Stranger Things Influence: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Collin and guest host Doug can't prep for Season 5 of Stranger Things without first looking back at all the best that Seasons 1–4 had to offer. So, we're going through our usual superlatives (Ooooooooh!): MVP, Best Line, Most Spirited, and Most Stranger Thing, and then picking our overall favs. From Steve's babysitter charm to the delightful piggyback from a pizza dough freezer to the Mind Flayer Goo Monster, we go through it all and then launch into listener emails! R-U-N (don't walk) and join us!

Now that we all know that Stranger Things 5 is set in the fall of 1987, Collin and guest host Doug present a MEGA-sized episode all about the pop culture and headlines of that glorious time — from Iran-Contra to ‘Dirty Dancing’ to little baby Jessica. What music is Dustin listening to on his Walkman? What movie is Lucas taking Max to? And what cool duds is Nancy wearing while hoisting her trusty shotgun? Grab your paperback of ‘Misery’, pop your cassette of ‘Appetite for Destruction’ into your mini boombox, and join us! American Top 40 - https://archive.org/details/casey-kasems-american-top-40-the-80s  INXS 'Guns in the Sky' - Atlantic Records  Reagan speech - The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library  Baby Jessica coverage - WFAA-TV  'Dirty Dancing' - LIONSGATE  'The Princess Bride' - 20th Century Fox  'LA Law' - NBC  'The Golden Girls' - NBC  'Growing Pains' - ABC  'The Real Ghostbusters' - ABC  'The Smurfs' - NBC

Collin and guest host Doug continue the Stranger Things Character Deep Dive series with Hawkins High hoops MVP Lucas Sinclair. Founding member of The Party, loyal bf to Max, and all-around great guy, he'll stand with you 'til the very end. And then some. Collin and Doug look at how Lucas has shaped our favorite show, and then they share listener emails (and talk about the underwhelming Stranger Things Day reveals), so don't look under the bed... and join us!

Collin and Doug continue the Top 5 series, ranking the best episodes of Stranger Things Season Four. From 'The Hellfire Club' straight through to 'The Piggyback', we each reveal our thoughts and then get into all the emails from our loyal listeners. Dear Billy, there's a lot to choose from, so rev up Katinka and join us!

Collin and guest host Doug continue the ‘Scoops Ahoy’ Influence series with a look at how 1980's 'The Empire Strikes Back' (and the Star Wars universe in general) helped shape Stranger Things. From force-pushing train cars to name-dropping Lando, there's so much to talk about that not even the Millennium Falcon could hold it all. Grab your trusty lightsaber, embrace the Dark Side, and join us! Videos referenced: “Every Stranger Things Movie Reference Revealed by the Duffer Brothers (Seasons 1-3) | WIRED - YouTube” (WIRED): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGGc1wGmgbM&t=715s "The Empire Strikes Back" trailer copyright 20th Century Fox / Lucasfilm "Stranger Things" copyright Netflix "Twist of Fate" copyright MCA Records

Collin and guest host Doug continue our Stranger Things Character Deep Dive series with the centerpiece of the whole show: Jane “Eleven” Ives Hopper. She’s the driving force of everything – the kid (now, young woman) who can crush a Coke can, build a killer diorama, and force-push a baddie like no one’s business. Collin and Doug look at how El has shaped our favorite show, and then they share listener emails, so leave that helicopter alone and join us!

Collin is joined by special Scooper guest co-host Doug, as we continue the Top 5 series with a SUPER-sized look at the most memorable moments from seasons 1 through 4 of Stranger Things. From Steve's killer bat flip to Max running up that hill to Eddie shredding Metallica, we each reveal our thoughts and then dig into listener emails! Plus, of course, we talk all about that oh-so-awesome Season 5 first-look video!! Grab your alphabet Christmas lights and join us!  **Apologies for the lousy audio. Turns out you need to plug your microphone in to have it work. Who knew?**

Collin continues the ‘Scoops Ahoy’ Influence series with a look at how 2011's 'Super 8' helped shape Stranger Things. From a band of young kids fighting a monster to a terrifying scene on a bus to nostalgic moments of late 70s/early 80s goodness, he chats about it all and also mourns the loss of a beloved Stranger Things filming location. Say goodbye to Hawkins High and join us!

Collin (flying solo this time!) continues the Stranger Things Character Deep Dive series with the oh-so-loveable Dusty-bun — the kid with all the answers and a killer sense of humor... though admittedly questionable judgment in picking pets. Collin looks at how Dustin has evolved over four seasons and how he makes Stranger Things the little bit of awesome that it is. Offer up your best lightsaber handshake and join us!

Whitney and Collin continue their Top 5 series with a look at the Top 3 (because we still can't count!) episodes of Stranger Things Season Three. From 'Suzie, Do You Copy?' straight through to 'The Battle of Starcourt', we each reveal our thoughts and then launch into listener emails for their opinion! Plus, we talk about the latest little bundle of ditties from our beloved Taylor Swift! Join us!