Stranger Things Season 3 Pulls a Game of Thrones, Gets Delayed Until Summer 2019

Better stock up on Eggo’s: we won’t be getting any new Stranger Things episodes until next summer. Netflix’s programming executive Cindy Holland announced the delay at the Television Critics Association’s press tour, saying “It’s a handcrafted show. The Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy, they understand the stakes are high. They want to deliver something bigger and better than last year. I think it’s going to be a fantastic season. It will be worth the wait.”

Holland also said that the third season of the hit show will include more special effects work, pushing the premiere date. “It’s a really exciting season, just takes a little more time,” she said. Stranger Things has already released a teaser in the guise of a commercial for Hawkins’ new Starcourt Mall, featuring Steve Harrington working at a pirate-themed ice cream shop.

Creators and showrunners the Duffer Brothers came under fire this spring, after a female crew member accused them of verbal abuse on the set. So far, neither brother has made a statement regarding the season’s delay.

Stranger Things joins other massively popular series that have extended gaps between seasons. HBO’s Game of Thrones has spread its final season over the course of two years, with the first half airing in 2017 and the final six episodes set for 2019. As these television series grow in scale (bigger budgets, more special effects) the development and production time stretches on.

Since streaming platforms don’t adhere to the network model of a seasonal schedule, these waits can feel interminable. Add the binge-watching model to that wait, and viewers can find themselves waiting over a year for a product they’ll consume in a weekend. I mean, sure, we could pace ourselves like mature adults but … where’s the fun in that? In the meantime, we’ll have to be content re-watching the first two seasons until season three hits our screens next summer. It’s gonna be a long wait.

(via Entertainment Weekly, image: Netflix)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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