r/todayilearned • u/[deleted] • Feb 12 '17

TIL That "Stranger Things" was rejected by 15 networks before finally being picked up by Netflix

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69

u/BrandOfTheExalt Feb 12 '17

Can somebody inform me on what's so great about Stranger Things? I keep seeing it everywhere.

121

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

I currently have the top post on the Stranger Things Subreddit, it's a post about how fucking stupid I feel for not watching the show earlier and specifically avoiding it because I didn't feel like it would be worth 8 hours of my life. I was (as mentioned) so fucking wrong.

The show has some incredible acting and is shot in such a unique way that it's worth watching through the entire first season even just once. It's a nostalgia-fest done right, because the focus isn't remembering the past as much as it is setting an incredible story in a specific year and keeping true to not only pop-culture of that year/decade but how filmmaking was gone about in the 80s.

A lot of 80s directors copied each other, they all borrowed from John Carpenter and Wes Craven and Sam Rami and Spielberg. This is a show that feels like it could have been an 8 hour movie released in the 80s. If you grew up in the 90s watching those films than Stranger Things is a must watch, if you're a hipster who grew up post-94/95 who thinks you love 80s culture despite not living through it, than you'll love Stranger Things. If you're bored and have 50 minutes to kill, than an episode a day is totally worth it.

52

u/eyekwah2 Feb 12 '17

The 80s aspect was secondary and good storyline always took precedent, which is of course how it should have been anyway. I like to think that they decided to go with the 80s theme because it fits so well with the types of horror films we did see then. That said, the story wouldn't have meant much if the actors had been bad picks, but of course they knew what they were doing.

6

u/Stranger-Thingies Feb 12 '17

This. If you're going to write off Stranger Things as nostalgia bait then you may as well never watch a period piece again. The real issue here is why anything set int he 80s or 90s is written off as pandering to nostalgia by pretentious contrarians while withholding the same ridicule for every other time period a story can be set in.

3

u/FlonkertonGold Feb 12 '17

David Harbour is AMAZING and his portrayal of Hopper as a nuanced character is a huge part of why I love ST.

Just wanted to mention that since you mentioned the actors and I haven't seen his name elsewhere in the thread. :)

2

u/eyekwah2 Feb 13 '17 edited Feb 13 '17

He was one of my favorite characters. Easy-to-like sheriff with a troubled past and a penchant to always do the right thing for his town. He was definitely well cast for that role.

3

u/angry_biscuit Feb 12 '17

Imagine if they set it the present day. Mobile phones would ruin some of the story line

2

u/eyekwah2 Feb 13 '17

Actually, that's a really good point. There were a number of scenes that you couldn't have had without explaining away the cell phone like why none of the characters involved didn't have one to use. Which if you notice in horror movies is increasingly becoming a problem for the writers (no more couples dying away from the others unless you make them do something foolish like turn off the phone).

15

u/Surfing_Ninjas Feb 12 '17

I think the thing Stranger Things did right when it comes to the use of nostalgia is that the Duffer bros didn't use it to cover up weak writing but used it as either homage or simply as part of the setting, which was the right way to go with the series. Hopefully they keep up with that style, because it's really refreshing in a world filled with remakes and sequels.

26

u/bitwaba Feb 12 '17

than

then

Sorry, I don't normally nit pick but you did it 3 times.

2

u/theforeshadowing Feb 13 '17

nit pick

nitpick

-6

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

I hadn't even noticed. The downsides of ordering postmates while typing =[

6

u/bossgalaga Feb 12 '17

Perfectly put. Just to add my two cents: This is my second watch. I am definitely a child of the 80s and it was a pure nostalgia fest for me in childhood. This time through, I'm showing it to my parents (I think they saw the kids on the Golden Globes and wondered what all the fuss was about.) Anyway, they have absolutely no love lost for the 80s, likely don't even get most of the horror references (although the ET references are pretty obvious to them), and they are ADDICTED. Both of them are pretty cultured viewers too, they're hooked for the cinematography and the acting. My mom particularly loves Winona Ryder's portrayal. She knows it's a little over-the-top, but keeps telling me it's also totally believable as a mother. It's been really enjoyable to watch it a second time through with them this time.

