Which era was Stranger Things set in? TikTokers claim they saw Jeffrey Dahmer in Season 4

A TikTok theory claiming the late serial murderer Jeffrey Dahmer is in the background of a shot from the fourth season of Stranger Things is making its rounds on the internet.

The series takes place in Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s. It focuses on several local mysteries and paranormal incidents and how they affect the cast. However, according to social media conspiracy theorists, a scene from the most recent season of the Netflix show allegedly features Jeffrey Dahmer.

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Did Jeffrey Dahmer make an appearance in Stranger Things Season 4?

The Stranger Things Season 4 clip was uploaded by a TikTok user named @elodvdb, which describes the cameo of the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. The video has received over 2.2 million views at the time of this writing.

Max could be seen leaving the school bus in the scene. The high school is seen in the distance behind her. She is then spotted diverting her attention to someone in the background. However, a blond figure passes by who looks eerily similar to the real-life murderer. The clip then transitions to a moment from the recently released Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story docuseries on Netflix.

Apart from the background figure being blonde, he also had his hair done in a similar fashion and wore sunglasses identical to Dahmer's.

One TikTok user stated,

"It was a reference I’m almost sure."

But some were skeptical about the theory. According to another user, Dahmer could have been any individual in the 1980s and it was unlikely for him to appear in the show.

It seems odd that Netflix would permit an extra to resemble Dahmer given his history. However, since both shows were produced by Netflix, it's possible that Dahmer's actor, Evan Peters, paid a brief visit to the show's set.

Even while the setting and premise of Stranger Things incorporated certain historical facts, it is doubtful that the background actor was cast specifically to resemble Dahmer.

The Duffer Brothers' Netflix series was also set in the 1980s, at the height of Dahmer's killings. In such a case, he may be the culprit that the show's producers thought of subtly referencing in Stranger Things. However, a few elements are still puzzling.

While the show is set in 1984, the real-life Dahmer was born in 1960 and graduated from high school in 1978. So by the 1980s, he had already received his high school diploma. He was also never mentioned as being in Indiana, the location where Stranger Things is set.

The popular show's producers are known to make references to the era in which the show is set, so it seems doubtful that this theory is accurate.

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Netflix releases Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

According to online statistics from the streaming service, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story had the most viewership since Stranger Things Season 4 with close to 197 million views. The new series delves into the life of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

The ten-part documentary series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story primarily explores the criminal's life story from the perspective of his victims and focuses on his childhood before he started to kill numerous innocent individuals.

Since its debut on September 21, 2022, the series has drawn substantial viewership. Netflix now has projects to release Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes, a second crime special on the notorious killer, on October 7, 2022.