This ‘Stranger Things’ Mash-Up Will Make You See The Demogorgon In A New Way

Part of Stranger Things' charm comes from its nostalgic callbacks to the '80s. That includes the music, the E.T. and Goonies-esque brigade of brave middle schoolers on bikes, and, of course, Winona Ryder. On Monday's Jimmy Kimmel Live, the late-night host aired an '80s themed Stranger Things mash-up you didn't know you needed until now. Even though the Netflix show, which just released its second season, makes its own references to the sci-fi that became popular during the '80s, there were plenty of other cultural staples that didn't include extraterrestrial creatures, like sitcoms.

Kimmel's unlikely combination places the Stranger Things characters into a completely different TV show, Perfect Strangers, and it will shock you how well a Demogorgon can fit into the lives of the sitcom's characters Larry and Balki. The whole plot of Perfect Strangers revolves around Larry, an uptight Chicago native, getting upset with his immigrant cousin Balki Bartokomous, for acting inappropriately. As problematic as that may be, it made for a great dynamic of Larry as the serious counterpart to Balki, the goofy problem-causer. Sounds totally different from Stranger Things, right? Well it is, but the two shows actually seamlessly coalesce in Kimmel's mash-up, as the sketch reveals Balki inviting a Demogorgon into Larry's home.

As you can probably guess, Larry doesn't cope well, and neither does the Demogorgon, and perfect '80s comedic mayhem ensues. Kimmel brought the Perfect Strangers' original actors, Mark Linn-Baker and Bronson Pinchot, back, so it's also a nice reunion to see for actual fans of the '80s show. But it's definitely enjoyable, even if you've never actually seen Perfect Strangers. That's because the late-night sketch showcases '80s sitcom cornball jokes like calling the Demogorgan "Mr. O'Gorgon," which Stranger Things is arguably lacking. You have to see the sketch for yourself, especially because there's even a special appearance by the beloved Stranger Things boys played by Noah Schapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin. And who could forget Jimmy Kimmel as Dem O'Gorgen.

Jokes like, "He could use a breath mint" and "no, I mean you shouldn't have", are quintessential '80s lines, and if Kimmel had never made this mashup sketch, nobody would have ever known how perfect a Demogorgon could be in such a setting. Sure, he looks a little out of place, but looking ridiculous or out-of-place is another classic sit-com trope. Just look at this clip from Perfect Strangers involving Spider-Man pajamas.

Even though Stranger Things couldn't really be more different from Perfect Strangers, there are plenty of great jokes included in the actual Netflix show — they're just not as corny, and that's probably a good thing. Still, even if much of Stranger Things resembles old-school movies like E.T., The Goonies, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, there are plenty of other references to another quintessential '80s staples, namely, the Brat Pack. The Brat Pack, of course, refers to the cast of The Breakfast Club, and other movies of the like. If you didn't get major Molly Ringwald vibes from her redheaded Stranger Things counterpart, Barb, then you should probably schedule a John Hughes marathon ASAP.

With a third season of Stranger Things already secured, fans of the spooky Netflix show won't be left in the dark about what happens to the kids of Hawkins, Indiana for too long. Still, the new season's premiere is likely over a year away, so if Kimmel wants to continue making Stranger Things mashups for the rest of the year, that would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps a Strangers With Candy mashup could work, or perhaps Barb meets Molly Ringwald sketch. Considering that both actors currently appear on Riverdale, that actually may happen sooner than later. Either way, the possibilities for more Stranger Things mashups are endless, and fans most definitely want to see more of them.