I track the most popular TV shows across streaming services for a living, and the best way to get a read on what’s drawing the most interest is typically each platform’s ever-rotating top 10 list. Netflix is no different. When I need a quick snapshot of the series currently gaining momentum, the Netflix top 10 is always my first point of call.

However, just because a show is making waves in the Netflix top 10 doesn’t guarantee it's a quality watch. Trust me, I’ve learned that lesson the hard way. Sometimes even the current No. 1 pick isn’t worth your time. That’s why I’ve combed through the current Netflix top 10 most-watched list and picked out three buzzy series that are worthy of your watch list.

A quick note: these picks are based on the Netflix U.S. top 10 as of Tuesday, April 28. And with that housekeeping sorted, here are the three Netflix shows to binge-watch this week.

Best shows in the Netflix top 10

'Running Point'

The debut season of “Running Point” was a great feel-good watch last year, and it appears the show has picked up where it left off in its sophomore run. It’s claimed the No. 1 spot over the weekend, and is holding firm at present. What it lacks in heightened drama, it makes up for with likeable characters, enjoyable comedy and an easy-to-root-for underdog spirit.

Kate Hudson plays Isla Gordon, once a wild child, now taking charge of the family business: the Los Angeles Waves basketball team. As season 2 opens, she has a little experience under her belt, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still hurdles to tackle both on and off the court. For starters, there’s the return of her brother Cam (Justin Theroux), with his own plans for the team, and the Waves are in contention for the world championship.

Watch "Running Point" Season 2 on Netflix now

‘Unchosen’

If you’ll indulge me in a moment of patriotism, some of the best Netflix shows hail from my native U.K., and it looks like “Unchosen” might just be another winner from Old Blighty. This psychological thriller series is making a steady climb up the Netflix top 10, and seeing as it’s been described as a “creepy cult” series, I’m not too surprised. Plus, it stars “Sex Education’s” Asa Butterfield, giving the series a recognizable face to subscribers.

Set in a conservative Christian cult, Rosie (Molly Windsor) is a devoted follower, and a homemaking wife and mother. Sheltered from the outside world, a chance encounter with Sam (Fra Fee) sees Rosie embark on a journey of sexual discovery, and start to crave her own freedom and independence — something that her husband Sam (Butterfield) isn’t too pleased about. But can Rosie escape the cult and its rigid set of rules?

Watch "Unchosen" on Netflix now

‘Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85’

There’s a part of me that’s quite shocked that a new “Stranger Things” TV show hasn’t rocketed straight to the top spot. Does this suggest that, following the divisive finale of the main series last year, fans are suffering from “Stranger Things” fatigue, or maybe it’s just that this animated spin-off hasn’t quite captured the imagination of the sci-fi franchise’s fanbase.

Either way, if you’re craving more time spent with the gang, “Tales from ‘85” delivers just that. It stars all your favorite characters from Eleven to Jim Hopper (though it should be noted not voiced by the original actors), and is set between the events of the second and third seasons. Inspired by classic ‘80s Saturday-morning cartoons, it’s a lighter take on “Stranger Things” that Netflix has pitched as the perfect jumping-in point for newbies, too.

Watch "Stranger Things: Tales from '85" on Netflix now

Full Netflix top 10

1. "Running Point"
2. "Unchosen"
3. "Hulk Hogan: Real American"
4. "Supernova Strikers: Genesis"
5. "BEEF"
6. "Funny AF with Kevin Hart"
7. "This is A Gardening Show"
8. "Stranger Things: Tales From '85"
9. "Trust Me: The False Prophet"
10. "Million Dollar Secret"

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I can’t be the only one who finds it a challenge to spare the time to get stuck in a new Netflix show during the working week. That’s why the weekends are prime binge-watching time in my household, and where I’m able to really tear through episode after episode.

Fortunately, Netflix has plenty to offer. There’s the return of one of 2025’s most pleasant surprises, the charming (and breezy) sports comedy, “Running Point.” And there’s also the first (of probably many) “Stranger Things” spinoff, in the animated form of “Tales from ‘85.” Oh, and if you haven’t made time for “Beef” season 2 yet, what are you waiting for? This anthology series has a bit of “The White Lotus” about it, and stars a particularly impressive cast.

These are the latest arrivals on the world’s biggest streaming service that look worthy of your precious Netflix binge-watching time this weekend.

‘Running Point’ season 2

“Running Point” was an unexpected delight last year, and I’m thrilled to see the sports comedy return for a second season. It’s a really easy binge-watch, perfect if you’re looking for a comforting Netflix series.

It’s by no means the streamer’s most prestigious offering. It keeps things pretty breezy. However, Kate Hudson has charisma for days as Isla Gordon, a former party girl who has to step up to the plate and take charge of her family business, the struggling Los Angeles Waves (please forgive me for using a baseball term to refer to a show about basketball).

In “Running Point” season 2, Isla is still dealing with family drama off the court, including the return of her brother Cam (Justin Theroux), who has ideas of his own about how to run the team. Meanwhile, on the court, the Waves are making a play for the world championship.

Watch "Running Point" season 2 on Netflix now

‘Stranger Things: Tales From '85’

Did you think that Netflix was going to let “Stranger Things” go quietly into that good night? Of course not, the juggernaut sci-fi adventure show will probably be further milked for years to come. Expect plenty of spin-offs and further attempts to recapture the magic once again.

The first of these attempts is “Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85,” an animated series that is set between the main show’s second and third series. It stars all of your favorite characters, including Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Max, Lucas and Will. Although it should be noted that none of the original cast return to voice their animated counterparts, which is a little surprising.

“Stranger Things” creator The Duffer Brothers have noted that this show aims to capture the feeling of an ‘80s morning cartoon, but the early reviews (67% from critics, 49% from viewers, on Rotten Tomatoes) suggest that “Tales from ‘85” is only sporadically successful.

Watch "Stranger Things: Tales From '85" on Netflix now

‘Beef’ season 2

Netflix is hoping to have a “White Lotus” sized hit on its hands with “Beef.” This comedy-drama series is taking a similar anthology approach with a follow-up season that is narratively unconnected, and anchored by a new cast, but taps into the same themes.

“Beef” season 2 stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Cailee Spaeny, Charles Melton, and Youn Yuh-jung. When a Gen Z couple (Spany and Melton) witnesses a heated argument between an older couple (Isaac and Mulligan), events spiral out of control, and things get pretty messy.

Creator Lee Sung Jin describes season 2 as focused on “a passive-aggressive beef,” whereas the first season was more “aggressive.” Early reviews suggest that Netflix has another great season of television on its hands, with an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Watch "Beef" season 2 on Netflix now

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If you've been mourning the end of "Stranger Things," April 23 could well have been your lucky day. Four months after "Stranger Things" season 5's finale brought the Duffer Brothers' hit Netflix series to its end (in divisive fashion) at the start of 2026, that Thursday saw us head back to Hawkins for a new animated adventure.

This is "Stranger Things: Tales From '85," a new animated series that's now available on the streaming service. It tells a new story set between the earlier years of the show, and offers fans the chance to ride along with Eleven, Mike, Will and the rest of the gang as they tackle another paranormal mystery in their hometown (though they're voiced by new actors, not the live-action stars).

When we first published this article, I said I wouldn't be too surprised to see "Tales From '85" creep into the Netflix charts, and it looks like the "Stranger Things" fans couldn't wait to reunite with the Hawkins crew. By Friday, April 24, the new spinoff was already one of the most-watched shows on the platform. However, it hasn't been received all that warmly, judging by that Rotten Tomatoes score.

Need a little help deciding whether to add the new show to your watchlist? Here's a little more info about "Stranger Things: Tales From '85," including what critics have said about the show so far.

What is 'Stranger Things: Tales From '85' about?

"Stranger Things: Tales From '85" takes place in the winter of 1985 (between seasons 2 and 3 of the main show) and sees Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max settling into some normality (D&D, snowball fights, downtime), only to find themselves embroiled in a new paranormal mystery.

Something terrifying has awakened beneath the snow, and it falls to our young heroes once again to solve the mystery and save Hawkins from the fearsome thing that's terrorizing their town.

The voice cast for "Tales From '85" includes Brooklyn Davey, Norstedt, Luca Diaz, Benjamin Plessala, Braxton Quinney, Elisha "EJ" Williams," Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Brett Gipson, Jeremy Jordan, Odessa A'zion, Janeane Garofalo and Lou Diamond Phillips.

Should you stream 'Stranger Things: Tales From '85' on Netflix?

I didn't get advance access to the show, so I can't give a complete verdict on it just yet (I'm only a couple of episodes in!), but so far, "Tales From '85" feels like an entertaining diversion.

After season 5's disappointing end, I wasn't really sure I needed any more "Stranger Things" in my life, and I was reticent that the new voice cast would make these just not feel like the same characters, but so far, I'm intrigued. The show's visually impressive, I'm interested to see what's at the heart of the latest threat plaguing Hawkins, and I think the new voice cast has done a solid job of inhabiting the characters.

Early reviews for the full season made it clear that the show has split opinions, and that opinion's only been solidified since release. At the time of writing, "Stranger Things: Tales From '85" holds a 67% approval rating from critics on RT, with a 48% from viewers at home.

As an example of what's been said, The Guardian's Jack Seale gave the show a 3-star rating, writing: "Walkie-talkies, teen romance, hideous monsters … this animated series has everything that made the original series so lovable. It might go nowhere, but that’s not such a bad thing."

IGN offered a similar 6/10 verdict: "Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a colorful but underbaked addition to the Stranger Things universe. While animation allows for lots of creature chases and battles, the thin story results in a weaker and more repetitive adventure than expected."

Variety's Alison Herman, meanwhile, summed the show up as "a depressing, cynical retread," adding: "“Tales From ‘85” is a transparent attempt to preserve “Stranger Things” in pixels rather than amber, allowing Netflix to keep capitalizing on the phenomenon long after its original faces have moved on to other projects."

In short, then, if you were looking for a must-watch new show, "Tales From '85" might not be the Netflix binge you were waiting for, but if you've spent the first few months of 2026 yearning for another adventure with the Hawkins co., you might still want to add it to your watchlist.

Stream "Stranger Things: Tales From '85" on Netflix now

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"Stranger Things" went out on an action-packed finale that got us all just a bit excited, and then had us almost immediately missing our favorite Hawkins teenagers.

Thankfully, "Stranger Things: Tales From '85" — one of the upcoming "Stranger Things" spinoffs — is set to arrive on Netflix on April 23, so we don't have much longer until we can once again immerse ourselves in their universe. Until then, we've rounded up a trailer, some games and quizzes to whet your whistle for the new show and recap what went before.

1. Discover which 'Stranger Things' character you are

We put together this fun 'personality quiz' to help you uncover which character you're most similar to.

2. Watch the 'Stranger Things: Tales from 85' trailer

Here's the latest trailer for the brand new animated series, featuring Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin and the gang, for a tasty bite of what to expect.

3. Take the 'Stranger Things' season 5 part 1 refresher quiz

How much do you remember of the last season? Take this quiz below to recap some of the major plot points.

4. Play a 'Stranger Things' word search

Who doesn't love a word search? Doing one always makes me feel like it's the last day of high school and I'm busting out my best colored gel pens (maybe even the scented ones) to find them all.

5. Take our 'Stranger Things' general quiz

This quiz dives into the Hawkins universe as a whole, offering up just five questions with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

How did you do? Let us know what you think in the comments below. Too hard? Too easy? I love to hear from you and welcome all constructive feedback.

If you enjoyed these, then check out our other puzzles and quizzes. And don't forget to register to save your score, reveal hints for any clues you're not sure of and secure your spot on the competitive Tom's Guide leaderboard.

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Though the Netflix sci-fi juggernaut recently said goodbye after five seasons (here's everything that went down in that action-packed series finale, BTW), the "Stranger Things" universe isn't closing for good. A brand-new Hawkins, Indiana-set spinoff is officially heading to the streaming service, and fans of Eleven and Co. just got a much-anticipated early look at the new series.

In case you missed it, "Stranger Things: Tales From '85" — one of the upcoming "Stranger Things" spinoffs, along with an untitled live-action series that the Duffer Brothers teased during the press tour for season 5 — is an animated series that will take place between seasons 2 and 3 of the original show. And it looks like we don't have to wait too long to reunite with characters we already know and love (but with an animated twist), as Netflix announced today that the series will premiere on Thursday, April 23.

That date announcement comes courtesy a brand-new trailer dropped by the streamer on Monday, February 2, a two-minute clip bringing Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Steve, Natalie and even more supernatural forces back to our screens — albeit voiced by different actors than the O.G. "Stranger Things" cast — all set to the tune of Naked Eyes' "Always Something There to Remind Me."

"In the winter of 1985, snow blankets the town and the horrors of the Upside Down are finally fading," reads the official synopsis. "Our heroes Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max have settled back into a normal life of D&D, snowball fights, and quiet days. But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened. Could it be from the Upside Down? From the depths of Hawkins Lab? Or from somewhere else entirely? Our heroes must race to solve this mystery and save Hawkins in this untold story set in the 'Stranger Things' universe."

As mentioned, new actors are being brought into the "Stranger Things" fold to voice its characters in 'Tales of '85"; they include Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha "EJ" Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Benjamin Plessala as Will, Brett Gipson as Hopper, and Jeremy Jordan as Steve. Rounding out the ensemble are Janeane Garofalo, Lou Diamond Phillips and "Marty Supreme" star Odessa A'zion in undisclosed roles.

Tom's Guide will keep you posted on all things related to the Duffer Brothers' "Stranger Things" universe, including "Tales of '85" and all other planned spinoff series, new teaser trailers, character details, behind-the-scenes intel and more.

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Fans of Stranger Things are once again dissecting every frame tied to the show — this time not from the Upside Down, but from a behind-the-scenes documentary.

A recently released making-of feature has sparked online speculation after viewers noticed what appears to be a ChatGPT tab open on a laptop screen in the background of one shot.

The moment, quickly spread across social media, with fans questioning whether generative AI played any role in shaping the show’s final season.

Screenshots of the moment circulated widely on X and Reddit, prompting reactions ranging from confusion to outright panic.

“Why is ChatGPT open?” one fan wrote, while others jumped to conclusions that AI may have been used during the writing or editing process.

There is no evidence that ChatGPT was used to write Stranger Things

To be clear, there is no evidence that ChatGPT or any AI tool was used to write or influence Stranger Things. The documentary does not mention AI involvement, and neither Netflix nor the Duffer Brothers has commented on the screenshot or the speculation surrounding it.

The frenzy appears to reflect broader anxieties about AI’s growing presence in creative industries — particularly in television and film, where writers and actors have previously raised concerns about automation and authorship.

In this case, however, the visible ChatGPT window could have been open for any number of reasons unrelated to the show’s creative process. It's important to note, that it is possible to use ChatGPT in the writing process while keeping it authentic.

Still, the timing has amplified fan reactions. The Stranger Things finale has already divided viewers, and the idea — however unproven — that AI might be involved has only added fuel to the debate.

The takeaway

For now, the viral moment remains exactly that: a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it background detail, elevated by online speculation rather than confirmed fact.

Until Netflix or the show’s creators address it directly, the ChatGPT sighting appears to be more internet mystery than creative revelation.

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“Stranger Things” has been one of the most influential TV phenomena of the last decade. The show’s run transformed Netflix into an even bigger mainstream entertainment powerhouse, with each new season inspiring countless fan theories across social platforms. So with the show coming to an end, you’d think the reaction would be more momentous...

Well, when “Stranger Things” season 5 concluded with its final episode on New Year’s Eve, the reaction was far from universally celebratory. Many fans felt the finale’s resolution (especially its ambiguous epilogue and open‑ended character arcs) didn’t live up to years of buildup. That dissatisfaction actually sparked a viral online movement dubbed “conformity gate,” a theory suggesting the broadcast ending was actually a mirage concocted by the show’s villain, Vecna, and that a secret ninth episode was yet to be released.

As the week passed with no hidden episode, and Netflix confirmed the series was truly over, that theory was thoroughly debunked. Soon after, another idea took hold: that Netflix’s newly released documentary “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5” was itself a cleverly disguised secret episode in the style of Wes Craven’s “New Nightmare,” echoing the meta-horror approach.

For those unfamiliar, in “New Nightmare” actors played heightened versions of themselves while the fictional villain Freddy Krueger invaded the “real world,” creating a story that was part behind-the-scenes and part narrative horror. Fans speculated that the documentary might do something similar.

Now, instead of hidden content, fans are flocking to social media to voice disappointment not just with the season 5 ending but also with the flaws and creative struggles exposed in the documentary itself. One viewer believes this doc could’ve been “just 30 minutes long.”

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 doc has only fueled the fire

Even after the final credits rolled on “Stranger Things,” Netflix’s two‑hour documentary “One Last Adventure” hasn’t exactly soothed fan frustration. Rather than answering lingering questions, the behind‑the‑scenes look exposed elements of the production that many viewers see now as symptoms of the problems in the finale itself.

In the doc, the Duffer Brothers openly admit they began filming the first episode before the finale’s script was even completed, a revelation that baffled some fans and sparked online chatter about a rushed creative process under immense pressure. One fan said: “Kind of glad they aired it just to show all the depth the series once had vanished in the last few episodes due to abysmal writing and planning. They’ve made it into a money machine rather than the quality TV we watched for.”

One writers’ room scene that caught widespread attention was the debate over including demogorgons in the final battle; co‑creator Ross Duffer cited “demo fatigue” as the reason they were left out, a decision many fans interpreted as a sign the show had strayed from its roots. This didn’t sit right, since the dimension the characters entered to defeat Vecna was supposedly the home of these monsters, yet not a single one appeared. It felt unnatural for the group to stroll through without any consequences.

There also seemed to be plot continuity concerns on set. Scenes like Maya Hawke (Robin) pointing out a continuity issue involving her character’s relationship went viral online, with fans interpreting it as evidence of oversight in the show’s storytelling. One user on X said: “Maya catching them forgetting that Lucas isn’t supposed to know Robin and Vicki are together… you can’t make this up, they were so unprepared.”

Despite all the online speculation, there isn’t a secret “Stranger Things” episode waiting in the wings. After the divisive season 5 finale, many fans suggested the final episode was an illusion and a true conclusion would be released later, with fans pointing to visual cues, stylistic similarities to “The Truman Show,” and awkward coincidences as “evidence.” But that theory has consistently been debunked, and major cast and creators have reiterated that episode 8 is the definitive end of the Hawkins saga, not a staged false reality or prelude to a hidden chapter.

What “conformity gate” ultimately shows is less about a secret conclusion and more about fandom copium, and the way intense disappointment can morph into hopeful reinterpretation of every frame or piece of dialogue. Still, while the “Stranger Things” finale didn’t land for everyone, it did provide meaningful emotional closure for many viewers and cast members, and the series deserves appreciation for the journey it offered, even if its ending wasn’t universally satisfying. It’s just time to let go...

"One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5" is now streaming on Netflix.

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Considering the significant hype surrounding “Stranger Things” season 5, which, if you somehow didn’t know, marks the grand finale of the juggernaut sci-fi streaming series, it was no shock to see it rocket instantly to No. 1 in Netflix’s top 10 over the New Year’s period.

The popular show’s final episode debuted on Netflix on December 31, and was such a big deal that the big red streaming service even held theatrical screenings of the feature-length conclusion. It’s no surprise that the internet has been abuzz with reactions ever since, but what is a little more unexpected is how swiftly “Stranger Things” has been booted from the Netflix top spot in the platform's most-watched list.

The challenger for its crown is “Run Away,” a new mystery thriller show based on a best-selling novel from crime author supreme Harlan Coben. And it seems Netflix subscribers are rapidly switching The Upside Down for another bingeable show with enough twists and turns to make your head spin.

Maybe it’s the divisive nature of the “Stranger Things” finale (I’ve seen more than a few people suggest Netflix has “done a ‘Game of Thrones’”), or perhaps “Run Away” is capturing the interest of those who never saw the hype with one of Netflix’s biggest original success story, but either way, the current Netflix top 10 is a reminder to never bet against Coben.

I can see why ‘Run Away’ has claimed Netflix No. 1 over ‘Stranger Things’

“Run Away” continues what is becoming an annual tradition for Netflix. 2026 is now the third year in a row that the streaming service has dropped a new mystery thriller miniseries based on a Coben novel on New Year’s Day, and it’s a release strategy that is proving once again very successful.

In my own write-up, I noted that it was “going to be your next binge-watch,” a prediction that has seemingly come true for millions of Netflix subscribers. The show centers on a desperate father (played by James Nesbitt) as he searches for his missing daughter, Paige (Ellie de Lange). Along the way, he uncovers a deeper mystery with dark consequences. It’s a Coben story that doesn’t attempt to break from the mold.

I think it’s best described as Netflix junk food. The type of show that won’t linger long in the memory, but is undeniably enjoyable as you consume it, in a guilty pleasure sort of way. After a busy holiday season, it’s the type of “switch your brain off” television I crave. It’ll never make my list of the best TV shows of 2026, but I found each new episode-ending revelation compelling enough to keep clicking that “play next” button each time.

Over the weekend, I went for a birthday meal with some family, and it was perhaps rather telling that when the conversation turned to what we’d all been watching to kick off the New Year, “Stranger Things” barely featured. Instead, everybody had been binging “Run Away.”

The good news for Netflix viewers who have already polished off all eight episodes of “Run Away” is that there’s more Harlan Coben thrills on the way. Netflix has already confirmed it has another adaptation of the author's works in the pipeline. It’s called "I Will Find You," and it’s slated to launch sometime in 2026. Or perhaps it’ll be held for January 1, 2027.

If you’ve already binged-watched all of “Run Away” and have waved goodbye to the “Stranger Things” gang as well, here’s a guide to everything new on Netflix this month. It might be dreary January, but the big red streamer isn’t slacking off when it comes to new content.

Watch "Run Away" on Netflix now

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After almost a decade and a total of 46 episodes, Netflix's "Stranger Things" has come to an end. Since 2016, the streaming service has been taking us back to Hawkins every couple of years, but as of New Year’s Eve, "Stranger Things" season 5 has capped off the Duffer Brothers' hit sci-fi show with a feature-length finale.

Now that season 5 volume 3 has been and gone, we’ve said goodbye to our Hawkins faves, but countless viewers also face another conundrum entirely: What on earth do you go and watch next?

If you weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to “Stranger Things,” and you’re on the hunt for shows with a similar vibe, I think I can help. In honor the end of one of Netflix’s biggest shows, I’ve put together a brief list of seven shows that “Stranger Things” fans might want to watch next, and which streaming service they currently call home.

'Archive 81'

I don’t think I’ll ever pass up an opportunity to recommend “Archive 81” or truly get over the fact that Netflix canned this intriguing supernatural horror series after a single season (and a doozy of a cliffhanger ending). Nevertheless, if you won’t be put off by watching a series cut down in its prime, you’re in for a real treat here.

We follow archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie), who takes a new job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes, and in doing so, turns his life upside down. Dan finds himself piecing together the work of a documentary filmmaker, Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi), and becomes drawn into her investigation into the Visser apartment complex and the strange goings-on hidden within.

Somehow, the pair form some sort of connection, and Dan becomes convinced he just might be able to save Melody from the fate she met 25 years prior. It features some other-world shenanigans (a la the Upside Down), it’s spooky and atmospheric, and I'm sure if you get sucked into the story, you won't want to watch anything else.

Stream "Archive 81" on Netflix now

'Dark'

"Dark" feels like one of those shows destined to remain underappreciated, despite having a stellar reputation (all three seasons are 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes) and just genuinely being that good. If you really got a kick out of the conspiracy edge of the "Stranger Things" tale, you're in for a treat here.

Summarizing this mind-bending German-language Netflix original sci-fi series is a big ask, but it takes us to the small town of Winden, a place with a sinister past. There, the truth slowly starts to emerge after a child goes missing, and four families are pulled into a frantic search for the truth... a search that spans multiple generations and unspools as one huge puzzle.

"Dark" is dense but engrossing television, and only gets more intriguing as it lures viewers into its knotty mystery. Expect time travel, mysterious conspiracies, and dark secrets to emerge if you sit down to stream it (which you absolutely should).

Stream "Dark" on Netflix now

'IT: Welcome to Derry'

A group of youngsters from a small town band together in the past to confront a hugely powerful evil being: that's "Stranger Things" in a nutshell, right? Well, it's also a pretty apt description of "IT: Welcome to Derry," the nightmarish HBO Max horror drama that premiered just a couple of months ago.

The show serves as a prequel to Andy Muschietti's hugely successful "IT" movies, and it whisks us back in time to 1962 to Derry, Maine, where a fresh batch of kids united by fear band do battle with an altogether more evil force: Bill Skarsgård's shapeshifting killer, Pennywise the Dancing Clown. It offers deeper lore, serious shocks, and way more horror than any single "Stranger Things" episode I can think of, but if you've got the stomach for grim gore and more of Pennywise's antics, "IT: Welcome to Derry" could make for a great follow-up to Netflix's outgoing show.

Stream "IT: Welcome to Derry" on HBO Max now

'Paper Girls'

Prime Video’s “Paper Girls” is an eight-episode sci-fi series based on a graphic novel series of the same name, and it'd also make a perfect "Stranger Things" follow-up. So much, in fact, that one critic literally pitched it as an “all-female 'Stranger Things'" upon release back in 2022, and frankly, I couldn’t sum it up better if I tried. Like the outgoing Netflix project, “Paper Girls” takes place in the ‘80s and sees another batch of suburban kids — Erin (Riley Lai Nelet), Mac (Sofia Rosinsky), Tiffany (Camryn Jones) and KJ (Fina Strazza) — tangled up in a mystery of their own.

In the early hours on Halloween, 1988, our four paper girls head out on their delivery routes and find themselves caught in the crossfire between warring time-travelers, and, somehow, the tweens end up transported into the future. Thus begins a journey that’ll bring them face to face with their grown-up selves, and in danger: a militant group who outlawed time travel, the “Old Watch,” is hot on their trail.

Stream "Paper Girls" on Prime Video now

'The X-Files'

If you've somehow never heard of "The X-Files," or you've never met supernatural FBI truther, Agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and his skeptic partner, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), you owe it to yourself to try Chris Carter's legendary sci-fi/conspiracy thriller. It left an indelible mark on pop culture and surely played a part in inspiring the Netflix hit.

Special Agent Scully is assigned ostensibly to debunk Mulder's work, but her belief in what's real is vehemently tested by their search for "the truth." Their work sees the duo investigating conspiracies and tackling countless "monster of the week" mysteries, which see them brushing up against all manner of strange occurrences, and plenty of similarities with the anxieties and themes that "Stranger Things" is tapping into.

It's also worth shouting out simply because committing to a full watch will keep you occupied for some time to come. "The X-Files" 11-season run contains more than 200 episodes (and a couple of movies), meaning fans mourning the loss of the Netflix hit will have plenty to keep them occupied for some time to come.

Stream "The X-Files" on Hulu now

'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew'

Think "The Goonies," but set in a galaxy far, far away, and you've pretty much got the measure of "Skeleton Crew," the underrated Disney+ Star Wars series.

Here, we follow a group of kids — Fern, KB, Neel and Wim — who end up lost in space after stumbling on a hidden spaceship buried on their home planet of At Attin... a spaceship that they inadvertently end up sending off-world. Cue an epic quest to find their way home that sees them tangling with all kinds of aliens and crossing paths with Force-user, Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law), who offers to help them get home.

It doesn't have quite the same vibe as "Stranger Things" (it's a lot lighter, especially compared to the later seasons), but "Skeleton Crew" is a similar show in spirit. It's kids, on (speeder) bikes, tangled up in something so much bigger than they could ever comprehend, and it's a real fun watch.

Stream "Skeleton Crew" on Disney Plus now

'The Umbrella Academy'

You’ve spent dozens of hours with a group of youngsters banding together to face an extradimensional threat, so it stands to reason that you’ll likely enjoy this quirky Netflix superhero comedy/drama that's based on a series of comic books written by My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way.

At noon on October 1, 1989, 43 women across the globe gave birth simultaneously, without showing any sign of pregnancy until the babies came. Eccentric billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves adopts seven of these children and puts them to work fighting crime as superheroes in a misfit team he calls “The Umbrella Academy.” The team eventually disbands, but they're reunited later down the line when they receive the news of Hargreeves’ passing. Cue a wild ride that packs in drama and intrigue and sees this particular dysfunctional family facing down multiple world-ending events.

