Original programming for television is a tricky thing. There's no sure way of telling which shows will be popular, as well as how they'll age with later seasons. This is surely the case with Netflix's sci-fi thriller Stranger Things, which was the breakout hit of the summer. The streaming service quickly renewed the series for a second season, and creators The Duffer Brothers released the titles for Season 2's episodes. But how does the team behind Stranger Things really feel about bringing a second season to their new rabid fan base? It turns out, they've got some (understandable) trepidations.
Shawn Levy, who is an executive producer and occasional director for Stranger Things recently spoke to the good folks over at Collider about the success and future of Netflix's latest hit series. When referring to the daunting task of bringing Season 2 to life, Levy said the following:
Yes, the pressure is on. It would be so blatantly disingenuous of me to say differently. It's scary to have people love something this much. It becomes impossible to banish all thoughts of not wanting to disappoint. This has been the challenge of it: on the one hand as we've see in the movie world, to do a follow-up that feels like the same thing is disappointing to an audience; to abandon things or change things [from the original], that disappoints the audience. A lot of Season 2 is next-level, some crazy stuff, but we must service these characters who are now beloved, who are known to the audience.
This makes complete sense. Shawn Levy and The Duffer Brothers have quite the journey ahead of them, but it seems like they're self-aware enough to realize any possible road blocks in their way. Let's break down exactly what Levy was saying with his comments.
TV shows that are so instantly beloved during their first seasons can often have a tricky sophomore run. The Walking Dead was stuck on Hershel's farm for the entirety of Season 2, Heroes was ruined (partly due to the writer's strike), and even Breaking Bad failed to truly capture people's attention with its second season. And with the first season of Stranger Things so universally loved, the audience is likely going to be critical of any missteps that Season 2 might contain.
Personally, I'm nervous about Stranger Things' second season in regards to the mystery of the series. Part of what made the first season so binge-worthy is how little the audience knew about the supernatural activity in Hawkins, Indiana. But now that we and the characters are aware of the Upside Down, Eleven's powers, Will's location, and the people responsible for the tear, there are far less mysteries. Of course, there are still a ton of question to be answered, so as long as we can be kept in the dark enough to create another conflict then Season 2 should be as delightful as the first one.
Keep it here at CinemaBlend for all things Stranger Things- we'll update you as more details become public.
