Fans haven't exactly been overjoyed about the final season of Stranger Things, and they're not thrilled about the show's potential future either, it seems.
After the show's creators, brothers Ross and Matt Duffer, gave Entertainment Tonight an unusually candid take on what the Netflix series means to them, fans are crying foul.
The Duffer Brothers referred to Stranger Things as essentially a cash cow—and one they're so reliant on they would consider bringing the show back if it would line their pockets.
Asked by ET if the most recent season truly is the last, Matt Duffer said:
“This season really does close the door on this story and the characters.”
“I guess never say never, maybe in 20 years if we’re all broke and need some money."
“We’ve all talked about it; this is our safety net.”
That's an awfully cynical take on such a wildly popular and beloved series whose devoted fanbase put you on the map, right?
It suggests that the story fans have fallen in love with isn't art. It's just a cash machine.
That the quote came amid a wider conversation with ET about a Stranger Things spin-off in the works hasn't really helped dissuade anyone of that notion.
Of that spin-off, Matt Duffer explained to Variety:
"The spinoff is going to delve into [the rock in the briefcase] and explain that, and you’re going to understand it. But it’s a completely different mythology."
"So it’s not a deep exploration of the Mind Flayer or anything like that... but yes, it will answer some of the loose threads that are remaining."
The whole thing seems to have turned off the Stranger Things fanbase, who have already been frustrated about the final season and what many have seen as the show's decline for its past several seasons.
The finale has gotten mostly favorable—though not exactly glowing—reviews. But user scores on aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic have been far less positive, and social media chatter has been intensely critical.
Roll it all together, and Duffer's comments really didn't go over well with the Stranger Things fandom.
Perhaps Duffer was just joking, but it sure doesn't seem like fans have taken it that way.
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