Stream "The Umbrella Academy" on Netflix now

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The "Stranger Things" series finale has been and gone, meaning one of the most talked-about Netflix originals is over, right? Well, not quite. Sure, Eleven's defeated Vecna, and we've quite literally closed the book on Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin's Dungeons & Dragons campaign, but the franchise will live on in some way.

If you're not quite ready to truly say goodbye to the Duffer Brothers' beloved sci-fi series, you're in luck: We won't be fully leaving the world of "Stranger Things" just yet, as we know there are two "Stranger Things" spinoffs in development right now. At the time of writing, we know at least a little bit of info about the two forthcoming series. The first is the animated series "Tales From '85," and the latter is a live-action spinoff which the series creators say is at a "very early" stage of production.

Read on for a quick rundown of what we know about the "Stranger Things" spinoffs that the Duffer Brothers have in the works right now.

'Stranger Things: Tales From '85'

The first show we know about is "Stranger Things: Tales From '85," an animated series that is set between seasons 2 and 3 of the original show.

"Tales From '85" takes place during a freezing winter in Hawkins, Indiana, and sees the original characters (not voiced by the original cast) heading on an "epic journey" (as Tudum puts it) wherein the original gang confronts a new mystery plaguing the town.

"The original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85"," the logline reads. The series will be showrun by Eric Robles, and has been much-hyped by Robles, the Duffers and everyone involved, as you can see in the above trailer.

In addition to Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Max (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), Mike (Luca Diaz), Lucas (Elisha "EJ" Williams), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Will (Benjamin Plessala), and Hopper (Brett Gipson), the series cast also includes Odessa A'zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamon Phillips (whose roles haven't been disclosed just yet).

"Stranger Things: Tales From '85" is due to stream at some point in 2026. Expect more info about the series in due course.

Untitled live-action 'Stranger Things' spinoff

The other spinoff we know comparatively little about is the untitled live-action series that the Duffer Brothers have teased during the press tour for Season 5.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published alongside Volume 2, Ross Duffer confirmed the pair were "very early days on a live-action spinoff" — but don't expect to be reunited with Eleven, Will, or any of the Hawkins gang.

Why? The Ross said as much: "This is the end of the story for these characters of Hawkins, for the Upside Down." Instead, this new spinoff will be set in a different decade and focus on a new cast, but will remain connected to the "Stranger Things" universe.

Once again, the brothers won't be showrunning this series, but they will be "heavily involved," and Ross added that they hope "it's something announced soon-ish."

This is all in keeping with what Matt told Variety about the "Stranger Things" live-action spinoff back in October 2025: that the show will be in keeping with the original show's vibe: "kids, adventures, sci-fi/fantasy, rather than increasingly expand[ing] what could become an insanely convoluted mythology," Matt said.

However, the finale has in fact contained a clue to what the spinoff's about: that strange rock Henry Creel got from the scientist's briefcase. Pressed on the subject in a Jan. 1 interview with Variety, Matt confirmed the rock was "spinoffy."

"I do want to explain, just because people’s expectations go in certain directions: The spinoff is going to delve into that and explain that, and you’re going to understand it," Matt said. "But it’s a completely different mythology. So it’s not a deep exploration of the Mind Flayer or anything like that. It’s very fresh and very new, but yes, it will answer some of the loose threads that are remaining."

Now that "Stranger Things" season 5 is in the rearview, hopefully, the brothers will have more time to work on this mystery spinoff, and we'll get a clearer picture of what this new show looks like soon.

In the meantime, if the "Stranger Things" finale has left you between shows, be sure to check out our definitive round-up of the best shows on Netflix for tons more streaming suggestions perfect for filling that void.

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Hawkins fans, this is it. The final chapter of Stranger Things is here! Season 5 volume 3 marks the end of a run that’s defined Netflix’s streaming era. After years of cliffhangers, theories, delays and Demogorgons, the series finale is streaming now, and we’ll be watching right alongside you, beat by beat, as the story of Hawkins comes to a close.

Since its 2016 debut, “Stranger Things” has grown from a surprise hit into a full-blown pop-culture phenomenon, launching careers, reviving ‘80s nostalgia, and turning the Upside Down into one of TV’s most iconic settings. Season 5 has steadily raised the stakes with each volume, and now all of that momentum funnels into a finale that promises answers, consequences and no small amount of emotional damage.

This live blog will track our real-time reactions to the series finale, breaking down major moments, big reveals and the choices that ultimately define how “Stranger Things” ends. Expect updates, analysis and plenty of feelings as we say goodbye to Hawkins for good.

Spoiler warning: This live blog contains full spoilers for all of “Stranger Things” so far.

Welcome!

Welcome to our "Stranger Things" season 5 volume 3 live blog, and what better night for a finale than New Year’s Eve. As the clock counts down to midnight, we’re spending the last hours of the year in Hawkins, tracking the series finale with episode context, quick refreshers, release details, and real-time reactions as everything comes to an end. We’ll be updating continuously as the finale unfolds, so keep this page open and ring in the New Year with the Upside Down one last time.

Here’s when you can stream the ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 finale

“Stranger Things” season 5’s finale is dropping on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31, 2025) at 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. ET.

That means you’ll still have time to head out to any NYE parties you might have on your calendar, but seeing as this is a feature-length finale, you might have to plan to be fashionably late.

If you’re watching in the UK, the season finale will be available to stream from 1 a.m. GMT on Thursday, January 1, 2026, while Australian readers can watch from 12 p.m. AEDT on January 1. If you’re reading in a different time zone, be sure to check Netflix’s comprehensive release date breakdown on Tudum. — MS

How long is the ‘Stranger Things’ finale?

Netflix revealed the finale’s runtime back in mid-December — and we’re in for a “supersized” final installment.

The series’ finale episode was initially billed as 2 hours and 5 minutes (125 minutes) long on Tudum, but Ross Duffer recently revealed on Instagram that the series’ finale will be even longer.

In a post captioned “final runtimes,” Chapter 8 (“The Rightside Up”) was listed as 2 hours and 8 minutes long (128 minutes total), making it the longest episode of the season, by some margin.

That’s not the episode of “Stranger Things” ever, though: that honor belongs to the season 4 finale, “The Piggyback,” which clocked in at 142 minutes (2 hours and 22 minutes). — MS

The ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 finale trailer sets the stage for one last fight in Hawkins

There are just hours left to go until we see the "Stranger Things" saga come to a close, and Netflix has released the full trailer for the season 5 finale. While it raises more questions than answers, it makes one thing very clear: whatever’s left of Hawkins is about to be pushed to its absolute limit.

The new footage finds Hopper (David Harbour) delivering a heavy, end-of-the-road pep talk to a battle-hardened Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) inside the Upside Down ahead of the final battle to save the world, interspersed with footage from throughout the previous seasons.

"Fight for the days on the other side of this," Hopper urges Eleven with a tearful plea. "Fight for a world beyond Hawkins. Let’s end this, kid."

It's an emotional call to arms after what's been a tumultuous Vol. 2, with Vecna's master plan coming to light among some seriously dark themes. Learning of the Upside Down's true nature, several tearful reunions (and splits), and plans coming together over the past few episodes have made it clear that the Duffers aren't here to play around with the series' epic final installment.

Hawkins has survived a lot over the years, but whatever happens next will bring this long-running Netflix hit to a close. It's time to get your final predictions in as we barrel to the end, so give the trailer a few more views ahead of the finale and see if your theories end up coming true. — BV

Favorite moment from volume 2

So much happened in episodes 5-7, and there were many great moments. What was your fave?

What is the Upside Down?

It's been a while since the first season of "Stranger Things" hit Netflix, nearly a decade to be exact. It's understandable that you might be a little foggy on how some of the show's more intricate mechanics actually work. Additionally, we've learned so much more about some of the show's finer tidbits over the years that it can be difficult to parse all of it at once. Case in point: the Upside Down.

Ahead of tonight's finale, it might be prudent to run down exactly how the Upside Down functions so that when it all comes together, you won't be left scratching your head. Beware, however, if you haven't yet seen Vol. 2: spoilers abound.

The Upside Down is an extradimensional realm that features a Hawkins, Indiana frozen in time. It's basically a "snapshot" of the town frozen on November 6, 1983, the day Eleven contacted the Demogorgon with her psychic powers.

As of season 5, we now also understand it as a "bridge" between the human world and the "Abyss", where the Mind Flayer resides. It's better described as a "wormhole" with the additional understanding gleaned from the new episodes.

To enter or exit the Upside Down you have to do so via gate, essentially a tear in the fabric of reality. Communication via the outside world is mostly possible through electricity, and it's typically teeming with hostile entities like Demogorgons.

Every creature and vine in this realm is part of a single hive mind. This means the monsters and the environment itself are psychically linked, allowing a central consciousness to see and feel everything that happens across the entire dimension at once.

That's the Upside Down in a nutshell, but there's likely still a lot we haven't learned. Expect all of its secrets to be revealed when the season 5 finale debuts tonight. — BV

Prediction: I’m convinced everyone’s going to make it out alive

Let’s get into some theory-crafting, shall we? The first thing I’d focus on is the fact that I cannot see a world in which El (or any of our main ensemble, for that matter) doesn’t survive the final fight.

Across the series run, the Duffer Brothers have repeatedly shown they’re not interested in killing off their main cast members. Sure, they’ve been in danger a bunch, but they’ve always bounced back … unlike Eddie, Barb, or Bob.

Despite Kali urging El that they should stay behind when Hawkins and The Abyss collide (so no one can start up another secretive programme trying to create more kids with powers later down the line), following this logic, and the fact the Duffers have been throwing around the “It’s not “Game of Thrones”” line, I foresee the core “Stranger Things” party will be getting a happy ending, rather than someone making a heroic sacrifice. — MS

Is anyone going to die in the finale?

I was surprised that nobody died in volume 2 — not even a red shirt like Murray or Mr. Clarke. But it's pretty much guaranteed that someone (likely a few someones) will be killed off in the series finale. The Duffer brothers love to punctuate their story with big deaths (see: Billy, Eddie). So, who do you think it will be? — KW

Swoosh-side down

When brands team up, the result can be pretty cool. Check out this Nike x Stranger Things collab unboxing video from TG's Phil Rodrigues. There's a particularly clever twist on the usual Nike swoosh that's perfect for the show.

The Duffer Brothers’ finale verdict: 'We feel really happy with how the show ended up'

During an interview with THR, the Duffer Brothers were asked if they “stuck the landing” on the series finale, and it sounds like they’re happy with how the show’s wrapped up.

“We feel really happy with how the show ended up,” Ross said, before turning to the final scene of the show (which the pair say they’ve had in their heads “for years”).

“We knew that no matter what we did, we could do eight hours of entertainment that people love, and then if you slip in the last five minutes, it’s all anyone’s going to talk about! So you just want to make sure you get those five minutes right, and then hopefully everything falls into place. We’re so proud of that scene and the performances from our cast in that scene, so we’re feeling good about it. But it’s always nerve-racking to put it out there for the audience.”

Matt Duffer acknowledged that “you can’t really work towards satisfying” everyone watching the show, but added that the pair gained more confidence in their finale after sharing it with their cast.

“At the end of the day, you do kind of have to shut out all the noise and just listen to your gut and the other writers with whom we’ve been working with for so long, and hope that what we feel is right resonates with everybody else,” he said. “The only thing that gives me some more confidence is the fact that the actors are as happy as they are, because they are so connected to those characters.” — MS

The ultimate soundtrack showdown for ‘Stranger Things’

“Stranger Things” has always been defined by its unforgettable music, from ’80s classics to perfectly timed hits that make every twist and turn so much better. Which season do you think has the best soundtrack?

I want the ‘Stranger Things’ finale to blow me away — but I’m not sure it will

I’ve done a decent amount of writing about “Stranger Things” season 5 at Tom’s Guide, so I think my initial excitement going into the final season has been well-recorded by this point, but I’d be lying if I said my expectations hadn’t been lowered by what we’ve seen so far.

While I wasn’t super thrilled about the frequent “planning scenes,” expository sequences in Vol. 1, I was expecting this to be the set-up phase for what’s been billed as an epic send-off… but the general feeling of inertia and repetition got way more egregious as the season continued. Ultimately, I left Vol. 2 feeling decidedly unimpressed, if I’m honest.

The fact is, I thought the second batch of episodes was going to tee up a truly fitting final confrontation, but I think it was instead dominated by seeding more questions, even poorer writing, and more wheel-spinning, in my opinion. Overall, season 5 hasn’t impressed me, and with only one episode remaining, and while I’m more than happy to be incorrect, I’m not sure this is going to end up being the epic send-off that’s been teased thus far. — MS

The finale might have a tough job winning fans over, too

Clearly, Volume 2 split fans, too. I’ve seen divisive reactions on social media, episode 7 is now the lowest-rated episode of the entire season on IMDB, and the season 5 Popcornmeter score has dropped to 56%.

The biggest evidence yet comes from a viral online petition (which currently has over 345,000 verified signatures) demanding the “unseen footage” from the second volume, as, according to the creator, that second installment “didn’t live up to the expectations“ [sic].

Mr. Clarke actor Randy Havens did take to social media to try and definitively debunk this assumption, stating, “there’s no secret Snyder cut of the show, please don’t believe everything some random ass tells you on the internet” on an Instagram Story posted on Dec. 28 (via NME).

What the existence of this petition does suggest, though, is that this season finale’s going to have to work pretty hard to win over disappointed “Stranger Things” devotees. Is two more hours enough to win them back? — MS

The one relationship I hope the 'Stranger Things' finale brings full circle

Before the finale drops, it’s hard not to start mentally running through what can’t be left dangling. It's really the end. It's happening. And if we truly aren't going to see any more of the Hawkins kids after this day, this finale has to nail it. Including some of the relationships that have slowly been simmering below the surface the whole time.

And for me, that one loose thread that still needs to be tied up is the relationship between Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

With everything that's happened, "Stranger Things" still revolves around Eleven and Hopper almost completely. Their relationship has been there from the very first season, and season 5 keeps pulling focus back to it, not for nothing.

They’ve been through too much for their bond to fade into the background now. What started as an unlikely pairing with Hopper fresh from losing his family blossomed into something heavier and messier over time. Hopper begrudgingly became Eleven's "tough love" father figure, there for her throughout everything she's been through, up to and including training her to use her psychic powers for good during the team's last stand in the Upside Down. Season 5 keeps putting pressure on that connection, which makes it feel like something the finale has to acknowledge.

However the bigger story shakes out, the ending needs to land on exactly where Eleven and Hopper stand with each other. Their relationship is one of the show’s load-bearing beams, so to speak, and leaving it unresolved without an emotional payoff where we see the two share the love they have for each other without sarcasm or pretense would make the whole ending feel incomplete.

Here's to our favorite "father-daughter" combo in "Stranger Things" and to a finale that hopefully gets it. — BV

Less than one hour to go!

This is it, the "Stranger Things" series finale!

Get your snacks ready — bonus if you’ve got a bag of Bugles — because we’re going to need a tankful of energy to get through what’s sure to be an emotional farewell.

Go behind-the-scenes on ‘Stranger Things’ while you wait for the finale to arrive

If you’re desperate to learn as much as possible about the season so far, I’d direct you over to Tudum, where Netflix has been sharing behind-the-scenes breakdowns of individual scenes and episodes, offering deeper insight into how the show came about.

Take, for example, this 13-minute deep dive into the penultimate episode, “The Bridge,” which offers a ton of insight into feeling on set in the wake of Max’s reawakening, shows how the design team brought Vecna’s “Pain Tree” prison for his kidnapped children to life, the reconciliation between Dustin and Steve, and Will’s coming-out scene (there’s a separate, in-depth BTS video on that final sequence online, too).

If you’re looking to learn more about the “Stranger Things” creative process (or the work that went into many of Netflix’s other major releases, for that matter), head over to Tudum’s Behind the Scenes page now. — MS

Did you catch this "Stranger Things" season 5 fashion snafu? Everything we know

With all eyes on the finale, "Stranger Things" still suffered an Upside Down-sized blunder that's since been fixed.

Earlier in season 5, Volume 2, eagle-eyed viewers noticed a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it wardrobe issue involving Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher). In one scene, she’s briefly wearing a shirt with an Under Armour logo. Under Armour didn’t exist back in the '80s, when the series takes place, making the logo a clear anachronism. The company was founded in 1996.

Once the mistake started circulating online via multiple X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit posts, Netflix quietly addressed it without skipping a beat (or calling more attention to it). The logo has since been removed from the scene, leaving no obvious nods toward Holly's more modern wardrobe just ahead of the series finale.

This mistake was a much more glaring one than the previous issue, where in season 5 episode "The Turnbow Trap", Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly) is seen playing the NES game "Ghosts 'n Goblins". However, he's playing the arcade version, and not the NES version, on a cabinet in his bedroom. That error wasn't edited out, as it wasn't nearly as dire.

See how everything comes to an end (hopefully without any additional wardrobe issues) with the series finale, airing tonight. — BV

Show’s about to begin

Are you ready for the finale? Here we go...

"One last fight and this whole nightmare will be over. It'll finally be over."

We so hope you're right, Mike!

"That came out wrong." Mike giving the world's worst supportive post-coming-out talk to Will. But still best friends.

I think we're all Vickie right now. Stress eating our way through this.

Epic Steve and Jonathan bonding moment. They both better make it through to the end.

Hopper leaves no one behind!

Damn it, El. This moment when she asks Hopper to trust her, to believe in her.

El launching herself at the giant spider beast. Beyond epic!

Is this... could it be the end of Vecna?

Joyce with the axe! But wait... there's another hour left to go.

El made her choice. And then silence. Just over here sobbing.

Coach Steve! Max is back in action. Lucas and Dustin ready to graduate, but graduate robes still give me flashbacks to Buffy and the Mayor.

Valedictorian Dustin flipping off the principal as Iron Maiden blares. Pretty badass.

Steve is the Sex Ed teacher?! "I get to teach about the miracle of life and how to not start it accidentally."

Why yes, Joyce does want to spend her life with a grumpy, stubborn old man who loves her very much.

Storyteller, you had us all in tears. Do you believe in happy endings? Even if we're all crying?

Do you believe?

"Stranger Things" ended with the possibility that El might still be alive, that her heroic self-sacrifice was only an illusion. Or was it just wishful thinking on Mike's part?

It was a clever way to end the series. We could choose to believe that El survived, that she's happily hiking in the hills of a far-off land with beautiful waterfalls, that she's safe and sound, even if none of them will ever see her again.

Will, Lucas, Max and Dustin are all crying in the Wheelers' basement as Mike paints the picture of her possible escape from certain death. And they each tell him, "I believe." We see each of them put away their game books, still wiping away tears as they head up the stairs to dinner.

Mike is last to join them after a quiet moment in which he, too, breaks down.

We learn that Mike goes on to become a novelist so, for him, the story never ends.

What happens to the characters after the finale?

The "Stranger Things" series finale saw the end of Vecna's defeat, which came about halfway through the series finale, but also left plenty of room for the characters to move on and, in some cases, away from Hawkins.

After the dust settled, we see how the characters are doing 18 months later amid reassurances that the bonds they made in battle won't soon be broken.

Steve is now coach of the school baseball team —and also the Sex Ed teacher — and has no plans to ever leave town. Nancy started college at Emerson but dropped out to take a newspaper job at the Herald. Jonathan is studying film at NYU and making an "anti-capitalist cannibal movie," while Robin is making new friends at Smith.

They agree to meet once a month at a place somewhere between Hawkins, New York and Massachusetts, with Robin volunteering her "weird uncle's" place in Philadelphia. On top of the roof of the radio station, they toast to, "Nothing keeping us apart," while they run through the list of Steve's latest girlfriends.

Meanwhile, Hopper proposes to Joyce, who happily agrees to marry "a tired, grumpy, stubborn old man who loves you very much." The two discuss moving to Montauk, which needs a new Chief of Police and pays 20% more than Hawkins does.

After one more D&D campaign, Mike foretells the futures of all the players: Dustin, aka The Bard and the school valedictorian, goes to college but still makes time to catch up with BFF Steve. Lucas and Max (The Knight and the Zoomer) "retire from battle" and settle in a small village where their love grows stronger every day. Will the Wise travels to the bustling city, where he soon finds his place, along with "deep happiness and acceptance."

The Storyteller, aka Mike, "keeps telling stories inspired by his friends." He shares with them the one story he can never tell, about how the Mage (El) survived with the help of Kali, if they choose to believe his retelling of events.

As for demon-fighting mom Karen Wheeler, she wears those scars with pride. And still makes a mean lasagna.

Meanwhile, Holly and the kids she helped rescue from Vecna have become the next enthusiastic generation of D&D players.

Love for Jamie Campbell Bower

the goat who stole the show from r/StrangerThings

The folks at Reddit are calling "Jamie Campbell Bower" the goat (greatest of all time) of the finale. They're saying his portrayal of Vecna/Henry stole the show.

"Jamie Campbell Bower was the perfect choice for Vecna/Henry," said one Reddit user.

"That actor really nailed it! I personally love a good villain story! Vecna has one of the best back stories (for me personally)," said another in a Reddit thread.

There was a lot of love for the finale, but Bower is definitely one of the most talked-about aspects, with some people even comparing his performance to that of Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise (high praise in my book, as Skarsgard's version of IT is haunting and incredible).

Stranger Things ending explained

Are you confused by anything in the Stranger Things ending?

Fortunately, Netflix's Tudum has a rundown of the biggest questions you might have about the Stranger Things finale. Give it a read through and have all of your biggest questions answered.

Did you like the ending?

LEGO Stranger Things

Did you see this awesome LEGO set? The Creel House set is coming on January 4, 2026, which is quite exciting if you're a fan of the show.

'Stranger Things' finale reviews are in

The "Stranger Things" finale has drawn decidedly mixed reactions from critics; here's what some of the reviews have to say right now.

The finale earned a C+ rating from IndieWire, with Ben Travers arguing the show "plays out beat by predictable beat," adding: "there's fulfillment to be found in a story resolving as it should, even if that means it lacks the edge to be remembered in the days, weeks, and years to come."

RogerEbert.com's Brian Tallerico offered a 2.5/4-star verdict on the series finale. "So did the Duffers stick the landing and send these popular characters off in style? Yes and no," he said.

Tallerico adds: "The finale falls victim to some of the issues that plagued the entire inferior season, but it’s hard to deny the power of the last half-hour, the scenes when the show returns to the people we love instead of the chaos and finds itself one last time."

For Empire, Leila Latif offered a 3-star rating for the "Stranger Things" finale, writing: "Big, heartfelt and impeccably made, "Stranger Things'" finale is solid but oh so safe, favouring comfort and closure over terror, devastation and the boldness its mythology promised."

TheWrap's Bob Strauss, however offered a more positive take, calling it "thematically coherent, unerringly character-based and pretty damn gripping," adding: "Matt and Ross Duffer's magnum opus came to a satisfying enough finish, while leaving room for the countless millions who care deeply enough about it — itself quite the accomplishment in our atomized pop culture era — to nitpick the thing to death." — MS

'Stranger Things' finale impressed at the box office

If you weren't aware, Netflix decided to release the big finale in theaters and on the streamer at the same time... and it looks to have been a pretty shrewd decision, judging by early box office reports.

Per THR, we've learned that the "Stranger Things" season 5 finale — which aired on Netflix and appeared in approx. 600 cinemas on New Year's Eve and at encore performances through New Year's Day — "likely generated $20 million to $25 million in revenue, setting a new record for a Netflix title dipping its toe in the theatrical waters."

That figure puts "Stranger Things: The Finale" ahead of the impressive $18 million earned from the special sing-along release of "KPop Demon Hunters" last summer. Does this mean we'll see more Netflix event screenings in the future? — MS

The Duffer Brothers dive deep into the final scene

Major spoilers in this post, FYI!

We've known going in that the Duffer Brothers have had that final scene in mind "for a very long time," and if you want to get a deeper understanding of what it represents to the series creators, you can!

Over on Tudum, Netflix published a new article wherein Matt and Ross reflect on the final sequence, wherein Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Will, and Max complete their final Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and Mike shuts the door to his basement.

In the interview, the pair reflect on why the series ends where it does, what shooting that scene felt like in the moment, the kids' respective endings, Eleven's fate, and much, much more. It feels like required reading for "Stranger Things" fans — MS.

What's next?

If you've spent the time since the finale dropped wondering how you'll get over the end of "Stranger Things," we haven't quite said goodbye to the show or its universe just yet.

First off, we know that an animated series, "Stranger Things: Tales From '85" is on its way at some point this year. We got a look at the show in action in the above trailer on Nov. 6, and know that it's set in winter 1985, and will see our heroes fighting "new monsters and unravel[ing] a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town", per the series' logline. For more info, head to Tudum.

There's also the small matter of a live-action "Stranger Things" spin-off, though we have precious little info on that front. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ross Duffer confirmed they were in "very early days on a live-action spinoff."

What that other series will be about remains to be seen. Right now, all we currently know is that it's "connected to the "Stranger Things" universe," it's set in a different decade and about different characters, and the Duffers won't be showrunning that spin-off (but will be heavily involved), per his comments.

One thing that is clear, at least for now? The finale was the end of the line for Mike, El, Will and the rest of the gang. Or, as Ross Duffer puts it, "this is the end of the story for these characters of Hawkins, for the Upside Down." — MS

Merry Christmas, Hawkins fans! “Stranger Things” is back just in time for the holidays with season 5 part 2, and we’re updating you with our live reactions on everything that happens in the episodes that just dropped on Netflix.

The first part of “Stranger Things” season 5 delivered huge viewership numbers (of course). In its first five days after the November 26 release of the first four episodes, the season amassed around 59.6 million global views, making it the biggest premiere ever for an English‑language series on Netflix and one of the largest debuts in the platform’s history.

The three new episodes dropped today at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET, and the season finale will be out on New Year’s Eve. So, now’s the perfect time to settle in, grab a warm drink, and jump into the chaos, scares and twists that await in “Stranger Things” season 5 part 2.

How to watch ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 part 2

“Stranger Things” season 5 volume 2 premiered on Netflix on Thursday, December 25, 2025, with the U.S. release at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET. International release times vary. In the U.K., it drops early on December 26 at 1 a.m. GMT, and in Australia at 12 p.m. AEDT.

Part 2 includes episodes 5–7, with all episodes streaming exclusively on Netflix worldwide. The series finale (episode 8) is set to release later on December 31, 2025, at the same U.S. times, with select theatrical showings in the U.S. and Canada.

Welcome!

Merry Christmas! Our “Stranger Things” season 5 part 2 live blog is live today, bringing you episode previews, part 1 refreshers, release info, and ongoing updates as the next three episodes drop. We’ll be updating everything as it happens, so keep checking back!

Here’s when you can stream season 5 part 2

“Stranger Things” season 5 is being released in three parts. Volume 2 consists of three new episodes and premieres on December 25, 2025, on Netflix. The episodes drop at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT in the U.S.

For international viewers, release times vary. Those in the U.K. can watch it on December 26 at 1 a.m. GMT, while Australia sees them at 12 p.m. AEDT.

After that, the series finale — a standalone episode with a runtime of just over two hours — arrives on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025. This holiday rollout continues the season’s momentum following the first four episodes released in late November.

It will take you almost 4 hours to watch part 2

Now that you know when “Stranger Things” season 5 part 2 episodes arrive on Netflix, you may be wondering what the episode titles are and how long each episode will be. Those details have been revealed, and you’ll find the full list for part 2 below, along with the runtimes:

• “Chapter Five: Shock Jock” — 1 hour and 17 minutes
• “Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz” — 58 minutes
• “Chapter Seven: The Bridge” — 1 hour and 37 minutes

Watch the latest trailer for part 2 now

Netflix recently dropped a new trailer giving fans a glimpse of what’s coming in the show’s final chapter. Picking up from the cliffhanger at the end of episode 4, the teaser ramps up the tension and action. If volume 1 was all about setting the stage, this trailer hints at an all-out fight for survival. Steve fans might be holding their breath at one particular moment, though: around the 1:30 mark, he and Dustin exchange a chilling line — “You die, I die.” Could this signal danger for some of our favorite characters?

What happened in part 1?

Season 5 kicks off over a year after the destruction at the end of season 4, with Hawkins under military control. The government is secretly conducting experiments on Upside Down creatures and using Hawkins as a staging ground in the hunt for Vecna. The survivors are fractured but united by one mission — to find and kill Vecna.

Eleven has been training in secret but is kept out of danger until a Demogorgon abducts Holly Wheeler, forcing her back into the Upside Down in an effort to rescue her. At the same time, the group realizes that Vecna is kidnapping Hawkins’ children and using them in his larger plan to “reshape the world.”

