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Geeky kids from 'Stranger Things' were the coolest at Emmys

Even when they're not flipping vans and fighting Demogorgons, the kids from "Stranger Things" are still kicking ass.

Claire Reilly Former Principal Video Producer
Claire Reilly was a video host, journalist and producer covering all things space, futurism, science and culture. Whether she's covering breaking news, explaining complex science topics or exploring the weirder sides of tech culture, Claire gets to the heart of why technology matters to everyone. She's been a regular commentator on broadcast news, and in her spare time, she's a cabaret enthusiast, Simpsons aficionado and closet country music lover. She originally hails from Sydney but now calls San Francisco home.
Expertise Space, Futurism, Science and Sci-Tech, Robotics, Tech Culture Credentials
  • Webby Award Winner (Best Video Host, 2021), Webby Nominee (Podcasts, 2021), Gold Telly (Documentary Series, 2021), Silver Telly (Video Writing, 2021), W3 Award (Best Host, 2020), Australian IT Journalism Awards (Best Journalist, Best News Journalist 2017)
Claire Reilly
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Caleb McLaughlin, Millie Bobby Brown and Gaten Matarazzo of "Stranger Things" onstage at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

Lester Cohen/Getty

Admit it. Like me, you desperately wanted to be a child star when you were younger -- rocking up to awards shows, skipping school for the red carpet, blanking Anna Paquin after she beat you to the Oscar at age 11 (that hack).

But now that I've seen the kids of "Stranger Things" at the Emmys, I realise it's probably best I spent my formative years lip-synching into my bedroom mirror.

Everyone's favourite middle schoolers from Hawkins, Indiana, ditched the '80s T-shirts and jeans to put on their finest duds to take over the red carpet, and they well and truly won the Emmys. If nothing else, they made the best appearance on E's Glambot.

Who needs telekinesis when you have moves like that Millie Bobby Brown?

If that wasn't enough, they switched back to their costumes from the show and delivered sandwiches to the hungry crowd, made backstage in the all-night gimmick kitchen by Jimmy Kimmel's mother.

Sandwiches for all!

Screenshot by Claire Reilly/CNET

The "Stranger Things" pop culture phenomenon has certainly made for plenty of awesome memes and cosplay (including the best wallpaper-inspired costume you'll ever see).

But its meteoric rise, and its prominence at the Emmys, also marks a broader shift in the TV landscape. Netflix is well and truly taking on the legacy players of broadcast and cable television, and now it's getting the awards and screen time on rival channels to prove it.