Twelve-year-old Will Byers goes missing one night in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana, panicking his mother Joyce and setting off a search -- which his friends Michael, Dustin, and Lucas refuse to leave to the police. Meanwhile, a young girl with unusual abilities finds shelter at the local burger joint; but trouble is not far behind.
The boys' search for Will is interrupted by the arrival of Eleven, a girl with powers who has escaped from nearby Hawkins Laboratory. Sheriff Hopper struggles with his past as he leads the search for Will, and Jonathan pays a visit to his deadbeat father. Meanwhile, Nancy considers how far to go with Steve when he invites her over for a private party.