Max remains alive but comatose in the real world, her body cared for in a hospital while her consciousness is trapped inside Vecna’s psychic mindscape. There, she hides in his twisted inner world before eventually encountering Holly, with whom she begins plotting a possible escape. Volume 1 also brings back Kali Prasad, also known as Eight (008) — a character first introduced in season 2 — when Eleven and Hopper discover her imprisoned by the U.S. military inside a secret Upside Down facility.

One of the biggest and most shocking moments comes near the end of part 1, when Will reveals his new powers linked to the hive mind, allowing him to defend his friends against a group of Demogorgons.

What’s your favorite moment from season 5 part 1?

Season 5 part 1 was packed with several shocking moments, from episode cliffhangers to intense character beats. We want to know which moment from volume 1 was your favorite — cast your vote below!

Character recap — Dr. Kay

Dr. Kay is a formidable new antagonist introduced in “Stranger Things” season 5. She’s a military scientist and leader overseeing the government’s occupation in Hawkins and the secret operations tied to the Upside Down.

Unlike past scientists like Dr. Brenner, Kay is ruthless and hyper‑focused on finding Eleven, viewing her less as a person and more as a powerful asset to be captured or controlled. Though she initially comes across as a villain obsessed with her mission, the show hints that she truly believes she’s doing what’s necessary to stop the supernatural chaos unfolding in Hawkins.

In the final episodes of volume 1, Eleven and Hopper infiltrate her secret military base in the Upside Down expecting to find Vecna, only to confront Dr. Kay and her soldiers in a heated fight. Eleven is weakened by the base’s anti‑power technology, but the pair manage to knock Dr. Kay unconscious (not kill her).

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 cast play a game

The cast of “Stranger Things” season 5 had a blast in a recent interview, putting their survival skills to the test in a game inspired by The Boat is Sinking — but with a twist: escaping the Upside Down.

Character recap — Holly Wheeler

Holly is Mike and Nancy Wheeler’s youngest sibling, who was a minor background character in earlier seasons but becomes a central figure in season 5. The Duffer Brothers elevate her role dramatically in volume 1: after living a mostly ordinary life in Hawkins, she starts talking to an “imaginary friend” named Mr. Whatsit, who is later revealed to be Vecna, manipulating her from afar.

A Demogorgon attacks the Wheeler home, injures her mother, and kidnaps Holly, taking her into the Upside Down. There, Vecna keeps her body and mind in a dreamlike realm built from his memories, treating her with false comforts to gain her trust. Her abduction becomes a key catalyst for the group’s fight against Vecna, and she even encounters Max within this mindscape as they both try to find a way out.

Why people think Eddie will return in season 5

Many fans still speculate about the return of Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) in “Stranger Things” season 5, even though the showrunners have confirmed his death. His heroic sacrifice in season 4 made him a fan favorite, and viewers are reluctant to see his story end so abruptly.

Some theories tie Eddie’s death to Dungeons & Dragons lore. Fans suggest a connection to Kas, a character who becomes a vampire and lieutenant to Vecna, imagining a supernatural twist that could allow Eddie to return in some form. Others think Eddie could appear in more grounded ways, such as flashbacks, visions, or dream sequences, particularly in scenes involving Dustin or other close friends.

Despite all the speculation, co-creator Matt Duffer and other producers have made it clear that Eddie is dead and will not physically return in season 5. I guess we’ll have to find out!

Which emoji best describes how you felt about season 5 part 1?

Stranger Things season 5 part 1 packed a lot into a few episodes. Pick the emoji that best captures your reaction!

Character recap — Kali Prasad / Eight (008)

Kali Prasad / 008 is a former Hawkins Lab test subject introduced in “Stranger Things” season 2, where she and Eleven were both abducted as children and forced into experiments that awakened psychic abilities. Unlike Eleven’s telekinesis, Kali’s power lets her create vivid illusions that alter what others see, hear, and believe, including making herself and others appear invisible. After escaping the Lab, she formed a group of outcasts and briefly became a mentor and “sister” figure to Eleven before they parted ways.

In season 5, Kali returns in a dramatic scene where Eleven and Hopper find her imprisoned by a military outfit in the Upside Down, hooked up to machinery. Her reappearance resolves a long‑dormant storyline from season 2 and promises to play an important role in the final chapters.

What could happen next? Online fan speculation for part 2

Even though volume 2 hasn’t dropped yet, fans are already buzzing with theories about what might happen next. Here’s a look at the most talked‑about predictions circulating online:

Vecna, the Upside Down & volume 2: Fans speculate that Max and Holly’s psychic journeys inside Vecna’s mindscape could reveal weaknesses in the villain, possibly key to defeating him. Others think the Upside Down might involve time manipulation or wormholes, or that it could be a psychic snapshot of Hawkins frozen in time. Some even hope Eleven could “flip” the Upside Down into a world of light and healing rather than destroying it. (h/t ibtimes)

Character & plot theories: Will’s connection to the Upside Down has led fans to theorize that his emerging psychic abilities will be very important, potentially allowing him to control or even invert the Upside Down. Kali (008) is also expected to play a bigger role, using her illusion powers to protect the group or confuse Vecna. Some fans speculate there could be an even larger villain behind Vecna, pulling the strings all along.

Wild & fun speculation: Other theories are more outlandish. Time loops sending events back to 1983, revivals of characters like Eddie in unexpected forms, or shocking family revelations connecting Eleven to Henry Creel/Vecna. While these ideas are popular online, the Duffer Brothers have confirmed that not all fan theories will come true.

The ultimate soundtrack showdown for ‘Stranger Things’

“Stranger Things” has always been defined by its unforgettable music, from ’80s classics to perfectly timed hits that make every twist and turn so much better. Which season do you think has the best soundtrack?

The Duffer Brothers said your ‘Stranger Things’ theories are ‘wrong’

Matt and Ross Duffer, the minds behind “Stranger Things,” reflect on the show’s surprising rise to fame and reveal an exclusive sneak peek at season 5 vol. 2. During their appearance on The Tonight Show, they also addressed fan theories, noting that most of the speculation circulating online tends to miss the mark.

Watch the ‘Stranger Things’ cast try to finish their lines!

The “Stranger Things” cast joined in on a fun game where they attempted to complete lines from the show, revisiting some of their characters’ most memorable moments.

One hour to go!

It’s almost time. In just one hour, “Stranger Things” season 5 part 2 drops on Netflix with three new episodes. Get ready to head back to Hawkins!

Volume 2 promises ‘bigger stakes’ and more intensity

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, co‑creator Ross Duffer warned fans that “it does not scale down,” emphasizing that the final episodes only get bigger and more intense in terms of action, emotion, and stakes as the story races toward its conclusion — and that volume 2 isn’t just delivering more of what viewers loved in volume 1, but “expanding it on every level.”

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 part 1 quiz — test your memory

Test your memory with this “Stranger Things” season 5 part 1 quiz, a fun refresher to jog your mind on all the key events, twists, and character moments before volume  2 hits.

The cast and creators talk about what to expect

In a recent Deadline preview of “Stranger Things” season 5 volume  2, one of the most striking teases comes Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Vecna. He said: “They [viewers] should feel like what they’re doing is holding onto their chairs going, ‘No, no, no,’ that’s how I want them to feel, particularly with what I’m up to. I think Volume 1 is, it’s funny, because it’s like, I want to call it a setup, but it is an explosive setup to what continues to happen in volume 2 and subsequently [the finale].”

Matt Duffer also teased: “Especially as we get into volume 2, we start to answer more and more why Will was kidnapped and how it ties in with Holly and all of this. Everything sort of comes full circle.”

The show is about to start!

The final chapter of “Stranger Things” will begin streaming in about 10 minutes. Streaming managing editor Kelly Woo will be taking over live-blogging the episodes the instant they drop on Netflix.

So, hit the bathroom, gather your snacks and beverages, and adjust the lights to your preferred settings. Are you ready for it? Because we sure are!

Are you ready for it?

Kelly here, totally ready to live-blog these three middle-child episodes. And yes, I'm a Swiftie, so this is a fantastic week for me — the finale of "End of an Era" and volume 2 of "Stranger Things" season 5. Baby, let the games begin ....

Picking up where we left off ...

OK after a very short reminder of why Vecna is targeting kids, Will is beating himself up because he didn't save all of the kids. Twelve of them are in the Upside Down — including Derek, noooo! — subject to Vecna's diabolical plans.

Gaslighting much?

Henry telling the kids that they are in a place where there are no monsters is just ... bro, you are the monster.

Just an illusion

Dr. Kay storms into the room where she was keeping Kali, but turns out, the "Kali" that's there is just an smoke screen. She's safe with Eleven and Hopper, but is anyone truly safe anywhere?

Can Will the Wise really change the game?

Lucas is so pumped that Will has powers like Eleven, but no — Will explains that he's just siphoning off Vecna. And as many fans thought, Nov. 6 is an important date. It is, of course, the day Will disappeared in season 1. But what else? Is it Henry Creel's birthday or something?

Like father, like daughter

Eleven has it out with Hopper about his attempted sacrifice. But girly, you would do it, too. You may not be related by blood, but both of you have a gigantic hero complex.

Star Wars reference!

LOL gotta love this debate about shields and whatnot, related to "Return of the Jedi" (and how kids love it).

Every child's dream (or nightmare)

Endless treats, popcorn, TV, clothes ... Henry has created an ideal playground. But Holly knows nothing good is coming of this. She sneaks out to tell Max to reveal that Henry is trying to draw another world of some kind to Earth. As they scheme, Derek happens upon them. And you know what? In this instance, they need Dips--- Derek!

Back in Hawkins

I'm glad Winona Ryder has had more to do this season, but Joyce's plan to defeat Vecna is, as Paul Hollywood might say on "Great British Baking Show," terribly underbaked.

Sibling rivalry

Lucas has a genius idea (to revive demogorgons a la Dr. Frankenstein), Erica has a different genius idea (get help from Mr. Clarke). They're both great ideas. Let's do both!

Is this the time for the talk? Really?

Jonathan, your timing is terrible. Why are you bringing up your jealousy and relationship issues now? Nancy can't believe and neither can I. Dude: Read. The. Room.

Sibling rivaly, part II

Eleven and Kali have a heart-to-heart, the former asking the latter to help find Henry and stop him once and for all. But Kali is cynical that they can do anything. I get it; she hasn't had the same kind of found family that El has had these last few years.

Interesting pairings

One thing I've really enjoyed about season 5 is the various new pairings we've seen, particularly Robin and Will. I think I'm not alone in loving their deep conversations about who they are and how they're different.

Exit this way

With Derek hopefully distracting Henry, Max and Holly have found a door that might be the exit back to Hawkins. But first, they must venture through a series of terrifying memories. My first scary memory is watching "Gremlins" as as a child at a way-too-young age. Didn't sleep much that night and never saw that babysitter again.

Stop fighting!

Steve and Dustin's argument is like a dagger to the heart. Guys, please! Don't hurt us like this. Please hug and make up.

Though Steve really did deserve a punch for talking smack about Eddie like that.

What in the Upside Down is happening?

Is it dark magic, like Nancy says? Why did Dustin find a copy of their real-world Hawkins plan in the Upside Down? Why are Nancy and Jonathan seeing melted everything?

I have so many questions. I'm sure I won't get any answers anytime soon.

Child's play

So now we get more insight into what Dr. Kay is up to. Kali reveals she found a bunch of pregnant women, who were meant to give birth to superpowered babies. But Kali's blood didn't work; that's why Dr. Kay is looking for Eleven.

Frankensteining it

Reviving a demogorgon: such a bad idea. Have they just not read Mary Shelley's novel yet? Obviously, it's a few decades before Guillermo del Toro's Netflix adaptation, but have these kids been going to English class or what?

Running up that hill

Max and Holly have found the exit from Henry's dream world, but he's found them. Their only hope is that Will has sort of mind-melded with the revived demogorgon. Help them!

Let's go, Will!

Just when I thought Max was about to die (again), Will comes through to save the day. He mind-melds with Vecna and loosens his grip on Max, then warns both her and Holly to runnnnn (up that hill).

At what cost?

Max and Holly are safe (for now), but Vecna booted Will out of their mind-meld, and now Will is unconscious. Crossing my fingers he'll be OK.

Everyone will die

Dustin has realized the shield generator isn't a shield generator. In fact, if they do anything to it: everyone will die! But he can't get the message to Jonathan and Nancy, and she shoots at it. And that's how we end episode 5. Yikes!

Episode 6, here we go ...

Nancy has shot the "shield generator," Will is down, everyone may die. But Erica is knocking on Mr. Clarke's door. And he's apparently a "snookums" to the librarian? OMG.

It's not dark magic

So the Upside Down is actually just ... science? Something called "exotic matter"? I guess I should've paid more attention in physics class.

A bridge, about to collapse

Dustin explains what the Upside Down is, finally: "It isn't another dimension. It's not another world. It's a wormhole; a bridge, between two points in time and space, between our world and another."

And if the bridge collapses? "It will take all of us with it."

Back to the cave

Oh, so Max and Holly didn't escape back to Hawkins. They're still in Henry's dream space, but have managed to flee to the cave. But he's trying to manipulate Holly into coming back with him — by killing Max. But the cave is safe? Max dares him to try, and Henry reveals there's a way to hurt her beyond the cave. Lucas?!

November 6

So it's November 6, as a title card tells us. The endgame is truly upon us.

Will the Builder?

Vecna has Will captive and is spilling some tea. Apparently, Will built the Upside Down tunnels. And now, Vecna is going to make him spy for him again, one last time, by getting Max.

You are your brother

Max does not mean this as a compliment, but I gotta give Holly props. She's a brave kid!

Reunited and it feels so good

Eleven and Hopper have a much-needed reunion with Mike and Joyce. Kali is there too, lol.

Can you hear me?

Eleven puts on an eye mask and some headphones in order to "find" Will. You can do it, El!

It's you and me

Lucas is on a mission to get through to Max. Meanwhile, she and Holly are wandering in the desert beyond the cave, hoping to find ... something. And then Holly finds an oddity with her telescope. X marks the spot.

They're melting ...

Meanwhile, Nancy and Jonathan are stuck in a room that's melting down all around them into a big, gluey puddle. It's not looking good for the at-odds couple.

'They can make more monsters'

Eleven ... sorry, Jane ... knows she's not a monster. But with her blood, Dr. Kay (or someone else) can make new ones. New numbers. And ElJane needs to stop it before it happens.

Down the hatch!

OK there's no hatch, but Holly literally stumbles upon a hole with a ladder leading to ... an exit? Let's hope.

Don't die on me

Dustin pleading with Steve not to die ... is it suddenly dusty in here or is it me?

'I don't like The Clash'

I guess Nancy and Jonathan's airing of grievances is meant to be romantic. Like "I hate this thing you like but I love you." But actually, it just makes me feel like this relationship is toxic.

An unproposal

OK, fine, this is kind of romantic. I'm impressed Jonathan has actually listened to Nancy and her needs/wants, and he proposes not to marry her forevermore. And somehow, their kind of happily ever after has fixed the melting room.

Tank girl

El-Jane enters the tank Hopper made to find Will: "Show me where you are." But he's all wrapped up in Vecna's vines. Is she powerful enough to free him from this trap?

Dead ends

Did we just see the original memory of why Henry turned out the way he did? I'm not sure who that man was (some kind of doctor? with a briefcase?), but he's the subject of Henry's first killing. Just as Holly is about to glimpse into the briefcase, Max finds a way out of Camazotz.

Time to save Max

Max may have found a way out, but Vecna knows where she is in Hawkins. The demogorgons are already at the hospital. Run, Robin, run!

Mrs. Wheeler, hero

Never would've guess at the beginning of "Stranger Things" that the boozy Mrs. Wheeler would kick some demogorgon butt!

Holly the Heroic

Like mom, like daughter. As Max heads off to Kate Bush and Lucas, she tells Holly she needs to find her own way back to her body. And that way is via her Dungeons and Dragons token: Holly the Heroic. Because of her, they're going to get out of Camazotz. "Holly the Heroic is not just a toy; she's you."

Beep beep beep

And as Max and Holly run up that hill, so ends episode 6.

Back to reality

Max wakes up. Her body in the real world has been in a coma for a long time, but she's there. Lucas is overjoyed. But what about Holly?

Where's Holly?

Max is back in Hawkins, but Holly is still trapped in the Upside Down. She's stuck in the sticky vines where Will used to be. Though she frees herself from them, she's still nowhere close to home.

At least there's one more rescue

Holly may be fleeing from Vecna, but Steve and Dustin break through into the room holding Nancy and Jonathan. Dustin shows them Dr. Brenner's journal, which has so much info to digest. Apparently, Holly isn't in the Upside Down. So, where exactly is she?

Break on through to the other Upside Down

Well, wherever Holly was, she literally broke through the floor and fell through into the Upside Down as we know it. And her sister, Nancy, can hear her screams. Let's hope another family reunion is in store.

99 Luftballons

Mr. Clarke has rigged up a kind of balloon system and it may just track Dustin. I'm getting the feeling that this penultimate episode might get the whole gang back together again.

So, Mom, let me explain ...

It's both hilarious and heartbreaking how much Mrs. Wheeler (and Mr. Clarke) do not know about the Upside Down. And trying to explain it is a bit of a joke.

You coming, Snookums?

Another thing I'm really liking about season 5 is how they're incorporating all of these supporting characters, like Mr. Clark and Mrs. Wheeler. They seemed like throaways but now they're playing real roles in events.

Back in the trap

Holly didn't escape Vecna, after all. She was sooo close, enough for Nancy to see her, but Vecna managed to pull her back into his world.

The Abyss

So, a bit of exposition from Dustin: The Upside Down is a bridge between Hawkins and what Dustin labels "The Abyss." It's where Henry was banished to by El-Jane, and when the gang defeated him previously, he fled back to the Abyss. And he's taking kids there to prey upon their minds and amplify his abilities. To do what? As Max explains: He wants to move worlds. He wants to merge Hawkins and the Abyss into one, destroying humanity in the process.

And he's going to do it tonight, November 6.

Back to the light

It's late in my time zone and the kids chanting they'll bring Holly "back to the light" really creeped me out.

The team (and plan) come together

Steve has an idea; Dustin builds on it; and Eleven, Kali and Max will execute it. They're going to let Vecna merge the worlds just until Eleven can invade his mind. I'm sure this plan will go off without a hitch (narrator: there will totally be a hitch).

These kids are not alright

Holly wakes up to find all of the other kids have teamed up against her. Even Dips--- Derek. They attack her and rip off her necklace, her Holly the Heroic totem.

'You die, I die'

Finally, we get the context of the line "you die, I die" from the trailer that had fans spinning. It's about what most of us figured: Dustin and Steve are prepping for battle, and they've reaffirmed their bond. I'm crossing my fingers neither of them dies.

Another death pact

Another set of quasi-siblings agree to a "you die, I die" pact, but this one is different. Kali suggests that she and Eleven stay when the Upside Down is blown to smithereens, so that their blood/powers can't be propagated again. Hopper is not going to like this.

Will stands proud

Sure, there's a battle coming up, but Will's internal one has been just as fraught. So, while the whole gang is together, he takes a moment to acknowledge he's different.

"I don't like girls," he states. "Not like you guys do."

Vecna tried to get in his mind that if Will told the truth, they would all drift apart. And a heartwarming group hug follows. They support him, they love him, they stand with him. Now, Will is not afraid to face off against Vecna. He's going into the Upside Down with El.

Into the Upside Down we go

With an assist from Mr. Clarke and a lot of shooting by Hopper and Commando Nancy, the whole gang rides a truck into the Upside Down.

The plan is in action.

It's time ...

Meanwhile, Henry lights candles as the kids sit around the table. They hold hands. "It's time," he says. Their eyes roll back in their heads.

And now we must wait to find out how it all ends ... in volume 3, the series finale on Dec. 31

My takeaways from 'Stranger Things' seaosn 5, volume 2

Whew! So ... much ... happened. A lot of action was stuffed in this middle section of the fifth and final season of "Stranger Things." I will need to mull it over for a few days to really make sense of it all, but in the meantime, here are some initial thoughts:

Everything's coming full circle: The gang is all back together again! Reunited and it feels so good. This season has scattered the main group to the winds, but now, they're all headed into the Upside Down, ready to take down Vecna. I love it when a team and plan come together.

New and old pairings: We got healthy doses of fan-favorite team-ups like Dustin and Steve, but also some new pairings, like Will and Robin. It's nice to mix and match to keep things fresh.

Hello my old friend: Speaking of keeping things fresh, it's a great move to integrate supporting characters like Mrs. Wheeler and Mr. Clarke into the main plot. They've been sidelined as NPGs in previous seasons, but each have gotten their moment in the sun (in Mrs. Wheeler's case, several).

Cut the shipping: Look, I get that most shows of this scale have to feature some kind of romance. But honestly? In the case of "Stranger Things," less is more. Nancy and Jonathan's interactions give me cringe, and Hopper and Joyce have zero chemistry. The only couple that feels real and romantic is Max and Lucas. I hope the series finale keeps the shipping to a minimum.

Nobody died!: I'm a little shocked by this one, because I totally thought at least one of the main characters would be killed off before the finale. I was wrong, and I'm not sorry about it.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts later, but lemme submerge into a tank full of water first.

Favorite moment from volume 2

So much happened in episodes 5-7, and there were many great moments. What's your fave?

Noah Schnapp on Will's coming out: 'It was perfect'

One of the most emotional scenes of volume 2 was Will coming out to his friends and family just before they head into the Upside Down to defeat Vecna.

Actor Noah Schnapp knew the scene was coming, and when the Duffer brothers finally revealed it, he told Variety, "I was just in tears. It was perfect."

Schnapp also delved into Will's choice of words in the scene, saying "I don't like girls" instead of "I'm gay."

"We have to remember that it's the 1980s. When I came out, I didn’t say the word “gay.” It’s hard, and it feels scary to say it," he noted. "In the ’80s, I can’t imagine how much more pressure there was and how much more there was to lose."

When is the 'Stranger Things' series finale dropping?

A reminder that the series finale (season 5, episode 9) will be released on Netflix on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

We're hoping to see a trailer or some kind of teaser in the next few days.

Is anyone going to die in the finale?

I was surprised that nobody died in volume 2 — not even a red shirt like Murray or Mr. Clarke. But it's pretty much guaranteed that someone (likely a few someones) will be killed off in the series finale. The Duffer brothers love to punctuate their story with big deaths (see: Billy, Eddie). So, who do you think it will be?

The Upside Down, explained

Something huge happened in this batch of episodes: "Stranger Things" finally explained what the Upside Down really is.

As the Duffer brothers told Entertainment Weekly, Netflix kind of forced them to write out the show's mythology. A big portion of that is revealed in volume 2, when Dustin discovers Dr. Brenner's journal.

So, the Upside Down is not another dimension; it's a wormhole made of "exotic matter" that leads to another dimension, which they're calling "the Abyss."

The Abyss is where Henry Creel wandered around alone for years, and where the demogorgons originate.

The gang's plan is to destroy the wormhole (Upside Down) with Henry/Vecna trapped in the Abyss with no way out.

What's in the box ... uh, briefcase?!

In "Chapter Six: Escape Camazoz," Max and Holly encounter one of Henry Creel's more disturbing memories. As a boy, he finds an injured man holding a briefcase. The man shoots Henry in the hand to protect the case, but Henry ends up killing him. When he opens the briefcase, some smoke emerges. So what's in there?

The answer comes from the Broadway production "Stranger Things: The First Shadow."

The play reveals that 8-year-old Henry disappeared for about 12 hours near a military base in Lincoln County, Nevada. He eventually resurfaced outside a cave with a cut on his hand and no recollection of where he’d been or what had happened. Around the same period, a Russian scientist stationed at the nearby base also vanished. His body was later discovered within the same cave system.

That briefcase contains technology related to Dimension X (what our heroes call the Abyss). Dr. Brenner links Henry to the dead Russian and takes the boy to be part of his experiment, making him subject 001.

The Duffer brothers warn fans to 'brace themselves' ahead of series finale

A series finale hasn't been this anticipated since "Game of Thrones" ended in 2019. When "Stranger Things" wraps up on New Year's Eve, fans should expect fireworks.

"I want people to brace themselves as they go into the finale,” Ross Duffer told Today.com. “But I can promise you it’s not a 'Red Wedding' situation, like from ‘Game of Thrones.’ We’re not gonna wipe out eight of our characters.”

Matt Duffer added they are "not doing anything for shock value."

Whew! Still, it's likely that at least one or two fan-favorite characters die, as Ross said it will be an "emotional ending."

Let's hear it for Karen Wheeler

Now we know where Nancy, Mike and Holly get it from. All three Wheeler children have shown a lot of bravery over the course of "Stranger Things," and it's clear they inherited their commando qualities from their mom, Karen Wheeler.

Not only did she kick a demogorgon's butt trying to protect Holly, Karen saved Max, Lucas and Robin by blowing up a few demo-dogs in the hospital laundry room. Too bad she's not healed enough to join the gang in the Upside Down, but at least two of her kids are fighting to save the third. Vecna should be very afraid.

Stay safe, Steve

So far in our poll of who's most likely to die in finale, Eleven is edging out Steve by a few points. Then again, she's all but declared she's ready to sacrifice herself for the good of the world, so it wouldn't be a huge shock if that happened.

But Steve? Sweet, spiky Steve "The Hair" Harrington? Please, Duffer brothers, keep him safe. I need Steve and Dustin to continue their bromance into adulthood and beyond Hawkins.

"Die Hard" gets brought up a lot when the "What counts as a Christmas movie?" debate rolls around, but one of my favorite holiday movies is so bloody, it makes John McClane's escapades look like a Hallmark movie by comparison. "Violent Night," starring "Stranger Things" powerhouse David Harbour as a washed-up Santa Claus who beats naughty-listers to death with a sledgehammer, is a delightfully unhinged holiday thriller that should be on everyone's annual watchlist.

Released in 2022, it's got everything you'd want from an action thriller with a heart-warming yuletide twist that basically imagines "What if John Wick took a turn as St. Nick?" With plenty of heavy-hitting fight scenes, dark humor, and more heart-warming holiday cheer than you'd expect, "Violent Night" is a fun watch, especially if you're tired of the usual Christmas romcoms and wholesome family-friendly fare.

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't have high hopes when I first watched "Violent Night" last Christmas, but by the time the credits rolled, I was shocked I hadn't heard more people raving about it. Now "Violent Night," which you can stream on Peacock, is a Christmas staple in my household, and with the second part of "Stranger Things" season 5 set to premiere on Christmas Day, I couldn't resist giving "Violent Night" a shoutout.

What is 'Violent Night' about?

"Violent Night" unfolds on Christmas Eve after a team of mercenaries (led by John Leguizamo’s cold-hearted Mr. Scrooge) crashes the Lightstone family's celebration to hold them hostage and steal millions from their vault.

Little do they know that Jolly Old Saint Nicholas is not only real, but he's about to bring a world of pain along with this year's Christmas gifts. Instead of the rosy-cheeked, cheerful Santa we're all familiar with, this schlub has definitely seen better days. Centuries of delivering presents to snot-nosed kids in a world that increasingly doesn't believe he exists have made him into a Grinch, but he's forced to sober up when he stumbles on the home invasion.

Determined to protect young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), the only one in her family who still believes in him, this grizzly, battle-hardened Santa becomes a one-man killing machine, using violent but undeniably festive methods to take out the bad guys, save the day, and, of course, rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.

'Violent Night' is a delightfully unhinged change of pace

If it's not already clear by now, "Violent Night" is not your typical holiday movie. It trades simmering fireside moments, small-town cocoa shops, and family holiday hijinks for a hilariously twisted take on holiday cheer. One that makes full use of every Christmas trope you can think of to equally horrifying and entertaining ends.

The gore is on Mortal Kombat levels of ridiculous. I'm talking Christmas lights used as garrote wire, candy canes sharpened into shivs, a chimney erupting in a fountain of blood — the works. It's honestly impressive how "Violent Night" takes the hallmarks of Christmas cheer and turns them into weapons befitting "The Purge" movies. I'm a huge horror movie fan, so I'm not too squeamish when it comes to blood and guts, but even my jaw dropped a few times at the gruesome places "Violent Night" goes.

