Stranger Things showrunners explain why the show isn’t like Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones was famous for showcasing some of the most shocking and gruesome deaths in television history. George R. R. Martin’s infamous style of killing off fan-favorite characters is a defining characteristic of the show. Over the course of its decade-long run, there were many jaw-dropping death scenes that shook the audience to their core. Netflix’s Stranger Things has become quite popular recently, but the series is not without its flaws. In fact, the show’s star Millie Bobby Brown has had one complaint in the past, that the sci-fi flick is not as visceral as Game of Thrones.

Stranger Things creators, The Duffer Brothers, are aware of the accusation, and recently responded to that in the Happy Sad Confused podcast. He said, “What did Millie call us? She said we were ‘sensitive Sallies.’ She’s hilarious. Believe us, we’ve explored all options in the writing room. Just as a complete hypothetical, if you kill Mike, that’s depressing. We aren’t Game of Thrones.”

“This is Hawkins, it’s not Westeros. The show becomes not Stranger Things anymore because you do have to treat it realistically, right?”

He then gave the example of Barb, who was killed off in season 1, and how the characters spent a long time grappling with her death. The writers really consider who they’ll kill off to make sure they have time to explore the impact of it. Although heading into Stranger Things season 5, Matt did admit that more deaths are “on the table”.

“This is me basically defending myself against these Millie Bobby Brown accusations and explaining that there are lives behind it,” Matt continued, “and it’s nothing to do with my sensitivity. So there you go Millie.”

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