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STRANGER THINGS
ERA:
-

Set in the 1980’s
Makes intertextual references to a range of 80s texts e
...

Enjoyed both by young audiences and old audiences

Theories to apply: (Narrative theorists)
Todorov:
- Todorov's​ theory states that all narratives follow a three-part structure where they begin with
equilibrium, where everything is balanced and happy
...
Stranger
Things conforms to his theory as it does begin with equilibrium as the town of Hawkins, where
Stranger Things is set, seems like a peaceful town where nothing ever goes wrong and the
only crime that happened was a girl got attacked by a bird
...
In Stranger Things, the
disruption is when Will goes missing one night after a game of Dungeons and Dragons and
possibly when the group of three boys meets a telekinetic girl who appeared to have escaped
from Hawkins lab
...

Eventually everything is restored when Will is actually rescued from the upside down
...

However to counterpoint, with Stranger Things being a TV show they can leave things
unresolved as they will be resolved in the next series
...
For instance, the equilibrium in the
story is Martin working for the East, which is seen as being normal and his way of life
...
The resolution in episode 1 is that he completes his task in having to take
pictures of confidential, private documents
...
The Berlin Wall ends in 1990 so the audience watching
this may already expect the show to demonstrate this and other events that they already know
happened in the Cold War
...
He argues that there are several main archetypes in a narrative or story, which are as
follows; The Hero, villain, the helpers, a princess, the Donor, dispatcher and a false hero
...
In stranger things, the Hero would be Hopper, the towns sheriff
but could also arguably be Will and his friends who pursue multiple attempts to find/save Will
...
Wills friends also meet Eleven
while searching for Will, who becomes one of the Catalysts for the town finally recovering Will Byers
...
This is
because the Narrative contains two Villains instead of the classic “Single villain with his group of
minions or henchmen” clique
...


Brenner
...
Brenner essentially created the portal which brought the Demogorgon
into their world and the Demogorgon did choose to take Will to “The upside-down”
...
This is usually expressed in
the form of binary oppositions
...
As in the show, to president Ronald Reagan he calls
East Germany an “evil empire” but to the audience there is not a complex representation
...
Especially, because the east are seen as an oppressive, communist
state
...
There are also
different representations of patriarchal ideologies in D83
...
On
the other hand, the East presents women having the same power equal to men, though the
character, Lenora
...
Therefore, Strauss
theory of binary oppositions can be applicable to D83
...
The binary oppositions are very obvious because it is a sci-fi
genre whereas in Deutschland 83 it is based on real, historical events
...
Whereas, in D83, there are things that
drive Martin ideologically, like commitment to his country and his preservation of communism
...
he binary oppositions in Stranger Things are quite
clear to understand
...
It is obvious that the audience are sided with the kids
and the small town, in wanting to defeat the ‘upside down’ along with them
...


Although in some ways Strauss theory subverts and goes against the conventions and codes of
D83
...
There are more cultural similarities than differences
and oppositions between East and West Germany that Strauss claims
...
Lenora
providing coffee to Martin’s mother in episode 1 depicts a blur between wealth and difference
highlighting the east as not being overly impoverished
...


:) ​Can be applied to any cultural product, including LFTVDs
...
Can be used to analyse representations and their
ideological effect, by seeing which side of an opposition is valued by the narrative
...

Does not tell us anything about the ownership and control of television and the process of mediation
that leads to the messages in newspapers
...


-

Barthes

Meaning is communicated through signs which are made up
of the signifier (the thing itself) and the signified (the
meaning)
...
Barthes uses the word myths to
describe the way the connotations suggested by a sign have come to be seen as normal and natural
...
Signifiers are explicit,
such as his badge, gun, uniform, and the empty beer cans all communicate meanings in relation to
the character but they also suggest values and ideological messages around power and masculinity
...
The
establishing shot of the Wheeler house in the opening sequence is another example of the way signs
work as myths
...
It also indicated towards the concept of
a ‘nuclear family’ which Mike’s family represents that is viewed as the expected social norm
...
ST also presents mothers as figures who are struggling to hold the family together
whilst fathers are either absent, insensitive or distracted
...
Similar to Nancy’s mother who is a
typical housewife, doing domestic duties whilst Mike’s father is irresponsible and clueless to
everything going around him (e
...
This show how signs accrue social meanings which
can communicate ideological messages
...
For example, does not explain anything specific to LFTVD
as it is a general theory of signification
...
Because Stranger Things is a hybrid genre of, sci-fi, horror and romance
it can appeal to a broader audience and conform more to the conventions of LFTV drama, which the
theory does not consider
...
Therefore, doesn't look at all signs that may be important to consider in LFTV drama
...
Martin’s uniform is a sign of him being loyal to East
Germany and serving as a good soldier that believes in his country’s values, such as freedom and
communism
...
He
is a symbol of oppression to the East, as he calls them the “evil empire” which infuriates Lenora
...
The audience are positioned from the
start to think that the East is good and the west is bad
...
The fact that most of the
government's/authority are men in West Germany also signifies that West Germany is also
patriarchal
...
It also does not tell us anything about the ownership and control of
television
...
Foreign language films are also seen as being as high status to build
brand image/prestige
...
The use of data and algorithms to
engineer original productions to appeal to its audience is another way in which it can avoid risk, which
the theory does not look at
...