Harbour seems tailor-made for this gritty reimagining of Santa Claus, a role that definitely taps into the same reluctant father figure vibes as Hopper in "Stranger Things." Though jaded and struggling to wrap his head around a modern world that seems to have outgrown him, he still has a heart of gold underneath all that prickliness. That much comes through loud and clear, especially in quieter moments with the movie's heart and soul, Trudy (Leah Brady). While everyone else has outgrown Santa, she still believes. Her holiday cheer manages to warm even his hardened heart, and it's this faith that gives him the strength to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas. And, more importantly, kick some ass.

As ridiculous as its premise is, "Violent Night" balances its chaotic thrills with a surprisingly emotional core that undeniably captures the Christmas spirit. It's not a family-friendly holiday watch by any means, but if you want something more fast-paced to put on over the break and don't mind gore, "Violent Night" is as entertaining as they come.

Stream 'Violent Night' on Peacock now

Listen, I love the best holiday movies as much as the next person, but sometimes you need a palate cleanser from all that sugary holiday fluff. "Violent Night" delivers the same amount of heartfelt storytelling you'd expect of a Christmas movie, but with the bloody carnage and dark humor of the best action thrillers.

Harbour's no-nonsense, PTSD-suffering St. Nick is one of the most original reimaginings I've seen in years, and it's worth seeing "Violent Night" for his performance alone. If you're looking for a movie that taps into the holiday spirit while keeping you on the edge of your seat with unhinged humor and action, this is the one to watch.

Watch "Violent Night" on Peacock now

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We're just 10 days out from the next batch of "Stranger Things" season 5 episodes, and Netflix has just treated us to a new trailer teasing what's still to come in the show's final chapter. I have one burning question going into the next volume: the Duffer brothers wouldn't really kill off Steve, right?

Picking up from that cliffhanger mid-season break at the end of episode 4 (dodging spoilers wherever possible), this teaser sees things really kicking into gear. If we take volume 1 as the build-up, this sure sets the stage for an epic struggle for survival. Check it out below:

It's a trailer that's purpose-built to send hype levels into the stratosphere as there's peril around every corner. There are firefights, demodogs are running amok out into the real world, Eleven's determined to find her foe, and Vecna's proclaiming "it's time ... for a new world."

Fellow Steve fans are no doubt concerned by one particular exchange, though. Around the 1:30 mark, Dustin and Steve exchange just a couple of words with one another: "You die, I die." Could this be it for some of our core members? We'll have to tune in to "Stranger Things" season 5 volume 2 when it drops later this month to find out.

Excited? "Stranger Things" season 5 volume 2 releases at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on December 25, 2025 (or 1 a.m. GMT on Dec. 26, for U.K. readers), so you'll want to plan your holiday viewing accordingly if you're hoping to binge-watch the next drop upon release.

As one final reminder, this won't quite be the end of "Stranger Things" just yet: the feature-length finale will arrive right at the end of the year on December 31 or January 1, depending on your timezone. Check out the "Stranger Things" season 5 release schedule for a comprehensive breakdown of when you can stream the whole show.

Counting down the days to "Stranger Things" season 5, vol. 2, and in desperate need of something to tide you over? Be sure to check out our guide to the best shows on Netflix for tons more streaming recommendations to bridge the gap.

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For nearly a decade, actress Natalia Dyer has played flamethrower-wielding older sis Nancy Wheeler on Netflix's "Stranger Things," a fierce run that will come to a close with the fifth and final season of the sci-fi juggernaut, which kicked off with the four-episode Volume I on Nov. 26. (Three more episodes will hit the streaming service on Dec. 25, followed by the oversized, action-packed series finale on Dec. 31.)

However, though that beloved series will undoubtedly be one of the major projects that Dyer is known for, the 30-year-old actress also has other worthy credits dotting her IMDb filmography, including the underrated 2019 coming-of-age comedy "Yes, God, Yes."

The directorial debut of Karen Maine — who memorably penned the great "Obvious Child" — "Yes, God, Yes" follows a Catholic teen struggling with physical urges and concerns of eternal damnation in the early 2000s. It's a little "Saved!," a little "Lady Bird," a little "PEN15" and an all-around fun watch. And you can stream it right now on Prime Video.

What is 'Yes, God, Yes' about?

"Yes, God, Yes" is based on writer-director Karen Maine's own experiences attending Catholic school in Iowa, where sex-ed curriculum began and ended with the emphasis of simply not engaging in any sexual activity before marriage. The funny flick picks up in the fall of 2000 with 15-year-old Alice (Dyer), an intelligent but sexually inexperienced junior, who discovers masturbation after an innocent AOL chat turns unexpectedly racy.

Struggling with her burgeoning sexuality and the subsequent shame instilled in her by her religious upbringing, Alice goes off on a church-sponsored youth retreat to reconnect with God. But her internal conflict doesn't get any easier with the arrival of a hunky retreat leader (Wolfgang Novogratz) and the revealing hypocrisy of those trying to stifle her desires.

Why you should you stream 'Yes, God, Yes' on Prime Video

At the heart of this naughty-but-nice satire on religious repression and the growing pains (and pleasures) of adolescence is Dyer's charming lead performance, which allows the star to stretch comedically — nailing both Alice's awkward relatability and bound-up physicality — in ways that "Stranger Things" can't. (Not that Nancy Wheeler doesn't have her moments.)

Richard Brody of The New Yorker praised not other Dyer's acting (her "mercurially nuanced yet unforced performance conveys Alice’s deep-rooted character as well as her practical struggles," he wrote) but also Maine's directing, calling it a "remarkable" first feature for the filmmaker.

The critic ended up putting "Yes, God, Yes" on his list of the best films of 2020, though it's understandable if you missed it during the — waves hand — COVID of it all. So take Dyer's big "Stranger Things" bow as an opportune time to check out this less seen but no less engaging role from the Netflix star.

Stream "Yes, God, Yes" on Prime Video

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The televised yule log — that hours-long loop of a crackling log burning inside a fireplace, with a merry soundtrack of Christmas music playing in the background — is an annual holiday favorite. And this year, Netflix is giving the time-old tradition a modern-day update with yule logs inspired by the streaming service's most iconic IP.

With holiday season officially in swing, Netflix has launched three new virtual yule log streams based on some of its biggest TV series and movies: "Stranger Things" (which recently kicked off its fifth and final season with four new eps released on November 26), "Wednesday" (which wrapped up its second season this past September) and the fantasy-musical phenomenon "KPop Demon Hunters, which is the most-watched original title in Netflix history with 325 million views.

Each stream will transform the traditional holiday fireplace by transporting viewers into set pieces and a distinct world from those popular Netflix titles. The spirited hourlong experiences will include Easter eggs hidden throughout each space, along with original instrumental music renditions.

The "Stranger Things" yule log will showcase the Hawkins living room of the Byers family (portrayed in the sci-fi hit by Winona Ryder, Charlie Heaton and Noah Schnapp), complete with the original alphabet wall and holiday lights.

The "Wednesday" yule log stream is set inside the moody office of Principal Weems (the shapeshifting educator played by Gwendoline Christie) at Nevermore Academy, featuring a surprise appearance from Thing.

The yule log nspired by "KPop Demon Hunters" is, fittingly, the most otherworldly of the bunch, a supernatural fireplace inside demon king Gwi-Ma’s glowing underworld lair. Along with those colorful visuals, HUNTR/X fans can hear both original music and brand-new instrumental versions of popular songs from the fan-favorite animated movie.

The new yule-log streams continue a bit of a tradition for Netflix. Last year, the company similarly released themed yule logs based on popular titles like "Bridgerton," "Squid Game" and "Spellbound." (These are all still available to watch.) And if it's something more classic you're after, the streamer will continue to offer more standard fireplace videos, with options for music or no music, like the original "Fireplace for Your Home" series.

The proprietary yule logs are just the latest Christmastime campaign from the streamer, which also just launched the Netflix Holiday Collection, giving members a simple way to browse seasonal movies and TV shows while also offering up festively immersive visual designs while members search. (Speaking of, out of all of the Christmas movies and showing hitting the platform this December, here are five you should definitely add to your holiday watch list.)

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Stranger Things Season 5 is finally here, and while most people watched the premiere curled up on the couch with popcorn and a friend, I watched it with ChatGPT. I'll admit, a chatbot is not usually my companion of choice, but my husband was alseep and I decided to see how the chatbot was as a viewing buddy.

Now that ChatGPT Voice is integrated into chat, it's easier than ever to launch it when you need it. In my case, I pointed my phone at my computer screen and asked ChatGPT to follow along in real time. I was really surprised at how easily it took on the role as binge buddy. Here’s how it went.

How I set it up

For this test, I opened ChatGPT’s Voice and Vision mode on my phone. At first I was holding it, but realized that my arm/hand would get tired for the full hour. So, eventually I propped it up next to me facing my computer monitor. While ChatGPT Voice allows you to talk freely with the chatbot, Vision is an added multimodal option that gives ChatGPT the ability to "see."

I simply prompted: “Watch Stranger Things Season 5 with me like you're a friend on my couch."

Within seconds, it began describing the opening shot, identifying characters and calling out visual details that even I hadn’t noticed yet. The setup required zero tweaking. It was wild how ChatGPT automatically adjusted to new lighting, scene changes and motion on the screen. The first time I tried this, the sun was reflecting on my computer screen from the window and ChatGPT didn't skip a beat. It honestly felt like ChatGPT understood what was going on.

Scene analysis: shockingly sharp (and occasionally very funny)

At first, ChatGPT said generic responses like, "Looks like there's a lot going on" or
“Two characters appear alert as something approaches from outside the frame.”

Alert? They were terrified.Still, it wasn’t wrong — just hilariously understated.

It also talked nonstop until I told it to hush while we watched. Eventually, however, it seemed to understand my intent of acting as a viewing partner.

Whenever a character entered the frame, it identified them, described their body language and explained what the scene communicated.

Even with Stranger Things’ notoriously dark, moody lighting, it handled most visuals well, from set pieces to background props to shifting camera angles, it seemed to follow.

Emotional interpretation: unexpectedly deep

Sometimes ChatGPT stated the obvious. For example, whenever a character’s expression shifted, ChatGPT explained why it mattered. Although I'm familiar with Stranger Things, I'd suggest watching with Voice turned on for anyone new to the show.

For example, it said things like, "Will is hiding in Castle Byers, terrified and alone, while the Demogorgon hunts him down. He tries to escape through the woods, climbs a tree, and ultimately falls — it’s a tense, suspenseful sequence that mirrors the tone of early seasons."

Its emotional read on the cast was often spot-on. Ask it “Why does Eleven look like that?” and you’ll get a thoughtful answer tying the moment back to past seasons — without spoiling anything ahead.

Pop-culture references: genuinely helpful

ChatGPT Advanced Voice with Vision was introduced almost a year ago. Since then, I've used it for a number of uses from spring cleaning to getting ready.

But while watching Stranger Things with it turned on, I really enjoyed how well it understood context and could explain it. As an 80s kid myself, one of my favorite things about the show is how much it's packed with 80s callbacks. But for someone unfamiliar, you can ask ChatGPT for context and will say things such as:

“This lighting style mirrors John Carpenter’s horror aesthetic.”

“The composition resembles 80s sci-fi adventure films.”

“This creature design echoes stop-motion influences from the era.”

For fans who love the series’ retro DNA, ChatGPT becomes a running commentary track that explains each reference.

In fact, during the show, I could ask ChatGPT any question about Stranger Things (past episodes, characters, scenes) and it instantly answered. I'll admit, there was a lot of chatting between us, so maybe it's a good thing it was just me and Chat.

During the episode, I paused to ask:

“Why is this place important?”

“Who is that again?”

“Where have we seen this monster before?”

“What’s the Upside Down doing this time?”

Every time, ChatGPT connected the moment to earlier seasons, explaining character arcs, past conflicts, unresolved mysteries and world-building rules. If you’re not someone who rewatched the entire series before jumping into Season 5, this feature is basically a cheat sheet.

Final thoughts

Watching Stranger Things with ChatGPT is weirdly amazing. Whenver I asked, "what do you think is going to happen next?” ChatGPT’s answers walked a perfect line. It didn’t reveal actual Season 5 spoilers, but it gave thoughtful, pattern-based predictions rooted in foreshadowing, character motivations, recurring Stranger Things tropes and framing choices in the scene.

Some predictions felt plausible, others leaned theatrical (at one point it suggested a character was “emotionally preparing for a pivotal sacrifice,” which—calm down) but the reasoning was always sound. It added a fun layer of speculation without ruining anything.

This experiment proved to me that watching TV with AI is actually fun. It surfaced details I missed, explained emotional beats, caught callbacks and generated theories that made me want to watch faster just to see if it was accurate.

Is it perfect? No. but I really wasn't expecting it to be as delightful as it was. Honestly, it was one of the most interesting ways to watch Stranger Things Season 5 I could have come up with. Maybe I'll try it with Gemini Live next time. Of course, I'll let you know if I do.

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We’re now fully ensconced in the streaming era, where most shows worth watching are available on one of the major streaming services. And there have been some phenomenal releases during this period, from "Severance" and "Slow Horses" to "Squid Game" and "The Witcher." Yet, for me, one show stands out above all others, becoming the defining series of the streaming era, and one that everyone should watch at least once in their lifetime.

The show I’m talking about is, of course, "Stranger Things."

"Stranger Things" is truly epic, with a storyline spanning multiple years and a production process that has taken even longer to complete. "Stranger Things" season 5 part 1 just dropped after a long three-plus-year wait. But it’s precisely the epic nature of the show that makes "Stranger Things" so remarkable. The gaps between seasons have allowed the writing, directing, editing and special effects to reach the highest possible quality. Each season stands on its own while simultaneously building an exquisitely detailed world.

'Stranger Things' is epic in every sense

By the time it concludes this New Year's Eve, "Stranger Things" will have five seasons and taken nine years to produce and air. In television terms, that’s practically a lifetime. The big sitcoms of the 1990s, along with some serialized dramas, used to churn out 26 episodes a year, making the 42 episodes of "Stranger Things" over almost a decade feel deliberate and painstakingly crafted.

And that’s exactly the beauty of it. Each episode feels like a chapter in a book, with a smaller plotline driving the overarching story. In another universe, this show could easily have been a 10-movie mega-franchise in the same league as "Fast & Furious" — but with a genuinely good storyline, solid acting and a memorable script.

Production values are second to none

The writing, acting, directing and cinematography are all flawless. I’ve watched the entire series (through season 4) multiple times and have searched for weaknesses, yet I haven’t found one. This is undoubtedly a direct result of the time, budget, and care afforded to the creators.

In short, the epic nature of "Stranger Things" is precisely what has made it so exceptional. It could so easily have been rushed to a disappointing conclusion, as "Game of Thrones" was, or had its budget slashed, undermining the quality of the special effects. Thankfully, neither scenario happened.

A masterclass in genre blending

One element that could have fallen apart is the way the Duffer Brothers weave together multiple genres. "Stranger Things" is not just one thing. Each season — and often individual episodes — seamlessly blend coming-of-age drama, science fiction, horror, comedy and even romance.

Typically, a season begins with the kids navigating the trials of school and adolescence, only for things to go spectacularly wrong as the Upside Down infiltrates Hawkins. The show pays loving homage to 1980s classics such as "The Goonies" and :Stand By Me," making the blend of genres feel both nostalgic and fresh.

A legacy that will last

Even though "Stranger Things" is approaching its finale, its impact on television and pop culture will endure for years. The town of Hawkins, its teenage inhabitants and the eerie Upside Down are now permanent fixtures in our cultural landscape. Merchandise, memes and potential spinoffs ensure the show’s influence extends far beyond its episodes.

Even side characters like Barb from season 1 or Eddie in later seasons have broken free from the confines of the show, becoming cultural icons and fan favorites in their own right.

To conclude, "Stranger Things" is the show of the streaming era. No other series has matched it in terms of cultural impact, production values or world-building. And because it is endlessly rewatchable, it continues to gain new fans, ensuring that even long after the finale leaves us exhausted and longing for more, the world of Hawkins will live on.

Stream "Stranger Things" on Netflix

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Hawkins fans, the wait is over — “Stranger Things” is back for its epic final season, and the first four episodes of season 5 are now streaming on Netflix. We’re right there with you, breaking down the biggest moments while also giving you all the release details, episode titles, and a look at what this first batch of episodes is setting up for the rest of the season.

Since its 2016 debut, “Stranger Things” has grown into a cultural juggernaut, shattering streaming records and cementing itself as one of Netflix’s biggest hits. Leading into 2025, the series had amassed over 404 million viewing hours across its first four seasons, proof of just how enormous its fanbase has become. Naturally, the show has grabbed the No. 1 spot again on Netflix since season 5's debut.

With that kind of momentum, season 5 comes in as the most intense and high-stakes chapter so far. Every character feels more vulnerable than ever, and the Upside Down’s hold on Hawkins has never been more threatening. Now that episodes 1–4 are live on Netflix, we’ll be updating this space with the biggest unanswered questions, standout moments, and the best surprises the season has already delivered.

Spoiler warning: This live blog will feature spoilers for the first 4 episodes of "Stranger Things" season 5!

How to watch ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 part 1 now

“Stranger Things” season 5, part 1 premiered on Netflix with the first four episodes on November 26, 2025 in the U.S. (5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET). For international viewers, release times vary. For example, the U.K. sees it on November 27 at 1 a.m. GMT, and Australia at 12:00 PM AEDT.

Welcome!

Welcome to our “Stranger Things” season 5 live blog! Whether you’re a longtime Hawkins fan or catching up for the first time, this is your go-to spot for episode previews, character recaps, release info, and all the latest updates. Stay tuned because we’ll be updating everything as the season unfolds!

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 ditches the binge model for a three-volume release schedule

Despite being famous for its binge-drop model, Netflix is decidedly milking everything it can out of the final season of “Stranger Things.” Rather than dropping all eight episodes at once, season 5 will be released in three volumes. Volume 1 and volume 2 are essentially mini binge-drops, but volume 3 is just one episode: the series’ two-hour-and-one-minute-long finale, which is also getting a theatrical release. See the full “Stranger Things” season 5 release schedule below:

Volume 1: Episodes 1-4 (Releases at 8 p.m. ET on Nov. 26)

Volume 2: Episodes 5-7 (Releases at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 25)

Volume 3: Episode 8 (Releases at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 31)

— Malcolm McMillan

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 episode titles revealed!

Now that you know when episodes of “Stranger Things” season 5 will be dropping on Netflix, you might be curious what the titles of the episodes are. Lucky for you, that information is out there, and I’ve compiled the complete list of episode titles below:

Personally, I’m most intrigued by the title of “Chapter Two.” Who vanishes? And do they disappear for good? We don’t have to wait much longer to find out. — MM

• “Chapter One: The Crawl”
• “Chapter Two: The Vanishing of…”
• “Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap”
• “Chapter Four: Sorcerer”
• “Chapter Five: Shock Jock”
• “Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz”
• “Chapter Seven: The Bridge”
• “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up”

Here’s the latest trailer in case you missed it

Netflix’s new trailer for “Stranger Things” season 5 volume 1 hints at an epic finale, with the Upside Down spilling into Hawkins and danger looming for every character. The town is scarred, quarantined, and the gang is back, preparing for a final showdown against Vecna. Demogorgons erupt from the ground, portals glow red, and Eleven unleashes her powers like never before. Emotional stakes are high, and it’s clear no one is holding back this season. — Alix Blackburn

Take the quiz — who are you in ‘Stranger Things’?

Ever wondered which “Stranger Things” character you’re most like? Take our fun quiz to find out if you’re a daring Eleven, clever Dustin, loyal Mike, or someone else entirely.

‘Stranger Things’ cast spill pranks and secrets

While we wait for the episodes (and grab a little happiness before the inevitable heartbreak) why not check out a fun cast interview? The stars of “Stranger Things” spill on on-set pranks, hilarious bloopers, encounters with rude fans, and even what they “stole” from season 5. It’s the perfect way to get a behind-the-scenes peek before Hawkins descends into chaos once again. — AB

Buckle up — ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 will take you over 10 hours to watch

Okay, now you know when the episodes of “Stranger Things” season 5 drop, and you know what the names of the episodes are. But how long will it take you to watch all eight episodes and get to the end of this nearly decade-long series? Well, I’ve got the answer to that too. Here are the runtimes for all eight episodes:

• “Chapter One: The Crawl”: 1 hour and eight minutes (Wed., Nov. 26, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Two: The Vanishing of…”: 54 minutes (Wed., Nov. 26, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap”: 1 hour and 6 minutes (Wed., Nov. 26, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Four: Sorcerer”: 1 hour and 23 minutes (Wed., Nov. 26, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Five: Shock Jock”: 1 hour and 17 minutes (Thurs., Dec. 25, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz”: 58 minutes (Thurs., Dec. 25, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Seven: The Bridge”: 1 hour and 37 minutes (Thurs., Dec. 25, 8 p.m. ET)
• “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up”: 2 hours and 1 minute (Wed., Dec. 31, 8 p.m. ET)

For those trying to do the math at home, that’s 10 hours and 24 minutes for all eight episodes. The longest volume is, unsurprisingly, volume 1, which clocks in at just over four and a half hours. Volume 2 has longer episodes than volume 1, though, with an average episode length of over 77 minutes. Of course, the longest episode is the last one, clocking in at a feature-length movie runtime of 2 hours and 1 minute. Maybe it’s no surprise that Netflix is putting that episode in theaters. — MM

The first five minutes of ‘Stranger Things’ season 5

Netflix dropped the chilling first five minutes of “Stranger Things” season 5 a couple weeks back, and it quickly takes us back to November 1983 in the Upside Down. A terrified, de‑aged Will Byers sits in Castle Byers, softly singing “Should I Stay or Should I Go” to calm himself. But the peace is shattered when a Demogorgon attacks, dragging him through the twisted forest straight to Vecna, who whispers: “At long last, we can begin… You and I, we’re going to do such beautiful things together.” — AB

Here are the new faces to keep an eye out for in season 5

Despite having just eight episodes left, “Stranger Things” is still adding to a stacked cast in season 5. These aren’t all up-and-coming actors either. The list includes Linda Hamilton, who became a screen icon in the Terminator franchise. Here’s the full list of all the new characters in “Stranger Things” season 5:

• Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay, a scientist attempting to unlock secrets of the Upside Down. She’s hunting Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown)
• Alex Breaux as Lt. Robert Akers, a key member of Dr. Kay’s team
• Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler, Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) younger sister, and someone who is tipped to have a major role in these final episodes
• Jake Connelly plays Derek Turnbow, one of Holly’s classmates, but decidedly not her friend

I know that Holly and Derek are probably the more intriguing newcomers, given that Holly is slated to have a big role and Derek is at odds with her. But it’s Linda Hamilton I’m most curious about. Having her be a major villain, or possibly a villain turned hero, makes her, by far, the newcomer I’m most excited about. — MM

What you need to know before ‘Stranger Things’ season 5

Need a quick refresher before diving into season 5? Check out our “Things to Remember” guide, where we recap key events, character arcs, and major twists from previous seasons, everything you need to get back up to speed in Hawkins before the new episodes hit. — AB

Every season of ‘Stranger Things’ ranked

Curious how “Stranger Things” seasons stack up? Check out our season ranking guide, where we break down every season from best to… well, least best. It’s a fun way to revisit the show’s’ ups, downs, and terrifying twists before diving into season 5. — AB

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 finale will hit theaters

“Stranger Things” will go out with a bang because the two-hour season 5 finale will drop on Netflix and hit the big screen in over 350 theaters across the U.S. and Canada on December 31, 2025, starting at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET. It’s a dream‑come-true for creators and fans alike, watching the final chapter with cinematic sound, picture, and an audience feels like the perfect way to close out the show’s incredible journey.

You can check local showtimes on sites like Fandango or your favorite cinema chain, such as Regal. — AB

‘Stranger Things’ stars reflect on final season at premiere

The “Stranger Things” season 5 cast recently hit the red carpet for their emotionally charged premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre, and they didn’t hold back. Millie Bobby Brown called the event a “funeral for the show,” donning a dramatic Rodarte gown and reflecting on Eleven’s mission in the final episodes. Charlie Heaton and Joe Keery opened up about how proud they are of this massive, emotional season, calling it a powerful finale that ties everything together. — AB

Word search time!

Here’s a quick break for something fun. I’ve put together a “Stranger Things” themed wordsearch to test your Hawkins knowledge (and maybe distract you from all the impending doom season 5 keeps teasing).

‘Stranger Things’ fan theories: What might happen in season 5?

Fans have been buzzing with theories about “Stranger Things” season 5, and some are already looking like they might be spot on. One of the most talked-about ideas (that Will could become a host for Vecna) was actually hinted at in the first five minutes of released footage, making it feel almost inevitable.

Others suggest time travel or alternate realities could rewrite history, maybe even undoing the lab experiments that birthed Eleven’s powers (h/t Popcorn Sushi). Then there’s the emo‑fantasy theory: Eddie didn’t really die, but was reanimated in the Upside Down as the D&D villain Kas the Bloody-Handed (h/t Study Breaks).

Meanwhile, some fans think Eleven could flip the Upside Down into a realm of light — a phenomenon they’re calling the “Rightside Up” (h/t Brit + Co). There’s also chatter that Vecna might not be the ultimate evil, and that a resurrected Mind Flayer could be the real final threat (h/t Popcorn Sushi). — AB

‘The Tonight Show’ gets a ‘Stranger Things’ series recap, in rap form

The cast of “Stranger Things” just gave fans a hilarious and lightning-fast trip through Hawkins’ history. On The Tonight Show, they rapped their way through all the twists, turns, and Upside Down chaos from the series in just one minute. — AB

‘Stranger Things’ fans are speculating who might die in season 5

Speculation is running wild about who might not make it through. One of the most frequently mentioned names is Will Byers as many believe his long, creepy connection to the Upside Down could finally catch up with him. Some argue that Will’s psychic link to the darkness might make him the sacrifice needed to seal away the threat.

Another major candidate is Steve Harrington, whose arc from selfish teen to protective older‑brother figure has won him a place in many fans’ hearts. Given his readiness to risk himself for others, a heroic (if heartbreaking) death feels like it could fit this final season. Some speculate that Steve might go out saving friends or loved ones, making his loss especially emotional.

That said, there’s also a widespread fear that the show might pull the rug out from under even the “safer” characters, including Eleven. Because she’s the heart of the fight against evil, some fans think the only way to end things properly might be her ultimate sacrifice, even if it’s hard to imagine the series without her. Of course that’s the thing about fan theories: nothing’s confirmed. — AB

My favorite moment of the entire series so far

My favorite moment in the show has to be Max escaping Vecna in season 4 to Running Up That Hill. It’s one of the best‑executed scenes in the show’s history, and the soundtrack makes her escape feel truly powerful and unforgettable. Streams reportedly jumped by over 8,700% globally after season 4 dropped, showing just how iconic Kate Bush’s song really is. Out of all the crazy stuff that happens in “Stranger Things,” that’s the one scene I keep thinking about. — AB

So long between seasons that entire shows started and ended

It’s been a long wait for “Stranger Things” season 5 — so long that in the time between season 4 and now, a whole bunch of shows have come and gone, some even finishing their entire runs. “The Summer I Turned Pretty” wrapped up with three seasons and “The Sandman” had its finale. Meanwhile, we’re still stuck in Hawkins, pacing the halls and waiting for the gang to face the Upside Down again. Patience though, because the first four episodes are almost here. — AB

Who is your favorite character from 'Stranger Things'?

“Stranger Things” has given us so many unforgettable characters over the years, from brave kids fighting the Upside Down to heroes and villains who keep Hawkins on edge. Cast your vote below for your favorite character and see how the fandom stacks up!

Need a mood boost? Watch the ‘Stranger Things’ cast attempt a cooking challenge

For anyone bracing themselves for heartbreak and looking for a little joy while waiting for the new episodes, here’s a fun treat: The cast takes on a culinary challenge! Watching them attempt (and sometimes hilariously fail) at cooking is the perfect way to ease the anxiety of the “Stranger Things” wait. — AB

What we know about the music in season 5

“Stranger Things” season 5 is already teasing some epic musical moments. The trailer features Queen’s "Who Wants to Live Forever," hinting at a darker tone, and Kate Bush’s "Running Up That Hill" is confirmed to return (h/t The Guardian), bringing back one of the show’s most iconic emotional beats. Original composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein are back with their signature synth-heavy score, and the season may lean into music even more this time, with a radio‑station element built into the story. — AB

The Duffers reveal the four ‘Stranger Things’ episodes to rewatch before season 5

We're not gonna sugarcoat it: Three years is a long time to wait for a new season of your favorite show. So you'll be forgiven for needing a little plot refresh, especially with a series as action-packed as "Stranger Things." Helpfully, for The Hollywood Reporter, show creators Matt and Ross Duffer have compiled four episodes they feel best deserve a rewatch ahead of tonight's premiere. We'll be keeping an eagle eye out for clues while giving these a second look:

• “Will the Wise” (season 2 episode 4)
• “The Spy” (season 2 episode 6)
• “Massacre at Hawkins Lab” (season 4 episode 7)
• “The Piggyback” (season 4 episode 9)

— CI

Character recap — Eleven

Eleven ended season 4 having regained her powers after undergoing the NINA program and confronting her traumatic past in the lab. She helped the group take on Vecna, entering a psychic battle inside Max’s mind to somehow pull her back from the brink of death.

