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!
Connect with The Stranger Things Podcast:
Facebook community
Twitter
Instagram
Contribute Listener Feedback

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!
Connect with The Stranger Things Podcast:
Facebook community
Twitter
Instagram
Contribute Listener Feedback

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!
Connect with The Stranger Things Podcast:
Facebook community
Twitter
Instagram
Contribute Listener Feedback

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.
Connect with The Stranger Things Podcast:
Facebook community
Twitter
Instagram
Contribute Listener Feedback

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!
 
Connect with The Stranger Things Podcast:
Facebook community
Twitter
Instagram
Contribute Listener Feedback