Useful for ‘micro’ analysis of media language
...
Less useful for
analysing ‘macro’ media language elements such as narrative and genre
...
Does not tell us about how audiences interpret television and give meaning
...

He adds that ​‘difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre’: mere repetition
would not attract an audience​
...
His
theory means that it is important to follow some of the conventions of a certain genre so that
people know which genre the show falls in
...

Stranger Things did this by taking the traditional 80s theme of a movie and twisting it
...
The relationship between Nance and steve makes us feel anticipated in
wanting to know what direction their relationship will turn to
...


In contrast, Neale genre theory conforms to D83
...
Also, the historical genre of the
show may undermine Neal's usefulness
...
So it may appeal
to an older generation than a younger one
...
The theme of patriarchy can
also overlap in this drama, as we do see archive footage from presidents, mainly men who are in the
middle of this war
...
Although, this usbverts in D83 as we
see Lenora having most of the power, as she is the one who sets up the spying operation at first
...

However, in other ways, the theory is not useful in applying to ST
...
For example, the
show makes references to ET, Lord of the Rings, Steven Spielberg
...

Neal’s theory can be applied to Deutschland 83 (D83) due to its genre conventions
...
The protagonist in spy thrillers are normally forced to go ahead with the missions,
which is what Martin has to do as he is faced with blackmail in order to protect his mother
...
Therefore, Martin’s characterization
conforms to this in Deutschland 83
...
Neal indicates that there

should be an overlap of genres so audiences are hooked
...

Baudrillard:
Baudrillard's theory conforms to Stranger Things
...
Therefore representations no
longer relate to reality
...
For instance, references to 80’s
clothing, Nuclear Family, in which Mike’s family represents this with his mum and dad and his teenage
sister
...
The show also represents
sub-urban small american town where most middle-class wealthy families live and therefore they have
more to lose if something goes wrong in their lives
...
T
...
T, it features kids who make an alien friend and try to solve problems, what
Mike and his friends try to do when against the Demogorgon
...

However, the theory can be limited to Stranger Things as Sci-Fi genres is more difficult to make “real”
to audiences like the supernatural world of the upside-down and telekinetic powers of Eleven
...
The theory also does not consider the
pleasures and entertainment audiences get from these hyperreal media texts
...
We see imitations of actual historical events of the 80’s, with
real archive footage of Ronald Reagan at the start of episode 1
...
The representation of soldiers, like
martin being loyal and references to nuclear weapons/deterrents
...
For instance, Lenora providing Martin's mother coffee, suggests it is more accessible
and affordable for Lenora who comes from West Germany whilst East Germany is poor and
oppressive
...
For instance, audiences do not need to know about the Cold War as they can still
understand the show if they watch without having knowledge
...
For example,
it doesn’t consider the cinematic and stylistic qualities of D83, or the complex multi-strand narratives
and characters that makes the show appealing as a LFTVD
...

Hall:
The theory suggests how​ media messages are produced and encoded into media
...
For example, preferred
reading is when media producers use recognised conventions and rely on the audience to create or
decipher their own level of agreement
...

‘Oppositional reading’ when the audience and their life experiences have no relationship with the text
they are resistant to it
...
For example, encoders/creators install messages about
the cold war with the information that the consumers may not all have prior contextual knowledge of
the events (Cold War) that the long form tv drama is based off of - Age difference, older ‘preferred
reading’, Young ‘oppositional reading’
...
e
...
Young audience can sympathise with the younger characters e
...

Martin and Annett forced to be away from one another
...
It can also be applicable to Stranger
Things as Young, marginalised people will sympathise with the main protagonists
...