Even though Vecna wasn’t fully defeated and Hawkins ended the season fractured (with the Upside Down’s influence creeping back in), Eleven returned to Hawkins with renewed purpose and power. Her journey through trauma and redemption has left her stronger and hopefully ready for the final showdown. — AB

10 movies to watch to get yourself in a 'Stranger Things' mood

Need something to take the edge off while you not-so-patiently wait for today's "Stranger Things" season 5 premiere? Or, after that, to keep you busy until December 25, when the next batch of new episodes drops? You can give these fantastic flicks a watch — the Duffer Brothers have said that each title below helped directly influence and inspire the genre-jumping Netflix hit:

• Alien
• A Nightmare on Elm Street
• Carrie
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
• Firestarter
• The Goonies
• Gremlins
• Jaws
• Poltergeist
• Stand by Me

— CI

The Duffers say the final season will ‘tie up every remaining storyline’

The Duffers have promised that season 5 will leave no loose ends. Every storyline — from the mysteries of the Upside Down and Vecna’s schemes to the fates of the characters we’ve followed for years — is set to get proper closure. Fans can expect the final season to resolve long-running questions and finally tie together the threads that have been building since season 1.

Matt Duffer told GamesRadar+: “Typically, when we're working on a season, we don't find the time to do everything and we're able to kick the can down the road. That was not an option this time. We spent a long time with our writers – especially early on – making sure we got everything we wanted into the season. We wrote out everything, 'These are the things we have to explain; this is where we need the characters to get.' Hopefully, we accomplish that.”

It’s the showdown the show has been building toward, and the Duffers are making sure nothing is left unresolved. — AB

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 has a time jump

According to Variety, “Stranger Things” season 5 picks up after an 18‑month time jump from the end of season 4, which means a lot could have changed for our favorite characters. All the characters find themselves back in Hawkins, which is now under military lockdown. I’m intrigued to see how the story will pan out with the main groups scattered. — AB

Test your ‘Stranger Things’ knowledge before season 5

Think you know everything about Hawkins and the gang? Test your “Stranger Things” knowledge with our quiz!

Character recap — Max Mayfield

Max ends season 4 badly. After volunteering to bait Vecna so the group could strike, she’s brutally attacked. Her limbs are shattered, her eyes damaged, and her heart even stops. Miraculously, Eleven manages to revive her, but Max is left comatose in the hospital with broken bones and an uncertain fate.

It’s hard to say what will happen to her next since the new promo material barely shows her. However, I’m convinced she’ll eventually wake up or still play an important role, even if she’s unconscious for part of the season. — AB

Millie Bobby Brown reveals her favorite and least favorite "Stranger Things" season

With "Stranger Things" ending after nearly a decade, the cast has understandably been reflective about the series as a whole during their victory-lap promo tour. And during a lively interview on Vanity Fair’s YouTube channel, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, and Gaten Matarazzo opened up their personal favorite and least favorite installments of the show.

MBB ranked season 2 as her least favorite — though Finn and Noah threw their support behind that much-maligned edition — but chose both the first and fifth seasons as her top picks. "Season 1, nostalgia-wise, for me is my favorite season because personally, it was the most exciting time in my life," the actress revealed, also praising season 5 for "the way it looks, the way it feels, the plot, all of it." — CI

‘Intense but special’: Gaten Matarazzo on season 5

Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin, talked to Forbes about what it was like filming the final season, describing the experience as “intense but special.” After being part of “Stranger Things” for over a decade, saying goodbye to the cast and crew was emotional — he called it “very, very sad.”

At the same time, he emphasized that the finale is worth it, with a storyline that feels powerful, meaningful, and a fitting conclusion to the journey. For fans, it’s a reminder of just how much heart the cast has poured into the show over the years. — AB

Character recap — Vecna

Born as Henry Creel (also known as Subject 001, “One”), Vecna is revealed to be the mastermind behind every major supernatural threat in “Stranger Things” — from the Upside Down monsters to the Mind Flayer itself. After a brutal showdown in season 4, he was seriously wounded but not destroyed: his plans partially succeeded, cracks between the real world and the Upside Down opened, and the danger is far from over.

The show’s creators describe him as “Vecna 2.0,” stronger and scarier in season 5, with new abilities that allow him to attack in the real world (not just psychically). — AB

Will Byers takes center stage in season 5

One of the biggest storylines in season 5 will center on Will Byers. According to Ross Duffer, his arc is designed to “tie the whole series together,” giving fans long-awaited answers about his unique connection to the Upside Down (h/t Variety). After years of being the quiet, sensitive member of the group, Will’s experiences are finally coming to the forefront, and his journey could hold the key to understanding the bigger mysteries of Hawkins. — AB

The cast take a trip down memory lane

In a recent cast interview, the “Stranger Things” cast looked back on previous seasons, sharing stories about their favorite moments and behind-the-scenes memories. They reflected on how much they’ve grown alongside their characters over the years, the challenges of filming intense scenes, and the friendships they’ve built on set. — AB

Why you should see the season 5 finale in theaters

If you’re planning to watch the “Stranger Things” finale when it drops, I’d highly recommend seeing it in theaters. The creators have promised an epic, cinematic conclusion, and experiencing it on the big screen will make the Upside Down visuals, tense moments, and emotional scenes feel even more intense. Plus, sharing the reactions with fellow fans will turn it into a real event and a communal way to celebrate the end of a decade-long journey. — AB

"Nothing else is like this": Sadie Sink on the bond between the "Stranger Things" cast

Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield in the Netflix series, was only 14 years old when she joined the "Stranger Things" cast back in 2017. In the near-decade since, the now-23-year old has not only become a vital part of the show but also the cast, whose unique bond she recently discussed in Glamour magazine.

"It’s bigger than even high school or college, or the friends that you make there. It’s bigger than that because nothing else is like this," Sink told the outlet about her deep connection with her co-stars. "We’re so connected on so many levels, and then also have this really singular experience. I still have these people and everything, but we have to say goodbye to what brought us together. It was like saying goodbye to your childhood." — CI

Charlie Heaton and Maya Hawke point out a hilarious detail about their characters

In a recent interview with InStyle, actors Charlie Heaton and Maya Hawke just exposed a curious detail that this "Stranger Things" superfan never realized: Despite both starring on the show for several years (Heaton since season one and Hawke since season three), their characters Jonathan Byers and Robin Buckley have never actually interacted onscreen.

The fact that the two performers have never shared a scene together is even more bizarre given their characters’ shared connections (Robin being friends with Jonathan's girlfriend Nancy and Jonathan being buddies with Robin's BFF Steve). As for whether Robin and Jonathan will finally meet in season 5, Hawke quipped: "You'll have to watch and find out." — CI

Character recap — Will Byers

Will Byers has been through the wringer. First kidnapped and trapped in The Upside Down, he survived months of torture and a psychic link to the hive‑mind Mind Flayer. Though he returned to Hawkins, the trauma stuck with him — emotionally and physically. By season 4, even after relocating to California and trying to live a normal life, Will still feels the pull of the Upside Down.

With strange sensations and fallout from past horrors, his connection to the darker world remains alive, making him one of the most haunted and complicated characters going into the final season. — AB

Natalia Dyer says season 5 features 'all-timer' scenes that will stick with her forever

“Stranger Things” stars Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton — who have played Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers since season one — recently sat down with MTV Movies’ Claire Rowden to celebrate the brand-new season. And when asked about the scenes that they'll "never quite recover from" from the show's whole five-season run, Dyer teased that several can be found in the upcoming episodes. Though the actress was coy about specifics, Keery praised her work in episode 2 of season 5, which will hit Netflix tonight.

For his part, Keery highlighted "getting absolutely dunked on" in a basketball scene with Dacre Montgomery, who portrayed Billy Hargrove. "He does this crazy shot and gets it on the first try and it makes it into the show. I was like, 'How did you learn to do that? We were taking lessons together and you were not that good!'" the actor joked. — CI

Are you ready?

The show’s about to start, have those nutty bars and Eggos ready to keep up your stamina.

Vecna's back.. and he's got Will!

"At long last, we can begin."
This does not look good for Will.

Breakfast time at the Wheelers

The whole gang is at the Wheelers' house having breakfast. What exactly is Holly seeing outside the window?

And how long is Ted going to put up with all the kids crashing at his house?

Robin's a rockin' DJ, spinning great tunes and warning the populace to stay away from the burn scar and the ever-present military.

Good news: Robin has a date
Bad news: Something or someone is interfering with the airwaves

Rockin' Robin

Enter El!

Good to see El again! And she's faster than ever.

Thanks, Murray!

"Enough bullets and shells to start a small war."
Let's go!

Upside Down

Diana Ross song is perfect

'I want to see Vecna's heart on a platter'

So do we, Dustin!

But wait... what's going on with Will?

'I Need the Girl'

"I see they don't teach sarcasm in the ROTC."

Dr. Kay does not seem like a very easy to please boss.

Technical difficulties

Robin's not the only one having technical issues tonight: Lots of users are reporting outages while trying to stream the Season 5 premiere.

Robin and Vickie's secret is out

Very subtle voyeurism there, Will.

Is Dustin okay?

"We're really starting to lose it," Mike tells El of Dustin, who's MIA for their mission after getting jumped by bullies.

Open sesame!

Hopper's infiltrated the Upside Down. We are stress-eating just as hard as Steve right now.

It's coming. It's coming for them!

Is this really the best time to be golfing, Ted?

Face it, The Wheelers are not great parents

We're in episode 2: Karen's listening to Abba and drinking wine, Ted's golfing and Holly's about to get Poltergeist-ed into the Upside Down.

Heavens to Betsy!

Sorry about that, Ted.

Is Karen going Ripley on the Demogorgon going to be enough to save Holly?

'This is all our fault'

"We could have at least told them the truth," says a devastated Nancy as her parents fight for their lives. "It's all coming true. Now it's our turn."

'It's like I was the demogorgon'

Will: "I must have somehow tapped back into the connection. When he took me, I was forever changed."

We stick to the plan

Find Hopper. Find Holly.... Save Dustin!

The final battle, I feel like it started tonight

"If you're planning on resurrecting, now is the time," Lucas begs Max. "Please, wake up."

What if Mr Whatsit is real?

"If Mr. Whatsit is in fact real, maybe he'll know why Holly was taken." Mike has a realization about his little sister's "imaginary" friend.

This is super dangerous, but...

Robin tells Will her plan, "Connect your brain to the monster's signal and save little Wheeler."

Will: "Let's do it."

You think Vecna will win and I will die

Hopper tells El, "I don't want to lose you. I won't."
"So, don't be a stubborn punka-- like you?"

I don't trust doctors who smoke or call me sweetheart.

Nancy is not taking no for an answer when the doctor won't let her see her badly injured mother.

I'm more scared of my mom at this point

Will would rather face Vecna than Joyce right now.

Holly was here...

"It took her, through the wall."

Now what are Hopper and El going to do?

Mr. Whatsit is Henry!

"I have room for everyone here," he tells Holly.

CREEPY!

Episode 3: How are they going to get through the wall?

Beef jerky to the rescue? "Try it, you might like it."

We don't have time for safe, not anymore.

Will tells Joyce: "Next time you order me to stay by your side, I wouldn't count on it."

Frank Darabont came out of retirement to direct 'The Turnbow Trap'

The director/producer behind The Mist," "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Walking Dead" joked to SYFY, "I'm an artifact leftover from the ‘80s really, and happily so.”
He also directed upcoming episode 5, "The Shock Jock."

I highly doubt his longterm goal is friendship

The team is going to grab Derek Turnbow to save him from Vecna.

"You're okay with just kidnapping a child?"

Yep. But is there a way to save Derek and find Holly?

I can break him... 20 minutes

El isn't trained in interrogation tactics, but then again, her battery IS charged.

Why would I care that Dips--t Derek is in trouble?

"I'd rather learn about wormholes than apologize" to Derek's brother Tina, her former BFF," Erica tells Lucas and Will.

"The plan is a bit insane, but after it's over, I don't think Tina's going to want to talk to you ever again," Will says.

"Well, why the hell didn't you just say that?" Erica is IN.

Of course Santa Murray has a creepy, child-sized CPR dummy

He also has a gallon of acetone, spark plugs, barbed wire, shotgun shells and grenade-style water balloons for the team. "It's a goddamn Christmas miracle," he tells Dustin, who's upset Murray didn't bring the aerodynamic spoiler he asked for.

Oh Yeah

Love this musical nod to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Beautiful.

You can lie me to all you want, but you can't lie to her

El goes inside soldier Akers' mind to find out more about Dr. Kay and Gable Ridge Road base.

The military, they have him

"They have Vecna," El tells Hopper.

I told you to eat your damn pie.

Beware Ericas bearing an apology pie.

Steve and the chainsaw

Bye bye baseball bat. This is true love.

He knows where we are

Vecna is on his way. He knows where Will and the others are.

Max to the rescue?

Max is okay and alive... at least in the Upside Down. And she's here to save Holly?

Joyce grabs the ax

"You want him, you're going to have to come through me!"

Gates are kind of like Peanut Butter Boppers, right?

Episode 4: Team Harrington punches through a silo to track the tagged Demo into the Upside Down.

This place, this world, it's a prison

Max warns Holly that they're stuck in Henry's prison.

They don't need a superspy, they just need Derek

He's the one kid they'll never suspect.

I heard Kate Bush

"Music has a way of finding you, even in the darkest of places," Max tells Holly.

You're kind of Vecna

Mike tells Will that if he can get so deep into the hive mind again, maybe he can pull the strings like Vecna does.

Max's plan

She needs Holly to go back to Henry's house to get them both out. "Tell me what I need to do," Holly says.

It's called visualization

"Mom does it when she's out of Valium." Derek leads the detained kids in a relaxing mental exercise.

'I have been looking for you for a very long time.'

El knows who Dr. Kay is. "I also know that you and you and your men are going to die."

'In your current state, I'm afraid that won't work'

El might not have her battery fully charged, but then again, she brought scissors to this lab fight.

The failsafe

"Hopper!" El begs for him not to sacrifice himself for her. He thinks of his dying daughter as he prepares for a possibly fatal showdown.

They're here

The Demos are coming and the military can't do a damn thing against them, can they? "We're all gonna die," Derek yells.

What the hell just happened?

"I have no idea, but I love it," Murray says as the Demos keep dropping.

Eight

El's sister Eight returns... but so does Vecna. And he's taking no prisoners.

I had all the answers

Will finds a way to stop the Demo attack, heeding Robin's advice to stop being so scared of who he really is. Now Will, whose eyes have rolled back in his head, can control them, can break them.

What's next?

A lot of earth-shaking things happened in the first four episodes of Season 5:
• Max is okay! Or can be. She's just trapped by Vecna and maybe there's a way she can return to the real world.
• Vecna wants to repeat what he "achieved" with Will by abducting other children
• But will now has the power to control and destroy the demogorgons
• Hopper was ready to sacrifice himself to save El, but didn't have to

• El's sister Eleven is back.
• Death toll so far: Dr. Kay, various Hawkins lab techs and soldiers.
• And is Jonathan ready to propose to Nancy?

The "Stranger Things" universe will continue with a new Netflix spinoff series

Just because "Stranger Things" is officially wrapping on December 31 doesn't mean that your time in the Upside Down is over. No, there's already a spinoff series in the works: "Stranger Things: Tales from ’85" is set to debut on Netflix in 2026. The animated series will be "completely separate" from the flagship show, the Duffers told The Hollywood Reporter, though it'll still feature characters fans already know and love.

The new series will be set in –– you guessed it –– 1985 Hawkins, between seasons two and three in the OG show's timeline. “We like that age of the kids, and that we could pick an age and have them frozen at that age,” Matt Duffer told the outlet. “These animated versions of the characters are doing what we wish was possible with our kids, which is that they are frozen in time. That’s really fun, but really is its own thing. We were trying to evoke the feeling of a Saturday morning cartoon.” — CI

What’s the cast doing next?

Many of the “Stranger Things” cast members are already looking ahead to exciting new projects. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) is keeping busy as “Stranger Things” wraps up. She’s set to star in and executive-produce the Netflix series “Prism,” a supernatural drama about a woman who can communicate with spirits, and she’s also leading the romantic-comedy movie “Just Picture It,” with filming already underway.

Sadie Sink, who plays Max, has made a big leap into both stage and screen. She recently earned a Tony nomination for her role in the Broadway play “John Proctor Is the Villain,” and she’s reportedly taking on a secret role in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” marking her move into blockbuster franchise territory.

Joe Keery, aka Steve, has been balancing acting and music. Under his stage name Djo, he released a charting album, and he’s set to star in the horror‑comedy “Cold Storage.”

Finn Wolfhard (Mike) has branched out creatively with his first major directorial effort, the horror-comedy “Hell of a Summer,” released in 2025. He also released his debut solo music album, Happy Birthday, and is reportedly working on writing and directing a remake of “Idle Hands” for Sony Pictures.

Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) continues to build his filmography with projects beyond Hawkins, including movies like “Concrete Cowboy.” He’s also hinted that his character’s storyline in season 5 might stand out, teasing that Lucas’s finale could be different from other characters’, stirring speculation among fans about how his journey will end (h/t GamesRadar+). — AB

What’s your favorite episode in part 1?

If you’ve already binged the first four episodes of “Stranger Things” season 5 part 1, we want to hear from you! Cast your vote below and let us know which episode left the biggest impression on you.

Boost your mood with some kittens

After venturing into the Upside Down and all of its otherworldly horrors again, why not watch the cast chat about “Stranger Things” while playing with some adorable kittens?

Rotten Tomatoes scores are in for season 5!

“Stranger Things” season 5 has officially landed on Rotten Tomatoes now that the first four episodes are live, and the early verdict is looking strong. As of November 27, the season holds an 86% critic score, while audiences are even more enthusiastic with a 92% rating. Of course, these numbers may shift once the rest of the episodes drop and more reviews roll in, but for now, it’s a promising start especially for a final season fans have been anxiously waiting years for. — AB

When are the next episodes dropping on Netflix?

The rest of “Stranger Things” season 5 is rolling out in about a month from now, with episodes 5–7 arriving on Netflix on December 25, 2025, followed by the series finale on December 31, 2025. So after the first four episodes, fans can look forward to a Christmas drop and a New Year’s Eve ending to close out the entire series.

Netflix actually crashed when ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 dropped

When “Stranger Things” season 5 went live, the demand was so intense that Netflix briefly crashed. Thousands of users reported errors within minutes of the premiere, with many unable to load the app or start the episode. Thankfully, the outage was short-lived, and Netflix restored service within a few minutes.

If anything, the crash only proved just how massive the show still is. Even in its final season, “Stranger Things” can still bring the world’s biggest streamer to its knees, a reminder of the kind of cultural pull only a handful of series ever achieve! — AB

Spoiler alert — quick recap for season 5 part 1

Volume 1 picks up about a year and a half after season 4. Hawkins has been militarized and quarantined, the Upside Down’s damage still bleeding into the town, and the survivors are scrambling to track down Vecna.

The major turning point comes when Will Byers — long haunted by his psychic link to Vecna and the Upside Down — finally unlocks terrifying new powers. He psychically reaches into Vecna’s hive mind and turns the tables, telekinetically destroying invading Demogorgons and saving his friends.

Elsewhere, the trauma from previous seasons still lingers: Max Mayfield remains in a coma, trapped in Vecna’s mindscape, and the toll on everyone emotionally becomes very clear. Hawkins is damaged, the threat is more real than ever, and allies like Will may be the key, but things are only getting darker from here. — AB

The cast play truth or dare

If you’re still reeling from the intense first four episodes of season 5, this fun challenge is the perfect way to catch your breath. Watch the cast of “Stranger Things” take a break from the Upside Down to laugh, play, and dare each other. — AB

Rank the first four episodes of 'Stranger Things' season 5

Now that volume 1 of "Stranger Things" season 5 is streaming, it’s time to hear from you! Which of the first four episodes had you on the edge of your seat, left you speechless, or had the biggest moments? Rank them in order and let us know which episode tops your list!

A cinematic final season like no other

According to creators Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer, season 5 involved a staggering volume of work: over 650 hours of footage were shot, which they likened to “eight blockbuster movies.” That gives a sense of just how massive, ambitious and cinematic this final season really is. With volume 1 setting the stage, the rest of the season promises to ramp up the stakes even higher, delivering even more shocking twists and epic battles fans won’t want to miss. — AB

Reviews roundup for ‘Stranger Things’ season 5

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, reviews have started piling in now that more people are streaming it. The site's critics consensus reads: "Stranger Things plays its cards just right in season 5, solidifying its pop culture classic status with genuinely captivating genre fare."

Leila Latif from Empire Magazine said: "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." Meanwhile, San Francisco Chronicle's Zaki Hasan stated the "opening batch of episodes does more than set the stage for a climactic showdown; it reminds us why "Stranger Things" hooked us in the first place."

Viewers even said it was "better" than they could have hoped for, with season 5 "starting off so strong." We are so back. — AB

Spoiler alert — the cast react to that character’s big moment in episode 4

In season 5, episode 4, Will Byers’ hidden powers finally come to light, revealing his psychic connection to the Upside Down and giving him the ability to telekinetically manipulate objects and even fight back against Vecna’s forces. It’s a shocking turn that shows Will may be more crucial to stopping the threat than anyone realized. Fans can also see the cast’s own reactions to this reveal during their table reading for season 5, where their stunned and delighted responses capture just how big a moment it is! — AB

The rest of ‘Stranger Things’ won't be like ‘Game of Thrones’

In an interview with Variety, Matt Duffer was asked if “Stranger Things” season 5 gets bloodier in volume 2. He clarified that fans shouldn’t expect a sudden shift into ultra-violent territory, saying, “I’ve said this before: The show is not ‘Game of Thrones.’ I’m hoping it surprises people. But there’s no Red Wedding, if that’s what you’re asking. That would be depressing.” — AB

Who dies in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 part 1? (spoilers)

Despite plenty of chaos and danger, no major characters die in volume 1 — heroes like Will Byers, Max Mayfield, Eleven, and others all survive. There are some casualties among unnamed soldiers and a minor scientist during the Upside Down base assault. Even the characters most under threat, like Ted Wheeler and Karen Wheeler, survive a brutal Demogorgon attack. But that could all change in the upcoming episodes. — AB

How season 5 connects to the ‘Stranger Things’ stage play, The First Shadow

“Stranger Things” season 5, part 1 does connect to the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, but only as optional background. The play is fully canon and dives into Henry Creel’s early life and the origins of his powers, which enriches the mythology explored in season 5.

Some of the ideas and backstory shown in the play are echoed in the new episodes, especially around Vecna’s past, but the creators made sure the final season stands on its own. So while fans who’ve seen the play will catch extra layers of meaning, you don’t need to watch it to understand or enjoy season 5. — AB

The Duffer Brothers explain [SPOILER’S] powers

The Duffer Brothers have explained that Will’s powers in season 5 are “fundamentally different” from Eleven’s. In an interview with Variety, they clarified that Will doesn’t have innate abilities like El; instead, he channels Vecna’s power through the hive mind connection.

As they put it, he can manipulate anything within that hive, but only when he’s linked to it meaning his abilities aren’t always “on” the way Eleven’s are. This is why he can unleash a huge telekinetic force in episode 4, but can’t simply lift objects or open doors on command. — AB

Do you have the right TV settings?

Ross Duffer recently posted a PSA for fans right before the season 5 premiere, urging them to check their TV settings for the best viewing experience (h/t Variety). He walked viewers through their menus and told them to disable “expert controls” like dynamic contrast, super resolution, edge enhancement and color filters, calling them “garbage.”

He also warned against leaving on noise reduction or motion-smoothing (often labeled “TruMotion” or “Smooth Motion”), since those can create the dreaded “soap-opera effect” and distort the show’s cinematic look. Duffer’s suggestion: for the truest picture, don’t use vivid or over-processed picture presets — let the show speak for itself the way the creators intended. — AB

What’s going on with Max?

Max’s body remains comatose in the real world, but her consciousness is trapped deep inside Vecna’s mind‑scape, which is a psychic prison built out of memories. While comatose, she’s no longer in a neck brace and her broken bones have healed, but she’s still blind (a lingering effect of Vecna’s curse).

Inside the mind‑scape, Max discovers a cave within one of the memory‑worlds that Vecna seems unable to enter, and that cave becomes her hiding place. She also connects with Holly Wheeler (who is also trapped in the memory‑world), and together they begin plotting a potential escape.

So by the end of volume 1, Max hasn’t “woken up,” but her mind is active, fighting from within Vecna’s twisted psychic domain. — AB

What can we expect next? (spoilers for part 1)

As we head into volume 2 (Episodes 5–7), dropping December 25, 2025, things are about to ramp up big-time. With the reveal that Will Byers now channels powers tied to the hive mind rather than having innate powers like Eleven, the show is clearly setting the stage for some intense conflict. We can likely expect that those powers will be tested.

We might also see more involvement from characters who’ve popped up recently, including a return of Kali / Eight (which fans speculated on). And according to interview hints from the creators, volume 2 may deliver one of the show's’ “most violent” and emotionally weighty moments yet. — AB

What THAT character’s return could mean for part 2

Now that Kali’s back in volume 1 (she re‑emerges in episode 4, restrained in a secret lab facility inside the Upside Down), her return feels deliberately set up to play a major role in the final chapters.

Because Kali’s power is illusion/manipulation of perception (different from the telekinetic or psychic‑hive‑linked powers of Eleven or Will Byers), she could offer a unique tactical advantage. Her abilities might counter or disrupt the mind‑based threats of Vecna going forward.

Bringing her back also ties up a long‑standing loose thread. The showrunners admitted that leaving Kali’s storyline unresolved felt wrong especially for a final season. The return gives her a proper chance to “shine” again, and to give closure to her arc while deepening Eleven’s journey. — AB

Vecna’s evil plan, explained

Vecna’s plan is to abduct 12 children he considers “perfect vessels.” He sees kids as ideal because they’re, in his words, “weak in body and mind,” easily shaped, controlled, and manipulated. According to what he tells Will Byers, Will was the first vessel, and his transformation showed Vecna “what was possible.”

The children aren’t just being kidnapped for torment or torture. Vecna’s endgame is far darker: he wants to “refashion the world,” which means to reshape reality using these children as his tools, using their minds and bodies to bring his twisted vision into reality.

In part 1, Vecna abducts Holly Wheeler (the younger sister of Mike and Nancy) by disguising himself as a friendly figure known as “Mr. Whatsit.” Shortly after Holly’s kidnapping, he targets several more children, with three additional kids taken the following night. By the end of part 1, it's revealed that Holly and the other kidnapped kids are trapped in Vecna’s dimension, attached to spires in his Upside‑Down “flesh wall” as part of his plan to use them as “vessels.” — AB

Dr. Kay — new character breakdown

Dr. Kay is a new key figure in “Stranger Things” season 5. She steps into a role reminiscent of the old lab-head characters but is far more formidable and ruthless. Hyper-intelligent and strategic, Dr. Kay operates under the guise of a military-led mission in Hawkins, officially studying the Upside Down. But her true agenda is more sinister: capturing and controlling powerful individuals like Eleven.

By the end of part 1, it’s revealed that Dr. Kay has captured Kali Prasad (008), restraining her in a secure vault and using her powers for unknown purposes. This shows that Kay’s focus is less about protection or rescue and more about containment and experimentation. Her base, partially located in the Upside Down, is used for secret experiments on Upside Down creatures, giving her both scientific and strategic leverage. — AB

The strange ‘wall’ in the Upside Down, explained

The “Wall” (sometimes called the “flesh wall”) is a massive, circular barrier inside the Upside Down, made of grotesque organic material, vines, and flesh. It seems to encircle Hawkins and the lab at its center, creating an impenetrable boundary around Vecna’s domain.

