D&D General Portrayal of D&D in Stranger Things 3 -some spoilers

werecorpse · Jul 11, 2019

I have just finished watching Stranger things 3, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and reading the recent article about increasing sales of D&D and found myself being slightly concerned about the portrayal of D&D in the latest season - if such things matter to the industry, which the article suggested they do.

In season 1 of Stranger Things D&D seemed to me to be portrayed as this fun kinda nerdy game the smart kids played in the basement but which helped them understand things like the upside down, helped them consider themselves and their friends as a party who looked after each other so they went into danger to help a lost friend. So pretty much positive.
In Season 2 it wasn’t mentioned much, it was more in the background.
In Season 3 it seemed to me to be portrayed as the thing that shows the one kid who still wants to play (Will) is out of touch with his friends, who have girlfriends & have very much moved on. He dresses up in a wizards cape and hat to try and get his friends to play and they have to explain to him that of course now that they have girlfriends they are not going to keep playing much D&D. In the end as he is moving house he throws away his D&D stuff.

To me the portrayal reinforced a lot of the bad old tropes that exist about the game and game culture. Only for kids who are out of touch with “normal kid stuff”, dorky hat and cape dress up to play, something that is not for girls (this is the one that bothers me the most) and once girls arrive it’s something you ditch. (There was a slight possibly positive in that it was suggested that the nerd hating annoying younger sister Erica was actually a bit nerdy so might like D&D, but I’m not sure how that would play as it still leans into D&D is for kiddies trope).

I don’t know if I’m right but if I was in WOTC marketing department I would be reaching out to the makers of Stranger Things (The Duffer Brothers) and asking them to in season 4 have some of the boys and girls playing the game together and have it again be portrayed in the positive light from season 1 - fun entertainment, encouraging left field thought, teaching teamwork, still enjoyed by older kids etc. & most importantly for all this that girls can play & enjoy.

Maybe I’m overthinking it.

LordEntrails · Jul 11, 2019

Eh.

The portrayal of D&D as something you stop playing when girls showed up was true to the time period. And the gifting of the D&D books to the younger sister at the end was a positive.

Personally I wouldn't worry about it. I think most people are smart enough to realize that much of ST is a period piece. Just like all the smoking is so frequent on the series. It's true to the times, and D&D has a positive spin on it IMO when thought about. But of course, one could worry about the protrayla not being all peaches and cream, but I think that would put off more people than a truer portrayal like this one would.

Tony Vargas · Jul 11, 2019

werecorpse said:
To me the portrayal reinforced a lot of the bad old tropes that exist about the game and game culture

It's a period piece, I guess it comes with the big hair. There was some overt sexism, too - more than I honestly remember seeing in the 80s, but then, CA vs IL - though I suppose it was more obviously telegraphed as wrong.

Dire Bare · Jul 11, 2019

Dude, you are beyond overthinking it.

The way D&D is portrayed in Season 3 is ACCURATE. The kids are growing up and are suddenly aware of things other than D&D (girls). That's how many of us "lost" players starting in middle school, player gets himself a girlfriend and "poof" he's gone, at least until he gets dumped.

Here's an article that hits the nail on the head.

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/stranger-things-season-3-understands-dungeons-and-dragons

GreyLord · Jul 11, 2019

So is that how the fad died?

I thought it just sort of died out like most fads do...people get excited and then eventually lose interest.

I think the surprising thing that some are finding out these days are that FAR MORE girls played than previously thought. They just didn't play it in the same manner that boys did (more in their own groups at home instead of broadcasting it far and wide publically in schools, conventions, and other places). When one doesn't feel welcome in some areas, they tend not to GO to those areas...especially when playing TT games.

It's that recognition that is sparking more realization of the numbers of girls that actually play and trying to make them more comfortable in areas where previously (gamestores, conventions, and other such things) the atmosphere could have been perceived as hostile to girls and as a boys only club.

It's an attitude that I feel is slowly changing (there is STILL a STRONG sentiment of this out there) which is making people of ALL genders and sexes (boys, girls, and others as well) feel more welcome in what were formerly locations where the feeling was that only the BOYS were welcome.

Xaelvaen · Jul 11, 2019

werecorpse said:
Maybe I’m overthinking it.

If you are, you aren't alone. My wife and I had this exact same conversation after we finished the most recent series. I know several people stopped playing after highschool and just found other things, but even if I could only play once a month during college, I never stopped - my wife's the same way. We weren't sure if the show was implying it was a 'kids' game, or if they were merely referencing the classic stereotype that people stopped playing, and picked it up again much later.

I will, at the moment, assume the positive from the show - that they were merely portraying a common occurrence of the time. We usually keep Netflix canceled during the rest of the year, then renew our subscription for Stranger Things - so definitely want to believe the best from these guys haha.

ccs · Jul 11, 2019

Xaelvaen said:
I will, at the moment, assume the positive from the show - that they were merely portraying a common occurrence of the time.

Of the time? Pfft.
80's, 90's, 2k+, pre-80's, 100 years from now, whatever... This is normal life. This is how it goes. You start finding other interests (or responsibilities) & some things get shelved/discarded/scaled back to make room for the new.
I guarantee you that right now there are teens drifting away from D&D as they discover girls/boys, cars, drugs, sports or whatever else. Maybe they'll play less. Maybe never again. Maybe in 25+ years some of them will be making "Hi, returning player" posts....

jasper · Jul 11, 2019

Oh my stars and garters people putting d&d (and other hobbies) aside because they have started dating. HOW LAST MONTH. On of my semi regulars has started dating. Dating night is same as the normal Friday game.

MNblockhead · Jul 11, 2019

To me, it rang very true. It represented the very real issue that many/most people go through at that time in their lives when their friends start dating and want to spend more time with their romantic partners and less with their group of friends. Also, that is a time of life when you start having other interests and start making friends from a larger pool than the kids in your neighborhood. If you are kid that doesn't have romantic partner yet or who is still strongly invested in the hobbies that your friends are becoming less interested in, it can be difficult.

The only thing that didn't strike me as true was the wizard costume. While cosplay, LARPing, SCA, etc. were certainly starting to take off by the mid to late 80s, I didn't know anyone who dressed up to play DnD. Not saying nobody did, but I feel confident in stating that it was rare. Having Will dress up to DM seemed to be an anachronistic nod to modern assumptions.

Parmandur · Jul 11, 2019

MNblockhead said:
To me, it rang very true. It represented the very real issue that many/most people go through at that time in their lives when their friends start dating and want to spend more time with their romantic partners and less with their group of friends. Also, that is a time of life when you start having other interests and start making friends from a larger pool than the kids in your neighborhood. If you are kid that doesn't have romantic partner yet or who is still strongly invested in the hobbies that your friends are becoming less interested in, it can be difficult.

The only thing that didn't strike me as true was the wizard costume. While cosplay, LARPing, SCA, etc. were certainly starting to take off by the mid to late 80s, I didn't know anyone who dressed up to play DnD. Not saying nobody did, but I feel confident in stating that it was rare. Having Will dress up to DM seemed to be an anachronistic nod to modern assumptions.

Yeah, this: similarly, Dustin was left holding the ham radio geek bag while his friends blew him off, which had been a big deal for all four the first season. Will and Dustin even blow off each other's hobby passions this time around for their own.