5 TV settings you MUST turn off before watching Stranger Things

Stranger

If you are planning to binge the final season of Stranger Things, Ross Duffer has one clear message for you: fix your TV settings before you hit play. The co-creator says there are a few picture modes that can completely ruin the way the show is meant to look, especially the unsettling shots of Vecna.

In a very direct Instagram PSA, Duffer listed out several TV settings that fans should switch off immediately. Think of it as your “top five TV settings to disable before watching Stranger Things”.

First on his list is motion smoothing. Duffer calls it the worst offender and says it creates the dreaded soap opera effect that makes everything look fake and overly smooth. TV brands call it different things like TruMotion, but the advice is simple. Turn it off.

Next are settings like dynamic contrast, super resolution and edge enhancer. Duffer says these make the picture look harsh and unnatural. Many TVs ship with them turned on by default, but the Stranger Things creator insists they do more harm than good.

He also warns against colour filters and noise reduction. According to him, these features alter the original look of the show and flatten the details the team spent years perfecting.

And finally, he wants viewers to stay far away from the “vivid” mode. It is a popular setting in stores, but Duffer says it destroys colour accuracy and completely ignores what filmmakers want the viewer to see.

The message is clear. If you're planning to watch Vecna terrorise Hawkins one last time, you should do it with the cleanest and most accurate picture settings possible. Stranger Things has been running for nine years, and the Duffers want to make sure fans see the finale exactly as intended.

Season 5 is rolling out in three parts. Four episodes were released on November 27, another three will land on December 25 and the final episode will premiere on December 31. The last chapter will stream on Netflix and will also hit more than 350 theaters across the United States.

So before you settle in for the finale, take a minute to fix those settings. Ross Duffer will definitely approve.