Season 3 of “Stranger Things” is Awesome, But There is a War that Could Take Away the Show’s Authenticity
The Netflix hit “Stranger Things” is one of the platform’s most popular programs. Everything up to now gives users every reason to believe they will be seeing this show for years to come.
Netflix clearly loves its creation, telling USA Business Radio and other media in a statement about its short but rich history:
“Stranger Things: A love letter to the ’80s classics that captivated a generation, Stranger Things is set in 1983 Indiana, where a young boy vanishes into thin air. As friends, family and local police search for answers, they are drawn into an extraordinary mystery involving top-secret government experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one very strange little girl.
“Stranger Things 2: It’s 1984 and the citizens of Hawkins, Indiana are still reeling from the horrors of the Demogorgon and the secrets of Hawkins Lab. Will Byers has been rescued from the Upside Down but a bigger, sinister entity still threatens those who survived.
“Stranger Things 3: It’s 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, and summer’s heating up. School’s out, there’s a brand new mall in town, and the Hawkins crew are on the cusp of adulthood. Romance blossoms and complicates the group’s dynamic, and they’ll have to figure out how to grow up without growing apart. Meanwhile, danger looms. When the town’s threatened by enemies old and new, Eleven and her friends are reminded that evil never ends; it evolves. Now they’ll have to band together to survive, and remember that friendship is always stronger than fear.”
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The summary itself is enough to keep you wanting more.
Viewers of the Stranger Things franchise love it for many reasons:
The video style has a 1980s quality to it that makes one feel like they are watching shows from that era. Instead of its somewhat primitive film quality being irritating, it is somehow charming. The use of fonts (as in the logo) is “totally ’80s.”
The Show is a walk down memory lane and much of it centers around the shopping mall culture so popular and pervasive in the 1980s. As the viewer watches, it is easy to enjoy the sight of the old Sam Goody music store, which brings back memories of looking for the latest and best albums. Then there is The Gap, which still exists today, but the one in this season of Stranger Things looks much more like the one enjoyed by earlier generations. There is also the candle retailer Wicks N’ Sticks, which has long passed away. Before Barnes and Noble, millions of Americans enjoyed the long departed Waldenbooks, which makes a brief appearance during the show. Many might remember Chess King, which makes a quick cameo. That was the source of popular fashion for young men on a budget in the 1980s. Several other great memories from shopping in the past can be found in Stranger Things 3.
The show is also very committed to being authentic, right down to some of the behavior that was common in both 1980s culture and on what was seen on television at the time. This has gotten Netflix into some trouble
The Truth Initiative, which is a powerful force in holding the tobacco industry accountable, has published a scathing report on the pervasiveness of smoking that is still seen on TV. In particular they are calling out streaming media, like Netflix. Stranger Things was not the only guilty party, according to the report. There are several including Orange is the New Black, Fuller House, Daredevil, House of Cards, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
Several key characters — including some of the show’s most popular protagonists — smoke in the series. As a result of the criticism, Netflix vows to cutback on the use of tobacco products in its productions, reporting “Netflix strongly supports artistic expression. We also recognize that smoking is harmful and when portrayed positively on screen can adversely influence young people. Going forward, all new projects that we commission with ratings of TV-14 or below for series or PG-13 or below for films, will be smoking and e-cigarette free — except for reasons of historical or factual accuracy,” a Netflix spokesperson told EW in a statement. That last line is interesting. Smoking in 1980s TV was common. The show is not just about telling a story about the 1980s, but giving the viewer an ’80s experience. To do that, one can argue, requires smoking to remain common. There is no doubt smoking is harmful, and the media should never encourage it. However, it will be interesting to see how these new rules will affect viewership. Will the absence of this harmful substance be welcomed by the audience, or seen as a blow to its authenticity? Time will only tell. Of course, Stranger Things 3 has only just recently come out. There are no guarantees of a season 4. But if there is one, I think Netflix and the media industry in general will be watching the treatment of smoking on the show very closely.
