Stranger Things

What’s it about?

Eight months after Starcourt, the friends are split across Hawkins, California, and Russia as they face Vecna, a psychic killer from the Upside Down, uncover Eleven’s dark past, and fight to stop a catastrophic tear between worlds.

Stranger Things appeals to teenage audiences, with many having aged through their teenage years as the show released new seasons. Because of this, each new season tends to have more graphic content than the previous one. Here are the content warnings for each season:

Season 1 –  M | Horror, violence

Season 2 – 13 | Horror

Season 3 – 13 | Horror

Season 4 – 16 | Horror, graphic violence

The facts

• Created by The Duffer Brothers
• Starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Brett Gelman, Priah Ferguson, Matthew Modine, Paul Reiser, Cara Buono, Jamie Campbell Bower, Eduardo Franco, and Joseph Quin
• English language
• 9 episodes, 78 minutes per episode, on average. Finale is 142 minutes.
• Series awarded 12 Primetime Emmys

Why did it get this rating?

This series was self-rated by Netflix. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Graphic violence

Season 4 is notably more frequent in violence than the previous seasons.

This show contains various bloody, violent scenes, with some scenes depicting large amounts of blood splatter and people being killed, but the actual killing is not always shown. It often places child characters in danger from an alien monster.

Often, there are scenes where it feels like something violent is going to happen. Often these scenes are followed by a jump care or something comedic.

Some of the strongest moments of violence include:

• Various characters are lifted into the air by a supernatural force, with their body parts twisting and dislocating in all different directions with the sound of bones breaking and eyeballs suddenly bleeding and being pulled back into their skulls.
• The lab massacre scene is the most violent and bloody sequence in the series so far. A character with superpowers breaks all the bones of various children and adults and kills them. Netflix placed a disclaimer at the start of this episode due to a real-life school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which occurred after they had filmed this scene and involves similar imagery.
• A teenager is shown being melted in half briefly, screaming in agony as the shot pans away.
• Realistic combat and gun violence is introduced on a large-scale in this episode. Characters shoot at a monster which bites many of their heads off, causing blood spray.
• A girl retaliates for another girl bullying her by beating her in the face with a roller skate, smashing her head open and causing blood to spill over her face. Whilst the victim was a cruel bully to the girl, and many believe this scene is “satisfying,” the outcome is still excessive and graphic.
• One cop cuts open a dead body, revealing its organs, but most of this occurs offscreen.
• A teenage boy is seen choking a small child.

Self-harm reference

A man is said to have slashed his own eyes years previously. Though the act is never depicted, he is seen with clearly deep cut scars.

Horror

This film follows teenagers and adults who are hunted, and some killed, by a menacing and frightening monster. It’s gory, but human-like, appearance is likely to frighten viewers, especially due to its lack of remorse for killing innocents in brutal and unforgiving ways. There are various creepy and unsettling scenes throughout. There is frequent exorcism and nightmare imagery.

Viewers are likely to be frightened by jump scares and scenes where innocent and random innocents are suspended into the air and have their bodies dislocated and twisted till they die in brutal ways. These scenes are very reminiscent of more violent depictions of those in the horror classic, Nightmare on Elm Street. The clock ticking noise in these scenes is haunting and likely to stick with viewers.

There is a traumatic flashback which implies that a baby is burned alive in its cradle. The baby is not shown, but we hear its screams which could upset some.

One man is shown with his eyes and mouth sewn shut, in what is quite a disturbing and bloody scene.

Content that may disturb

Trauma is depicted in the form of a teen girl’s flashbacks to being locked up, brainwashed, and experimented on in a windowless room, by a man who coerced her into calling him “papa.”

Drug use

Argyle and Jonathan are seen smoking marijuana, sometimes with a bong, in almost every episode.

Sexual references

There are non-graphic kissing scenes throughout the show and characters are seen in their underwear, with no nudity. In one scene, a teen girl kisses her boyfriend whilst wearing a bra.

Sexual references occur numerous times, with a male character saying his “women” makes noise when he pleases her.

Offensive language

This series contains the use of a variety of offensive language, with words like “b*tch,” “a**,” “d*ck,” “sh*t,” “bastard,” “p*ssy,” and a couple uses of the F-word, as well as lesser profanities. There are also a few uses of offensive and derogatory words, such as “wh*re,” “sl*t,” and “f*ggot.”

The middle finger is used in insult a few times throughout the show.

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Navigating Early Horror Experiences: Don't Let Nostalgia Get in the Way of Good Choices! | Classification Office
• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• Brain development – how it works, why it matters
• Supporting young people in a changing online world