Stranger Things: 5 Ways It’s Similar To IT (& 5 Ways It’s Totally Different)

A group of outcast children encounter deadly supernatural monsters in a small rural town. These children are the world’s only hope against these supernatural threats. This premise describes the popular Netflix show Stranger Things, but it also describes the iconic Stephen King novel IT, which has been adapted as a television miniseries and into two films.

Finn Wolfhard playing Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things and young Richie Tozier in the film adaptions of IT has only led to more comparisons between the two stories. When examining the common themes, characters, and settings, there are plenty of similarities to be found between the two stories, but there are also some essential differences.

10 Similar: The Setting

The similarities in setting go beyond the fact that Hawkins, Indiana, and Derry, Maine are small rural towns. The seemingly idyllic towns are considered to be safe places where nothing extraordinary or nefarious ever happens.

The false perception surrounding these settings enables extraordinary and nefarious things to happen under the surface. The young protagonists encounter these terrifying forces but their elders and town authorities dismiss these revelations as they refuse to believe such things can happen in their wonderful little towns.

9 Different: The Passage Of Time

The passage of time is more of a crucial element in IT than it is in Stranger Things. IT follows the protagonists in a summer during their youth in Derry and 27 years later when they reunite in Derry as adults. 27 years pass between each of Pennywise’s reigns of terror and the story explores how this time dulls individual and collective memory. The dulling effect that time has on these memories empowers Pennywise to terrorize Derry again and again and leaves its residents powerless to stop the madness.

Stranger Things has no such exploration of time. Each season takes place over the course of several days, and about a year passes between each season. The time jumps between seasons are meant to keep up with the younger actors as they grow older and are not as important in a thematic context.

8 Similar: The Resilience Of Children

Both IT and Stranger Things highlight the resilience of children. The children in these stories face overwhelming odds. They encounter terrifying supernatural forces that they feel unequipped to confront. When they turn to the authorities or to their elders, they are often met with dismissive disdain and are left to fend for themselves.

Despite these obstacles, these groups of outcast children emerge triumphant, even if in the case of IT it takes 27 years to finally get it right. These children rise above societal expectations, personal baggage, and group drama in order to save the day. Both stories teach audiences to never underestimate children and to value the ways in which they adapt and persevere.

7 Different: Main Character Deaths

Main characters are not safe in IT as both Eddie Kaspbrak and Stan Uris meet their ends. So far, the main characters are ultimately safe in Stranger Things. Only supporting characters like Barb, Bob Newby, and Alexei have been killed off.

Main characters like Eleven and Jim Hopper have made huge sacrifices, and the show has briefly tried to make the audience believe they are dead. This never lasts that long, though, and the show is quick to reveal that fan-favorites Eleven and Hopper are still alive. It remains to be seen if Stranger Things will ever be bold enough to kill one of its leading characters.

6 Similar: Monsters That Can Possess Others

The Shadow Monster and Pennywise both have the ability to possess others. The Shadow Monster possesses and controls Will Byers for much of the show’s second season. In the third season, the Shadow Monsters possesses Billy Hargrove and uses him to possesses many other individuals in Hawkins as well.

Pennywise possesses and controls the minds of characters like the psychopathic bully Henry Bowers. By controlling a weak-willed and violent individual like Henry Bowers, Pennywise is able to harm the Losers Club and lure them into deadly traps.

5 Different: The Monsters’ Motivations

The Shadow Monster and Pennywise have some similar abilities, but they are driven by different motivations. The Shadow Monster wants to merge Earth with the Upside Down, along with all of humanity being eradicated or placed under its control.

Pennywise is an ancient alien whose primary goal is to feed on humans through their fears, with a preference for feeding on children. Children are much easier to scare and manipulate, which makes it easier to manifest, as their greatest fears and the taste of their frightened flesh is much more satisfying for IT.

4 Similar: Horror & Coming Of Age Stories

The enduring popularity of IT and Stranger Things is largely rooted in the fact that they are both horror and coming of age stories. This multi-genre approach appeals to a variety of audiences and the two genres work well when blended together.

As the young protagonists face unimaginable horrors, they also experience their first loves, deal with bullies and difficult family situations, and learn to become more independent. The horrors they face play a critical role in the characters’ coming of age journeys.

3 Different: Target Audience

Despite their many similarities, Stranger Things‘ target audience is skewed more toward teenagers and families than the target audience of IT. Stranger Things includes a lot of swearing, along with the eerie monsters and world of the Upside Down, yet it still feels like it’s geared toward teenagers.

IT requires a certain level of maturity from its audience and is not considered to be an ideal story for families or young teenagers to engage in.

2 Similar: The Losers Club & The Party

The children of IT and Stranger Things are defined by more than their resilience and coming of age stories. They are social outcasts who come together to form their own groups where they feel like they belong. In Stranger Things, this group is known as the Party, and in IT, the group is known as The Losers Club.

The Party–which is a reference to Dungeons & Dragons–begins as the male-dominated friend group consisting of Mike, Dustin, Will, and Lucas. After Will’s disappearances and the many crazy events that ensue, Eleven and Max eventually become part of the group as well. The Losers Club is also a male-dominated group, with Beverly being the only girl in the group. These groups form and grow out of the shared experiences they have with unexplainable horror and provides a much needed found family for these individuals.

1 Different: Government Conspiracies

Government conspiracies play a large role in Stranger Things. The first season revolves heavily around Hawkins Lab experimenting on children and their exhaustive efforts to cover up their actions after Eleven’s escape. The third season once again dives into government conspiracies with the Soviet Union conducting experiments related to the Upside Down. Hawkins’ Mayor Larry Kline and the construction of the Starcourt Mall are even part of the conspiracy related to the Soviet Union’s experiments.

In IT, on the other hand, there are no government conspiracies at play. Pennywise is the root of all evil and corruption, whose methods are more effective and enduring than any government conspiracy.

About The Author

Matthew Rudoy
(278 Articles Published)

Matthew Rudoy is a freelance writer who loves to write about his favorite movies and TV shows. In addition to Screen Rant, he also currently contributes to Dork Side of the Force. He has previously self-published two fantasy/sci-fi novels titled CORRUPTION and DESTRUCTION. While his favorite movies and TV shows tend to also fall in the fantasy and sci-fi genres, he enjoys and is open to anything that provides an engaging story, strong character development, and in-depth world-building. Matthew is grateful for the opportunity to write for Screen Rant and looks forward to continue contributing to the site.

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