The Stranger Things Podcast

What if the ghost haunting Hawkins was never a ghost at all? Join hosts Darrell and Addi as we break down "The Lich," the episode where the H.I.C. finally learns what they're up against. After a wild chase with Dustin and Charlie, the gang realizes the Wraith Hound can't survive without the glowing flowers. It turns out to be made of pollen, which is why it evaporates when it's led away from them. That means the thing "haunting" the town is a Lich, a creature that harvests fear and stores its power in a hidden lair. We cover Dustin's camera trick for tracking the Hate Sprites' pollen trails, the trip to Daniel's old lab, and the horror of the wooden golems and the eggs waiting nearby. We also talk through the cliffhanger, when El searches the Lich's mind and makes the discovery that the Lich is Daniel.

Beyond the monster mystery, this episode has real heart. We talk about El's heartbreaking moment of feeling "useless" and her fear that her friends only keep her around because she can fight for them, plus the reassurance she gets from Mike. We also dig into Nikki's announcement that this may be her last mission with the H.I.C. as her family's money struggles force her to get a job, and Will's attempt to comfort her. Whether you saw the twist with Daniel coming or it caught you completely off guard, this episode gives us plenty to unpack. Let's hunt the Lich!

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What's scarier than a ghost dog you can't see, can't outrun, and can't hurt? Join hosts Darrell and Addi as we break down "Split the Party," the episode where the H.I.C. gets scattered into smaller groups, each running for their lives from the creature they've nicknamed the Wraith Hound. We dig into El's refusal to keep running, even though her powers don't work on it. We also cover Nikki and Will's escape through the "garden of evil," where Will's energy starts fading fast, and Dustin and Charlie's unlikely team-up, with Dustin betting everything on his camcorder. Along the way, Max and Lucas hash out their WWE argument, and Lucas promises to make it up to her.

Then comes Mike's big theory about what's powering those glowing flowers, and it ties the Hate Sprites, the ghost, and the drained energy together. We break down Nancy's "count to five" advice on facing fear, the Hate Sprites collecting glowing pollen like bees, and the standoff with Jeff and his crew. We share our theories on where all that stolen energy is going and whether the gang can stop the ghost without feeding it more fear. Whether you think the flowers are the real villain or you're still holding out for a ghostly twist, this episode gives us plenty to dig into. Let's split the party!

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What happens when you try to be polite to an angry ghost? Join hosts Darrell and Addi as we break down "The Séance," the Valentine's Day episode where the H.I.C. decides the best way to celebrate the holiday of love is to summon Bloodaxe Bill's vengeful spirit. We dig into Mike and Nancy's heart-to-heart about finally asking El to be his girlfriend, the trip to Madam Ortiz's occult shop for proper séance instructions, and the ominous warning that contacting Bloodaxe Bill is basically "inviting death." We also cover Charlie Dandridge crashing the séance as the ghost's direct descendant, demanding a say in confronting his own family's curse, and Mike and El's sweet, low-key Valentine's Day exchange amid all the chaos.

We also dive into the séance itself—the protective circle, the planchette, and that chilling moment when contact is actually made—followed by the ghost's violent reaction. Beyond the supernatural scares, we discuss Nikki and her mom Anna's conversation about money and share our theories on what this all means for breaking the curse once and for all. Whether you're rooting for Mike and El's relationship or still trying to figure out what happened to poor Uncle Ernie, this episode has plenty for us to unpack. Let's get into the séance!

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A ghostly figure, a skeleton buried in the mine, and a century-old legend of a silver-mad monster collide as the H.I.C. digs into Hawkins' darkest piece of town history. Join hosts Darrell and Addi as we break down the third episode of the season, "The Curse of Bloodaxe Bill." We talk through the gang's visit to Arthur, a descendant of the Dandridge family, who reveals a shocking twist: Bloodaxe Bill wasn't the villain history remembers him as. He was murdered, and "history is written by the victors." We dig into what this means for Charlie and break down that terrifying moment when the ghost makes its first appearance to El, Max, and Nikki, sending Max and El running for their lives.

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After Charlie's terrifying encounter with something in the woods, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will set out on what starts as a school history project filming a mockumentary about town founder Samuel Hawkins, but quickly turns into a full-blown H.I.C. investigation. Join hosts Darrell and Addi as we break down "The Mine," diving into the boys' trip into the abandoned silver mine tied to the 1892 explosion caused by the legendary Bloodaxe Bill, and the unsettling discovery that someone (or something) broke OUT of the boarded-up mine rather than in. We talk through Mike's buried fear of ghosts stemming from a childhood Poltergeist screening, the group's skepticism toward Charlie's ghost story, and that terrifying cliffhanger when Mike falls into the mine and encounters a growling, screeching creature in the dark.

We also cover the girls' side plot as Nikki and Max launch a Valentine's Day flower-selling hustle to cover Nikki's busted amp. From dodging Lunch Lady Phyllis and her cockroach accusations, to the chaos that erupts when demomoths infest the school kitchen, this subplot takes a dark turn fast. We share our theories on what these creatures actually are, how they connect to the flowers, and what Mike's history of ghost-related trauma might mean for the season's bigger mystery. Whether you're Team "ghosts are real" or Team "it's definitely Upside Down business," this episode has plenty to talk about!

