Stranger Things Has One Major Flaw, the Show's Star Says

Summary

• Stranger Things has largely helped Netflix gain popularity with audiences.
• Despite its thrilling atmosphere, the show is boring at its core.
• ST's star believes the show needs to be harsher on its main characters.

In 2024, it's almost impossible to imagine the world without Netflix, but just a decade ago, the streaming service wasn't as ubiquitous and popular as it is today. And back then, there were only a few shows that drew millions of viewers to the platform. Stranger Things was undeniably Netflix's first success.

Debuting in 2016, the sci-fi horror drama instantly captivated audiences with its intriguing story that combined monsters, superpowers, alternate universes, secret government agencies, and teen drama. Set in the 1980s, Stranger Things also resonated with viewers hungry for the retro-style shows that were popular at the time.

Since then, ST has spanned four hugely successful seasons and become the ultimate flagship show for Netflix. Despite its popularity, however, the fan-favorite show has one major flaw.

Gory Much? Not Really

This may come as a surprise to any Stranger Things fan, as the Netflix series is notorious for its unapologetic portrayal of blood and gore. Plus, the voracious, bloodthirsty monsters ST is filled with are hardly what you'd call cute-looking.

In other words, Stranger Things seems like a dangerously suspenseful show that has no problem with scary scenes and gore. But when you really think about it, it's really not that breathtaking story-wise.

Stranger Things' Star Finds the Show Too Safe

Despite experiencing a lot of dangerous events over the course of ST's four seasons, Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson on the show, thinks the story lacks enough dramatic twists for the main characters. As a result, the teens are coddled by the writers and never find themselves on the brink of life and death.

'It might sound messed up but we should kill more people,' Matarazzo said during a recent Q&A with fans. 'This show would be so much better if the stakes were much higher, like at any moment any of these kids can kick it. I feel like we're all too safe.'

In fact, the main characters always manage to persevere, no matter how much danger they're in or how powerful an enemy they're up against. They defeat every enemy and monster, travel between realms, and save the world, which comes across more like a feel-good show than the horror-thriller it's supposed to be. Sure, it would be tragic to lose one of the fan-favorite main characters, but it would be exciting and change the course of the entire show, which cannot be a bad thing.

Season 5 of Stranger Things is scheduled to be released in 2025.

Source: CBR.