The Second Screen Theory

So, recently I came across this term called 'second screen viewing'. Which is the idea of watching tv/cinema while using your phone as the primary screen. Now, this got me thinking. And so I looked further into it. And it seems like there's more and more reasons to believe why your favorite shows or films on platforms like Netflix are getting dumbed down. This dumbing down effect is lowering the quality of storytelling. A lot of people have been speaking out about how streaming platforms like Netflix are giving them directives on making second screent content. And I was thinking about the problems that we had with the latest season of Stranger Things and it sort fits that checklist. Stranger Things have over the years gone from a scifi/mystery/adventure to a superhero / action like spectacle. Especially in the final season, it has simplified dialogues, clean visuals, fast cutting and pacing, and too much exposition as well. All of which plays into this second screen effect. So, in this video essay, I wanna present to you, The second screen theory, and how it affects the final season of Stranger Things!