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A petty robbery at the Palace Arcade, a missing town delinquent and a field of eerie bioluminescent flowers blooming in the dead of winter. Something is definitely haunting Hawkins again. Join us as we kick off coverage of Season 2 of Tales From '85, diving into the premiere episode set during a Valentine's Day-themed February 1985. We discuss the mysterious disappearance of Charlie Dandridge that kicks off this season's central mystery, dig into those glowing blue flowers appearing all over town, teased at the end of Season 1, and what they might mean for a new supernatural threat brewing beneath Hawkins.

We also explore how this season ties back to Hawkins' founding history and discuss what unfinished business from Season 1 might resurface. Whether you're new to this animated corner of the Stranger Things universe or you've been following the HIC's adventures from the start, this breakdown sets the stage for a season full of new monsters and old secrets. Let's dive into Hawkins' latest haunting!

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The season finale is here and every thread we've been following finally snaps tight and the characters stop thinking about clues and start thinking about survival. Darrell and Addi walk through how the group rallies to take the fight where it matters most, pushing past exhaustion and fear to stop the next phase of Horde Prime. They also discuss the episode's most brutal emotional turns with Dan, the Baxters, and the core group of kids.

This finale did not disappoint, and by the end it sets up an epic clash between the remaining survivors and Horde Prime. With time running out, the party pulls together in that classic Stranger Things way, leaning on friendship, hard choices, and the kind of bravery that only shows up when there is no safe option left. Darrell and Addi break down every exciting moment, musical queue, the emotional epilogue, and of course, the tease for season 2!

• Unhinged: Netflix Horror Game Starring Zoe Karavitz, Sadie Sink Launches June 30
• MBB and David Harbor aren't done playing father and daughter

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A new piece of the puzzle lands in the Hawkins Investigators Club's hands, and the team fractures into three directions with one goal in mind: find something that explains what is happening in Hawkins before the next escalation turns into a full disaster. On one track, Mike, El, and Nikki end up under Mrs. Baxter's guidance as a set of unsettling encounters forces them to trust each other in real time, with more than one threat closing in at once. On another, Will and Max circle back around the Baxter house, hunting for details that feel small until they suddenly do not, all while Dustin and Lucas push deeper into a creepy, off-limits greenhouse that feels connected to something bigger than any "ordinary" mystery.

By the end of the chapter, the hunt stops being theoretical and starts becoming personal. Darrell and Addi tease the moment when the clues turn into confrontation, when the people trying to uncover the truth collide with the person protecting it, and when the greenhouse secret stops being a theory and becomes a problem they cannot outrun. Meanwhile, El's situation takes a sharp turn as the monster storyline reaches a point where "suspect" feels less like a label and more like a countdown. Tune in for Darrell and Addi's breakdown of the episode's smartest misdirections, the character dynamics under pressure, and what this chapter sets up for the next wave of trouble in Tales from '85.

• The Boroughs Cancelled by Netflix
• Stranger Things is Back at Halloween Horror Nights 2026

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Two terrifying creatures just crashed Dustin's solo run to the Food Mart, Eleven goes out on a limb to save him, and the gang goes underground to celebrate Nikki's birthday. In "The Party" (Chapter Eight), Darrell and Addi break down a pivotal episode that splits the tension right down the middle, balancing genuine warmth and celebration with full-on creature horror. The Hawkins Investigators Club gears up for big confontation underground and a birthday celebration that doubles as a true initiation into the group for Nikki. Your hosts dig into all these storylines, unpacking how the show manages to make you feel the joy of the party and dread over the reveal on who the queen of the creatures might actually be (or is it a misdirection??).

It's the moment the show has been building toward since the first episode, and Darrell and Addi give it the full breakdown it deserves. From the emotional weight of Nikki finally and officially becoming part of The Party, to the chaos unfolding at the Food Mart and the sewers, this episode fires on all cylinders.

David Harbor Interview with Variety

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A blizzard has swallowed Hawkins whole, and the gang is more fractured and in more danger than ever before. In "Enter the Storm" (Chapter Seven), Darrell and Addi break down one of the season's most intense and emotionally charged episodes yet, as Lucas and Max are on the move, braving the storm to reach higher ground and get a Code Red out to the rest of the team — all while the threat from the Upside Down closes in. Meanwhile, on the other side of Hawkins, Will, Mike, and Nikki find themselves completely snowed in at school, and the tension between Mike and Will over Nikki's place in the group is still simmering just beneath the surface. But the cold outside is the least of anyone's worries because El senses something lurking inside the school.

Darrell and Addi unpack the creeping dread of what it means when Eleven's instincts kick in and what she picks up on while trapped in the school with Mike, Will, and Nikki. The episode masterfully uses the blizzard as both a physical barrier and a storytelling device, trapping characters in tight spaces with rising fears and unresolved conflict. Tune in as your hosts break down the episode's standout moments, debate what El's warning could mean for the group, and tease what this perfectly crafted slow-burn setup might be building toward in the episodes to come. PLUS, a special guest joins in for our feedback segment!

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