Do believe the hype: return of Stranger Things has world the edge of its seat

TRUMP in the White House, Brexit on the news, natural disasters sweeping the planet, and the threat of nuclear war stalking the world ... you’d be forgiven for thinking that we are already living in the “Upside Down”.

Sadly, we’re not. But perhaps that’s why viewers across the world have found themselves drawn in their millions to the weird escapism of Stranger Things – the hit Netflix show in which a group of all-American kids discover an alternative reality known as “the Upside Down”. Luckily, we will all be paying a visit to this weird world again soon, as Stranger Things gears up for its return this Friday, just in time for Halloween.

Netflix has created a worthy list of original programmes over the past few years, but Stranger Things was the unlikely sci-fi number that outshone big names such as House Of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. There was little hype around its premiere, but the quality of the show proved irresistible to the modern audience who live to binge, capturing the imaginations of people for whom the classic 80s movie The Goonies – one of the show’s inspirations – will always elicit a nostalgic sigh.

The thrill of the first series derived from its expert referencing of pop culture. Viewers looked forward each week to the 1980s references the showrunner Duffer brothers – twin thirtysomethings Matt and Ross – would stir into each episode, proving that nostalgia rules and the world can never have enough ET references.

This season looks to be no different with the few teasers released so far managing to give very little away, while building mystery and hyping up fans across the globe on social media. The online buzz was kicked off by a short 30-second advert during the Superbowl which set Netflix back a cool $5 million. A homage to the 1980s movie poster followed. Twelve of the main characters appear on flyers that looked like they could have adorned the bedrooms of your average 1980s kid. Several Stranger Things T-shirts even appeared on the Louis Vuitton runway earlier this month, including images of the iconic cast of child characters: Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will and, of course, El, played by Millie Bobby Brown, complete with skinhead. The t-shirts were a huge hit for Louis Vuitton.

Fans replied enthusiastically to the official Twitter