Since its debut in 2016, “Stranger Things” has been the biggest show on Netflix, with the three volumes of the final season airing in November and December of 2025.
Fans had been anxiously awaiting the fifth season since the fourth season dropped in 2022, and after finally watching it, people were left with many lingering thoughts.
Since the new season was released, the USN hallways have echoed with heated debates of whether or not Season 5 wrapped up the show well, if the amount of deaths seemed fitting, and if everyone’s favorite characters got the endings that they deserved.
Episode one of Season 5 began by re-introducing the characters before quickly jumping into their new mission: finding and killing Vecna. The writers and producer, the Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy, set up the season so that all of the characters are finally working together on one mission.
Many past stars reprise their roles, like Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) and Sadie Sink (Max); however, Season 5 also shines more of a spotlight on characters who may not have gotten as much screentime in previous seasons. Noah Schnapp’s character, Will Byers, did not have much of a storyline beyond season two, but he is one of the most important characters in the new season. Another character who is shown more this season is Holly Wheeler, played by Nell Fisher. She used to only be known as Nancy and Mike’s younger sister, but she was in the main action this year and was one of the biggest characters in Season 5. While not all characters had their biggest performances this season, everyone was crucial to the ending, and Season 5 was big on excitement and emotion.
Most “Stranger Things” fans have been vocal about watching the show and what they thought about it, so it was easy to find someone to talk to about season 5.
Marina Cintado-Scokin ‘26 was largely disappointed.
“I can’t say there was much I liked,” she said in regards to the new season.
Cintado-Scokin felt that there were many unanswered questions and did not appreciate what route the writers decided to take some of the characters. She felt at some points that she knew more about the characters than the writers and director did.
“Why would Robin wear those flowy outfits?” she questions, “and why did Steve become a baseball coach when he played basketball? It’s gotten to a point where the directors don’t know anything that’s going on,” Cintado-Scokin said.
While Cintado-Scokin may not have been the biggest fan of “Stranger Things”’s final season, Leo Hemphill ‘29 enjoyed it a bit more.
“ I think that Vecna [Jamie Campbell Bower] did a really good job; it was cool how scary he looked,” Hemphill said.
He also praises the show for the major death (?) that happened in the finale, stating that it was crucial to the ending of the story.
Like USN students, critics have extremely mixed reviews on the new season.
Leila Latiff, a writer from “Empire Magazine,” says, “As our time in Hawkins reaches its climax, Stranger Things gets grander and gorier. Both our heroes and their deadliest foes still have thrilling new tricks up their sleeves.” Clearly Latiff was a big fan of Season 5; however, what is exciting to some made others struggle to keep their eyes open.
A critic from “TIME Magazine,” Judy Berman, had a few different opinions on the show. She says the show should have just been one season and that after the first season it “immediately became a franchise.”
Fans find themselves divided when discussing their thoughts on Stranger Things. Some people praise the show for the emotional and thrilling aspects of Season 5, while others find themselves critiquing the lack of effort put into the dialogue and characters.
Fans may never come to a consensus on whether or not the ending was satisfying; however, we can all agree that “Stranger Things” has secured its place in television history and will continue to be discussed for years to come.
