Top 10 Things You Missed in Stranger Things Season 3

One of the biggest running jokes of the season is that no one believes that Dustin has a girlfriend. Part of that disbelief probably stems from Dustin’s exaggerated description of her – she’s like “Phoebe Cates, only hotter.” Phoebe Cates was a popular actress in the early 80s thanks to her work in “Gremlins” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” You probably know her as the red bikini-clad woman who emerges from the water in “Fast Times.” Cates makes a cameo of sorts at the end of the season, when Steve bumps into a cardboard cut-out of Phoebe Cates in the Family Video. We don’t know why they would have a promotional cut-out for a three-year-old movie, but whatever.

#9: Stacey

Fear not, people, Stacey finally got her comeuppance. While Max and El are having fun in the shoe store, El wobbles and falls, causing a group of ladies to glance over and roll their eyes. El later spots this group in the food court and blows up an Orange Julius being held by the woman with frizzy red hair. Viewers may recognize this woman as Stacey, the same woman who turned down Dustin at the Snow Ball Dance back in season two. It looks like she went full 80s in the interim, because that hair is somethin’ else.

#8: Using Good English

The first scene in Hawkins is set in Eleven’s room, where she and Mike are mackin’ out and listening to Corey Hart’s Never Surrender. During the introductory pan shot, you can actually see the Corey Hart cassette sitting next to Eleven’s stereo, which is certainly a cute little detail. You can also spot a book titled “Using Good English,” which is a nice, subtle detail that could help explain Eleven’s expanded vocabulary. Maybe she and Hopper read the book at night before watching “Miami Vice” and eating TV dinners!

#7: Mews Bobblehead

Dustin’s mom loved her Mews, so much so that she decided to honor her memory with a bobblehead. In the scene where Dustin is being driven home from camp, you can spot a bobblehead of an orange tabby cat on the car’s dashboard. This is a clear reference to Mews, the Hendersons’ orange tabby cat that was unceremoniously devoured by Dart back in season two. It’s nice to think that Mews has not been forgotten, even though Tews was brought in to replace her.

#6: “The Endless Summer” Poster

There is a small poster for “The Endless Summer” on the wall of Max’s bedroom. This was a groundbreaking documentary that followed two surfers from California as they traveled around the world in search of killer surf spots. This background detail helps expand Max’s character, as it shows that she still has some love and feelings of nostalgia for her native California. It may also serve as a personal connection to her stepbrother Billy, as he is shown in later episodes to be an avid surfer. (xref) Another interesting California-ism that Max inhabits is the colloquialism “gag me with a spoon.” This is a phrase usually attributed to Valley Girls from the 70s and 80s, meant to express disgust or annoyance.

#5: Eleven’s Blue Hair Tie

Throughout the season, Eleven can be seen sporting a blue hair tie around her left wrist. This can be seen most prominently in the scene where Eleven spies on the boys and when Eleven and Max board the bus after dumping Mike. This is likely the same blue hair tie that belonged to Hopper’s biological daughter, Sarah. The hair tie can be spotted in Sarah’s hair when she freaks out at the park and on Hopper’s wrist while he reads to her in the hospital. It’s adorable to think that Hopper passed on the hair tie to his new daughter, and it signifies their bond in ways that mere words and actions cannot.

#4: Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)

At the end of the second episode, Steve discovers that the Russian transmission was sent locally thanks to the music played on the horse machine. This piece of music is “Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)”, a popular song from 1892 that was written by Harry Dacre. This piece has been heard in countless movies and TV shows throughout the years, including “2001: A Space Odyssey.” It’s the song that HAL slowly sings as Bowman deactivates the circuits controlling its intelligence. This in turn was a reference to the 1961 recording of Daisy Bell by an IBM 7094 mainframe computer, which was the very first recording of a “singing” computer.

#3: “Die Hard” Fight

“Die Hard” aficionados will certainly recognize the brief fight sequence between Hopper and the Russian Terminator, as it’s practically lifted verbatim from the fight between John and Tony. This includes Hopper holding a gun to the back of Grigori’s head, Grigori stating that “policemen have rules,” and Hopper grabbing onto Grigori’s back, causing him to spray bullets from his machine gun. Unfortunately, things don’t go quite as well for Hopper, mostly stemming from Joyce’s hilariously awful throw of the gun. If only there were some stairs Hopper could have thrown him down!

#2: Farrah Fawcett Hairspray

In one of the earliest scenes of season three, the gang trolls Dustin by manipulating his toys and making them come to life. To defend himself against the attack, Dustin grabs a bottle of Farah Fawcett hairspray (much of which proceeds to go directly into Lucas’s eyeballs). This is the same hairspray that Steve told Dustin about back in season two, resulting in that ridiculous hairstyle that Dustin was seen sporting at the Snow Ball Dance. It looks like Dustin is still rockin’ the Fawcett spray after all. We wonder if he took a bottle to camp with him…

Before we unveil the biggest secret of season three, here are a few honorable mentions.

E Pluribus Unum is Latin for “Out of Many, One”

Kit Kat Kash Was a Real Giveaway in 1985

Mayor Kline’s Trump-ian Campaign Sign

Christine Movie Reference

Eagle-eyed viewers may have spotted a yellow “sneak preview” triangle on the “Day of the Dead” poster. That’s because “Day of the Dead” wasn’t given a wide release until July 19, 1985. However, its premiere was held on June 30, and it received a limited release on July 3. We don’t know why Hawkins would get a sneak preview of all towns, but there you have it! (xref) Fans of the movie may have also noticed that Nancy wakes up in time with the scene playing in the theater. The movie’s score can also be heard when Robin and Steve are laying on the floor and discussing their time in high school. We’re starting to think that the filmmakers are fans of “Day of the Dead.”