When characters like Steve, Dustin, Nancy, and Jonathan enter the Upside Down, they quickly discover that the wall cannot be breached by normal force — their car crashes into it, and it regenerates if damaged. Dustin calculates that it’s a perfect circle surrounding the lab.

Beyond being a physical barrier, the wall has a much darker function. The kidnapped children and victims, including those taken by Vecna, are attached to spires along the inside of the wall. Clearly, it’s part of Vecna’s ritual and containment system. — AB

’Stranger Things’ stars the 50 most-Googled fan questions

The “Stranger Things” cast sat down to tackle the 50 most-Googled questions about the show, from Eleven’s powers to Vecna’s intriguing backstory as Henry Creel.

Time for a new word search based on those intense episodes!

Now that the first four episodes are streaming, dive into our new word search packed with references and characters from season 5, volume 1!

Will the Wheelers actually survive?

Karen and Ted Wheeler took a brutal beating trying to shield their youngest, Holly, from the rampaging Demogorgon in their home. Both were viciously injured but they made it to the hospital alive, with Karen even lucid enough to recognize Holly’s “imaginary friend” as Henry. Still, given the high stakes of this final season, it wouldn’t be shocking if one (or both) didn’t make it. — AB

What’s so special about the cave in Vecna’s mindscape?

The cave in Camazotz (Vecna’s mindscape) serves as a rare “safe zone” for Max after she becomes trapped in his memory-based prison. Behind a hidden rock wall, Max discovers a space Vecna cannot enter, giving her refuge from his reach. As she notes, “He can’t get in there,” making the cave her only sanctuary inside his psychic world.

The cave connects directly to Vecna’s (Henry Creel’s) traumatic backstory. It appears in the prequel play “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” as the site of a dark event that even Vecna fears to revisit. — AB

Noah Schnapp talks about his powers in season 5: 'Such a dream'

Noah described that scene (when his character Will Byers unleashes powers and saves his friends) as “such a dream.” He said it felt like his character’s “Holy Grail moment,” giving Will a chance to step out from the shadows and finally prove he’s strong, not just a victim (h/t Netflix Tudum).

Schnapp also recalled how shocked he was when he first read the script — “I have powers!” he reportedly yelled out to his assistant right after seeing the reveal. The experience meant a lot to him personally: after years of Will being haunted by trauma and vulnerability, this moment represented growth, self‑acceptance, and transformation.

The Duffer Brothers also commented on this revelation, saying that they’ve “always known that Will has a connection to Vecna and the Upside Down.” Ross added: “In season 2, we started to delve into it, but one of the earliest ideas in the new season is, ‘What if Will were able to harness this connection and use it against our villains?’ We also felt it very natural to recenter the story on Will. He was the kid who was taken in season 1, so it felt right for the story to come full circle. If anyone’s going to be the key to ending Vecna, it needed to be Will.” — AB

Behind the scenes of episode 4

Go behind the scenes of episode 4 and see exactly how the crew brought Will’s epic power moment to life. From special effects to on-set tricks, this video shows the magic and effort that made that scene such a spectacle. — AB

'Stranger Things' season 5 is now above 90% on Rotten Tomatoes!

Yesterday we mentioned that “Stranger Things” season 5 was sitting at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. Now that more critics have weighed in, the score has climbed. As of November 28, it’s up to 93%, making it one of the show's highest-rated seasons yet. For reference, here are the ratings for every season:

Season 1: 97%
Season 2: 94%
Season 3: 89%
Season 4: 89%
Season 5: 92%

Who could die in the upcoming episodes?

Fans have been throwing around a lot of theories about who might die in “Stranger Things” season 5 volumes 2 and 3, and while nothing is confirmed, a few names keep coming up again and again.

The most talked-about possibility is Will Byers. Because of his long-standing connection to the Upside Down and Vecna, many viewers think he’s the most likely character to make a major sacrifice at the end of the story. Eleven is another big one as some believe the series could close with her giving her life to finally end the fight, though others argue it would be far too devastating.

Steve Harrington also gets mentioned constantly. His arc has “heroic sacrifice” written all over it, which worries a lot of fans, even if some think killing him would be too predictable. Jonathan Byers’ name comes up too, especially among those who think the writers might choose someone slightly more “expendable” to raise the stakes. And of course, people suspect a few supporting characters might go (someone like Murray) if the show wants emotional impact without targeting the core kids.

At the same time, not everyone is convinced there will be major deaths. Plenty of fans think the Duffers might aim for a bittersweet ending rather than a bloodbath, letting the characters close the door on the Upside Down without losing too many people. — AB

Who do you think will die by the end of season 5?

The stakes are higher than ever in season 5, and volume 1 has already shaken fans to their core (including me). With Vecna on the move and Hawkins in chaos, we want to know — who do you think won’t make it out alive by the end of the season?

Sadie Sink breaks down Max’s crucial role in season 5

When the first episodes of “Stranger Things” season 5 dropped, fans got some relief: Max Mayfield, played by Sadie Sink, is still talking, moving, and engaging with others. The catch? She’s doing all of this from within Vecna’s mind, trapped in a 1950s-style version of Hawkins for over a year, while her real body remains in a coma at the hospital.

Sadie Sink told Variety that when she first saw the script for season 5, reading the part where Max returns in a cave inside the villain’s memories totally blew her away. She described finding out Max was “in a cave” and coming back from the coma like a gut‑punch: “What do you mean I’m in a cave?” was her reaction. — AB

Did you see that name in the season 5 opening credits?

Vecna from “Stranger Things” has emerged as one of the standout villains on TV today, yet Jamie Campbell Bower says he’s just feeling “grateful” that fans “feel connected.” He told Gold Derby: “For me, what I wanted to do was come into this and do justice to the show.”

But he also talked about seeing his name in the opening credits for season 5, saying he did a “little squeal” when he saw the screeners for the first time. — AB

Season 5 now has a top-rated episode in the series

“Stranger Things” continues to solidify its status as Netflix’s flagship series. Since its 2016 premiere, the show has maintained a loyal following, and even with long gaps between seasons, it consistently raises the bar.

Vol. 1 of season 5 initially received the lowest ratings in the show's history. However, as more viewers weighed in, its score steadily climbed. Episode 4, “Sorcerer,” in particular, set a new franchise record on IMDb, becoming the highest-rated episode to date.

The surge in acclaim comes as no surprise, as this episode finally delivers long-awaited answers that fans have been anticipating. — AB

Did you know that these 2 most beloved characters were nearly written off in the early seasons?

Matt and Ross Duffer disclosed that two key characters almost didn’t make it through earlier seasons of the popular Netflix show. “There was a version where [David Harbour’s Jim Hopper] perished at the end of [season] 3. It’s been a while since we had those discussions, but I feel like he came the closest to dying,” Matt told Entertainment Weekly.

Meanwhile, fan favorite Steve Harrington (played by Joe Keery) almost didn’t survive season 1. “That was close,” Ross said. “We just fell in love with Joe Keery, but had we not liked Joe Keery, Steve would’ve been gone.” — AB

Why was Holly Wheeler recast in season 5?

Nell Fisher ended up taking over the role of Holly Wheeler from twins Anniston and Tinsley Price. The change was prompted by Holly’s expanded role in the new season. Previously a mostly background character, she now plays a more central part in the story.

The show’s creators also mentioned wanting to “recapture some of the feeling of season 1,” reintroducing a genuine child character amid a largely grown-up cast. Additionally, since the twins had aged, continuing with them (or using twin-based casting) would have been less practical for the more demanding and mature storyline. — AB

Noah Schnapp reveals that the season 5 poster contains a secret about Will

Noah Schnapp has revealed that the season 5 “Stranger Things” poster might contain a hidden clue about Will Byers. While it doesn’t explicitly spoil anything, he explained that the artwork hints at a hidden strength in Will, subtly foreshadowing aspects of his character in the new season.

He told Glamour: “It's always supposed to kind of feel the vibe of the season and give an essence of where everyone's characters stand in that era and chapter of our story. So yeah, you can see a strength in him on there. And obviously, they didn't want to spoil it with any blood or anything, but as close as you can get. Everything is very intentional that we do.” — AB

Where are these “missing” characters in season 5?

Fans have voiced frustration over season 5, pointing out that two beloved characters seem to have been “lost” from the storyline. This disappointment isn’t unexpected, given the three-year wait for new episodes. Viewers have specifically noted the absence of Argyle (Eduardo Franco) and Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo), both of whom played important roles in earlier seasons.

Argyle joined the cast in season 4, quickly bonding with Jonathan after the Byers family moved to California and working as a delivery driver for Surfer Boy Pizza.

Suzie Bingham, introduced in season 3 and becoming a regular in season 4, lives in Salt Lake City and is best known as Dustin Henderson’s long-distance girlfriend, whom he met at summer camp. She even helped him build a long-range radio. So far, neither Argyle nor Suzie has appeared in season 5, and none of the main characters have mentioned what they’ve been up to. — AB

When “Stranger Things” first dropped on Netflix in 2016, it instantly became a defining moment in pop culture: a nostalgic throwback to ’80s sci-fi horror, a mystery about a missing boy, and a powerful girl named Eleven at its heart. Over nearly a decade, the show’s focus on friendship and supernatural terror has gripped millions, and now, with season 5 dropping this week, it’s all coming to a dramatic close.

Netflix has released a new trailer for “Stranger Things” season 5 volume 1, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that everything we’ve loved about the show is hurtling toward an epic finale. The Upside Down is spilling into Hawkins, the danger is more immediate than ever, and it feels like no character is truly safe this time around.

The freshly released trailer for “Stranger Things” season 5 makes it very clear that this is not a quiet return to Hawkins. The town is scarred, fractured, and under military quarantine, a jarring image that speaks to how desperate things have become. The gang is back together, but they’re gearing up not just for survival but for a full-on final showdown against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

One of the creepiest moments in the trailer is when Demogorgons start bursting out of the ground. The Upside Down is now bleeding into the real world after season 4, when Vecna opened multiple gates that weakened the barrier between dimensions, allowing his power (and the monsters of the Upside Down) to start spilling into Hawkins.

The emotional stakes are still very much there, and it’s clear the characters are facing the consequences of everything they’ve been through. One of the most striking closing shots shows Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and Steve (Joe Keery) driving a van straight into a glowing red portal. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), in particular, is in full-on warrior mode as she uses her powers to jump in the air. Clearly, no one is holding back anymore!

"Stranger Things" season 5 part 1 premieres on Netflix on November 26 at 8:00 p.m. ET, with Volume 2 following December 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET, and the series finale (episode 8) arriving December 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

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Netflix’s fan-favorite show “Stranger Things” is finally returning for its fifth and final season this month, and the season 5 trailer made it clear the show’s swan song is ready to hit hard.

“Stranger Things” season 5 will arrive in three volumes: The first four episodes drop Nov. 26, three more land on Christmas Day and the series finale rolls out on New Year’s Eve. Each volume hits at 8 p.m. ET.

With a three-year gap between season 4 and the upcoming premiere, there’s plenty that viewers may have forgotten. As we count down to "Stranger Things" season 5 volume 1, here are seven key things to remember before diving back into Hawkins’ chaos.

1. Season 4 had several devastating deaths

Gruesome, gut-punch deaths are nothing new for “Stranger Things.” From Barb’s season 1 demise to Bob Newby’s tragic death in front of Joyce, the show has never shied away from heartbreak. But season 4 took that brutality to another level, starting with Chrissy Cunningham. In episode 1, Chrissy is lifted into the air as Vecna snaps her bones and gouges out her eyes, the hallmark of his horrifying kill style. The moment later spawned the meme-able “Chrissy, Wake Up,” but in real time, it was nightmare fuel.

Season 4’s finale brought even more loss: Eddie Munson and (possibly) Max Mayfield. Eddie’s death was final and devastating, heroic and bloody, and capped with his crushing last words to Dustin: “I think it’s finally my year. I love you, man.” As for Max, well ....

2. Max's fate remains unknown

Season 4 revealed that each of Vecna’s kills opened a new gate to the Upside Down, and he only needed one more to merge Hawkins with that realm entirely. Max, weighed down by guilt over Billy Hargrove’s death, became Vecna’s chosen target.

To stop him, the group split into two coordinated plans: Max would serve as bait in the real world while Nancy, Steve, and Robin attempted to destroy Vecna’s physical form in the Upside Down. At the same time, Eleven “piggybacked” into Max’s mind via a makeshift sensory deprivation chamber in a pizza freezer.

While El reached Max and the others set Vecna ablaze, it wasn’t enough. Vecna snapped Max’s limbs, blinded her, and stopped her heart. El managed to restart it after a full minute, but by season’s end, Max was in a coma, and El couldn’t find her in the Void. Whether Max recovers is still unclear — and the odds don’t look good.

3. Hopper is alive and reunited with Eleven

After seemingly dying in the season 3 explosion, Hopper was revealed in season 4 to be alive and imprisoned in Russia. Most of his storyline followed his brutal captivity and Joyce’s relentless efforts to rescue him.

Joyce’s mission ultimately succeeded, leading to Hopper and Eleven’s emotional reunion in Hawkins. That sets Hopper up as a crucial player in the final season, especially since season 4 proved he’s still capable of taking down monstrous threats, including a Demogorgon he dramatically slayed with a sword.

4. Eleven's powers are back and stronger than ever

Though Dr. Brenner was presumed dead after a Demogorgon attack in season 1, he resurfaced in season 4 and became key to restoring Eleven’s abilities. While theories speculated that El lost her powers in season 3 due to exhaustion or the Mind Flayer’s bite, the truth was simpler: they were suppressed.

Through the Nina Project, Brenner and Dr. Sam Owens forced Eleven to revisit her most traumatic memories, unlocking her powers once again. By the time she emerged, they were stronger than ever.

5. Will is still connected to Vecna

Despite being shot and set on fire, Vecna survived season 4. That wasn’t surprising; everything has been building toward a final confrontation between him and Eleven. What was surprising was how the group learned he was still alive: Will Byers could feel him.

Will’s lingering connection to Vecna sets up a fascinating, dangerous dynamic for season 5, one that could become a weapon for either side. Season 4 also revealed that the Upside Down is permanently stuck on Nov. 6, 1983, the day Will originally vanished. The reason behind this frozen timeline remains unknown, but it may tie directly into Will’s connection to Vecna.

6. The Upside Down has come to Hawkins

Hawkins and the Upside Down have always been linked, but after the season 4 finale, the two worlds are more intertwined than ever. A massive 7.4 magnitude “earthquake” destroyed the town, killing 22 people and leaving Hawkins buried under smoke, rifts, and drifting Upside Down spores. Translation: Ihe invasion has officially begun.

And Hawkins won’t be Vecna’s last stop. He told Eleven his plan is to let the world fall so he can “remake it into something beautiful” — a world shaped entirely by him.

7. Vecna, aka Henry Creel, is One

Season 4’s biggest bombshell was Vecna’s true identity. Through recovered memories, Eleven learned that Vecna — aka Henry Creel — is actually One, Dr. Brenner’s first test subject.

Their history runs deep. Manipulating El’s loneliness, One convinced her to remove the Soteria device that kept his powers restrained. Freed, he massacred the Hawkins Lab children, hoping El would join him. When she refused, their battle nearly killed her, but she ultimately overpowered him.

However, in defeating One, she accidentally opened the first gate to the Upside Down and launched his transformation into Vecna. In other words, Eleven didn’t just create the monster—she also forged the very connection between Hawkins and the Upside Down, a truth she will almost certainly confront in season 5.

All four episodes of "Stranger Things" season 5 volume 1 premiere Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix

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It's hard to believe, but "Stranger Things" will soon be over. Finally, after a long three-year wait, "Stranger Things" season 5 is about to give the Duffer brothers' beloved Netflix horror saga (and one of the best Netflix shows you can stream) what is sure to be a huge send-off.

Given the hit show's been away for quite awhile you're probably due for a rewatch, and if you're reading this article on the day of publication (October 23), now is the perfect time to do so. In total, there are 34 episodes of "Stranger Things" to work through; if you start watching one a day right now, you'll be all caught up on everything that's gone down so far (not counting the Broadway show) in perfect time for the show's big comeback.

In preparation for our big reunion with Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and the rest of the Hawkins crew, I've just wrapped up my own rewatch and have ranked all four seasons of "Stranger Things" from worst to best while the show's still fresh in my memory.

Every season of 'Stranger Things,' ranked

4. 'Stranger Things' season 2

I don't think any of the four seasons so far have been "bad," but something had to occupy the bottom spot on this list, and for me, that's "Stranger Things" season 2. As much as it definitely has stuff going for it, I just don't find it too compelling as a follow-up, precisely because I think it feels like too much of a retread of what came before.

Furthermore, the big threats (the mind-flayer shadow monster, the demodogs) don't really work for me nearly as well as either Vecna or the singular terror of the one demogorgon menacing Hawkins, it doesn't necessarily introduce its new characters very well, and it's hard to ignore that this season also contains one of the most divisive episodes of the show to date ("The Lost Sister").

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

3. 'Stranger Things' season 3

Season 3 marginally edges out the show's second season, for me. I know not everyone's a fan of how the third chapter leans quite so heavily into the '80s aesthetic, and some viewers didn't like the underground Russian base shenanigans or that more over-the-top vibe, but I definitely have a soft spot for the third installment.

I like the body snatcher "flayed" plot, and that nasty monster, I think Robin makes for a great addition (the Scoops Ahoy squad might be my fave group of the bunch), and I'm a big fan of the whole finale at Starcourt Mall. I get that it stands out as the show at its most "different," but I definitely found it a blast to revisit.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

2. 'Stranger Things' season 4

The penultimate season of "Stranger Things" took the show to its grimmest places yet and offered grisly shocks, more answers, a major villain, and some of the biggest and best moments from the show to date; I can easily see some viewers ranking season 4 as their favorite chapter of the show to date.

The thing that keeps it from the top spot, for me, is a kind of bloated feeling. Thirteen hours of show split across just seven episodes simply feels like too much, and I really think "Stranger Things" season 4 suffers in the pacing department.

Those movie-length episodes can be a drag, in places, and several storylines (Hopper's most of all) could have been trimmed down to keep the momentum up. On the whole, though? This hugely ambitious series certainly sets the stage for an explosive finale, but it's not my favorite batch of episodes.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

1. 'Stranger Things' season 1

I think what impressed me most of all during my rewatch was just how strongly "Stranger Things" comes out of the gate.

This first season is a real winner: a suspenseful horror/mystery series that's packed full of intrigue and boasts a huge ensemble of well-written and well-performed characters we've come to root for so fiercely over the decade it's been on our screens. Sure, it's smaller in scope than successive seasons, and some scenes may not look as impressive as they once did, but for me, it still feels like the tightest of the bunch. Seeing as the show arrives fully-formed and just hooks you in so easily, it remains my favorite season, to date.

Whether or not "Stranger Things" season 5 can top it remains to be seen, but after this rewatch, I'm more than ready to see whether it's up to the task.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

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We're all waiting for "Stranger Things" season 5 to come to Netflix later this year, and we've just gotten a progress update courtesy of the series' creators, the Duffer Brothers. Over on Instagram, Ross Duffer recently revealed that they've officially locked the first two episodes of "Stranger Things" — and he's hyping up what's in store.

Alongside behind-the-scenes photos of title cards for "The Crawl" and "The Vanishing Of...", he teased that the series premiere was their "favorite, most eventful first episode" since the first chapter, and that episode features "the craziest cold open" they've ever done.

"Chapters One and Two: locked, mixed, scored, colored, DONE," Ross wrote in the captions.

“The Crawl” is our favorite, most eventful first episode since Season 1. “The Vanishing of…” (yeah yeah you think you know who blah blah) has by far the craziest cold open we’ve ever done. One of the sequences we’re most proud of this season."

One thing Ross wasn't allowed to share was how long these first episodes will be — "I would tell you runtimes, but I was told not to", he added — but given the brothers have previously billed the final chapter as being "like eight blockbuster movies," , we could well be streaming some feature-length future installments later in the year.

Given how exciting that recently released "Stranger Things" season 5 trailer was and that David Harbour has called the finale "the best episode they've ever done", I'm feeling more and more confident that this is going to be worth the wait. Here's hoping the show can deliver on all that hype.

When is 'Stranger Things' season 5 coming to Netflix?

If you're not already aware of the "Stranger Things" season 5 release schedule, the final, eight-episode season has been split into three separate volumes.

Volume 1 arrives on November 26 and will contain episodes 1-4. Volume 2 will feature episodes 5 through 7 and is scheduled to drop on Christmas Day (December 25), and the series finale will drop a few days later on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

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After three years of waiting, "Stranger Things" season 5 is finally streaming on Netflix. Well, some of it is, at least. Yes, to extend the hype a little bit longer, the streaming service's hit sci-fi/horror drama has been split up into three separate volumes.

The first four episodes of this final chapter arrived at the end of November, but we've got to wait until the end of the year to truly see how the final battle between Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and the rest of the Hawkins gang and their terrifying final boss, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

We got "Stranger Things" season 5 release dates over the summer, but if you missed them or are counting down the days until the series' return, here's a quick reminder of the "Stranger Things" season 5 release schedule, including precise release times around the world.

'Stranger Things' season 5 release schedule

As I mentioned, Netflix has chosen to divide "Stranger Things" season 5 into three parts, all set for release within the final months of 2025.

"Stranger Things" season 5's first volume contained episodes 1-4, volume 2 consists of episodes 5 through 7, and the "Stranger Things" season 5 final will follow on its own a few days later.

That finale will be a feature-length adventure, too: Netflix recently confirmed a runtime of 125 minutes for episode 8, and teased that it'll have limited fan screenings in select theaters across the US and Canada.

Below, you can find out when each of the three volumes will arrive, and at what time you'll be able to stream them.

"Stranger Things" season 5 volume 1 release date and time

• US: released Wednesday, November 26, 2025 — 5 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. ET
• Canada: released Wednesday, November 26, 2025 — 5 p.m. PST
• UK: released Thursday, November 27, 2025 — 1 a.m. GMT
• Australia: released Thursday, November 27, 2025 — 12 p.m. AEDT

"Stranger Things" season 5 volume 2 release date and time

• US: Thursday, December 25, 2025 — 5 p.m. PT/ 8 p.m. ET
• Canada: Thursday, December 25, 2025 — 5 p.m. PST
• UK: Friday, December 26, 2025 — 1 a.m. GMT
• Australia: Friday, December 26, 2025 — 12 p.m. AEDT

"Stranger Things" season 5 finale release date and time

• US: December 31, 2025 — 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. ET
• Canada: December 31, 2025 — 5 p.m. PST
• UK: Thursday, January 1, 2026 — 1 a.m. GMT
• Australia: Thursday, January 1, 2026 — 12 p.m. AEDT

If we've not listed your time zone here, Netflix has a comprehensive breakdown of specific "Stranger Things" season 5 release times over on Tudum.

'Stranger Things' season 5 episode titles

Netflix released the "Stranger Things" season 5 episode titles back in November 2024, giving us plenty of time to dream up theories about what might be going down in the fall of 1987.

Those episode titles were:

• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 1: "The Crawl"
• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 2: "The Vanishing Of Holly Wheeler" (the character name was censored before the series' premiere)
• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 3: "The Turnbow Trap"
• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 4: "Sorcerer"
• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 5: "Shock Jock"
• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 6: "Escape from Camazotz"
• "Stranger Things" season 5 episode 7: "The Bridge"
• "Stranger Things" season 5 finale: "The Rightside Up"

Looking for something to watch while you wait for the rest of "Stranger Things" season 5 to arrive? Check out our guide to the best shows on Netflix for tons more streaming recommendations to keep you entertained in the meantime.

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Netflix has finally given us another look at "Stranger Things" season 5 with a brand-new trailer, which just dropped today (Wednesday, July 16).

Frankly, it was about time we got fresh info about our next trip to Hawkins, so when the streamer revealed we were due a trailer on July 15, we were excited.

Going into the launch, we didn't know when the streaming service’s new “Stranger Things” teaser would arrive, just that it was coming "today," hence all our build-up coverage.

Like so many fans, we spend our day refreshing the “Stranger Things” X account, hoping the trailer would suddenly pop up. And at 10 a.m. ET, it finally did. Not caught it yet? You can find the new "Stranger Things" season 5 trailer below:

Watch the 'Stranger Things' season 5 teaser trailer here

The long-awaited "Stranger Things" season 5 trailer dropped at 10 a.m. ET, and it really does make the season feel bigger than ever. You can watch it above.

Live — Latest Updates

We’re ready for ‘One Last Adventure’ - let us see the trailer already!

Welcome to TG’s “Stranger Things” season 5 trailer watch live blog! We’re so excited to see more from what will doubtless be one of the biggest TV launches of the rest of 2025, and we’ll be trying to share as much as possible in the run-up to the trailer’s release.

Wait, there's a 'Stranger Things' trailer coming today?

If you missed the news and are just getting caught up. Netflix revealed that a new trailer would be dropping today on social media, accompanied by this imposing new poster featuring the menacing face of Vecna...

Fan reactions look positive

While we've not seen the new teaser, members of the cast have shared a clip on social media wherein they gave a handful of lucky fans the chance to watch the new footage.

Sure, we've not seen the footage, but if we judge it by their reactions, we're in for an epic final season. In other words: get excited.

Reminder: watch the 'Stranger Things' Date Announcement teaser here

Our last bit of "Stranger Things" season 5 footage came at Tudum 2025 earlier this year, in the form of the "Date Announcement" teaser.

Admittedly, a fair bit of that footage was from past seasons of the show, serving as a reminder of everything that's gone down in Hawkins so far, and a brief look at what's to come in the final season.

'Stranger Things' Season 5 release dates

As a reminder, Netflix is once again splitting the forthcoming final instalment up. But unlike season 4, "Stranger Things" fifth chapter will actually be divided into three separate volumes releasing at the end of the year.

Those "Stranger Things" season 5 release dates are:

• "Stranger Things" season 5 Vol. 1 (episodes 1-4): November 26, 2025
• "Stranger Things" season 5 Vol. 2 (episodes 5-7): Christmas Day, 2025
• "Stranger Things" season 5 Vol. 3 (finale): New Year's Eve, 2025

Basically, we'll all be looking for excuses to dodge our families and grab some Netflix screentime over the holiday season!

'Stranger Things' season 5 plot synopsis

Just to refresh your memory of what's in store, I'm gonna share Netflix's "Stranger Things" season 5 plot synopsis below. From what they've shared so far, it sounds like the show's going out in style.

"“The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”

‘Stranger Things’ season 5 episode titles

Here are the official episode titles for “Stranger Things” season 5, which consists of eight episodes split across three volumes:

• Episode 1: The Crawl
• Episode 2: The Vanishing of … (full title intentionally unrevealed)
• Episode 3: The Turnbow Trap
• Episode 4: Sorcerer
• Episode 5: Shock Jock
• Episode 6: Escape from Camazotz
• Episode 7: The Bridge
• Episode 8: The Rightside Up

'Stranger Things' star teases season 5 finale as the 'the best episode they've ever done'

Concerned that the long-awaited final season of “Stranger Things” might not deliver? According to Jim Hopper himself (David Harbour), fans have nothing to worry about.

Speaking during a live taping of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Harbour described the Season 5 finale as “the best episode they’ve ever done.”

Although he admitted, “I can be very critical of this show,” Harbour had nothing but praise for the final episode: “They land the plane, and it is the best episode they've ever done. The end of this episode when we were reading it — just us reading it — about halfway through, people started crying. Then about the last 20 minutes, it was just uncontrollably crying, waves of different people. Noah Schnapp being my favorite.”

Reflecting on the cast's journey, he added, “They started the show when they were 11 and 12, and here we are reading [the finale]. It’s 10 years later, and we examine that idea, and it's so well done and so beautiful. It's such a great episode, and it's such a great season. You guys will love it.” (quotes h/t Deadline).

Will there be any new faces in 'Stranger Things' season 5?

Yes! According to Netflix Tudum, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, and Alex Breaux have been added to the lineup for “Stranger Things” season 5. They’ll be joined by genre icon Linda Hamilton, whose involvement in the final chapter is confirmed, though details about her character are still being kept under wraps.

Full cast list for ‘Stranger Things’ season 5

Here’s a look at the full cast confirmed for the fifth and final season:

• Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
• David Harbour as Jim Hopper
• Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
• Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
• Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
• Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair
• Noah Schnapp as Will Byers
• Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield
• Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler
• Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers
• Joe Keery as Steve Harrington
• Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley
• Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair
• Brett Gelman as Murray Bauma
• Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna
• Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler
• Amybeth McNulty as Vickie
• Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler
• Jake Connelly as Derek
• Alex Breaux as Lt. Akers
• Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay

Will’s journey comes full circle

From the beginning to the end, “Stranger Things “comes full circle. In season 1, Will was the one who vanished. In season 5, he’s the one leading the fight. Stranger Things Memes on X clearly wants to break hearts today.