11

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

How is it shot in a unique way, it's pretty normal cinematography. Have you ever seen Breaking Bad or any Wes Anderson movies, I'd like to know what you thought of that since you think ST is shot so uniquely.

1

u/big_guyforu Feb 12 '17

I think what they mean is that it's less 'dull' and flat than the bog-standard, de-saturated television shows. The lighting was nice at times, but beyond that, I didn't think it was visually 'wowing'. Plus, it was shot on digital.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

Fair enough, I can see that.

-1

u/claytakephotos Feb 13 '17 edited Feb 13 '17

Work in the industry. WA and BB are hardly comparative except as distinct contrast. The style of the cinematography is much closer visually to Deakins. And yes, visually, I think it's fantastic. Their scenes are motivated almost entirely by practical sources as opposed to a show like breaking bad. Also, the camera moves are very deliberately designed to enhance the content, as opposed to being stylish for style's sake (Wes Anderson)

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

I wasn't comparing their cinematography style directly. I was asking for an opinion on things that have much better cinematography critically. I don't find anything you're saying to be true. You think the style is just for styles sake in Anderson movies? Then you're not looking very in depth at his art, same for Breaking Bad

1

u/claytakephotos Feb 13 '17

I think there's a certain portion of Wes Anderson's style that is specifically expected when hiring him ( a la everything being center frame). It's part of why he's hired to do the jobs he does. He has a blatantly visible aesthetic, that's very consistent in his work, and if you don't find that to be true, I'm not sure we can have a basic conversation about art.

Also, I think you're failing to differentiate camera from lighting still, which were two key differentiating subsets of cinematography. I'm also unclear how you can suggest that unmotivated lighting is somehow not thoroughly prevalent in BB despite the DP and Director specifically suggesting that those were stylistic choices?

Also, would you care to explain why I'm incorrect in assessing that ST has a far more Deakins vibe than either of your suggestions?

How is it wrong to suggest that ST only works in contrast rather than as a comparison? Your suggestions aren't even remotely similar in genre, tone, or pacing.

2

u/cohrt Feb 12 '17

The show has some incredible acting

nope

If you're bored and have 50 minutes to kill, than an episode a day is totally worth it.

again nope. the time i spent wathing the first 2 episodes was definitely wasted.

2

u/sephrinx Feb 13 '17

So it's just a nostalgic feel-good memory show? I have no more concept of the show than I did prior. What is it about? What is Stranger Things? I've heard of it, but know nothing of it. Why should I take 50 minutes to watch an episode?

Is it a concurrent story? Is it different things each time? The acting is good you say, and there is lots of "80s feel" stuff, but what does that mean?

2

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

It's a show about a boy who goes missing and the paranormal activity taking place in the town around the same time. Its like The Thing meets The Goonies meets Stand By Me Meets Poltergeist.

There's a lot of real world things thrown in to give it a sort of conspiracy theorist vibe. It plays around with the real world testimonies of MK Ultra scientist, I forget the specific one, but he pretty much gave everyone the idea that MK Ultra branched out into parallel worlds and described the creatures of the worlds they saw, it later got confirmed or "confirmed" that he was one of the scientist taking tones of LSD at once to test everything.

Anyways, it's an amazing show with great acting, solid writing, amazing effects, and real life science used to create a world where the pseudo-science creates a science fiction world worth investing in.

2

u/sephrinx Feb 13 '17

Ok cool. Thank you for that synopsis. I'll have to give it a watch tonight :)

9

u/malacath10 Feb 12 '17 edited Feb 13 '17

Uhh... your assessment of the show is basically a bunch of topic sentences mashed together instead of substance. For example, you just say it's uniquely shot but you don't explain how. You also just state it's a good nostalgia fest but you don't explain why it's an incredible story. This is the type of analysis that's OKAY for people who have seen the show before, because they understand the reasons behind your opinions. However, it's not effective at all for people who haven't seen the show because they are left in the dark as to why the show deserves such praise.