Therefore
...
Whereas, the
elderly may find the younger characters a nuisance as they are not cooperative with authorities
...
However, the audience can resist to this as
assumes that there is one dominant meaning to which the audience responds – does not fit messages
with a multitude of different possible readings (e
...
deeply ironic messages)
...
He suggests in older media products, representations were more simple and
straightforward especially regarding gender
...
Gauntletts theory
can be applicable to Stranger Things
...
The vast amount of online fan
culture including fan art, fan fiction, and memes demonstrates the way in which online media allows
audiences to participate in popular culture, and to express their own identities
...
Nancy is a typical teenage girl, often in her room and has a
crush on the popular ‘jock’ which is Steve Harrington
...
Whereas, we see more of a complex representation with
Eleven: short hair, not very feminine, violent behaviour, not nurturing/motherly (arguably because
although it is based in the 80s, it was created in modern times)
...
The
theory also assumes that people have enough self-awareness of their media use, interests and
motives to be able to provide researchers with an accurate picture of that use
...

The theory is also applicable to Deutschland 83
...
Lenora subverts from typical expectations of a
woman due to her high status and authority in the Stasi, therefore showing a complex representation
in characters that conforms to the theory
...
However, can be limited to Deutschland 83 as it
gives too much credit to the audience and underestimates the power of the media conglomerates
...

Van Zoonen:

Van Zoonen emphasises the importance of gender being seen as socially and culturally constructed
where women are often objectified (viewed as sexual objects) in media representations
...

The theory can be applied to Stranger Things because we see the representation of patriarchy
...
The governments/scientists are
conspiring together, Eleven’s father as the leader to experiment with Eleven’s powers using the
Hawkin’s lab
...

Therefore, men are portrayed as being controlling and demanding in ST
...
We do not see any women as police,
except for the women who sits in the office taking calls, highlighting women’s lower status and
position in general during the 1980s
...
However, the theory can be limited to ST, because we do see gender-norms
subverting
...
Halfway through episode 1, where when two men are chasing her in the
restaurant, she takes them down easily, leaving them defeated on the ground which shows her
strength, power and resilience, even though she is a little girl
...
He is shy, introverted and quiet and his
hobby in photography makes him more unique and isolated from the rest of the teenagers in high
school
...
For example, similar to Stranger Things, we see
that the governments and the state are full of military men
...
This is shown in episode 1, where he questions and scolds
two men in sneaking Shakespeare into the borders of East Germany
...
The portrayal of women in D83 depicts women as
being irresponsible, nosey and clumsy
...
Martin gets help from another
guy, a spy, by insisting Martin to spike her drink so she forgets about it and doesn’t tell Walter
...
However, the theory can be limited to D83
...

Such as, ethnic inequality, and we see this in D83 as only one black character is shown
...
Also, he can’t make powerful
commands, compared to Walter, a white-german who is the leader of the army
...

Hooks
H​ooks focuses on the ​intersectionality​ of ​race​, ​capitalism​, and ​gender​, and what she describes
as their ability to produce and perpetuate systems of ​oppression​ and class domination
...
For example, iin Stranger Things, we see the impact of
social class between Joyce as a working-class single mother and mrs Wheeler as a middle-class
housewife
...
Where as, we see mrs Wheeler, being portrayed as more
wealthy, as shown by the representation of her big sub-urban, middle class house
...
This is shown by Eleven, being a white-female as she is the
protagonist who acquires a lot of power in the show
...
However,
the t
inequality in representation in LFTVDs
...

Curran and Seaton
Argue that media ownership is the most significant factor in the way media industries work
...

This theory can be applicable to Stranger Things because Netflix is popular for its originals and
streaming television is dominated by a small number of companies such as Netflix and Amazon
resulting in an oligopoly which arguably limits audience choices
...
Netflix also presents a diverse range of programmes but this is largely
americanised
...
Also the success of netflix may
undermine Curan and Seatons view that the internet does not challenge the dominance of established
media institutions
...
For example, like BBC, ITV and
RTC Sundance
...
For example, complex characterisation, as we see through Eleven, in
the way she subverts against her gender and conventions of multi-strand narratives, in finding Will
and the establishment of new relationships between Nancy and Steve Harrington
...

