TV Shows That Are Just Too Dark: From Stranger Things to Euphoria
From American Horror Story to Stranger Things, Euphoria, and Game of Thrones, some television series can be challenging to watch due to their dark subject matter, while others are difficult to enjoy because of insufficient lighting.
Certain shows have gained a reputation for their hard-to-see visuals, prompting cinematographers to weigh in on whether the problem lies with the audience or the content itself.
“I’m not sure why there’s this recent trend of shooting extremely dark, but I believe — without naming names — there are two sides to the issue,” stated Shasta Spahn, who has worked on American Horror Stories, in an interview with Vulture in November 2023. “On one hand, some people understand exposure and balance, utilizing darkness in a technically skilled manner. On the other hand, there are those who lack knowledge and unintentionally render scenes excessively dark.”
Spahn provided several examples from the perspective of filmmakers, adding, “They often neglect to light the actors’ eyes, failing to create separation between the foreground and background; this results in poor quality that looks quite horrendous. … Night scenes can be executed beautifully, but many times they are poorly done.”
Meanwhile, Lyn Moncrief, known for his work on Five Nights at Freddy’s, pondered whether the popularity of “larger TVs” might bear some responsibility.
“Larger screens usually embrace a 16:9 format. We have moved past the 4:3 television analog age, where the distinction between television and film in terms of composition and aspect ratios was much more pronounced. Before 2000, that aspect ratio was imposed when shooting for TV,” Moncrief observed. “Today, we see numerous projects filmed in 2.39:1 with letterboxing, which was once a contentious subject. This cinematic influence has directly affected streaming shows, which wasn’t the case in the past.”
House of the Dragon cinematographer Pepe Avila del Pino shared his insights as well, particularly highlighting the prevalence of “overprocessed color correction” in many beloved series.
“The blacks aren’t truly black anymore. There’s a standardized appearance that many TV shows are adopting, influenced by various factors. One key aspect is the technology available today, like LED lights, which are quicker and more efficient,” Del Pino elaborated. “Our cameras are also faster, and the lenses are more light-sensitive. All of these elements contribute to a rushed workflow on set, particularly for television.”
He continued, “I think the issue stems more from the tools in use rather than from a deliberate artistic choice. We’ve seen a surge of fast-paced TV production in recent years. Projects are pre-produced, filmed, sent to post-production, and returned to streamers in a very short timeframe. All these factors contribute to low light levels and an excessively color-corrected appearance on screen.”
Keep scrolling to explore examples of shows recognized for their overly dark visuals:
