How to Have a Stranger Things Inspired Date Night

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What with Season 4 having just been released, Matthew and I have been on a Stranger Things kick. We figured this may be the case for many of you as well, so we came up with a date night idea inspired by our friends (and foes) in Hawkins. The result, we must admit, is totally tubular. We’ve laid it out step by step so all you have to do is eat, play, and watch. Have fun!

Step 1: Invite Your Date

Start with the basics: invite your partner on the date. Choose a time and date and place. If you’re an old married couple like us (six years? already?) that will be at home. But if you plan to invite other people for a double date or group date experience, which makes sense if you’re playing true Dungeons & Dragons, you may have to coordinate the details. If it is just the two of you, give as many details to your date as you wish, or save the date for a surprise.

Step 2: Eat Dinner

The next step is possibly the most important for you hungry demogorgons out there: dinner. We’ve come up with a couple of recipes inspired by the show, including Surfer Boy Pizza’s Pineapple Pie and, for dessert, a Triple Decker Eggo Extravaganza. If you want to make it easy, you could always order pizza out from your favorite pizza place using one of our suggested pineapple flavor combinations. For those who argue fruit doesn’t belong on pizza, fine, we get it. Order something else. Everything here can be customized to you and your date’s liking.

Surfer Boy Pizza’s Pineapple Pie

“Try before you deny!” — Argyle (Stranger Things, Season 4)

Even El is surprised at how good pineapple pizza is. *Photo Credit: Fair Use.*

To prepare pizza at home, start with a store bought pizza crust. Spoon your chosen sauce on top of crust and spread from the center, leaving about an inch of crust. Add a layer of cheese. Add desired toppings (besides basil, cilantro, or other fresh toppings). Add another layer of cheese, salt and pepper. Bake according to instructions on the package of your crust. Once removed from oven, add fresh toppings. Optionally serve with hot sauce and ranch, or parmesan and red pepper flakes, or extra marinara, or another favorite dipping sauce of yours.

Pineapple BBQ Chicken Pizza: BBQ sauce, jack cheese, shredded chicken, red onions, pineapple, cilantro

Pineapple Spicy Kick Pizza: marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, jalapeño peppers, pineapple

Pineapple and Ham Pizza: marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pineapple, ham

Pineapple Thai Pizza: peanut sauce, pepper jack cheese, red onion, chicken, cilantro, pineapple

Tripple Decker Eggo Extravaganza

“Mmm! Good right? You know the great thing about it? It’s only 8000 calories.” — Hopper (Stranger Things, Season 2)

(Photo) Screen shot of Hopper's Eggo extravaganza — Hopper uses Halloween candies he has on hand. Choose whichever candies you want for your own Eggo extravaganza! *Photo Credit: Fair Use.*

The Triple Decker Eggo Extravaganza can contain whatever candies you and your date prefer, it only has to include whipped cream and a tower of three Eggo waffles. Stack whipped cream and candies between each layer, as well as on top, and you’ll have a delicious, calorie-ridden dessert (thanks for reminding us, Hopper). We’ve listed a couple of flavor combinations that we think characters from Stranger Things would like, but feel free to adapt as you would like.

Sweet and Sour Extravaganza: plain Eggo waffles, whipped cream, Sour Patch Kids, sour gummy worms, sour skittles

Caramel Candy Extravaganza: plain Eggo waffles, whipped cream, Snickers fun size bars, Milky Way fun size bars, caramel sauce

Hopper’s Original Extravaganza: plain Eggo waffles, whipped cream, Hershey’s kisses, jelly beans, Reese’s Pieces

Dustin’s Chocolate Nougat Extravaganza: chocolate chip Eggo waffles, whipped cream, 3 Musketeers fun size bars, pudding snacks

Will’s Peanut Butter Extravaganza: chocolate chip Eggo waffles, peanut butter, whipped cream, Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s mini peanut butter cups

Mike’s Candy Shell Extravaganza: plain Eggo waffles, whipped cream, M&Ms of different varieties

Lucas’s Cola Extravaganza: plain Eggo waffles, whipped cream, Haribo cola gummy candy, cola jelly beans, maraschino cherries

Step 3: Play a Game

Many of the fantasy elements of Stranger Things derive from the popular, and apparently at one time controversial, game of Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D. Therefore it makes perfect sense to try out the game yourselves on your date night. Invite another couple or two to come play using the essentials kit (for first-timers, read more about getting started here), or play a two-player spin off board game, like the ones we suggest below (board gamers can find more D&D board games and expansion packs here). Soon you’ll feel like just another member of Hellfire Club.

D&D Essentials Kit

D&D Adventure Begins

D&D Dungeon Mayhem

Step 4: Watch Stranger Things

It may seem obvious, but end your date night with a binge watch of Stranger Things. Choose your favorite episodes or start the series or a season again from the beginning. Between episodes, ask each other some conversation questions about the show, like the ones we’ve come up with below, or come up with your own. The only thing better than watching your favorite show is talking about your favorite show with the person you love.

Conversation Questions

Which character do you identify with most? Which character do you identify with least?
If you had to kill off one character, who would you choose?
If you had to bring back a dead character, who would you choose?
Given the choice, would you want to have superpowers like Eleven? Why or why not?
Which character or villain do you despise the most?
Which side character do you wish had a bigger role?
Which character would you like to see have their own spin-off series? What would it be about?
Which couple do you root for the most? Which couple do you wish would break up?

If you were having a dinner party and had three empty seats at your table, which three characters would you invite?
Which actor do you think does the best job?
If you could have a role on or off the set of Stranger Things, what would it be?
Which plot question do you want answered the most?
Is there a plot hole that bothers you?
If you could change something in the plot, what would you change?
Which season is your favorite? How would you rank the seasons?
Do you have any fan theories about the plot?
Which plot twist has surprised you the most?
Which throwback to the 80’s makes you nostalgic?
Why would you say you are a fan of Stranger Things?
If you lived in Hawkins, where would you work?