The theory can also be applied to D83
...
Foreign language films are also seen as
being as high status to build brand image/prestige
...
The
use of data and algorithms to engineer original productions to appeal to its audience is another way in
which it can avoid risk and links to Hesmondhalgh view that digital technology has led to increased
surveillance of audiences by companies
...
However, this theory can be limited to D83
...
For example, shows like Netflix and Channel 4 may
not properly regulate shows as individuals can still watch content without a parent and by themselves
...
This theory may not aid in understanding
how ideologies, audience choice or media language conventions may determine media content
...
​She challenges every
stereotype of a girl with her shaved head and lack of communication and this may appeal to a broader
audience because it may seem interesting to audiences, which the theory does not look at
...
LFTVDs are produced by American cable and streaming services that treat
audiences as consumers and, at most, are only lightly regulated to avoid harm
...
Some regulations are only suitable for broadcast
regulations rather than streaming services
...
The opening scene where the man with the white coat is
running away in which the loud alarm sound can be triggering and the dimming of the lights may
intimidate or scare younger viewers
...

Therefore, Netflix does not restrict access to this content leaving it to the account holder
...
For
example, shows like Netflix and Channel 4 may not properly regulate shows as individuals can still
watch content without a parent and by themselves
...

The theory can also be applicable to Deutschland 83
...
For example, Deutschland 83 is not a global success like Stranger Things
...
Therefore because it is foreign and european, not many
audiences will watch it
...
Scenes in Deutschland 83 may
also need to be regulated
...
However, the theory can be limited to D83 because the study of Ofcom was from a
national perspective, so only applies to the consumption of these LFTVDs in Britain or to British
LFTVDs
...
For example, like BBC, ITV and RTC Sundance
...
For
example, complex characterisation, as we see through Eleven, in the way she subverts against her
gender
...
These
all may contribute to high production value but the theory does not consider this
...
The high production costs and ease of reproduction and sharing of media
products means media industries use a number of methods to reduce risk
...

The theory can be applicable to Stranger Things because it is designed to appeal
to a broad audience
...
​For example, the character of Barb is costumed to look like Stef from The
Goonies
...
The Goonies and

Stranger Things are heavily linked in this way that they are based off of the presence of a
supernatural being that interferes with their known world
...
​Therefore, the
1980s nostalgia, and the mix of young and adult characters all help Stranger Things to have broad
audience appeal
...
This is because Netflix doesn’t always
rely on stars, like Winona Ryder to have a high production because not everyone may know about
her
...
For example, like BBC, ITV and RTC Sundance
...
For
example, complex characterisation, as we see through Eleven, in the way she subverts against her
gender and conventions of multi-strand narratives, in finding Will and the establishment of new
relationships between Nancy and Steve Harrington
...

The theory can also be applied to D83
...
Foreign language films are also seen as
being as high status to build brand image/prestige
...
The
use of data and algorithms to engineer original productions to appeal to its audience is another way in
which it can avoid risk and links to Hesmondhalgh view that digital technology has led to increased
surveillance of audiences by companies
...
However, this theory can be limited to D83
...
For example, shows like Netflix and Channel 4 may
not properly regulate shows as individuals can still watch content without a parent and by themselves
...

Bandura
Bandura believes that the media can have a direct influence on the values and behaviours of
audience members
...
This can be applicable to ST because the representation of male characters in positions of
authority may reinforce patriarchal ideas about gender roles
...
The governments/scientists are conspiring together, Eleven’s father as the leader to
experiment with Eleven’s powers using the Hawkin’s lab
...
Thus, this can influence more patriarchal ideologies where it
can be seen as accepting and the norm of society
...
Therefore, this can influence people’s behaviour to
become immersed into a world full of violence and horror
...
This is because of the fact that Stranger Things is based on sci-fi, dystopian genre and
everything is illusionist
...
Also, majority of Stranger things, focuses on
female empowerment through Eleven who subverts against the typical gender representation
...


