Attention all Stranger Things viewers: there are some important options you need to change on your television sets according to one of the Netflix show's creators, lest you turn your binge Upside Down.
"A PSA before you watch tonight," Ross Duffer began on Instagram, before guiding his followers through a recommended list of TV settings to tweak before settling in to watch Stranger Things season 5.
"I want to make sure your TVs are set up properly: go into settings… go into Picture Mode settings, go to Expert Controls – it'll be different depending on the TV. They have a bunch of crap in here; you're gonna want to make sure it's off."
Duffer then namechecks Dynamic Contrast and Super Resolution as things that should be switched off, describing them as "garbage."
Then, head to Picture Settings – or similar, depending on your device – to turn off "the worst offender of all": the dreaded motion smoothing (though it may also be called TruMotion on your set).
"Whatever you do, don't turn on anything called 'Vivid'," Duffer warns. "It's gonna turn on the worst offenders, it's gonna destroy the color and is not the filmmaker's intent."
Honestly? Great advice – and a welcome change for creators to come out ahead of time (or close enough) to stop inevitable grumbles about dark scenes and washed-out colors. We remember all-too-well the controversy surrounding Game of Thrones season 8 and its pitch-black Battle of Winterfell in 'The Long Night'.
If you've somehow watched Volume 1 already, we have a complete breakdown of the Stranger Things season 5, Volume 1 ending. Then, for a look ahead, you'll need the Stranger Things season 5 release schedule to get your holiday plans in order.