'Stranger Things' actor confirms they appeared in the final scene shot for season 5

Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, has revealed that he was involved in the final scene filmed for "Stranger Things" season 5 — a detail that raises questions about whether Mike Wheeler survives until the end of the series.

“I was the last thing shot of the show,” Wolfhard said during a recent episode of Q with Tom Power when asked about his final day on set. But when Power followed up with, “So you’re the last shot of the last scene,” the actor clarified, saying, “Well, no, it was that we just like wrapped, like I just was like one of the last people to film basically.”

So while it doesn’t sound like the finale itself was the last thing shot, Wolfhard was among the final cast members on set, suggesting his character could be around for much of the final season. It’s worth noting that TV productions often shoot scenes out of order.

We're all 'so ready' for this trailer to drop

Obviously, we're all excited, but just to gauge how much, take a quick scroll through the #StrangerThings5 hashtag on X - fans around the world literally couldn't be more pumped to get another look at "Stranger Things" season 5. Mostly, I'm seeing tweet after tweet of "I'M SO READY".

IT'S HAPPENING

THE TRAILER IS OUT! I REPEAT: THE TRAILER IS OUT!

Let's go!!

The vibe is impeccable. The stakes look huge, everyone's banding together for the final fight, to an epic score. The monsters, the jeopardy: I love it!

'Let's end this, kid'

Hopper's words have me thinking Eleven will be pushed to the absolute limit this time to fight Vecna off.

Well, that was epic.

I'm still gathering my thoughts on everything I've seen, but let's just say this feels like a final season worth waiting for.

Everyone's hyped for Season 5

Immediately, my first port of call was to go back to X, to see how that teaser has landed with other "Stranger Things" fans, and it looks like the hype-meter has reached fever pitch already.

I'm seeing people grabbing their own screenshots, one viewer calling it a "mind-blowing" teaser, fears for what's to come, and much, much more.

New images have also dropped

While I'm scrambling to pull my thoughts together on the new teaser, I thought I'd flag that, along with the new trailer, Netflix has also put a new selection of stills from the new season... including this rather foreboding one of Steve Harrington equipped with a chainsaw. I feel sorry for whatever Upside Down beast is about to face him, that's for sure.

I already shared another fresh image in the previous post, and will be uploading more of the new images when I can.

See Eleven, Joyce, and more in new 'Stranger Things' stills

As promised, here's a batch of those newly-released "Stranger Things" season 5 stills (I'll be sharing the remainder of Netflix's newly-released images imminently)

Meet some new faces in these new images

Just sharing the remaining few stills as I grab them; these last couple feature two new arrivals, including Linda Hamilton's Dr. Kay and Nell Fisher as Mike's younger sister, Holly Wheeler.

My first few takeaways from today's 'Stranger Things' season 5 trailer

Okay, I've started trying to collect my thoughts a little after all of today's excitement. Here's what I'm thinking after processing all the new footage (which I've shared again, for convenience).

- This final fight's going to be bigger than ever. With the military presence on site and all those scenes of our gang tooled up and ready for battle, this next season feels way more dangerous.

- Max's fate hangs in the balance - Max has already been through the wringer in "Stranger Things" so far, and it looks like that's not about to change. Her last encounter with Vecna left her with broken bones, blinded, and in a coma, and now Lucas is trying to smuggle her out of a facility while being pursued by Demodogs in a scene that screams that "Jurassic Park" scene to me. Can they bring her back?

- Vecna looks more powerful than ever... but so does Eleven. Sure, Jamie Campbell Bower's big bad looks even more menacing in the trailer's final moments, but Eleven's gotten stronger, too: she can even fly now. This power creep has me hyped for the final face-off, for sure.

And finally, a prediction: with all these shocked and panicked faces and all the danger on display, I'm expecting tragedy to strike and potentially to lose more than one of our major party members.

And with that, we can look forward to the show's release (and maybe more info!) later this year. It looks like one hell of a send-off.

'Stranger Things' isn’t technically over after season 5

Even though season 5 signals the end of “Stranger Things” as we know it, we’re not entirely leaving Hawkins, Indiana behind. How? Well, as Tudum puts it, “Saturday morning cartoons are getting turned Upside Down.”

Yes, we’re getting a “Stranger Things” animated series at Netflix, and the title was revealed back in April 2025: “Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85.”

We’ve always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling," the Duffer Brothers told Tudum.

When is 'Stranger Things' season 5 premiering?

Mark your calendars: This holiday season, Netflix is serving Demogorgons with the turkey. “Stranger Things 5” is dropping in three parts, all on or close to big holidays later this year.

Volume 1 arrives November 26 (the day before Thanksgiving) with four episodes.

Volume 2 drops on Christmas Day with three episodes. Talk about a gift!

And Volume 3, the final episode, lands December 31 and is sure you scream in the New Year.

Expect eight episodes (many of them supersized) of Hawkins chaos from the Duffer brothers, with the full gang back, including Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, as well as new face Linda Hamilton joining the fight.

Get ready for a holiday party in the Upside Down.

Last night's Netflix Tudum 2025 revealed new trailers and release dates for the streamer's most beloved returning series like "Squid Game," "Wednesday," and, most exciting of all, "Stranger Things" season 5. Get ready for a three-part return to the Upside Down that kicks off this November.

The fifth and final season of "Stranger Things" will debut in three volumes: the first batch on November 26, the second on Christmas Day, and the third on New Year's Eve. Netflix took a similar approach with the last season, which was released in two parts across May and June 2022.

"Stranger Things" stars Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp and Caleb McLaughlin also announced a new trailer for the series, as you can check out below.

Calling it a new trailer feels like a bit of a stretch, considering it's mostly flashbacks to old seasons, but there is some season 5 footage in there. Including a killer line delivery that caps things off.

Netflix initially promised season 5 would premiere in 2025, and it's just barely making that deadline after wrapping production in December. The streamer has already revealed the episode titles for the show's final outing: “The Crawl,” “The Vanishing of _____,” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape From Camazotz,” “The Bridge” and “The Rightside Up.”

Are split-season releases Netflix's new norm?

Ever since "Stranger Things" season 4, Netflix has adopted a split-season release strategy for many of its shows. Starting in 2024, the streamer began splitting seasons in half for some of its biggest releases like "Bridgerton" and "Emily in Paris" — a stark departure from the streamer's signature binge drop release formula.

The move has proven divisive among viewers from the get-go, with some complaining that the first part of "Stranger Things" season 4 ended too abruptly, while others said they'd already moved on to other shows by the time the second batch of episodes rolled around, ultimately weakening the season's overall impact.

It's unclear whether this will become Netflix's new norm. The streamer seems to be experimenting with different approaches for now, as it released other hit series like "Squid Game" and "Virgin River" in full. Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria refused to discuss the split volume approach during a Q&A with Deadline earlier this year.

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• I’ve completely stopped caring about ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 — here’s why I’m not sure it’s worth the wait
• Netflix top 10 shows — here's the 3 worth watching right now

I know this headline is bound to stir up some controversy and it’s a hot take that plenty of fans probably won’t agree with. Honestly, this isn’t an opinion I’m thrilled to share. In fact, I wish I could be writing about how excited I am for “Stranger Things” season 5 instead, but unfortunately, that’s just not the case.

At this point, my excitement must be stuck in the Upside Down.

There’s no need to explain why “Stranger Things” isn’t just one of the biggest Netflix shows — it’s one of the biggest shows of all time. Period. Since season 1 dropped back in 2016, it’s built a massive fanbase, and I’m a part of it. My current lack of interest may suggest otherwise, but this was a show I genuinely enjoyed, and I was content on board the hype train.

But with season 5 returning sometime in 2025 (seemingly toward the end of the year), it’s hard to keep that same energy. The wait has been long, and while anticipation is at an all-time high for many fans, I’m struggling to see how this final season could possibly live up to it.

If you’re willing to entertain my hot take, here’s why I’m not exactly rushing to return to Hawkins.

The long wait is its biggest downfall

“Oh, but the wait will be worth it!” This, unfortunately, isn’t something I can agree with right now. And while I appreciate that most fans are probably excited, I’m more worried than anything.

The wait between “Stranger Things” seasons has always been lengthy, but season 5 has pushed it to an extreme. Season 1 debuted in 2016, with season 2 following just over a year later in 2017. After that, the gaps widened — season 3 arrived in 2019, and due to pandemic-related delays, season 4 didn’t hit Netflix until 2022 (so that’s understandable).

Now, with season 5 expected to premiere in 2025, fans will have waited another three years for the final chapter. That’s nearly a decade since the show first began, and while anticipation can build excitement, it can also lead to fatigue. Sadly, I’ve fallen into the latter category.

The long wait really does kill momentum. It’s been so long since “Stranger Things” season 4 that I barely remember how things left off. Sure, I could rewatch it, but I shouldn’t have to rely on a refresher just to feel invested again.

When a show has this big of a gap between seasons, it risks losing that emotional connection with its audience.

Then there’s the cast. The longer the wait, the older they get, and at this point, it’s getting harder to buy them as teenagers. It’s not their fault, of course, but it does make time jumps feel less like a creative decision and more like a necessity. And I’m pretty sure there will be a time jump in the next season just to make things consistent.

Another issue that stems from the long wait is reconnecting with the characters all over again. I found each character interesting in the first few seasons, but after years away, I feel like I’ve moved on. I shouldn’t have to remind myself why I care — it should be instinctual, right?

A great show keeps you hooked, but when there are massive delays, that emotional bond starts to fade.

When you wait this long for a finale, it has to be spectacular. Anything less than this is going to feel like a letdown for a lot of people. The pressure is piling on, and honestly, that worries me more than it excites me.

A movie marathon disguised as a TV show

Entertainment Weekly reported that Matt and Ross Duffer are describing the final stretch of the hit Netflix series not as traditional episodes but as “eight blockbuster movies.”

Ross Duffer said, “We spent a full year filming this season. By the end, we had captured over 650 hours of footage. So, needless to say, this is our biggest and most ambitious season yet. It’s like eight blockbuster movies. It’s pretty, pretty insane.”

Making a TV show feel like a full-blown movie marathon isn’t necessarily a good thing. “Stranger Things” was always meant to be an easy-to-binge, fast-paced show. But when every episode is said to be nearly two hours long, it starts feeling like a commitment rather than something you can casually enjoy.

Most of it comes down to the pacing. Just because something is longer doesn’t mean it’s better. A stretched-out runtime could lead to unnecessary filler, dragging out scenes that don’t need to be. I might even have to split an episode in half and finish it the next day just to make it somewhat watchable.

Of course, one of the best things about TV is the suspense between episodes, that feeling of “I need to watch the next one right now.” When episodes are basically movies, that anticipation might not hit the same way. And let’s be real — not everyone has the time to sit through a movie-length episode in one sitting. Season 4 even felt lengthy for what it was.

Instead of watching an episode here and there, people might feel like they need to carve out an entire afternoon just to keep up. And even though “Stranger Things” season 5 might be packed with relentless tension and emotionally draining scenes, sometimes you really do need a break from that stuff.

More content sounds great on paper, but there is such a thing as too much.

If “Stranger Things” really wants to go out with a bang and change my opinion, it needs to raise the stakes. Vecna is one of the most compelling villains the show has introduced, and I hope they don’t nerf his abilities just to keep the main characters safe (even if he isn't in his scary form).

A final season should feel final, and that means real consequences — actual losses, not just near-deaths for shock value. Max’s “death” in season 4 could have been a truly heartbreaking moment, but by pulling back at the last second, it lost so much of its impact. If season 5 is going to be emotional, they can’t hold back. Side characters shouldn’t be the only ones in danger this time.

So yes, if they want this finale to hit, it needs to hurt.

Despite my obvious lack of excitement, though, I’m still holding onto a bit of hope that “Stranger Things” season 5 will bring the nostalgia and entertainment it’s always been known for. Maybe it’ll surprise me, and I’ll end up getting swept back into the world of Hawkins like before and then regret ever writing this piece.

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We might have just learned when "Stranger Things" season 5 will finally start streaming on Netflix.

To be clear, it's important to approach these sorts of rumors with a healthy dose of skepticism. Netflix has not confirmed an official "Stranger Things" season 5 release date, but a potential release date's worth entertaining all the same.

The news comes courtesy of X account @UpsideDownScoop, which tracks all kinds of updates about the hit Netflix Original. After doing some digging around in the code on the Netflix website, @UpsideDownScoop stumbled upon Thursday, November 27, 2025 as a potential "Stranger Things" season 5 launch date.

That's a pretty significant date, in the U.S: it means you could be spending Thanksgiving huddled around a TV racing through the final season of one of the best Netflix shows there is.

The fan behind the account goes on to explain their workings in another post, while also noting the show is "listed to release in one volume", per their findings.

Is this really when 'Stranger Things' season 5 will drop?

Compelling though it may be, I'm not totally convinced that this is likely to be when "Stranger Things" season 5 arrives.

On the one hand, I think if it was due to arrive within the next couple of months, we'd have probably had some sort of release window by now.

There's also the matter of that "Squid Game" leak which suggested the final season would be dropping in the summer (See our "Squid Game" season 3 hub for more info).

Netflix will no doubt want both shows to get the chance to shine as they bow out, so they'll probably be spaced out significantly through the year, especially seeing as "Wednesday" season 2's also due to arrive at some point in 2025, too.

Nevertheless, I just can't shake the feeling that Netflix wouldn't want to drop the final season of one of their biggest-ever shows on a major U.S. holiday.

Debuting on Thanksgiving would mean millions of Netflix members likely wouldn't be able to start streaming "Stranger Things" season 5 right away and would have to spend their holiday dodging spoilers as the rest of the world tunes in.

I'm also pretty skeptical of the claim that season 5 will be released in one volume. Netflix has been splitting its biggest shows into multiple volumes with increasing frequency in recent years, and if there's one thing the streamer's going to drag out into two batches, it's surely one of their most well-known shows, right?

With both those things in mind, it seems more likely that we still don't know when in 2025 the final season will land. Perhaps this info's just on Netflix as a placeholder for when the season's added to the site?

To be truthful, I hope this release date is wrong, for another big reason. Thanks in no small part to this rather large gap between the fourth and fifth seasons, my excitement for the final chapter has definitely waned a fair bit. If this date is the real, we'll have waited nearly three and a half years for our return to Hawkins and, frankly, I just can't hang onto hype that long.

Hopefully, Netflix will put us out of our collective misery and gives us a clearer idea of when "Stranger Things" season 5 will finally come to our screens soon.

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It's "Stranger Things" day, and Netflix has marked the occasion with a taste of what's to come in "Stranger Things" season 5.

If you didn't know, "Stranger Things" day takes place on November 6, which is the same day that Will Byers first disappeared and the whole Hawkins saga was set in motion back in 1983.

Following that big behind-the-scenes "Stranger Things" update we got earlier in the year, the streamer dropped a handful of treats. First off, we got a new teaser confirming a few key details about the new season (embedded below).

Yes, this new "Stranger Things" teaser is really just a modified version of the title sequence, but it still tells us a few things about the new season.

Firstly, we got confirmation that the new season will indeed drop at some point in 2025. It's frustrating that it's not an exact release date, but it's confirmation that the long wait between seasons is finally coming to an end next year.

It also told us that the new season is set in the fall of 1987, roughly 18 months on from our last trip to Hawkins, and detailed the episode titles for "Stranger Things" season 5 (which we've listed later in this article).

Later in the day, Netflix then dropped some "Stranger Things" season 5 set photos. Check them out below:

The new shots don't give much away, being just a photo of our core four together for their final chapter, plus snaps of Steve, Nancy, Dustin and Jonathan looking all smiles in Steve's car, plus a snap of Joyce and Jim messing around and a moody still of WSQK radio station.

While I'm sure fans are already hard at work theorizing about what's in the frame here, I can't help but think that the biggest thing occupying fans' minds for the foreseeable will instead be those cryptic episode titles, especially that redacted one.

What are the "Stranger Things" season 5 episode titles?

Don't want to scrub through the clip? We've listed the eight "Stranger Things" season 5 episode titles below, for ease:

• Episode 1 -"The Crawl"
• Episode 2 - "The Vanishing Of..." [This title was left incomplete in the clip]
• Episode 3 -"The Turnbow Trap"
• Episode 4 - "Sorcerer"
• Episode 5 - "Shock Jock"
• Episode 6 - "Escape from Camazotz"
• Episode 7 - "The Bridge"
• Episode 8 - "The Rightside Up"

Again, a list of episode names isn't quite as exciting as, say, an actual trailer might have been. However, I'd wager there's still enough there to start digging deep into the lore and doing some serious theorycrafting.

As I'm sure everyone else is doing, I've immediately started looking for any potential clues as to what the gang might face this time around. What could Camazotz be? Who (or what) has vanished?

It's only a list of episode titles, but it's still enough to keep me occupied during the wait for another "Stranger Things" update from one of the best streaming services on the market.

"Stranger Things" season 5 airs sometime in 2025. Looking for something else to stream while you wait for the show to return? Be sure to check out our full rundown of the best Netflix shows for tons of streaming recommendations.

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Worried that the long-awaited final season of "Stranger Things" won't stick the landing? The Netflix original has already earned the seal of approval from Jim Hopper (David Harbour).

During a live recording of the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Harbour praised the "Stranger Things" season 5 finale as "the best episode they've ever done."

While Harbour pointed out that he "can be very critical of this show," he said: "They land the plane, and it is the best episode they've ever done.

"The end of this episode when we were reading it — just us reading it — about halfway through, people started crying. Then about the last 20 minutes, it was just uncontrollably crying, waves of different people. Noah Schnapp being my favorite," he said.

"They started the show when they were 11 and 12, and here we are reading [the finale]. It’s 10 years later, and we examine that idea, and it's so well done and so beautiful. It's such a great episode, and it's such a great season. You guys will love it," Harbour added, (quotes via Deadline).

"Stranger Things" season 5 does not yet have an official release date, but the final chapter is expected to air at some point in 2025, three years on from our last trip to Hawkins.

The last major update we got about the show came in July, when Netflix dropped a new behind-the-scenes clip from the set of "Stranger Things." At that time, we learned the series was halfway through shooting, and members of the core crew echoed similar sentiments to Harbour's.

We don't know too much about the plot of season 5, either, save for the fact it involves several new castmates — Linda Hamilton, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux — and will presumably involve seeing Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and co. finally taking Vecna down for good and discovering more about the mysterious Upside Down.

Looking for something new to binge while you wait for the show to return? Check out our guide to the best Netflix shows you can stream right now. We also recently saw the first trailer for "The Electric State", a new sci-fi movie from the Russo brothers starring Millie Bobby Brown and Christ Pratt.

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Waiting for a "Stranger Things" season 5 progress report? Well, Netflix just delivered one. 

To celebrate being halfway through filming on one of the very best Netflix shows, the team just released a behind-the-scenes clip that gives us a taste of how the cast and crew are feeling about the new series. While you can't glean too much about the plot of season 5 from what we see, the cast and crew are clearly very hyped for this final chapter.

The official "Stranger Things" account shared the clip on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "Take it all in, nerds... we've hit the halfway mark of filming the final season and wanted to give you all a look at what we've been up to." We've also embedded it below so you can check it out:

The new behind-the-scenes teaser features snippets of the cast and crew on and off set. In it, we get a hint at the sheer scale of production we're working on: Sadie Sink wanders through a colossal costume warehouse; there are glimpses at the Upside Down; and we even see how they make Vecna's tendrils so gross (someone's literally coating them by hand). 

You'll also spy some new faces among the cast, as this trailer gave a sneak peek of new castmates Linda Hamilton, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux on set.

While you're drinking all this in, you'll hear from many of the cast and crew, all of whom are clearly very excited to be hard at work. Noah Schnapp muses that this will be "the best season yet," Jamie Campbell Bower promises that this chapter "feels bigger," and Caleb McLaughlin promises that "the wait will be worth it."

Sadly, we still don't have an exact release date to play with just yet, though we do know the season is reportedly dropping in 2025. Whether or not the final season will drop all at once is also a mystery right now. 

With shooting only 50% done at the time of writing, and the fact that Maya Hawke recently claimed the final season is "basically, eight movies," and all the episodes are going to be "very long" it seems possible that Netflix will split the final series again. Hopefully, as production continues, we'll get more info soon. 

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"Stranger Things" season 5 is coming to Netflix in 2025, and we've just had a fresh look at what's in store in this fifth — and final — season of the streaming service's huge sci-fi/horror series.

"Stranger Things" season 4 burst on the scene in 2022. That split batch of episodes introduced viewers to Henry Creel — aka Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), the show's ultimate villain — and set everything in place for an epic final arc. And when the show finally returns later in 2025, we'll have waited over three entire years to make our return to Hawkins and see how that final story plays out.

"Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for 'Stranger Things,'" series creators the Duffer Brothers wrote in a post announcing the final season on X. "At the time, we predicted the story would last four or five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you'll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last."

While countless fans will surely be sad to say goodbye to Mike, Eleven, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and the rest of the Hawkins gang (and to one of the very best Netflix shows), everything we've seen from this final outing suggests "Stranger Things" is getting a killer send-off.

Here's everything we know so far about "Stranger Things" season 5 right now.

'Stranger Things' season 5 release dates

At Tudum 2025, Netflix confirmed the "Stranger Things" season 5 release dates, revealing that the series would be split into three separate volumes, releasing globally at 5 p.m. PT on the respective days.

The first batch will air on November 26, 2025, the second on Christmas Day, and the third on New Year's Eve. (You can find your local launch time via this Tudum post).

On December 20, 2024, after multiple delays, we learned that "Stranger Things" season 5 had finally wrapped production, courtesy of an update on the show's social media (an update that reiterated a 2025 launch).

In March 2025, speaking with Screen Rant at SXSW, Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield, shared some words about the emotional last day of filming.

"It's so emotional," Sink said. "We wrapped in December. It was a really hard day, but yeah, crazy to kind of say goodbye to your childhood in that way. I think I'm still processing all of it, but what a beautiful experience I've been for eight years of my life."

'Stranger Things' season 5 cast

Confirmed "Stranger Things" season 5 cast members include almost all series regulars from Season 4, including:

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven: A powerful young girl with telekinetic and telepathic abilities who escapes a government lab and is now trying to help her friends seal off the "Upside Down" and its horde of monsters forever.

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler: Eleven's best friend and central connection to the human world.

Noah Schnapp as Will Byers: After being abducted to the Upside Down, Will Byers maintains a mysterious connection to the Upside Down, and wants to help his friends discover the mysteries behind this otherworldly realm.

Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson: The undeniable heart of the group, Dustin keeps his friends close despite overwhelming odds.

Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair: Athletic, brave, and logical, Lucas sometimes feels like an outsider, but he knows his friends always have his back.

Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield: A skateboard-loving and independent girl who becomes a close friend to the group, and a love interest for Lucas.

Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair: Lucas's no-nonsense younger sister who gets drawn into the group's mysteries.

Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler: A resourceful and intelligent high school senior who uses her journalistic skills to investigate the strange happenings in Hawkins.

Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers: Will's older brother who becomes romantically involved with Nancy.

Joe Keery as Steve Harrington: A former high school jock who develops a protective bond with Dustin and the others.

Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley: A quick-witted girl who works with Steve at Scoops Ahoy and becomes a member of the crew.

David Harbour as Jim Hopper: A gruff but caring police chief who becomes Eleven's adoptive father and Joyce Byers' love interest.

Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers: Will and Jonathan's protective mother who will do anything to keep her kids (and Jim Hopper) safe.

Jamie Campbell Bower as Henry Creel/Vecna: A dangerous being with telekinetic powers who threatens Hawkins from the Upside Down.

In addition to this cast of regulars, Linda Hamilton (of "Terminator" fame) has joined the cast for this last trip to the Upside Down. She's playing Dr. Kay and is confirmed to be in multiple episodes.

As of our latest update, we know that Linda Hamilton isn't the only new face gracing Hawkins this time, either. In a recent set video (more on that below), we saw Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux are also on hand; they've subsequently been confirmed as Holly Wheeler, Derek Turnbow, and Lt. Akers, respectively

Sadly, one actor who won't be back is Joseph Quinn, who played fan-favorite character Eddie Munson in Stranger Things 4.

The Duffer Brothers confirmed that the character would not be back for season 5 on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, and despite hopeful fan theories, said that the character truly died in season 4 during the demo-bat showdown with Dustin.

'Stranger Things' season 5 plot

The first four seasons of "Stranger Things" cover a lot of ground. The series starts off in 1983 with the disappearance of Will Byers into the mysterious realm known as the "Upside Down" His friends, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas, search for him, encountering Eleven, a mysterious girl with telekinetic powers, who has a mysterious connection to another dimension she calls the Upside Down, which is populated with monsters that the group of friends call Demogorgons, who are beginning to make their way into our world.

The first season ends with the gang saving their friend (with some help from Sherrif Jim Hopper and Will's mother Joyce) but also unwittingly unleashing an even bigger monster.

Season 2 fast-forwards to a year later: 1984. Things appear normal in Hawkins, but unbeknownst to the group of friends, Will is being possessed by something called the Mind Flayer, who has its sights on learning more about the town. Making matters more complicated is the new girl, Max, and her brother Billy, who immediately draw attention and suspicion from the group.

Though the Mind Flayer is seemingly defeated at the end of season 2, Will alerts the group during season 3 that he believes this entity hasn't actually left and is now targeting the citizens of Hawkins as part of its plan to reopen the gate to the Upside Down. Romance and conflict blossom in equal measure within the friend group, and emotions run high as a climactic battle takes place inside the Starcourt Mall, where sacrifices are made to defeat the Mind Flayer once and for all.

Season 4 picks up in 1986, with the group scattered. Eleven and the Byers family have moved to California, while Mike visits them on spring break. But their attempt at normalcy is shattered following several gruesome murders back in Hawkins. Though Eleven gave up her powers, she must rediscover them at a secret laboratory to help defeat Vecna, an evil creature from the Upside Down who is later revealed to be Henry Creel, or 001.

Once again, all roads lead to Hawkins, as Vecna claims victim after victim in Hawkins, and his connection to Eleven is revealed. And while the team is able to temporarily deal with this threat, it is clear that Vecna isn't done with his evil plot just yet...

When "Stranger Things" season 5 picks up, a lot of time will have passed following season 4, and the Duffer Brothers have confirmed a substantial time jump will be used. The brothers have also revealed in multiple interviews that the main focus of season 5 will be to break down the mythology of the Upside Down and defeat Vecna once and for all.

We've now gotten a full synopsis from "Stranger Things" season 5 from Netflix.

It reads: "The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”"

In June 2024, Vecna himself, Jamie Campbell Bower, teased that the show is hurtling towards an 'out of control' final season. Speaking on iHeart's "I've Never Said This Before with Tommy DiDario", Bower let slip that the new season is about to be massive.

"If you thought last season was nuts, this season is just out of control, wild, like, it's bonkers. It really, really is. It's bigger. It's just completely insane. It's completely insane", he said.

Is there a 'Stranger Things' season 5 trailer?

If you missed it, Netflix dropped a real "Stranger Things" season 5 teaser trailer on Wednesday, July 16.

It shows the entire Hawkins lot prepping for an epic final battle, sets higher-than-ever stakes, and features plenty of peril and dangerous scenes from Hawkins and the Upside Down. Check it out below:

Before that, we got a few brief glimpses at footage in the "Stranger Things" season 5 date announcement teaser.

That clip was mostly made up of old footage from previous seasons, though it did lay the groundwork for all that jeopardy seen above with a handful of choice clips.

On "Stranger Things" day (November 6) 2024, Netflix treated us to a "Stranger Things" season 5 teaser revealing each of the eight episode titles, giving us material to try and guess at what might be in store.

In case you want those episode titles written out, here they are:

1. "The Crawl"
2. "The Vanishing Of ______" (censored in the teaser)
3. "The Turnbow Trap"
4. "Sorcerer"
5. "Shock Jock"
6. "Escape from Camazotz"
7. "The Bridge"
8. "The Rightside Up"

Last summer, Netflix shared a behind-the-scenes teaser to mark the fact that the cast and crew were officially halfway through shooting the final season.

