We all have our own preferences for how we consume television, but when the creators of Stranger Things tell us we’re watching their show wrong we’re willing to listen. So what’s the “right way” to watch their hit series? Should we be binging it in one sitting, or savoring the episodes over a few weeks? What about watching them alone in a dark room, or with a bunch of friends? What is it we’re getting wrong when we watch the show?
The settings on our TVs.
In an interview with Vulture, the Duffer Brothers had some heated comments about the smooth motion technology on modern televisions, a setting which creates a sharp, but super shiny, super glossy, surreal picture. It is sometimes known as the “soap opera effect,” and that’s not a good thing.
“Us and everyone in Hollywood puts so much time and effort and money into getting things to look just right, and when you see it in someone’s home, it looks like it was shot on an iPhone,†Matt Duffer said. “When I go to my friends’ places back home I’m constantly fixing their TVs.â€
His brother Ross said he can’t believe how prevelant the problem is, even at places where you’d expect better. ““It’s shocking! We were just at Comic-Con, and we walk on the main floor and the settings on every single TV is wrong. I was like, ‘Didn’t a bunch of nerds put this together? What is wrong with them?’”
As someone who loathes smooth motion, I fully support their crusade. And it makes sense their worked up about it since Stranger Things has a distinct retro look, and a big part of the experience is seeing it the “right” way.
So no matter how you consume the show otherwise–whether you binge, savor, watch alone or with others–at least make sure you turn off smooth motion. Because the Upside-Down should never look glossy.
How much do you care about the settings on your TV? Do you keep smooth motion on or off? Tell us in the comments below.
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Images: Netflix
