Starcourt Study Hall: A Stranger Things Podcast

In a very special episode, Marina and Amanda break down what happened at Netflix TUDUM on May 31, 2025 and break down our brand new teaser trailer for Season 5. Stay Strange.

This week, we take a fun journey through the 1984 Summer Blockbuster and large inspiration for Season 2: Ghostbusters! Stay Strange.

This week, Amanda and Marina give their (many) thoughts on Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway. Stay Strange!

This week, we head back to the library as Amanda takes us on a journey through time and space in Madeline L'Engle's 1962 classic - A Wrinkle In Time. Stay Strange.

Welcome to yet another series with a catchy title! This week, we explore the 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws. We break down the movie and discuss its connections to a certain strange show. Stay Strange.

This week, we break down Behind the Curtain: the behind-the-scenes documentary about Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Stay Strange!

This week, Marina gives us an A+ book report on The Talisman. Stay Strange!

For this week's Rorschach test, I mean episode, Marina and Amanda count down their top 5 scariest scenes of the show so far, and discuss what makes them so scary. Stay Strange (and stay brave)!

This week, Marina guides us through the reviews for the biggest and blockbuster-est season so far, Season 4. Stay Strange!

This week, Amanda talks us through the criticisms and praises of her favorite season, and the podcast's namesake - Season 3! We also learn that Marina may have the same amount of legs as the Mind Flayer. Stay strange. Sources were not said in episode, so are listed below! Latina Media - Watching and Loving the White, Male “Stranger Things”GQ - Stranger Things Season 3 - Grow Up Already!The Representation of Russian Ideology in Season 3 - Olga WhiteVox - Season 3 has Good Ideas, Poor ExecutionThe Guardian - ST 3 - Still Frightening as Hell But Far More FunVox - Season 3 Review, No SpoilersObasi Amare - substack - the Strange Depiction of Lucas and Erica in ST 3Variety - ST 3 ReviewIndiewire - ST3 ReviewPaste Magazine - ST 3 ReviewVanity Fair - Stranger Things Doesn't Know How to Grow UpWashington Post - A convoluted Stranger things follows…AIPT Comics - Stranger Things 3 - a Return to Monstrous FormTV Guide - ST3 ReviewThat's What She Had - Enough with the Evil Russians!Den of Geek - Embracing New Change for the Better

Welcome back to our second Crit Hit episode! This week, Marina takes us right back to Season 2 - the good, the bad, and the Lost Sister. Stay Strange (and stay tuned at the end for a silly surprise).

Welcome to our second leg of pre-season 5 content! For the next few weeks, we will be diving into reviews (good AND bad) of each season of Stranger Things. Stay Strange!

In this episode, Marina and Amanda recap all the updates and leaks about Season 5 that we've gotten since Episode 100. Stay Strange.

This week, Amanda and Marina take us through their top 5 dreams and nightmares for the upcoming season. Stay Strange. Note: There was an issue with Marina's audio this week that we did our best to fix!

This week, Amanda takes us through some of the remaining S5 theories, ranging from "maybe" to "hopefully impossible"...Stay Strange.

This week, Marina helps us explore the possibility of a new adversary in Season 5, or maybe a Big Bad we've never considered. Stay Strange.

This week, we dive into some films that will be referenced in Season 5 content to discuss what they could tell us about the events of the upcoming season. Stay Strange!

We're back (from the future) with a new Theoretically. Last week, Amanda will take you through the ways time travel works in media & how it already appears in Stranger Things. Stayed Strange.

Welcome to our first ever holiday special! This week, Amanda and Marina let their imaginations run wild with a gift exchange between characters. It's about to get strange! Stay Strange and Happy Holidays!

This week, Marina is bringing you part 2 of this Theoretically series and poses the theory that Max might just be our next Superhero. Stay Strange.

We're back with another Theoretically episode. This week, Marina is tackling the theory that Will the Wise might just be a wizard after all. Stay Strange!

Welcome back to another Theoretically episode! This week, Amanda explores some ways that we might see Eddie again in Season 5. We talk about Kas, D&D, and a few other ways we could get a return. Stay Strange.

This week, we break down everything Stranger Things Day 2024 had to offer. The good, the bad, and the strange. We also discuss the newly released Chapter titles for Season 5, Chapters 7 & 8. Stay Strange (and stick around at the very end for a blooper if you need a laugh!).

Happy Stranger Things Day! We've decided to take it all the way back to the beginning and break down the concept and Pilot for Montauk - the original concept that became Stranger Things. This week, Amanda gives us an enhanced re-watch of The Vanishing of Will Byers, including lots of tidbits from Montauk along the way. Stay Strange.

Happy Halloween and welcome to our second ever Strange and Spooky episode! This week, Marina takes us through two conspiracies (or government projects, depending on who you ask) that inspired the plot of Stranger Things. Stay Strange (and Spooky!)!

