There is definitely a lot of fantasy vs reality in stranger things a lot happens in the first episode. Deutschland 83 is more hyper reality, it’s based on real events but shown in such an extreme way like when Martin failed to escape and learned spy techniques the fast pace made it more dramatic but very unrealistic also the whole plot of even having a undercover spy from east Germany to infiltrate west Germany is post modern itself, however, we just do not know which is baudrillards theory of imagery and simulation. You have to create something and create each step to either get the same results or something similar. Which is why there is a lot of intertexuality in stranger things using references from other 80s related items like the bike design very popular in80s and the theme of fantasy similar to the hit film ET with the alien and bike. Here we could suggest the boys with the bikes and the possibly Alien Eleven are going to meet. With the sudden entrance of this odd child who indicates to us supernatural activity by stopping a fan by using her eyes through cross cutting, this is a perfect indication of post modernism a personal opionion of supernatural activity would be focus through mind or eyes whereas others might have a different point of vie, the reality of this scene would be a little girl eating in a classic American diner but stranger things chooses to create that barrier of fantasy vs reality.
Deutschland 83 closer towards the end main character Martin manages to sneak into his superiors office and was able to gain information from documents the realistic course of action would be for him to get caught in this moment, especially with the suspense. However it wouldn’t be much of a long form tv drama if he were to get caught now proving baudrillards theory of a post modern society and ideas.
Hyper reality It’s more real than real
The basic reality for Deutschland 83 is Germany is at war and is spilt between east and west times are hard for east Germany being poor unlike West Germany who are wealthy and their shops thrive with such colourful organised products in episode one where Martin is standing in between an isle seeing cans alined the organisation is so good and colour co ordinated it almost seems abnormal.
The basic reality in stranger things would be the years representation, the drama is set in the 80s we see the stereotypical bad boy good girl through Nancy and West and also the bullies and losers through the group of boys this might hyper reality but it is real to the extreme. The facilities used in stranger things are rather typical the classic American diner. Nuclear family in a big house
in stranger things there is a mask representation of reality by the mise en scene, props and clothing. Showing this sense of reality through the feeling of the 80s.
East and West are at war the reality is ruined by this sudden undercover agent
Monster has invaded reality from another dimension clashing of fantasy and reality.
Issues are complex and can’t be divided into binary opposites good v evil
bad things can happen to young people if they play compulsive games and aren’t looked after. And also after dark.
Spy thriller conventions are daft and unlikely. Too many loopholes unfixed parts in the plot. Unanswered questions.
It’s entertainment. we buy into a group of four young boys and a little girl who seems to be Telepathic running away from clearly bad guys. To be left with a cliff-hanger of meeting the groups of boys we see a contrast of good and evil/bad.
There is some historical reality but evidence of hyper-real played out in binary oppositions. In reality/ real life there are no monsters, but we do not know this because with Baudrillard theory how is it possible to get something from nothing. Obviously stranger things created this ominous feel through intertextuality and other references, but the idea came from the creators the barrier of fantasy vs reality is crashing down. But stranger things are supposed to be based in the 80s so do audiences now have nothing to worry about. We don’t know this is the problem and why post modernism explains how knowing and not knowing is a problem.
