I'm not saying it's wrong to set it in the 1980s, but I'm just curious if the Duffer Brothers ever thought about doing the story in the present time.
shareThe entire series was planned as an homage to things that were great about the 80s, the Stephen King novels and Stephen Spielberg films and so on.
Setting it in another decade is fine but it kinda misses the point about the original idea. The 80s also restricts how the kids interact, Will can't simply change his facebook status to "being chased by a monster" or snapchat selfies with the Demogorgon but really it was planned and produced as a tribute to the 80s so setting it in another decade makes no sense.
For me, setting it in the 1980s makes it a lot more charmingly nostalgic and somehow "reassuring" than it would have been if it were set in the present day.
I was born after the '80s, but I never really thought of the '80s as "the past". For me, "the past" ends with the '60s, and anything after that is part of the "modern" world.
However, seeing a show set in the '80s really revealed to me how things have changed since then. Words and attitudes that were "edgy" for the kids and teenagers back then are now heart-meltingly tame. The make-believe world in which the kids play would feel lame and "uncool" to current pre-teens. The haircuts that were in fashion then would come across as socially awkward today. The ads that the kids see on TV look cheesy and poor quality by 2010s standards.
But seeing how different an '80s childhood was gave me an insight into the cultural points of reference for people who are in their late 30s and early 40s today. It somehow "humanised" the earlier generation more in my eyes.
For me, "the past" ends with the '60s, and anything after that is part of the "modern" world.
Why did the “earlier” generation need to be humanized? Did you think people over the age of 26/27 were demons?! lol.I guess "humanised" isn't the best choice of word. What I meant to say is that it help me feel more connected with the '80s generation.
You’re just saying that people remember thing that happened or how things were (or, in all your examples, products of media) when they were kids. So?
It might be so integrated in a person's psyche that they might not even be aware that it shapes their view.
You seem to have an axe to grind against those who like the show better because it was set in the '80s. That's fine. Whatever suits you.
shareRex16
I remember the 80s very well, and I understand your point of view perfectly. Even though the time period doesn't seem that long ago, things have changed tremendously even more so for younger generations that are fans of the show. Whether or not someone feels nostalgia toward the show, I guess that would depend on the individuals interests and their own personal experiences. It would seem that some people experienced the 80s. but totally missed them.
Rex16Thanks, bowilly, much appreciated. share
I remember the 80s very well, and I understand your point of view perfectly. Even though the time period doesn't seem that long ago, things have changed tremendously even more so for younger generations that are fans of the show. Whether or not someone feels nostalgia toward the show, I guess that would depend on the individuals interests and their own personal experiences. It would seem that some people experienced the 80s. but totally missed them.
In the eighties people still had an imagination and nowadays people have cell phones and watching everybody else's crap.
shareBecause none of the kids would ever be playing boardgames and riding bikes late at night.
shareFor this reason and that alluded to by Frothy above I agree that the show would not have worked in a present day setting.
I am sure that the homage thing was relevant to the decision to set it in 1983 too.
"I care about the law. It's justice I don't give a toss about." Cleaver Greene
Setting it in the present time would have sucked. Too much technology. Perfect time to set Stranger Things =D
shareWhy set it in the present?
The story changes significantly if you set it in the present. Modern technology would change the way the story plays out. Not to mention, the project El was the result of was Cold War era. It wouldn't make sense for her to be a child in the present day.
The new home of Welcome to Planet Bob: http://kingofbob.blogspot.ca/
the project El was the result of was Cold War era. It wouldn't make sense for her to be a child in the present day.
Unless you wanted to make the show about a bunch of 30\40 somethings. Which again would vastly alter how the series plays out. Or if the effects of the experiments skipped a generation.
The new home of Welcome to Planet Bob: http://kingofbob.blogspot.ca/
It's a homage to 80s movies/Stephen King
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