‘Stranger Things’ season three trailer begs for summer

The second trailer for the third season of the Duffer brothers’ serial show “Stranger Things” was released Mar. 20. This third installment in the Netflix series is set to be released in eight individual episodes July 4. The season gives viewers one more reason to fully anticipate summer after they’ve put up with a noticeably longer waiting period compared to season two.

Considerably more color decorates the set-in-summertime third season of the retro sci-fi drama. Bright hues of red and blue dapple the clip like the sparks of the fireworks these colors call to mind. The bright blue of a chlorine-filled swimming pool crowded with people and bouncing beach balls epitomizes a summer day. This warmer and brighter setting makes sense when one examines the seasonal settings of the previous two seasons — fall and winter — which call for duller, darker shades. Season three seems to start out with the lightheartedness and joy particularly absent in season two’s Halloween context, as Will dealt with the consequences of having been trapped in the Upside Down and the gang faced the emergence of a new threat.

The preview opens with Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home,” played by Dustin upon his return home from summer camp. After he plunks down on his bed and greets his pet tortoise, his robotic toys begin to congregate and move out of his room along the floor. The camera then pans to the five other members of the party — Max, Lucas, Will, Mike and Eleven. Viewers then learn there is nothing to fear by the telltale trail of blood dripping out of Eleven’s left nostril, meaning she is using her special powers to control the battery-operated toys.

Dustin’s friends count to three behind his back before blowing party poppers to surprise him and welcome him home. This causes him to spray the can of hairspray he’s holding into Lucas’ eyes. Cue the opening energetic synths and guitar riffs of The Who’s “Baba O’Reily” and watch the rest of the trailer unfold.

It is clear the characters are growing up, making the production of this new season bittersweet. While they enjoy the freedom that comes with summer, they begin to realize they are getting older. Eleven’s hair has grown out more, and the boys’ voices are deepening.

Upon establishing this major change, the trailer picks up speed, collecting into a collage of snapshots of various scenes. Amidst the brightly colored arcade lights are more chaotic and shocking scenes, again balancing the exhilaration of summer with the fear in the back of the characters’ minds.

Hints of romance, new monsters and a possibly slower pace of summertime combine to reveal season three. Amidst this montage, one phrase stands out, typed in the characteristic glowing red font outlining the title of the show at the beginning of each episode: “One summer can change everything.”

Viewers will have to find out what exactly this means at the start of the summer of 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEG3bmU_WaI