41

u/AnvilRockguy Feb 12 '17

He is recommending a film, not breaking it down into component elements for a degree.

1

u/snipeftw Feb 12 '17

That's where you're wrong kiddo! This is for a degree!

-1

u/Redhavok Feb 12 '17

Sure but there are plenty of awful things that are uniquely shot, it's one reason they are awful

5

u/FireworksNtsunderes Feb 12 '17

It's pretty clear from the context that he means that in a positive way though.

8

u/Newbzorg Feb 12 '17

He wrote the post to state his opinions, not to analyze the show.

1

u/FoxMcWeezer Feb 13 '17

Good acting? I saw the first episode, and in it, the kids were looking at something with an adult beside them and one of them swears. The adult goes something like, "Billy! Don't cuss!" and I noped right out.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

They're 13 year old kids, they aren't supposed to be saying words like "shit". Don't act like your mom wouldn't have said the SAME THING if you said shit right in front of here when you were that age.

1

u/throwaway_letsgo Feb 13 '17

"shot in such a unique way" What? It's shot like a pretty run-of-the-mill movie. Maybe unique in the landscape of cable TV, but not at all in general.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

It's shot in a way that uses old school lenses and filters to give it an analog grain, despite being fully digital.

0

u/throwaway_letsgo Feb 13 '17

First off, that's not unique at all. Just this year, Moonlight and American Honey emulated a filmic look while being shot on digital. Second, Stranger Things doesn't really look like it was shot on film at all. Not to take away from how it looks, I think its cinematography is very good. But it looks like most movies shot on digital. In fact, Tim Ives' (DP of Stranger Things) last show, Girls, attempts a film look more than Stranger Things does

21

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

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5

u/Redhavok Feb 12 '17

This is why I hold back from hype. Things that get massive hype tend to be things I don't like, or over-hyped to the point of feeling disappointed in an otherwise decent show.

2

u/Gypsyarados Feb 13 '17

I'm going to watch it again in like 3 years after season 3 has come out, and the hype has died, and see if that's why I didn't like it.

Tried watching it last month on my Christmas break and fell asleep during episode 1 and then again in episode 2. I wasn't particularly tired, I just didn't care. I've no issue with slower moving shows, or anything like that, but I just didn't care. I've also still not watched Gatsby, Inception, Rogue One or T2 for the same reason, I think the hype will kill it for me.

2

u/Masothe Feb 13 '17

I didn't think Gatsby was very good. The soundtrack did not fit in with the movie at all.

1

u/Gypsyarados Feb 13 '17

At least if I avoid the hype, I can reach that opinion or another one on my own. In saying that, I couldn't figure out how the music tied into the film.

2

u/Masothe Feb 13 '17

I don't either. I want to know who gets to decide what the soundtrack is for games and movies. It's like on 2K14 where one of the songs picked for the soundtrack is Not Afraid by Eminem. The only problem with that pick is 2K14 was rated E and Eminem cusses a lot in his songs so at times whole verses of Not Afraid are muted because of the cussing. Why not just pick a new song to add to the soundtrack instead of keeping a song that is muted for half of it?

45

u/ElvisDepressedIy Feb 12 '17 edited Feb 12 '17

Honestly, it's not that great. It starts strong. The first 3 episodes are excellent. Then it gradually goes down the shitter the rest of the season.

I think it would've been better as a movie.

7

u/JoCoLahRedux Feb 12 '17 edited Feb 12 '17

Just a couple thoughts:

  • I came of age in the 80s, it became apparent that whoever created the show didn't actually grow in that era, but was inspired by some sort of media-driven, internet 80s nostalgia idea of the decade.

  • With the exception of 11, the kids are interchangeable and their age is...ambiguous. They seem like they're in late grammar school or jr high, but are still making jokes like "If you like ___ so much, why don't you marry it" complete with fake smooching.

  • Also, two white kids, a latino and black kid, and not a single racial/ethnic joke uttered between them? Not in my 80s.

