‘Stranger Things’ Season 2: Monster Talk, Character Focus, and Resurrecting Barb
Production wrapped on Season 2 of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, and the cast and the creative team are starting to promote the show for this year’s Emmy run. There were many questions left at the end of Season 1. Where did Eleven go? What is Will’s new power? Will Barb come back?
Season 2 will come with a whole new batch of monsters, but series creators insist that they will not take center stage. The series is and will remain a character focused show. Executive producer Shawn Levy says that although Season 2 will be scarier and darker, the focus will remain on the core characters:
“There is a lot of talk – and I’ve contributed to it – about the move to darker threats and a larger cinematic scale, but here is the thing: ‘Stranger Things’ works because we root for these kids and we root for these damaged characters who live on the margins. Everyone is struggling with that feeling of being a bit on the outside looking in. But we know that what really brought us here are the characters that people connect to and that feel authentic … so Season 2 is every bit as loyal to characters first, and spooky second.”
Show creators Matt and Ross Duffer say that the monsters in Season 2 will be a bit more elusive and mysterious. Ross Duffer says:
“The point is not to give everyone what they think they want. Because I don’t think they really know what they want. Hiding the monsters can be more effective than seeing them, so restraint can be a good thing. I can’t talk too much about them, but they’re cool.”
Matt Duffer says that although Barb is a huge fan favorite, she will not be back for Season 2:
“There’s no resurrecting Barb. It was really surprising how much she took off. I related to her, so I think other people did as well.”
Stranger Things Season 2 hits Netflix this Halloween with nine new episodes.
[Variety]
