In a recent interview, Jim Hopper actor David Harbour admits that he thought Netflix's Stranger Things would get canceled after season 1.
David Harbour reveals that he thought Stranger Things would get canceled after season 1. The 80s-themed science-fiction horror series first debuted on Netflix in 2016 with Harbour taking on a key role as Jim Hopper, the police chief of the small midwestern town of Hawkins, Indiana. After Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Hopper's investigation leads to a government conspiracy involving a telepathic little girl, a parallel dimension, and frightening monsters.
Upon Stranger Things' release, the show quickly became a massive hit with critics and audiences alike. The series proved to be one of the most popular shows for Netflix, consistently breaking viewership records for the service multiple times over the course of its run. This occurred on a grand scale recently with the debut of Stranger Things season 4, which swiftly became Netflix's biggest English-language series not long after its arrival. Garnering numerous Emmy nominations and wins, Stranger Things' reach has even transcended television as the series fully integrates itself into all aspects of pop culture.
Related: Hopper’s Stranger Things 4 Monologue Pays Off A Sad Season 1 Line
In a recent interview for BBC's The One Show (via Insider), Harbour admits that he thought Stranger Things would get canceled after season 1. During filming, he began to think that the show's prospects weren't great, a thought that was aided by someone on the production. Read what the star says about his early thoughts on Stranger Things below.
“I remember when we were shooting the first season. We were down in Atlanta, Netflix had given us a budget of about $20. Halfway through I remember my hair person coming up to me, like about episode four we were shooting, and she was like, ‘I don’t think it’s gonna work.'
“By the time we finished, we wrapped, I thought we wouldn’t get a second season, we’d be the first Netflix show kind of ever to never get a second season. We thought no one would watch it, it was going to be a disaster.”
Although Netflix began offering streaming options in 2007, the service did not debut its first original series until February 2013 with House of Cards. Harbour recognizes that due to the fact that Stranger Things was one of the first major Netflix originals, there was a level of uncertainty going forward. With a low budget and an outlandish plot, it is understandable that Harbour was concerned about whether or not the series would be enough of a success to warrant a second season. In fact, this isn't the first time the actor has been open about his early worries, as he revealed last year that Vampire Diaries star Paul Wesley told him Netflix was trying to bury Stranger Things ahead of its debut. However, both Harbour and Wesley were thankfully proven wrong.
Looking back, Stranger Things appears to be a recipe for success with its healthy dose of nostalgia, obvious '80s film and television influences, and captivating performances. However, due to the nature of such an elaborate series, if one of those aspects of the show were not executed properly, Stranger Things could have failed as quickly as it began. Now, with Stranger Things season 5 on the horizon, audiences can look forward to the next and final chapter of Netflix's biggest series.
Next: It Took 9 Episodes, But Stranger Things 4 Justified Hopper's Survival
Source: The One Show (via Insider)
Grew up absorbing every book, movie, TV show I could get my eyes on. Every time my parents took me to the doctor, I would forgo the obligatory post-shot ice cream cone for a two hour vacation in the theater. I have a passion for storytelling and a stomach for pizza. Who am I: Vertigo, Panic Room, Jurassic Park, Lawrence of Arabia.