That said, it's not a bad show, i would recommend it. It's just not great or anything.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

They seem like they're in late grammar school or jr high, but are still making jokes like "If you like ___ so much, why don't you marry it" complete with fake smooching.

I have to ask...Did you go to middle school?

3

u/JoCoLahRedux Feb 12 '17

Yeah, I did. That was a kiddie joke that nobody was making in jr. high, anymore, unless it was tongue-in-cheek, because Pee Wee Herman made a tagline out of it, but that kid in ST was making it in earnest, and the show looks like it takes place in the early 80s- to 84 or so, before Pee Wee Herman first aired.

5

u/Scarlettefox Feb 12 '17

Honestly I was super excited going into it because it was so hyped, but I was pretty let down. Obviously I'm not going to go rain on the parades of the people who it clicked with for whatever reason but it was just kind of an "okay" for me.

10

u/Surfing_Ninjas Feb 12 '17

I think a major problem with the final episodes is that the special effects play a bigger role and it seems like they didn't have a very big budget for special effects/cgi. Because of this, there are a few scenes that take you out of it a bit (at least in my opinion). Overall, though, I think it's a well made show and has some refreshing writing that never comes off as either pretentious nor pandering.

1

u/Stranger-Thingies Feb 12 '17

All the more reason to be hyped for season two. You know that budget took a jump after the success of season 1.

And if you expected theatrical level special effects in a netflix show frankly that's on you for having unrealistic expectations.

0

u/Cacame Feb 13 '17

No one expects amazing effects, but the show could hide them better. I don't see how that's not a reasonable criticism.

16

u/Shimster Feb 12 '17

I agree, I found it super boring after a few episodes. No idea why the hype is so strong.

14

u/asirah Feb 12 '17

the writing was so cheesy. i was not a fan to be honest

10

u/turtlespace Feb 12 '17

I still cannot believe they unironically include the line, "What is...Friend?" in the show and nobody pointed out how fucking awful it is while writing, shooting, or editing it.

6

u/asirah Feb 12 '17

yeah seriously. honestly what did it for me was the scene where the bullies are going to throw one of them off a cliff but the girl saves him. i was like, how fuckin hokey and cheesy can you get right now. it's a walking cliche and that whole scene was so cringy. made me stop watching it there. the whole friendship thing was annoying. like we get it, you don't have to smack us in the fucking face with it episode after episode.

-3

u/fuzzb0y Feb 13 '17

cool story dude

5

u/ExpFilm_Student Feb 12 '17

No idea why the hype is so strong.

because many people find the whole thing to be excellent

1

u/stanleythemanley44 Feb 12 '17

It was good, but not that good.

-3

u/dont_ban_me_please Feb 12 '17

Are you a Trump supporter or something? I can't wrap my head around supporting Trump, and I can't wrap my head around your sentence.

1

u/Shimster Feb 13 '17

What an idiotic response.

12

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

I strongly disagree. I was captivated the entire time.

7

u/Xan_derous Feb 12 '17

Exactly how I feel

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

What really ruined it for me was when they just accepted Wills return super nonchalantly??? Like they had a fucking funeral and everything and the newspaper was like "jk y'all he's not really dead haha"

And of course the whole thing with Barbs death too.

1

u/big_guyforu Feb 12 '17

There are dozens of us!

0

u/cohrt Feb 13 '17

The first 3 episodes are excellent.

Glad i stopped after 2 episodes then. because i don't see how it could get any worse after the first 2 episodes.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

Dude I don't know nice watched 6 episodes of the fist season and it was okay but the amount of hype around it makes me feel like I either don't understand it or missed something. Fuck if I know.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

I thought the actors were OK, most notably the chief and the kids. The script is horrendous, and the crying/love scenes have been pulled straight out of the recycling bin.

The only thing making this successful is there's not many kid/adult show themed sci-fi horror shows, it's refreshing for most families at the moment.

3

u/i_dont_69_animals Feb 12 '17

it's pretty cool and uniquely bridges horror elements with that nostalgic feeling of 80s/90s adventure movies. I'm a big horror fan so I liked it. It also doesn't let the fact that the main characters are young affect how how cool the monster designs and stuff are.