This week, Amanda and Marina give us their top 5 songs that they hope to appear in Stranger Things 5, as well as some more treats! Stay Strange! Our Official Playlist NIH Article

We're back this week with part 2 of the long-awaited and highly-requested Byler theory. If you haven't heard part 1, we strongly suggest going back to last week's episode first! We sincerely hope we have done this theory justice, because we know just how important this is to so many ST fans, and specifically to so many in the queer community. Stay Strange¡ (this was an accident but it's staying.)

Welcome back to another iteration of "Theoretically...". This week, Marina tackles part 1 of a highly-requested fan theory: Byler. Stay Strange. The Queer Coding and Internalised Homophobia of Mike Wheeler

This week, Amanda keeps the speculation going with the leaked titles for Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of Season 5. Stay Strange.

This week, Marina goes over the first three (leaked) chapter titles for Season 5! We may not be theorists, but this is pretty darn close. Stay Strange!

Welcome to our first ever "Theoretically" episode, where we break down an existing S5 theory. Today, Amanda tackles the "8+11+1 Crit Hit" Theory. We go on a journey through the background of our characters, some D&D lore, and the logistics that can make it all possible. Stay Strange.

We're back with episode ONE HUNDRED!

What a two years it's been. We're wrapping up the last nine months of it - Season 4! We go over all the things we didn't get to say about this season, talk about what's coming next, and tell you about our plans to come. Stay to the end for a special blooper. Stay Strange!

This week, we step into the Rainbow Room one more time to go over the color symbolism in Seasons 3 & 4. Stay Strange.

We're doing something a little different this week! Marina guides us through the colors of Stranger Things 1 & 2 and what they represent. Get ready to learn about the color wheel, color symbolism in Western culture, and how these symbols appear in the show. Stay Strange.

* Spoilers for Season 5 Released Content Ahead! * On July 15, 2024, the 8-year anniversary of the release of Stranger Things 1, the world was given their first look into Stranger Things 5. Amanda and Marina go shot for shot through the under-two-minute teaser and give our thoughts, observations, and theories. This episode contains information currently available about Season 5 as of July 21, 2024.

We've finally made it to our final installment of The Piggyback. What better way to finish off this supersized chapter than with a supersized episode this week? Stay Strange.

Wow, what a surprise. We are back with yet another week of covering The Piggyback! Each week sadder than the last. But you know we always make it fun. Stay Strange!

We're back with the next part of The Piggyback. Lots to discuss this week. Stay Strange! Editor's Note: You might notice some audio clipping on some sections of this episode. We did our best to fix the issue, but it may not be perfect. Thanks for sticking it out with us!

Welcome to Part 1 of our four-week long journey through The Piggyback. We discuss some intentions behind scenes, lots of on-screen interruptions, and lots more. Stay Strange.

Lots of surprises in this one! Amanda covers some of the heavy-hitters from the ST4 soundtrack, and Marina goes over some of the biggest movie influences from the Season. Stay Strange!

We're back with our MBTI episode for Season 4.2: Martin Brenner and Sam Owens. We kick off this episode a little differently, sharing an amazing theory from one of our listeners. Stay Strange!

Marina and Amanda are coming in hot with our longest episode ever (!), the second half of Chapter 8, Papa. Grab a snack, and stay strange.

We've made it to Part 2 of Season 4! This week, we're breaking down the first half of Papa. Stay Strange.

This week, Marina takes us season by season through the SLOWEST BURN love story of the series (so far?

Amanda takes us on a little deep dive of some of the "visual feats" of Season 4. We gain a little more respect for Vecna in this one, but as we've heard, Stranger Things have happened. Stay Strange. YT Sources Rodeo VFX Breakdown Production Designer Chris Trujillo Becoming Vecna The DBs on the Demogorgon Fight

Marina and Amanda finish up The Massacre at Hawkins Lab and say goodbye to Part 1 of Season 4. We have a LOT of questions this time, so buckle up. Stay Strange.

Amanda and Marina move through part 2 of MAHL. We talk about inconsistencies in the Upside Down, Marina's fanfic-writing past comes back to haunt us all, and Amanda's audio is back to normal! Stay Strange.

Marina and Amanda start on our first three-parter of the podcast! We discuss rabies, Ted Wheeler, and of course, Vecna. Stay Strange. Editor's Note: This episode's audio may sound a little funky! Something was going on with Amanda's mic that we tried our best to sound normal. Thanks for bearing with us!

Marina takes us on a decade-by-decade journey through the Cold War and we find some more unexpected parallels. Stay strange.

Amanda takes us on a journey through Hive Minds as we see them in nature and in some unexpected places in Stranger Things. Marina and Amanda also experience an EARTHQUAKE live! Good thing we stayed calm! Stay Normal this time, not Strange, thanks.