STRANGER THINGS: Season 1: The Body
An exciting search for Will, with spiritual dangers in the shadows.
Should You Watch It?
This episode earns its four-star rating through suspense, compelling characters, and an increasingly intriguing search for Will. Sheriff Hopper becomes a more compelling character as he investigates what may have really happened, while Joyce refuses to accept that her son is dead.
The episode is a little cleaner than the first three, but it still includes brief foul language, violence, scary situations, and light occult elements. The story presents good battling evil, yet it does not refer to God.
If your teenagers or older children can handle those concerns, this is a strong episode to watch. For younger children, parents should use discernment.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESThe search for Will continues. His brother discovers something strange in a photograph of Barb, while Joyce attends Will’s funeral despite believing he is still alive.
Meanwhile, Mike and his friends keep looking for Will with Eleven’s help. From an unknown place, Eleven uses a radio to transmit Will’s voice, while Joyce sees her son through the wall at home.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this episode is especially effective entertainment. It is exciting and intriguing, with enthralling characters and situations that keep the search for Will moving.
Sheriff Hopper grows into a more compelling character as he investigates what truly happened. Director Shawn Levy brings skill to this episode and the previous one. The episode is also a little cleaner than the first three.
The Worldview
The episode presents a strong moral worldview in which good continues to battle evil that attacks innocent people. That moral conflict gives the story a clear sense of right and wrong.
The spiritual framework is incomplete from a Christian perspective. There is no reference to God, while light occult elements appear through Eleven’s telekinetic powers and her ability to channel the missing boy’s voice through a radio. The episode also includes corrupt government officials and disturbing images.
The episode’s central conflict reflects Scripture’s recognition that evil is real, but the Bible points beyond an unnamed struggle to God’s authority and protection: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
<p class="SingleSpacepara">CONTENT: (BB, O, L, VV, S, AA, D, M):</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b>
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
</b> Strong moral worldview as the good continues to battle the evil that tries to attack innocent people, but there is no reference to God, plus light occult elements where one character has telekinetic powers and can control things and people with her mind and girl uses her telekinetic powers to “channel” missing boy’s voice through a radio;</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b><span lang="IT">
Foul Language
</span></b> Three or four obscenities, a vulgarity and some name calling, plus girl uses her mind powers to make a boy urinate in his pants;</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b><span lang="FR">
Violence
</span></b> Strong and light violence includes girl uses mind power and her nose bleeds, a man enters into a strange wall and is attacked by something unknown, people pull out the rope attached to man entering strange wall and only a small part of his suit returns covered in blood, man beats up another man outside of a bar to get information from him, man knocks out a guard guarding a dead body;</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b>
Sex
</b> Light sexual reference when a teenage girl exclaims in frustration she slept with a boy;</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b>
Nudity
</b><span lang="DE"> No nudity;</span></p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b>
Alcohol Use
</b> Two men shown drinking in a bar together and one man appears to be slightly intoxicated;</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b>
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
</b> A few main characters smoke cigarettes; and,</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"><b>
Miscellaneous Immorality
</b> Examples of a corrupt government and a few disturbing images.</p> <p class="SingleSpacepara"></p>
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The episode shows good battling evil. How does Scripture describe the reality of spiritual evil, and where does it tell us to find strength?
Ephesians 6:10–18 · 1 Peter 5:8–9Joyce refuses to believe that Will is dead. When have you had to keep trusting while you waited for answers?
Psalm 27:14 · Romans 12:12Eleven uses unusual powers to communicate with Will. How should Christians discern claims about spiritual power?
1 John 4:1 · Deuteronomy 18:10–12The episode includes corrupt government officials. What does God require of people who hold authority?
Romans 13:1–4 · Micah 6:8The Final Word
This is an exciting, intriguing, well-crafted episode with compelling characters and a strong moral conflict. Its language, violence, scary situations, and light occult elements call for discernment, especially with younger viewers. For teenagers and adults, WORTH WATCHING — TEENS AND ADULTS.