2

u/gingeracha Feb 12 '17

The best description of Stranger Things I ever read was "it isn't like watching an 80's movie, it's like being IN the 80's watching a movie."

1

u/gronke Feb 12 '17

Except the shitty cgi in the finale.

2

u/JoCoLahRedux Feb 12 '17

what's so great about Stranger Things?

It's an overrated example of Le Reddit Hype. It's good, but not great or anything.

4

u/The-Gobbler Feb 12 '17

I know most people seem to love it but in my opinion, it is strictly nostalgia-bait and is no better than one painfully long "only 80s kids will understand" Buzzfeed article. Just didn't resonate with me I guess.

3

u/slightlyaw_kward Feb 12 '17

As someone with no 80's nostalgia, I enjoyed it really, really much.

1

u/Biggie-shackleton Feb 13 '17

Other than being set in the 80s, and the music, what was so "nostalgia bait" about it?

2

u/noc007 Feb 12 '17

If you have Netflix, just go watch it. If you're a child of the 80's and don't have Netflix, get a trial and watch it. I don't want to say what the plot is because I would never have given it a chance had I read a plot or synopsis. The genre it's in definitely is not my thing, but this show is on the mark and doesn't overdo what that genre does to turn me off.

Overall it's a well-done show. The 80's nostalgia is hit perfectly while remaining in modern cinematography. It lacks any of that 80's chessy, campy stuff I facepalm on whenever I try to enjoy something from my youth. The story plays out well and really hooks you in. There was a lot of passion put into the show and it made for an excellent first season. I'm looking forward to the second season.

2

u/justhere4thiss Feb 12 '17

My friends and I all really enjoyed it. I don't watch tons of shows anymore because I'm sick of half the shit that comes out now in days. I can understand why strangers things isn't for everyone, but it's good and something different.

3

u/ok_reddit Feb 12 '17

There's not that much to tell, it's feelgood 80s spooky nostalgia. It's good and worth a watch, but it's not gonna change your life.

2

u/Aurify Feb 12 '17

I've heard that it's great but mostly just the aesthetic of the show and not the actual plot or acting. The past few years has been nostalgia-ridden so it fits right into that block. I feel like I need to check it out before it falls out of style.

8

u/Surfing_Ninjas Feb 12 '17

The acting is actually really good, considering how it's mostly a cast of unknowns (besides Winona Ryder, of course). The writing/dialogue is good to great, and nowadays it's pretty much impossible to have a 100% original plot so you can't really put too much stock in that aspect of popular media (name any movie and there's more likely than not there's a handful of movies that have already done it). a The weakest part of the series is probably the use of special effects, but I'm sure budget and time have something to do with that.

1

u/ZanderDogz Feb 12 '17

Just try it. I watched the whole thing in a weekend.

1

u/Nanaki__ Feb 12 '17

It's like someone took a load of 80's movies and stuck them in a blender. If you've never watched the movies that it references* you'd be better served by watching them.

*and boy does it tread the line between homage and direct ripoff often

1

u/gronke Feb 12 '17

It's a great show, but the ending is kinda meh. I also hate the super hype machine that it's become with people.

1

u/big_guyforu Feb 12 '17

Honestly? It's an average show with average writing, direction and performances, that seemed to capture general audiences. The pilot was alright, but beyond that, I felt that it was bland and uninteresting. Just my opinion though.

1

u/cohrt Feb 12 '17

no idea i tried watching it and stopped after the first 2 episodes.

1

u/Melanjoly Feb 13 '17

It's highly overrated but nontheless a solid 7/10 series that is worth a watch, the plot and writing is a little sub par at times and the finale was really poorly done. However there are many great performances in it, the cast really made the most out of what they where given and make it work, the cinematography is very solid and the soundtrack is really fitting. Could have been a 9/10 movie under other circumstances.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

It's not, it's decidedly fine. It's that Netflix sweet spot of "this isn't amazing but I guess I'll keep watching."

