With a mix of nostalgia for the 1980s and the charm of a young cast who rise to the challenge of becoming heroes and facing down terrifying monsters from another world, Stranger Things captured a type of magic that resonated with a broad audience. And of course, the RPG element of the story also contributed to the show’s success and the deeper lore within it that fans could dig into.
And now, after Stranger Things is firmly in the rearview, Paramount is preparing to release a show that feels like a spiritual successor in a lot of ways, Dungeon Crawler Carl.
Why Dungeon Crawler Carl Is Perfect For Fans Of Stranger Things’ Deeper Lore
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a LitRPG series, or literary role-playing game series of novels, following a hero named Carl, and his companion, a talking cat. So far, the series has released eight books, and there are plans to release 10 in the series as a whole.
Now, Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy and shows like Ted and The Orville, has attached himself to the project of adapting these unique stories into a live-action series and bringing it to Paramount+. But the fascinating part of adapting these stories comes from the vast potential that arises out of each book to have a different adventure each time.
Stranger Things Already Proved How The Tabletop RPG Aspect Can Work For Dungeon Crawler Carl
Similar to what was seen in Stranger Things, with the show drawing on elements of DnD and incorporating them into the story, it provided a way for fans to dig deeper into the show by exploring the game and looking for connections. Dungeon Crawler Carl will likely do this to an even greater extent, due to the fact that it is a direct adaptation of this series, rather than loosely connected.
The connection to an RPG can result in fans developing a closer connection to the series, as they play through multiple games and see how the story could change and develop over time. All the while, forming a deeper love of the series and the stories upon which it is based.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Being Live-Action Is A Risk, But It Could Massively Pay Off
Stranger Things being set in the 1980s allowed for the show to have a distinct style that could be developed over each season. While the Upside Down and the Demigorgons are an important part of the story, it was more important to get the rest of the world right, and then when supernatural elements were thrown in, they felt like they were intruding on a clearly established world.
Dungeon Crawler Carl has a different kind of challenge because it’s a sci-fi story set in a future where aliens have invaded and turned Earth into a game show for other aliens to enjoy across the galaxy. In this way, it’s hard to see where the lines will be drawn for what qualifies as the real world, and what needs to feel real despite being pure science fiction.
And doing all of this in live-action means there is a significantly bigger challenge, along with a higher cost, in order to pull it off. However, if the show is able to create an immersive world and pull the audience into the live-action story, it will naturally be able to resonate with a larger fanbase, because animation still struggles to get the broader appreciation that it deserves.
Hopefully, Dungeon Crawler Carl will be able to overcome the hurdles and deliver an incredible final result that not only captures some of the magic that Stranger Things was able to deliver, but also propels the story forward.