The Simpsons Easter Egg You Missed In The Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Premiere
Contains spoilers for "Stranger Things: Tales from '85" Season 1, Episode 1 — "Welcome to Hawkins, New Kid"
"Stranger Things: Tales from '85" is laden with detailed, nostalgic callbacks, mainly to pieces of '80s pop culture. But the show manages to slip one subtle reference to a '90's staple into "Welcome to Hawkins, New Kid." Keep your eyes peeled when The Party has their snowball fight while trying to shovel out a congested driveway for extra pocket money. Unfortunately for them, Old Man Plow arrives to steal their cash and complain about them getting in the way. At least "Old Man Plow" is what Lucas (Elisha Williams) and the others call him. But if you take a look at the logo on his jacket and the door of his vehicle, the business is actually called "Mr. Plow."
This seems to be a direct reference to one of the best episodes of "The Simpsons," "Mr. Plow," from Season 4. The outing sees Homer (Dan Castellaneta) drive a snow plow to make his car payments after getting stuck with the truck when he wrecks his car. He becomes successful, but a jealous Barney (also Castellaneta) threatens his business by building a rival company.
Mr. Plow is just one of many references sprinkled in Episode 1
The original "Stranger Things" made a cottage industry of referencing major events, persons, places and things from the 1980s, and "Stranger Things: Tales from '85" has continued that legacy. It's filled with callbacks to everything from "Star Wars: A New Hope" to video games like "Centipede" and songs like "Kids in America" by Kim Wilde.
In the first season alone, "Tales from '85" references "Knight Rider," mentions Mr. T, and brings up a ton of other popular, kid-friendly topics from the decade that will make any Gen X'er feel right at home as they watch the show with their own spawn. Hopper (Brett Gipson) even talks about having a movie night with El (Brooklyn Davey Norstedt) — and he doesn't mean opening up a streaming service, he's rented a bunch of flicks from a video store. It's enough to make anyone yearn for the olden days — while hoping El and the gang survive the tunneling, snow-bound monster that seems to make mincemeat of "Old Man Plow" by the end of "Welcome to Hawkins, New Kid."