When I was a kid, my dad used to say: "Begin as you mean to go on." If peak TV has begun 2019 as it means to go on, god help every single reporter who covers television. Because at 12:01 a.m. ET on the morning of Jan. 1, 2019, Netflix dropped the announcement for Stranger Things Season 3's release date this coming July 4. But once the hangover lifted, it became apparent this is no ordinary premiere announcement. The clues in the Stranger Things Season 3 trailer suggests there are puzzle pieces hidden all over the place for the new season.
The first clues fans got were in an odd video last summer broadcasting the arrival of the Starcourt Mall. There was something afoot, but no one could pinpoint what. Stranger Things also released a companion book for the first two seasons. But the book had morse code messages in it, which fans thought were for Season 3.
- The Week Is Long (Page 22)
- The Silver Cat Feeds (Page 62)
- When Blue And Yellow Meet In The West (Page 79-80)
- A Trip To China Sounds Nice (Page 172)
- If You Tread Lightly (Page 209)
Here's the Starcourt Mall trailer as a refresher:
And here's the new trailer:
Let's break it down.
The Starcourt Mall is everywhere in 1985. And it's throwing money around. The mall doesn't open until summer, but it's sponsoring New Year's Rockin' Eve.
"When Blue and Yellow Meet In The West" is the first code that flashes up, straight from the companion book.
But even though some would think this is some Russian East/West reference, note: The Starcourt Mall trailer pans over a clock with blue and yellow hands.
There are a lot of shots of computer code running, but after a close examination, there are two screens of information. This is the first. It reads:
Welcome to Lynx Corp. [TM] Gateway_LCG
>Set Terminal/Inquire
LCG - V003
>Set File/Protection-Owner : Aparri Accounts.F
>Set Halt Restart/Maint
Initializing BootSEO Lynx Corp. [TM] JM Boot Agent v9.22 Bids
BIDS - 4.04.71.00 22053.GM.RM.CM E3
Copyright 1984-198_ // Lynx Corp.
The trailer wants us to notice the program running: SilverCatFeeds. They want to make it so clear, they do a close up where the green is considerably brighter, and the font is ever so slightly off.
"The Silver Cat Feeds" is also a phrase from the morse code.
(Also, lynx are cats. Just putting it out there.)
This is the second screen of information, when SilverCatFeeds runs. Is it Russian? Or code?
Just as the last 10 seconds of the ball drop begins, the screen starts to spin, and Mike's voice can be heard calling out for Eleven.
There are several flashes where the Mind Flayer looks to be visible behind the shot.
And then the screen cuts to a TV test pattern, a regular occurrence in this era. Except, this one is upside down.
The final shot of the trailer is more footage from New Year's Rockin' Eve, now airing upside down.
By the way, if you want to check the real footage from New Year's Rockin' Eve 1985, here it is.
