As Netflix's animated show Big Mouth so graphically points out, everyone goes through puberty. The Stranger Things kids are no exception, and sooner or later the show might have to deal with one of the characters growing about a foot in height and their voice changing seemingly overnight. Turns out the creators aren't too worried about the kids aging, and Ross Duffer was kind enough to explain why in the quote below:
It's better to adjust the narrative to fit the ages than to try to rush the process. They grow so fast, we would have to move at such a speed to keep them young. Even over the course of these nine episodes, you can see them getting older. That's something that plays over a week. We want to move as fast as we can, but it's not really dictated by the kids.
The question, which was asked by THR, was preceded by the Duffer Brothers dispelling a rumor that Stranger Things had plans to film Season 3 and Season 4 simultaneously. The brothers shot down that notion, as well as the fact that their story hinges on the kids of the series remaining the cute little children we see on screen. Even if they were trying to do that, Ross Duffer notes it would be a fruitless effort as he notes the children are seen growing throughout the course of the Season 2 episodes.
Even in the hypothetical scenario that the Duffer Brothers could film the entire Stranger Things series without the kids aging a single day, Matt Duffer says they wouldn't do it. Duffer says they believe the change in characters will help shape the show and keep things fresh as they move onward in the series, and even references a popular film franchise that had the same situation:
Even if I had the choice to freeze them in time, I wouldn't. We don't want to be repeating ourselves. This show is going to naturally evolve and feel different year to year, and that to me is a good thing. I like that we're able to watch them grow. Look at Harry Potter. How powerful was that to grow up with those kids? For me, that made that series especially potent.
So it sounds as though the Duffer Brothers are more prepared than the actual kids for them to go through puberty. That's reassuring for the future of Stranger Things and for the kids on the show who may be wondering if they'll be recast should one of them suddenly sprout a mustache overnight. It seems that, regardless of age, the story of the series will survive.
We are officially a week out from the premiere of Stranger Things Season 2, October 27th on Netflix. Get excited for the new season by reading up on that shadow monster that's supposed to be a big deal this season, or listen to our latest episode of The Cord Cutter Podcast where we break down everything you could ever want to know prior to watching. For more on other fall programs worth checking out, visit our fall premiere guide.
