‘Stranger Things: The Experience’ (Review)
Netflix knows how to handle immersive entertainment.
Stranger Things: The Experience isn’t just an immersive experience — it’s a full-scale amusement park on legs, gift-shop included.
Think “Wizarding World of Harry Potter’’ meets large-scale but temporary installments like Giant Spoon’s “SXSWestworld.” This new breed of entertainment combines over-the-top production value with inherent locational agility. Granted, Stranger Things: The Experience is only available in Brooklyn, NY. But think of the possibilities! High-caliber mobile shows like this have the potential to introduce entire fandoms to immersive theater over the coming years.
Immersive pop-ups aren’t new, of course. Secret Cinema has been perfecting the genre in London since 2007. That’s probably why Netflix partnered with Secret Cinema to create Arcane — League of Legends in Los Angeles, promoting the show with an immersive event before its release. In the wake of that success (we loved it), Netflix has partnered with Fever to promote Stranger Things. And they’ve got transmedia storytelling down to an art.
Last night I stumbled across a pineapple and jalapeño Surfer Boy pizza in the wild. No fanfare, no obvious Stranger Things signage — just another frozen piece of the immersive puzzle. Taking it home brought me right back to The Starcourt Mall and into the Stranger Things universe. Clearly, Netflix is leaning on people with years of industry learning to create a world that blurs the line between show and reality, including a near-perfect immersive pop-up.
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Because this is an event that’s got something for everyone. It’s got a strong narrative and vibrant actors, but it’s not exactly theater. Audience members are moved elegantly through lines and across spaces that promise more than a few thrills, but it’s not really a ride. There are tons of great photo ops, but it’s definitely not (just) an Instagram factory. This is an immersive hybrid that seems engineered to keep people engaged and talking (about Stranger Things).
Which is a long way of saying that Stranger Things: The Experience is a hella fun way to spend your afternoon, whether you’re a fan of the show, cool spaces, 80s culture, production design, selfies, immersive theatre, theme parks, or whatever.
Stranger Things: The Experience is split into two parts: a timed linear narrative in the Hawkins Lab and an open sandbox area filled with show-famous locations. The Hawkins Lab sleep study comes first. I won’t give away too much about what goes on in the lab, but light personalization keeps everyone engaged and stunningly efficient technology makes the space feel super dynamic. Next comes The Mix-Tape, a freeform 80s extravaganza space where you can chat with characters, grab some ice cream at Scoops Ahoy, buy Stranger Things merch, or camp out playing Joust in the arcade. The Mix-Tape is a self-directed space with tons to explore, slightly-too-expensive snacks, and a few cool mysteries to uncover.
Taken together (and I say this with the utmost love and respect because it was all executed perfectly), Stranger Things: The Experience feels a lot like riding a 3D roller coaster before getting spit out into the world’s best gift shop. It’s not a challenging ride — that’s part of why it’s so great. Stranger Things: The Experience signals an industry-wide willingness to keep investing in immersive across the board (yay!) but it’s also the experiential summer blockbuster we’ve been craving since 2019. As with any theme park, the people who seem to have the most fun are the ones who go all-in. So grab your finest 80s fashion and find out why everything’s a little stranger in Hawkins.
Stranger Things: The Experience, $44–72; Brooklyn, NY; Through July 31
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