Editor’s Note: All review content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Beginning as a nostalgic small-town mystery before becoming the most viewed show on Netflix, “Stranger Things” has cemented itself in popular culture for decades to come. The final season of the show, however, has a hard time living up to its name, at least by audience standards. It simultaneously wraps up the franchise with a neat, emotional little bow, while also letting down its preceding material.
The final season, especially episodes one through four, were brilliant and paid homage to the first season, bringing back sci-fi mystery and beloved characters. Where it went wrong, however, comes largely from the mystique and reverence for its writers, who are perhaps put on too high a pedestal. The Duffer brothers, Ross and Matt Duffer, wrote and created the entire show. Co-writers have been on since the very beginning, but it was ultimately their creation and big break.
This is part of why the first season shone so brightly; the spooky, mysterious, small-town supernatural elements were so expertly crafted and woven together. Every line, detail and action were just as they should have been. The relationships between family and friends were the heart of the show. The Party — Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Lucas Sinclair and Dustin Henderson — was the main focus, but the older teens and their parents were beloved, too.
Winona Ryder brought a powerful performance as Joyce Byers, and her distress and grief when her son Will goes missing is palpable through the screen. The soundtrack and score contributed to the already wonderful storytelling and acting, especially for young actors. The second season built upon the first incredibly well, too, and Max Mayfield, played by Sadie Sink, was a wonderful addition to the Party. Though the third season is a personal favorite, it is also where “Stranger Things” got a bit too wide.
There were almost three times as many viewers of the show when its third season released compared to the second. Season two amassed 15.8 million views, followed by season three’s 40.7 million views; it got too wide-reaching and complicated following the positive reception of its third installment. Season three also tends to feel the most stereotypical 1980s, with neon lights and bright clothing combined with an early July atmosphere, making it almost impossible to not feel nostalgic.
Season four catapulted off of that nostalgia and popularity, especially after a three-yearlong period between seasons. By 2022, “Stranger Things” defined and directed streaming services and their algorithms, which in turn influenced pop culture even further. It then had to get even bigger and bigger to live up to its name, resulting in a brand new villain to complicate the plot. Vecna, played wonderfully by Jamie Campbell Bower, is a good villain, but he’s even better in season five when his human nature and origin are further revealed. The Mind Flayer really is the villain all along, with Henry/Vecna just being a physical, mortal representation of it; an otherworldly monster with no physical manifestation is much scarier than some guy. The show went from horror-mystery to superhero movie in just a decade.
Where the writers and directors righted some of the wrongs from season four in season five, they also made other changes that ultimately cheapened the final product. Side by side, the newest iteration didn’t feel grounded and real in the way it did in the previous season. Season four felt scary again, but season five did not. Part of the sci-fi horror and draw of season one came from the Upside Down being a dark, scary, horrifying dimension. But in the finale, the horizon is just kind of blue and much brighter overall. Watching season one required having to squint at the TV screen to see well enough, whereas the light felt unnaturally bright in season five. Regardless, the story felt more cohesive with the previous episodes in season five, but it still could have been better in other ways.
“Stranger Things” has always done an incredible job with historically accurate costumes, and that still rang true for its final run. Nancy’s monochromatic pink jeans and sweater combined with a slightly permed shag cut feel mid-to-late ’80s, and Karen’s grown-out perm visually represents her emotional state very well; she’s still trying to be put together, but it’s becoming more difficult.
The reception of the end of “Stranger Things” has been mixed, with some saying it wrapped up the story well, and others feeling let down. “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5,” released on Jan. 12, letting audiences get a more behind-the-scenes look at its final season. The documentary unfortunately did not make its writers look better. The Duffers appeared to fall out of love with their story and mainly discussed their stress levels throughout writing and producing. The cast and crew began filming the last episode before the ending had been written. It was clear how connected the actors felt to their characters and how much they cared about the project. After all, the end of “Stranger Things” means the end of a 10-yearlong chapter in the audience’s and actors’ minds.
Reach Aubree Miller at [email protected] or on social media @aubreem07.
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