Netflix Adds Content Warning to ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 in Wake of Texas Shooting

Stranger Things Season 4, Volume 1 premiered on Netflix today with the new addition of a content card warning viewers of “graphic violence involving children” and “disturbing images.” This comes in the wake of Tuesday’s tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which killed 19 children and two teachers.

The streamer also added this more in-depth disclaimer (which is only for viewers in the United States) regarding the potentially upsetting violence depicted in the series:

“We filmed this season of Stranger Things a year ago. But given the recent tragic shooting at a school in Texas, viewers may find the opening scene of episode 1 distressing. We are deeply saddened by this unspeakable violence, and our hearts go out to every family mourning a loved one.”

Last week, Netflix released the first eight minutes of this newest season, which features violence that leaves a younger version of Eleven covered in blood, and several of her fellow child test subjects dead. It’s clear based on Netflix’s statements that watching children die in an educational facility was not a purposeful parallel to current events. But it is an unfortunate one, given the otherwise celebratory nature of the return of the series after a very long absence.

Stranger Things Season 4 has been continually cited as its darkest, scariest, and most gruesome season yet. But as for whether there will be additional blowback on the streamer for the content of the season? Stay tuned.