Therefore the theory is too simplistic especially because majority of the scenes in Stranger Things
isn’t full of violence nor is distressing
...
The representations in D83 can influence
people’s beliefs and attitudes through different social groups, such as social class, as well as gender
...
The evidently
more wealthy Lenora and Walter are able to force Martin to do the mission through bribing him with a
transplant for his mother
...
When put into comparison, Edel's social event is paces above that of Martin's mother's
birthday
...
The people there are wearing suits and dressed
very smartly, whereas over in the East they are all wearing casual clothes
...
This alone effectively presents a huge contrast between people of different classes and status
...
So this may affect audiences values and behaviours
...
During the Cold War, East
Germany was known to be poor whilst West Germany was a rich, capitalist area
...
Similarly, the
show subverts against gender stereotypes, similar to ST
...
This can mean that prioritising the effects of the media on the
audience may mean that the effects of the audience on the media are underestimated
...
This is also reinforced by the ‘mean world syndrome’ in which Gerbner
suggests people think that the world is full of violence and are more likely to have a negative
view of the world
...
For example, in Stranger Things, audiences may distrust the government and
authorities because they are presented as being evil against the good, which are the children
...
It also
suggests that viewers may have more trust in the local police, such as Hopper in Stranger Things,
who is the sheriff of Hawkins
...
There are also patriarchal ideologies in ST, as most of the government
represent men
...
However, the theory can be
limited because the complex and nuanced representations common to LFTVDs are less likely to
cause a direct effect on audiences
...
Thus, audiences will be less affected by the values and
behaviours because the show is based on an dystopian world that isn't real
...
​She challenges every stereotype of a girl with her shaved head and lack of
communication and so the show doesn’t really reflect patriarchal ideologies but promotes female
empowerment
...

D83 also depicts a ‘mean world’ syndrome with corrupt governments, secret police and ‘evil empire’,in
this case the USSR
...
The representations in D83
can influence people’s beliefs and attitudes through different social groups, such as social class, as
well as gender
...

The evidently more wealthy Lenora and Walter are able to force Martin to do the mission through
bribing him with a transplant for his mother
...
When put into comparison, Edel's social event is paces above that of
Martin's mother's birthday
...
The people there are wearing
suits and dressed very smartly, whereas over in the East they are all wearing casual clothes
...
On the other hand, Gerbner's theory suberts/is limited to D83
...
Therefore, Gerbner’s theory can be outdated
...
This is because audiences may
know that the drama is based on a fictionalised, dystopian world where the demorgogan or upside
down may not exist in real life
...

Jenkins
Jenkins theory suggests that an emergence of ‘participatory culture’ in the media has occurred
...
This can lead to ‘spreadable media’ also where content is adapted by
audience members for their own purpose and shared with others
...

Shirky
Technological developments have changed the relationship between
media producers and audiences
...
This can create cognitive surplus, where potentially large
numbers of people give their time and expertise to create something (e
...
Wikipedia)
...
Stranger Things fan culture demonstrates the
different ways in which audiences engage actively with media products
...
The Stranger Things fan wiki is
also another example of cognitive surplus – people using their free time creatively to produce content
...
An example of this is
the actor who plays Will Byers who used instagram to respond to online fan discussi
that the main event happens in a wood on an abandoned road where the boy first sees the monster
before beginning the chase to hide from him
...

The camera work used in Stranger Things also reflects the camera work seen in most horror films as
when Will is being chased by the suspected monster the ​camera​ is all over the place
...
The camera also
tracks the main character in the chase scene so that the audience feels connected to the character
...
Stranger things does this at the beginning of the series panning
down on to the scientific laboratory making you feel that the lab will be an important place throughout
the series as it is where the whole show started
...

Science fiction - Mostly related to futuristic elements (aliens and monsters), alternative worlds,
special effects, Futuristic settings (space)
...


Episode 1 pre-title sequence:
Section 1 - intense music used along with sudden jump scare to create fear, Zollverein shot used on
running man in order to catch the perspective of the monster chasing him, constant cutting to and
from the dimly lit hallway creates mystery as we expect something to appear, overhead shot captures
monsters perspective as man is snatched
...

Section 3 - As the two boys ride home an intense scene is created in which Will's light keeps flashing,
jump scare is used as Will looks up from his bike to see a terrifying figure, tracking shot is used to
show Will running with a loose frame to portray his vulnerability, sound effects increase in volume as
the monster appears to get closer (a warning sign), a similar shot is used to the first section as the
camera slowly moves upwards to symbolise the rise of the monster
...
In Stranger Things there are loads of references to big films from the 80's
including Alien and The Goonies
...
​ The large glasses
became a trademark fashion statement of the 1980's
...
By making this link, the producers have referenced to
The Goonies which would have been released in the time that this is set
...
Similarly, in E
...
While Eleven isn't represented in the stereotypical "little green
man" alien appearance, she does have to alter her look in order to avoid suspicion
...

The aliens from Alien and the monsters in Stranger Things both have the same method of
reproduction
...
In Stranger Things both Will and Barb suffer the same fate after they have their
bodies taken over by the beast leaving them frozen
...


