The Reason Hollywood Initially Refused To Accept Both Euphoria And Stranger Things

If there's one thing that's in danger of dying out as a genre, it's the teen drama. Without trailblazers like The CW, which pioneered numerous productions with a premise focused on teenage romance, television is left with a few titles from Netflix and Disney, which always seem to cater more to pre-teens than actual high schoolers.

While the network's change in strategy after the acquisition was unfortunate for many, there are just enough competitors in the market to take over the niche. Teens and young adults interested in mixing coming-of-age dramas with every other genre imaginable are still hungry for content.

No matter where they stream it, on TV or through the official Tik Tok accounts, as is now happening with Mean Girls, the demand is clearly still there.

In a way that was imperceptible to viewers, but very inconvenient for producers, Euphoria and Stranger Things had to become pioneers of a new teen-focused content. While the shows revolve around characters who happen to be teenagers, they don't necessarily deal with everyday teenage issues.

And that's where the industry initially saw its biggest weakness. As Euphoria's executive producer Ron Leshem told a recent panel on Gen Z content at Madrid's Iberseries & Platino Industria (IPI), getting the show off the ground was no easy task:

"Everyone told us we needed to be more like Skins. We didn't want to do Skins. We wanted to stand out and do something different. Artistically, we wanted to do Trainspotting meets Kids meets Requiem for a Dream," he said about how the show came to life.

Thanks to the perseverance of the teams, both Euphoria and Stranger Things are now seen as examples to follow.

Each was a runaway success with audiences, and each remains as active and beloved as ever. While we may never get another One Tree Hill or Riverdale, we may not need them now. Other networks have already found another solution.

Both shows are ready to resume production on their respective upcoming seasons as soon as the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved. Be sure to stay tuned for all the important news and behind-the-scenes updates!

Source: Deadline