s are back. Nostalgia is a survival tool. And for me, it all loops back to being fourteen, commuting across Budapest with Pet Sematary in my hands — discovering the warm darkness that shaped my imagination forever.

May We Never Meet in the Dark