Last year, Stranger Things debuted on Netflix and took the world by storm. The 80s-set, coming-of-age, sci-fi instantly became a pop culture sensation, and it was impossible to talk to anyone without hearing the words “Stranger Things” come up in the conversation.
Seriously, we’re months past the premiere now, and fans are still petitioning to bring Barb back — even though she is clearly dead. Stranger Things is the definition of a mega-hit.
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Does Netflix have another one of these hits on the way?
A Series Of Unfortunate Events debuts on the streaming service this Friday, and the marketing team has succeeded in building an incredible amount of hype aound the show. Based on the best-selling novels from Lemony Snicket, the series follows the adventures of three orphaned siblings, as they navigate the troubles of living with their demented new caregiver – Count Olaf.
One of the big draws to the series, aside from the extremely popular source material, is the casting of Neil Patrick Harris as Olaf. The fan-favorite actor has seemed brilliant in all of the trailers, and fans are looking forward to seeing his full take on the character.
With all the hype, will Unfortunate Events be able to live up to expectations? Could it really become the next Stranger Things?
Yes. But, also, maybe not.
The new show can definitely exceed everyone’s expectations. The cast boasts a number of all-star performers, including Joan Cusack, Alfre Woodard, Catherine O’Hara, and Aasif Mandvi. In addition to the talent, the tone of the show is exactly what fans want. It’s dark and brooding, but in the most adventerous and light-hearted kind of way.
These factors are what contributed to the outrageous success of Stranger Things.
While Unfortunate Events is perfect for that kind of tone, being similar to Stranger Things could actually hinder the show, rather than helping. No matter how good the series is, the dark mysticism and child-focus will continue comparisons to Stranger Things. At every turn, fans will find themselves sayng, “wel, that’s not what Stranger Things would have done.”
This poses a problem for Mr. Snicket and company.
However, if we can get past the fact that the new series won’t be quite as eeire – or throwback – as Stranger Things, than we can realize how big of a hit we’ve got on our hands.
Everything about this new show has set it up to be a dynamite production, we just have to let it breathe. Don’t compare the two shows once Friday hits, just be thankful that Netflix has multiple programs that we can continue to love.
Will the new show be just like Stranger Things? No, it definitely won’t be. But that’s the beauty of it.
All episodes of A Series Of Unfortunate Events will be available for streaming on Friday, January 13.
MORE STRANGER THINGS NEWS: Stranger Things Producer Says Season 2 Is “Next-Level” Crazy / Stranger Things’ Barb Lands Big Movie Role / Stranger Things Is Bigger Than Marvel On Netflix / First Look At Stranger Things Season 2
