I binge-watched this a couple of days ago (I know, I should have better things to do. I still haven't read the letters in the last FT). It had me on the opening titles, which totally made me feel I'd rented a video of a low-budget sci-fi film I'd never previously heard of that had a great blurb on the back. Eighties flashback right there.
I enjoyed it. I didn't get bored until the last episode, which just seemed to string out a predictable sequence of events. But it was late by then, and I'd been fending off sleep for a couple of hours.
The eighties tropes were ubiquitous and satisfying. To some extent, shameless but forgivable rip-offs of alien and other bio-horror; high-school drama, with nerdy and socially awkward kids being bullied and awkward sexual encounters; kids on bikes, often pursued by sinister government agents; nerdy kids in houses that seem to have plenty of space for them to have a hobby room where no adult bothers them much (is that really so common in America?); kids with a mysterious friend the adults can't know about; the alcohol abusing cop, struggling with past tragedy; even the thing with the lights instantly reminded me of Poltergeist. Classic eighties movies were deeply mined, but it never felt particularly unoriginal; perhaps because it was executed with such obvious self-awareness and affection.
Those parts that were a little too predictable were so because folk of my age had seen it all before, but that didn't bother me because I knew the writers had planned for me to feel that way.
I don't know whether it was an excellent series, but it was a damn good one. And, as has been said, young Milli Bobby Brown has talent beyond her age, giving a stand-out performance even in a generally well acted drama.
I don't know what's left of the eighties for them to plunder, but I look forward to the next series.