The way certain characters are represented in Stranger Things goes against stereotypes which
helps the character to flourish and appear stronger in their role whereas some stereotypes are
followed
...
Her "non-girly" looks suggest she is more
focused on her mind than she is on her physical appearance, further represented through her
intelligence and desire to stay out of trouble
...
She doesn't conform to
stereotypes in the way that she is a strong leader who supports her friends and family
...
Will's family is a one parent
household with what appears to be a relatively low income whereas Mike's family consists of two
parents who own a large house in the suburbs
...
He is often pictured smoking and drinking which
would suggest he doesn't care about his job which is then contradicted by the amount of effort and
work he puts in to try and find Will, risking his life several times in the process
...
He is always pictured with big hair and
an attitude which suggests he is immature and puts more effort into his appearance than anything
else
...

Joyce - ​Supports the stereotype of a caring mother who will do almost anything to find her son
...
Compared to how women
are normally portrayed, she is a very strong contradiction
...
Their relatively bad taste in clothes and intelligence suggest that they are caring towards one
another but find it difficult to increase their friend group or talk to other people, hence the difficult when
Eleven is introduced
...
She challenges every stereotype of a girl with her shaved
head and lack of communication
...
Mike's relationship with her is particularly strong as he confesses
his feelings to her
...
g
...

- ​Sci-fis follows scientific principles and technology​ (We see this ideology with men
wearing lab coats in the very first scene and Eleven’s dad experimenting with science as to see how
Eleven powers work and finding new ways to make her stronger- using her as an experient)
...

- Darkly-lit: ​In the first scene- flashing lights with man running away), when showing Mike’s
house in the night, When Will walks home by himself in the night, Eleven wearing a yellow
dress which contrasts to Ben’s grey, casual jumper and dimly-lit scene)
- Themes: ​Dystopia, other worlds, alternate history- imaginary world (demogorgon, upside
down)
Subverts to genre stereotypes because it does not illustrate who the monster is which
is a supernatural face/Alien
...
- S​equences of Martin’s training with narrative over the top,
reflecting the conventions of a spy thriller espionage
...

Audience is often in sympathy with the protagonist:​ For example, when Martin was
secretly taking pictures of confidential documents without trying to get caught
Themes:​ Such as good vs evil (Levi Strauss - binary opposites)
Characterization: ​The protagonist in spy thrillers are normally forced to go ahead with the
missions, which is what Martin has to do as he is faced with blackmail in order to protect his
mother
...
Additionally, D83 has moral dilemmas which are all explored through Martins
perspective,
Genre hybridity: ​This is reflected in the show in the hybridity of themes and genres, such as
comedy being demonstrated with romance and action
...
The story is set out to reveal more and more each episode
...

There is no resolution to the narrative because the nature of the long-form TV
drama means that often storylines are worked out over a series of episodes, for
example in Stranger Things and Deutschland 83
...
For
example, starting to watch the series on episode 6 would not explain how Eleven got her
powers and would therefore leave the story open to interpretation which would become
confusing
...
The sequence is split into three sections of
which there is a sci-fi/horror, fantasy and horror section
...
At one point or another these narratives will intertwine to make up the whole
story and several characters will meet
...
The use of a linear
structure makes the story less confusing when you watch episodes and allows different
narratives to conclude easier
...
By doing this the
creators can further develop the backstories of the characters and make them easier to
identify with the audience
...
Sympathy for him when his fingers are sprained
...
The mystery of the story is high at the beginning with not much being given
away to the audience
...
It is important to keep a reader making guesses because it
keeps them engaged and makes them want to watch on
...
The audience, on the other hand, becomes aware of main plot lines
quite quickly as they get a broader overview of every character whereas individual characters
may not meet one another until several episodes in or not at all
...
(Evident
when Will goes missing in the forest and everyone doesn’t know where he is -his friends wait
for him in school and think that he is late but the audience know something happened to him)
...
Martin's Aunt is dominant and has control over Martin's action and decision
making
...
The older people are evidently more knowledgeable
...
Furthermore,
Tobias gives Martin all his training in the build up to his mission
...

Gender
The series is dominated by male characters
...
This can be seen
with through Edel's receptionist and Martin aunt Lenora working to find a candidate for Walter
...
Martin's mother, Ingrid,
challenges the stereotype as she does not rely upon a male figure, and in fact it is her sister that
provides her with the medical treatment she needs
...
Despite having somewhat reasonable
power, Lenora is still bossed and controlled by men, with Tobias, Walter and Martin taking figurehead
roles in the mission
...

Class/Status
Deutschland 83 presents a clear difference in power between the rich and the poor
...
Furthermore, Tobias also does this, despite Martin running away

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