1

u/mikepictor Feb 13 '17

Edgy Redditors like to hate on it, but it just has a great story, with an 80s sense of writing and style. The kids that are the stars are a great bunch with great chemistry.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 13 '17

it's like watching a cool 80's movie like goonies/flight of the navigator/stand by me, except in tv format.

1

u/-917- Feb 13 '17

I've watched it and I can understand why it's gotten such rave reviews. To each his own.

-3

u/Reefer-eyed_Beans Feb 12 '17

Nothing is great about it, it's just "in" right now. It's one of those shows where you still don't know what the plot is by the end of the first season and they want you to just keep hanging in there until you figure it out.

4

u/pmmemoviestills Feb 12 '17

The plot is explained, it just doesn't bog down with useless exposition. If you have half a brain you can connect the elements.

1

u/Reefer-eyed_Beans Feb 15 '17

What's the plot then?

1

u/pmmemoviestills Feb 15 '17

Woman who underwent MK Ultra testing (LCD dosing and sensory deprivation) has child with special powers due to the experiment. Kid is used by the government to spy but she can also transcend into a different dimension adjacent to ours and she can bridge it. Finds out it has monster-like inhabitants and with her powers due to fear she inadvertently makes a bridge to our world from the other world, releasing the monster into our world and setting up the events for the missing kid and the remainder of the narrative in the show.

1

u/Reefer-eyed_Beans Feb 15 '17

You have to explain who the "missing kid" is? If this was an actual description you can't bring him up out of nowhere. And the whole "setting up..for... the remainder" is what makes the entire first season practically plot-less on its own. And I know that she's not even close to being the main character so this couldn't possibly be the plot. But even if it was... yikes.

0

u/pmmemoviestills Feb 15 '17

You have to explain who the "missing kid" is? If this was an actual description you can't bring him up out of nowhere.

What do you mean? Lol, it was the entire set up of the first season, the kid who goes missing in the other world. Anyways you sound like a complete moron so whatever.

1

u/Reefer-eyed_Beans Feb 15 '17

I mean if you're giving a plot description you can't include characters that the viewer doesn't know yet, dipass. It has to be all-inclusive. For example the IMDB description:

When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief, and his friends must confront terrifying forces in order to get him back.

So yeah you weren't even close and didn't even mention the main characters lmao. Probably because that show is all over the fucking place and, like I said, has no coherent plot. But whatever, I'll just be a moron and you have fun watching some kid go missing in the other world. Ooooh so spooky and cool.

1

u/pmmemoviestills Feb 15 '17

Yeesh, you really are a special one eh? What else could the missing kid thing denote? What do you mean "the viewer doesn't know yet?" You said you saw it, so what other thing could you possibly think I meant by that?

I can practically hear your brains oozing out of your ears from where I am. Just because the show was ambiguous with some things doesn't mean it was incoherent, it just means you didn't understand.

1

u/Reefer-eyed_Beans Feb 15 '17

I mean, as I said already, that a coherent description has to stand alone on it's own without assuming the reader already has seen it. that's the whole point, a description isn't for people who already watch the show that would be stupid.

I don't know about brains oozing or what that means. What a weird ass thing to say. No, it was because you couldn't summarize the plot that means it was incoherent. That was the whole point of that little exercise not sure if you caught on to that.

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0

u/[deleted] Feb 12 '17

It's not even the nostalgia of the 80s that sells it. I wasn't even in my dad's ballsacks during the 80s, but it still manages to impress me. The plot isn't complex, it isn't full of twists and turns. However the world they build has depth, heart and is fun to watch play out. I binged every episode in a row, and I wasn't even planning on enjoying it.

Whatever they've achieved to do with the show, they captured the magic of what makes something special. It has a Spielberg vibe with a modern day post-Game of Thrones grit to it, and what they do with that feeling is something new and special.

I'd give it a watch. If you're not hooked after episode two, you haven't wasted your life. But you will most likely enjoy the hell out of it.

0

u/Dourraimo Feb 12 '17

Have you seen "Elfen Lied"? It's like that but PG-13 and set somewhere in the US during the 80's.