Horror and thriller fan favorite series “Stranger Things” was released in three parts on Netflix in late 2025. With volume one Nov. 26; volume two Dec. 25 and the grand finale Dec. 31. The schedule immediately grabbed viewers with nostalgia and suspense, a high bar for what’s to come.
The premier, “The Crawl” was a great start for the beginning of the season. Will’s connection to Vecna and the Upside Down were very well woven into the series which added a lot of depth into the overall lore.
Although Vecna was not planned from the very beginning of Stranger Things, the way the Duffer Brothers incorporated him throughout seasons four and five were super impressive, especially since in “The Crawl” it shows how he has been connected since the first season, somewhat changing the storyline.
The climax of the Demogorgon heading to the Wheelers home at the ending felt to leave a lasting impact on what’s to come for the next episode, leaving a great plot twist early on.
The second episode titled “The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler” instantly caught a new focus, as it explored the aftermath of the chaos from the Upside Down. This episode felt a little bit slower than the first, but it effectively balanced the horror and mystery aspects of the show. The action sequences of Holly and the power that grew within Will left a strong narrative behind the story.
Episode three welcomed a few members of the Hawkins Crew: Lucas, Steve, Robin and Nancy setting up to prepare for a Demogorgon confrontation. The fun montage of the crew getting ready was a welcome moment of nostalgia, as the first two episodes were more on the serious side. However, the ending bringing out the twists of Holly and Max added a layer of intrigue, leaving myself and viewers searching for answers.
Episode four titled “The Body,” was definitely a fan favorite for its suspense as well as character development. Hopper and Eleven’s investigation inside the Upside Down combined with the revelation of Vecna’s influence on Holly and Max brought a captivating experience while watching.
Overall, the fourth episode delivered great acting and a lot of mind-bending scenes. The humorous moments surrounding Derek added a nice touch of warmth to the intense plot. Will’s character development in the end instantly made the whole episode more compelling, which left me finding myself wanting more.
Episode four left viewers on the edge of their seat, as thousands of online rumors, predictions and reviews on various social media platforms indicate. The Duffer Brothers organization of season five surpassed my expectations, making it hard to wait for the next volume.
The subsequent three episodes were released on Christmas Day. Episode five titled “Shock Jock,” was filled with tension that built up Will’s powers. The best thing the Duffer Brothers did with this episode was develop the plan to reconnect Will with the Upside Down, and intensify Max and Holly’s plot in Vecna’s mind.
Episode six, titled “Escape From Camazots,” intensified the tension by revealing more about the origin of the Upside Down. The balance between the few heartfelt moments and the action sequences kept me engaged, especially as Eleven’s superpower arc progressed. This episode was a close favorite, with episode four still taking the lead.
Episode seven, titled “The Bridge” shifted into a darker atmosphere, as there were more threats concerning Hawkins. The writing in this episode deepened with more complex character development, which made every other scene feel more meaningful. I loved that Will was finally able to come out, however the scene felt unnecessarily long and the writing felt cringy, which offset the emotional aspect that the announcement first had. A great aspect of this episode was the catchy 80’s music that added a lot of flavor.
Tuning into episode eight, “The Rightside Up” expectations were very high. Given the title, predictions were all over the place — but what surprised me was how many were so good, yet so wrong. The ending of this episode was bittersweet: Vecna, along with everything in the Upside Down, vanished. The overall defeat of Vecna took a whopping five minutes, which felt unreasonably short. With this battle marking what I thought would be the ending, the other half of the two-hour episode focused solely on the characters’ sweet moments, which was nice but also felt too long.
I was a little disappointed and bored throughout the second half because it seemed as if the whole season was a huge build up, yet all the preparation mended into a five minute scene. With this dissatisfying finish, I had to remind myself that the whole series itself has been a long, intriguing journey, and there had to be a happy ending at some point.
Stranger Things season five delivered a thrilling conclusion packed with a combination of intensity and emotional moments that fans all over will appreciate. Although some storylines may have feel a bit rushed, and certain plots remain open, season five wraps up the saga and leaves room for reflection on tighter storytelling.
