Netflix’s addictive supernatural series Stranger Things has become the “oh my god, have you been watching” show of the summer. As in, “Oh my god, have you been watching Stranger Things? I’m obsessed.” With good reason, too. It’s nostalgic, but the original story is captivating and mysterious, and the kid actors are naturals. Also, Winona Ryder. Always Winona Ryder. The first season of Stranger Things only has eight episodes (another plus; the story never lags), but the finale leaves room for further adventures in Hawkins, Indiana. Which is what co-creators the Duffer Brothers are hoping for.
Netflix hasn’t officially renewed Stephen King’s favorite show for season two yet, but that’s a mere formality — it’s getting excellent reviews, and it’s a genuine hit. Matt Duffer recently told IGN, “We wanted to do a couple things with this season. We didn’t want to do The Killing thing.” He added, “Now, we don’t answer all the questions by the end of the season — there are definitely some dangling threads. The hope is that it feels satisfying but that we left room and that if people respond to it we can go back into this world. But if we do get to go back, it’s not a second season as much as a sequel.”
Executive producer Shawn Levy — yes, the same Shawn Levy who directed the Night at the Museum series and Real Steel; he’s now forgiven — optimistically added that he’s hopeful Stranger Things can “go several more seasons. And the plan is to continue with this set of characters while introducing a few critical key new ones next season… Things end up being resolved to some extent at the end of season one, but not entirely. And that’s why we’re so hopeful we get another few seasons to live with these people a little longer.”
To put it into terms Mike, Dustin, and Lucas would understand, hopefully next season of Stranger Things is more The Empire Strikes Back than Jaws 2.
