Stranger Things Moments: You Have to be Winston

By Owen Quinn author. Photo aand clip copyright Netflix

Stranger Things has always evoked the spirit of the 80s from the get go. There have been great reminders to those of us who grew up in that time of our childhoods.

One of those was the arrival of the movie Ghostbusters and when Ray Parker’s iconic theme song took the word by storm. Parents scrambled to get the toys. We hugged Slimer and wanted him as our buddy. We drooled over the Marshmallow Man. We wanted to be Ghostbusters and wear those overalls.

So when we get to see the kids of Hawkins do what we did, it made us smile. A lovely element to this is that my five year old nephew has discovered the original Ghostbusters and is hooked by it all just as we were at that age. He has his figures, his overalls and proton pack. It’s amazing to see phenomenon spill over to future generations. This really does show the magic of the time and Stranger Things successfully captured so effortlessly.

For trick or treating, Dustin, Mike, Lucas and Will are all dressed as Ghostbusters but there is a problem. Lucas has turned up and his badge says “Venkman” as played by Bill Murray. Mike takes unbrage at this as his name plate is also Venkman.

Lucas argues asking why he can’t be Venkman. Mike and he argue that Winston, played by Ernie Hudson, came into the movie too late so isn’t a real Ghostbuster. Mike insists that only Lucas can be Winston. Lucas challenges him as to why. It is clear that Mike thinks it has to be Lucas because he is black. It’s lovely to see the awkwardness in the exchange because in the kid’s minds it is already a given as to who plays Winston.

The nuance is not anything to do with an agenda or a drive to push equality and inclusiveness, just how a kid’s mind works. Everything is black and white, pun not intended. To succesfully translate the spirit of the Ghostbusters, Mike thinks Lucas being Venkman somehow upsets the balance of that world in their heads.

The run up is lovely as their parents take pictures of them in full costume and Lucas’ sister, Erica, calls her broither a nerd and no wonder he only hangs out with boys. They arrive on their bikes, singing the theme song and shouting out, “Who you gonna call?”

None of us can stand with a straight fce and say we haven’t done the same. This author might have dressed up last October for his nephew’s Ghostbuster themed party. Yep, at 57, busting still makes me feel good.

Despite what they have seen and gone through at this stage, this reminds us they are still kids, thinking like kids and loving Ghostbusters.

Just like every generation since.