In it, we get glimpses at some of the season 5 sets, see those new faces we mentioned above, and learn just how hyped the cast and crew are about season 5 (spoiler alert: they were all very excited).

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Anticipation's steadily mounting for the final season of Netflix's hit sci-fi/supernatural show, Stranger Things. Production delays on Stranger Things season 5 due to the ongoing Writers' Guild of America strike have left fans speculating what the climactic finale could bring. And with that comes inevitable comparisons to another hotly anticipated show finale in recent memory, leaving many to wonder: Will Stranger Things' ending make the same mistakes as Game of Thrones did? 

Season 5 director Dan Trachtenberg put those fears to rest in a recent Variety interview. He clarified that fans wouldn't see a Game of Thrones-style arc where the momentum starts strong and loses steam mid-season, only for the climax to unfold across the final episodes. 

"I don’t think Stranger Things falls into a category of television seasons like Game of Thrones where the pilot is cool, slows down, and the last two episodes are the big battle," he said. "I can tell you, and pointing to other seasons, there is rock and roll throughout the entire season." 

And he doesn't mean "rock and roll" in just a metaphorical sense either. Trachtenberg teased that season 5 would continue the series' tradition of using a killer soundtrack packed with '80s hits. It all leads up to a satisfying closure for the characters who've been part of viewers' lives for almost a decade, watching the show's young cast grow up before their very eyes.

Cast ready to close the book on Stranger Things

But while some viewers may regret seeing Stranger Things come to an end, the actors involved seem ready to close the final chapter. Joe Keery, whose breakout role as Steve Harrington has been a fan-favorite character since season 1, has said though it'll be hard to walk away after nearly a decade on the project, the timing feels right.

“It does feel like it’s time. It won’t be easy for it to end. I mean, I owe my whole career to being on that show and all the opportunities that I had since are because of that show,” Keery told Women's Wear Daily in an interview this week. “So it’s very convoluted. There’s a sense of relief, there’s a sense of sadness. I guess my goal is to just really soak it up as much as I can while we’re doing it, and not take any of it for granted because it’s been an amazing ride with such great people. And then once it’s done, move forward and try to just hold on to the joy that we had when we were making it….Everything has a beginning and the middle and an end. It’ll be nice to have the end of this too.”

Earlier this month, David Harbour, who plays the prickly but kind-hearted police chief Jim Hopper, echoed this sentiment in an interview with NME. 

“There’s something about pouring yourself into the final season,” he said, “that sprint to the finish line, that is exciting and almost euphoric to me.

To tide you over while you wait for season 5, check out our round-ups of the most pressing questions Stranger Things' finale needs to answer as well as the major plot points showrunners have hinted at so far. 

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The final season of Netflix's hit sci-fi/supernatural show is almost certain to go out with a bang. But while showrunners have been tight-lipped about what to expect with Stranger Things season 5, we now know one character will be at the center of it all. 

Already the show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, have all but confirmed the final installment will feature a time jump, likely seeing the young cast who grew up before our very eyes on the verge of graduating high school. Now they've shared which character will be in the spotlight and possibly tie everything — all the bizarre happenings in Hawkins and beyond since that fateful D&D campaign in season 1 — together: Will Byers. 

“Will really takes center stage again in [season] 5,” Ross Duffer said in a recent interview with Variety. “This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together."

Played by Noah Schnapp, Will is the youngest and most timid of the show's main ensemble of kids who fight supernatural horrors in the 1980s. Much of the character's storyline in season 4 revolved around his unrequited crush on his best friend Mike, the culmination of a long-running fan theory regarding Will's closeted sexuality. Schnapp later came out as gay in a Tiktok video with the caption that he was "more similar to Will" than he thought. Will's journey of self-acceptance will feature prominently in the upcoming season, Duffer said. 

"Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected," he continued. "So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality — it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.”

It's a fitting end to one of the best shows on Netflix. Since it premiered in 2016, Stranger Things has been nothing short of a phenomenon with everything from demogorgons to "Justice for Barb" to "Running Up the Hill" pervading popular culture. 

Production on the fifth and final season was set to begin earlier this year, but it's been brought to a halt by the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. While we still don't have an exact date for when season 5 will arrive, the Duffers brothers disclosed in July plans to open the writer's room back up in August. David Harbour, who plays the prickly but kind-hearted police chief Jim Hopper, said in an interview with NME this week that whenever production kicks off again, he's raring to go. 

“There’s something about pouring yourself into the final season,” he said, “that sprint to the finish line, that is exciting and almost euphoric to me.”

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Stranger Things season 5 was set to start production very soon. David Harbour had even said shooting was set for June. That's not the case anymore, as the writers' strike continues.

Breaking with trends seen at other shows (more on that below) Stranger Things 5 will wait until the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike is over. Showrunners Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer explained it on the Stranger Things writers' twitter account.

The Duffers, who write, direct and produce on Stranger Things, tweeted "Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then -- over and out. #wgastrong."

The argument that "Writing does not stop when filming begins," as I'll explain below" is in stark contrast with how other shows are going about things.

So, while we pegged Stranger Things season 5 as having a mid-2024 release date, that window will extend further into the future as long as the writers' strike continues. Stranger Things fans are more than used to delays, as Stranger Things 4 was heavily postponed due to the pandemic.

The 2023 writers' strike is the first Hollywood strike of the streaming era, and the first since 2007. The East and West branches of the Writers Guild of America — which total around 11,500 writers total, began their strike on May 2, 2023. The main focus of this strike is residuals from streaming media such as Stranger Things, and the writers also voiced concerns that AI such as ChatGPT could be used to replace them.

Stranger Things isn't the only series impacted by the writers' strike. Nightly and weekly talk shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon are on pause until the strike is over, as is the upcoming Marvel movie Blade. 

Analysis: Stranger Things is an outlier in the Writers' Strike

The Duffers' act of solidarity doesn't just mean Stranger Things season 5 will come later. It also means that the show will be produced with its entire staff working in harmony, once the strike is over.

That said, some of the biggest shows on TV will continue along while their writers lower their pencils. Variety reports that House of the Dragon season 2 will continue production without its writers. The outlet notes that the scripts had been finished. The outlet also reports that Andor season 2 production is continuing on as well.

That said different shows will be impacted in different ways by these calls to continue production. Variety reports that at Amazon's Prime Video, production for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 will continues without its showrunners/executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay (who made plans with the production team in case this were to happen).

For House of the Dragon, executive producer Ryan Condal is on set, but operating in a non-writing capacity. Andor's Tony Gilroy is conducting his on-set work in the same way.

For all of these shows, where scripts are such a crucial part of the story-telling — Andor and House of the Dragon specifically — working without your writers able to help make on-the-fly adjustments sounds incredibly difficult. Surprises on set always  occur, and actors would likely have questions about the scripts. 

But, because studios don't want to lose money, or have their shows delayed, these sets continue to produce. And it could lead to compromised quality, something Stranger Things season 5 is avoiding with its delays.

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Yes, folks Stranger Things 5 is revving its motors up, and it comes at an interesting time, at least if you care about what Netflix show is the biggest of all time (in terms of popularity). But, first, let's break down the details at hand.

The @strangerwriters Twitter account, run by the writer's room for the popular Netflix series, posted a photo of their mostly blank white board yesterday (August 2). The board bears a rough version of a Stranger Things 5 logo, while the tweet is captioned "Day 1."

What this means for Stranger Things season 5 is that everything is right on schedule. We can't find the details on when Stranger Things 4 began its writers room, but we do know what star David Harbour has said about the schedule for the upcoming season.

The actor told GQ UK that "I think we’ll [shoot] next year. They’re finishing writing it this year, and they need to prep and stuff, so hopefully it’ll be this year ... But I think that’s the plan. So it’d probably come out mid-2024, based on our track record." How diplomatic of him.

And, yes, let's go back to the meta story at hand about Stranger Things 4's viewership. As Variety notes, Netflix calculates a season's popularity based on its viewership during the first 28 days of availability.

Stranger Things 4 ended that window with 1.4 billion hours viewed, which places it below the king of the mountain: Squid Game, which had 1.7 billion hours. ST4 even had an advantage of having a 5-hours longer running time of around 13 hours to Squid Game's 8. Squid Game season 2, we should note, is already in the works.

We don't know if the Stranger Things writers will even notice this news, though. The pressure to make Stranger Things 5 a great ending for the series is likely the only thing on their minds.

Consider this your spoiler warning for all things Stranger Things 4!

Analysis: What Stranger Things 5 needs

While we've got a total of 13 questions Stranger Things season 5 needs to answer, we're mostly curious about a handful of choices the show will make. While we've accepted Eddie Munson is dead, we need to know about the scale of the new season. Will the kids and adults of Hawkins still be the top line of defense? How would the U.S. government allow that to happen?

Also, Max's fate seems to be still upside-down a bit, though we think she'll play a role in offing Vecna for good. Similarly, we need Will Byers to help his friends beat the beast.

Lastly, is Stranger Things 5 going to have a larger than usual time jump to allow for the aging of the actors? Or will we just pretend they're all still young? Either way, Stranger Things 4 proved why the series is one of the best shows on Netflix, and we can't wait for more.

The runaway success of Netflix’s Stranger Things won’t have gone unnoticed by its rivals in the streaming space, and now Amazon Prime Video has released something in a very similar vein, involving 80s kids dealing with the supernatural. 

But while that may sound like a flimsy imitation, Paper Girls — based on the comic of the same name from Brian K Vaughan and Cliff Chiang — has impressed the critics with its first season, earning itself an 87% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes over the course of its inaugural eight-episode run.

“It has great Stranger Things energy (or should that be The Goonies and Stand By Me meta-energy?) but everything feels fresh,” The Guardian says in its four-star review. “They band together first in the face of men’s aggression, and this awareness of the common dangers that connect them, even when they differ superficially and challenge each other, gives the whole thing an unusually firm grounding.”

While the show tells a time traveling science fiction story, it’s often as a backdrop to explore the girls’ characters more deeply, as Keith Phipps at TV Guide notes. 

“The mind-bending time contortions make it grabby,” he writes. “The characters' inner lives give it heart. But it's the combination of the two — and the willingness to pause to focus on the latter — that makes Paper Girls stand out.”

This is echoed by Dan Fienberg at Hollywood Reporter: “Although fantastical elements give Paper Girls its hook, what’s actually fantastic about the eight-episode series is its unexpectedly lovely depiction of preteen female friendship." 

Nick Allen from RogerEbert.com agrees. “A surprising time travel coming-of-age story that largely does away with nostalgic needle drops and sights, but does make you care about each of the 12-year-old girls and their lives,” he writes.

It apparently works, in large part because of the performances of the main stars, described by USA Today as “wonderful talents performing thoughtful scripts.”

Praise isn’t universal, however, and there are five ‘rotten’ reviews in the barrel of ‘fresh’ ones — although these are more in the middling range than actively bad. 

“The comics were a dizzying punk time war across the broad spectrum of the cosmos, featuring multiple versions of our heroes,” laments Clint Worthington at Consequence TV. “But this show only has the budget for a couple of different timelines, only a few decades apart, and it struggles to fill that time.”

Meanwhile, Richard Roeper at the Chicago Sun Times believes it has potential to become “a kind of less nostalgic Stranger Things”, but “they’re going to have to kick things into a faster and more compelling gear to convince us this is a story worth a long run.”

The cliffhanger ending suggests that Amazon is planning for that long run with multiple series, which is a brave move in a year when Netflix cancellations are into double figures already. But the general consensus is that it does enough to justify the plan, and hopefully we’ll see it bloom into the show that can scratch the sci-fi itch when Stranger Things season 5 brings the saga to a close.

So if you enjoyed the retro sci-fi of Stranger Things, it looks like Paper Girls could be a must-watch on Amazon Prime Video. 

Next: If you're looking for something a little lighter to watch Uncoupled with Neil Patrick Harris just rocketed into the Netflix top 10. Meanwhile, Showtime just canceled The First Lady after one season. We've also got the details for Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head release date and time.

David Harbour, who plays Jim Hopper in Stranger Things, has spoken out about his body transformation between seasons three and four of the hit Netflix show. In the time between seasons, his character has been held captive by Russians at a labor camp, so Harbour worked with personal trainer David Higgins to undergo a serious transformation. 

Taking to Instagram, the actor wrote, “my trainer David Higgins worked with me for eight months to make the transformation, and then another year to keep it through the pandemic. All told it was a difficult and exciting ride, changing diet and exercise plans (or lack thereof).” Harbour revealed how he dropped from weighing 265-270 pounds in Season 3 to 190 pounds in Season 4. 

Harbour went on to explain how he “ballooned up” again, ahead of his upcoming movie Violent Night where he plays Jolly Old St. Nick. “I am struggling to fight back down towards a good weight for wherever Hopper ends up in season 5. All this up and down is not good for the body, and I’ll have to give it up soon, but it is such a fun part of the job to live in a different version of your skin for a while,” he wrote. 

But how did he shed over 75 pounds to play the leaner version of Hopper we saw in season 4? Here’s what we learned from an Instagram live Harbour did with his trainer, David Higgins. 

Pilates exercises 

Trainer David Higgins got Harbour started by doing simple Pilates exercises to address injuries and imbalances in his body. “Those little Pilates movements were so vital, and they fixed my knee, my toe, and my ankle, my hip and everything so I could move.” Harbour revealed they had a reformer Pilates machine on set, and he did an hour-long session five days a week. 

Intermittent fasting 

“It’s basically like, just being hungry” Harbour laughed. “It was really hard for the first couple of months.” Harbour and Higgins revealed the star did intermittent fasting to lose 40-50 pounds in the four months before filming for Stranger Things 4 began. “How I usually approach it is, are you a breakfast person or a dinner person,” Higgins said. “You start with whatever the most important meal of the day is to you, and you work within an eight to 10-hour window of that.” 

He wanted a lean, boxer’s physique for that shirtless scene 

The scene that we really trained for was that scene where he gets undressed with Joyce. We wanted to show this body that had been hardened by this prison — a guy that was more brutal, but that was thinner and had not been eating as well. And so we really talked about crafting this lean boxing physique,” Harbour said. In the run-up to this scene, Harbour revealed he did a few days of 24-hour fasts to shed extra pounds. When he did eat on set it was a small meal, mainly consisting of salad and Greek yogurt. 

Stranger Things fans made it easy to stay motivated 

When speaking about how he stayed so focused on his goal, Harbour said, “the biggest motivator was the fact I knew that millions of people were going to watch me play a part, and I wanted that to be believable. I had millions of viewers and fans as my motivation.” 

He did steady state cardio to help his anxiety during Covid 

Like the rest of the world, the Stranger Things cast went into lockdown in March 2020, and were forced to stop filming. Harbour revealed he would go and do some “very steady state cardio,” running for an hour keeping his heart rate at 65% of his max. “It really regulated my breathing and helped me to relax, because I was going through some bad anxiety. I was worried we’d never do plays again, I was worried we’d never have film productions again. It was really terrifying,” Harbour said. 

He did kettlebell workouts in lockdown over Zoom 

As well as running, Harbour did kettlebell workouts with Higgins remotely during lockdown to continue training. Inspired? Here’s how to do a kettlebell swing, the muscles worked and the variations to try. 

The training changed his relationship with his body 

“I've never been a physical guy. I grew up and I never played sports. I was always like, you know, more of a nerdy kid reading books and playing video games. My body was a bit of a foreign object, and this type of training made me feel I could trust this machine I was in more. I felt I could do things,” Harbour said. 

He did 1,000 crunches to build his abs 

When asked what his ab routine was to build his six-pack, Harbour laughed and revealed that his trainer, Higgins, made him do a set of 200 crunches five times. 

He had a gym in Lithuania to train while filming 

"We had a little gym in the Lithuanian hotel I was staying at and I would go down there at five in the morning," Harbour said. "We would sit there with resistance bands and kettlebells at five in the morning before I’d go to set, then I’d go to set and I wouldn’t eat all day except little stands of salad. It was particularly brutal."

He’s losing weight again for Season 5

“I know we have Season Five starting up again next year sometime and I don't know when that starts, but if it starts anytime near Season Four [did] I’ve got to get thinner and stronger,” Harbour said. 

Can’t wait to find out what happens in the final season of the show? Here is everything we know about Stranger Things Season 5, and 13 questions Stranger Things 5 needs to answer. 

Before I get started, I’m guessing from the fact you clicked on an article with "Stranger Things season 5" in the headline that you’ve already finished Stranger Things season 4. But if you haven’t, I’d suggest stopping here, as there will be spoilers. 

Still with me? Good. Now that Stranger Things season 4 has hit our screens in its entirety, for those of us not in the Upside Down, our gaze has turned to season 5, where the ominous fate of Hawkins hangs in the balance. As the final series of this Netflix hit debuts we’re hoping Stranger Things season 5 answers these 13 questions, but personally, I have one big worry — that with all the loose ends that need to be tied up, we’re never going to find Steve his perfect girl. 

One of my main problems with Stranger Things season 4 is that it was so damn scary. Yet part of the joy of creators Matt and Ross Duffer’s writing is that in between the torture, the monsters, and the kids flying in the air with bloody eyes and broken limbs, are the human stories that tie us to these characters. 

Over the past six years, the kids have transformed from children playing Dungeons & Dragons to teenagers, with relationships, emotions, and that pure awkwardness we can all relate to so well. But will there still be time for character-driven storylines like Steve and Dustin’s brilliant bromance, or the Nancy-Jonathan-Steve love triangle that confused and entertained me between the moments of terrifying gore? 

What about the Nancy-Jonathan-Steve love triangle?

I'm concerned because in an interview with Collider, The Duffer Brothers said, “Season 5 is going to start pedal to the metal. We're not going to do the ramp-up. There's no time. There's no normalcy, obviously, once you've reached the end of four. That's not like there's going to be time to explore our characters' love life, and how is Steve’s dating going? There's going to be none of that, it's just going to be going 100 miles an hour from the beginning."

When we left the characters at the end of season 4, Steve’s feelings for Nancy were clear, with him telling her she was the girl he saw in his road trip-filled dreams of the future. With Jonathan in California, we had hours to watch the unresolved history of the high school sweethearts play out in a will-they-won’t-they drama.

Yet with Jonathan back in Hawkins, it seems even if Steve doesn’t go on any new dates in season 5, we’ll surely get to find out who lives happily ever after with who.

This is important because I’d argue it’s the relationships between the characters that are at the heart of this show. It’s love that keeps making the characters run into the Upside Down. 

It’s also what makes viewers like me keep watching — the well-rounded, well-thought-out, complicated characters are this show’s best asset. So let’s hope for more heartfelt moments in the final season, even if we do get fewer shots of Steve’s fantastic hair.

Next: This is the one Netflix show you need to watch now — and it's 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Stranger Things season 4 finished in style, with a 2.5-hour finale that redefined the word "epic." But unlike previous seasons, it didn't neatly wrap up every storyline — and far from it.

You probably guessed this was coming, but consider this your spoiler warning for Stranger Things season 4.

Instead, episode 9 ended with clouds of dust and ash from the Upside Down spewing over Hawkins, Indiana, and plants decaying before our heroes' eyes. It turns out Vecna — who it transpires was behind everything that had happened in the previous seasons — had succeeded in opening four gates between the worlds and is now poised to end life as we know it.

Is a happy ending still possible? How can Vecna be defeated? Why was Will's nose bleeding? And will Nancy choose Jonathan or Steve? All these questions will need answering in Stranger Things season 5 — so here's how we think things will play out.

1. What role will Max still play?

It’s pretty clear Max (Sadie Sink) still has a part to play in Stranger Things season 5. The fact the Duffer brothers literally killed her, only for Eleven to bring her back, was about as subtle as a clown in a monastery. The same is true of the revelation that she is braindead, and that there’s no “Max” in her mind for Eleven to connect with. The question is what good can Max do if her body is broken and braindead?

The key likely revolves around the fact Max that is the only one of Vecna’s victim’s who is still alive. Max’s mind was likely absorbed during his attack, but the fact she does have a living body to return to means there’s hope she could be recovered. Vecna made it clear he needed four victims to break through to Hawkins, and retrieving Max from his clutches may be the key to foiling his plan — or at the very least weakening him so the Hawkins gang can finish him off for good. — Tom Pritchard

2. Is the whole world now in danger?

Judging by the final scenes of season 4, there’s no way all this destruction will be limited to Hawkins. And indeed, Vecna told Eleven in the final episode of season 4 that “Hawkins will burn and fall. And the rest of this senseless broken world. And I will be there. I will be there to pick up the pieces when it does. And remake it into something beautiful.” 

From that, you might think that Stranger Things season 5 would be even more widescreen in nature, with the whole world galvanising to take Vecna down.

That doesn’t appear to be the case, though. Speaking to the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the show’s creators Ross and Matt Duffer indicated that S5 will be based largely around Hawkins and the core season 1 characters — which seems slightly odd in the circumstances.

Then again, there’s every chance that the key to beating Vecna lies within the town — not least because the four gates were all opened there. That should mean there’s far less reason for anyone to mess around in Siberia or California this time, let alone for the show to introduce a bunch of new characters in Washington DC or London or wherever. — Marc McLaren

3. Will the ‘kids’ still be pivotal?

This follows on from the above — but given the extent of the Upside Down’s ‘leakage,’ surely the world’s governments aren’t going to leave a bunch of kids to fix something that could end life as we know it? Equally, we doubt very much that S5 will suddenly shift gears and become some kind of Michael Bay's Transformers-style brainless action-fest, with most of the episodes focused on army tactics and commando missions. So what gives? 

Our guess is that Hawkins will be quarantined — either by the army or possibly by Vecna himself — thus keeping the main characters within the town and making them the only ones who can end the big badness. And that may well be for the best, because realistically, Eleven is the only person capable of stopping Vecna. The job of the rest of the crew, then, will probably be to keep her safe and in a position to end what she inadvertently started. — MMc

4. Will there be a big time jump between Stranger Things 4 and 5?

There is no kayfabe (in-story) reason I can understand why Stranger Things season 5 should take place on any other date or time than immediately following the events of Stranger Things 4. But, rationally, people expect it should. Production hasn't begun yet, and these 'kids' aren't getting any younger. 

Typically, Stranger Things seasons take place a fraction of a year after the one that came before. Season 1 took place across November and December 1983, and then season 2 jumped ahead to fall 1984. Season 3 picked up the next summer and season 4 is in March 1986. But March 1986 sees Hawkins becoming consumed by the Upside Down in a literal manner. Grass is bled of its color, rivers of lava run in the distance, and it all feels like someone dropped hell on top of earth. 

We really ought to see what happens next. How the city reacts to this. Because nothing suggests that the Upside Down is taking its time now. Of course, the Duffers have an 'out,' so to speak: Vecna/Henry Creel may still be alive, but he needs time to heal after taking that L. — Henry T. Casey

5. Is Eddie Munson definitely dead?

So, there are two sides when it comes to how to answer this question. On one side, we have those who clutch to the fan theory that could save Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) from the death that probably happened off camera, and on the other side we have rational people and the Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, who categorically declared Eddie dead.

So, let's explain the Stranger Things 4 fan theory that keeps hope for Eddie alive, and the other moment that fans are holding onto. First off: Quinn's talked about Eddie's death in ways that make it seem like he knows something we don't. Secondly, think back to when the Hellfire Club was fighting Vecna in their D&D game.

There, the kids talked about Kas, a lieutenant of Vecna's. Interestingly enough, Kas is a character who fought with a similar blade and shield as Eddie in his final outing in the Upside Down, and Kas was resurrected and played a role in Vecna's death. This arguably gives us a way for Eddie to return, to help his friends again. We doubt he'd come back for real, but if he did, we'd love to see him escape Hawkins, change his name and become the newest member of Metallica — HTC

6. What happened to Owens?

For the second time in three seasons, we left Dr. Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) in a pretty bad place: handcuffed to a pipe in the NINA complex, then interrogated by the nasty army man Sullivan. Still, better that than being attacked by Demodogs and left bleeding in a stairwell, as he was in season 2. 

The question now is whether he escaped from NINA/Sullivan, and whether he still has a role to play in season 5. Our guess is that the answer on both counts is yes. It would be pretty unlikely that Sullivan would have gone so far as to kill Owens, particularly now that Eleven has escaped and he might be able to help track her down. And it’s also possible that he can help Eleven in her fight against Vecna; with Papa now (really) dead, Owens is pretty much the only person who knows how El's powers work. — MMc

7. Is Will the key to defeating Vecna?

Poor Will Byers, one of Vecna's first targets (that we were aware of, at least), is still connected to the Upside Down's chaotic ruler. This is how we learned that Vecna is still alive, as Will felt Vecna's presence through his neck (and had that nosebleed). This continued connection isn't just haunting; it suggests that Will Byers may have more to do in Stranger Things 5 than just be sad and miserable. His connection to Vecna, in fact, could be leveraged against the demonic evil that haunts him.

And, let's be real: Will should have a major role to play in stopping Vecna, especially since his main characteristic is how he's (seemingly) painfully closeted about his sexuality. The show hasn't said it one way or another, but when pop culture often only gives gay characters stories of pain and persecution, we need to see Will get a big win to cap off this series, and making him a pivotal part of Vecna's demise would be an easy way to do that. — HTC

8. Will Kali return?

If you don't remember Kali (Linnea Berthelsen), that's not much of a surprise, because she only appeared in three episodes of the show, back in season 2. Kali, also known as number 8, was another of Dr. Brenner's 'children' at the Hawkins Lab, but escaped before the massacre that ultimately led to the creation of Vecna and the opening of the portal to the Upside Down.

What's more, she's (as far as we know), the only one of these gifted children still alive, Eleven and Vecna aside. So could she play a role in defeating Vecna? It's certainly possible — not least because fans have spotted that in the opening episode of S4, 'Kali' is the answer to one of the clues in a crossword puzzle Brenner is completing. Just a little easter egg or something more? We'll have to wait and see. — MMc

9. Why is the Upside Down frozen in 1983?

Stranger Things Season 4 answered a lot of questions about the Upside Down and what it was before Vecna turned up and sent everything to hell. But that only leaves more questions to be answered. Specifically, why the Upside Down Hawkins is frozen to the day Eleven reopened the gate and Will subsequently vanished.

We still don’t know how the Upside Down turned from a primordial landscape into a dark reflection of Hawkins in the first place. There are plenty of theories, but there’s nothing that really makes sense based on what we know. We need to know whether Vecna crafted the twisted version of the town himself, or whether Eleven’s incursion had something to do with it. My guess? It’s a little of both, but it’s these lingering holes that Season 5 is going to have to set straight once and for all — TP

10. Is Nancy going to leave Jonathan for Steve?

The biggest question that season 5 needs to answer, obviously, is how Hawkins' love triangle will play out. Nancy and Steve? Nancy and Jonathan? Steve and Jonathan? Who knows, but you can bet that the love lives of these young hearts will play a part in the final season. 

Of those choices, we're team Nancy and Steve, partly because Steve has such great hair and partly because Jonathan is such a drip [Editor's note: a drip who cares about family a great deal and loves his brother Will dearly]. But so long as we get some kind of resolution, we don't mind too much. Although we do also feel that Stranger Things season 5 might ditch the one thing I care about that delves into this love triangle. — MMc

11. How will Vecna be defeated?

Vecna has already been mind-thrown (repeatedly) by Eleven, shot (repeatedly) by Nancy, burned (repeatedly) by Steve and Robin… but somehow, he appears to have survived to open up the four gates and wreak havoc on Hawkins. So how will the gang finish him off in season 5? 

The most obvious option is that it will be down to Eleven, but given that Vecna appears stronger than her, is that really likely? Plus, it seems a bit too easy of a solution for the show to take. 

Instead, we're putting our money on a team effort — because what is Stranger Things if not a show about the power of friendships. So we're thinking it will take the whole crew to do it: Eleven, with super-powered help from Kali and Will, some kind of Upside Down-based afterlife-help from Eddie, mind-based help from the comatose Max, plus good old fashioned physical attacks from Hopper, Joyce, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, Robin, Lucas, Dustin, Mike and Erica.

And if Vecna survives all that, then frankly he deserves to rule the world anyway. — MMc

12. Who will die? 

Okay. We kinda feel like enough Stranger Things characters have died at this point. Eddie's death was hard enough to take, especially after all the "protect Steve" conversation and Eleven losing Hopper until the end of ST4. 

That said, Stranger Things will probably not let all of its kids and adults make it out of Hawkins alive. Dr. Owens may still be alive, but while he could be killed off there's little to be gained from such a death. Steve and Nancy, if you ask us, are already living with their kids in the future, so that's off the table. Looking up and down the cast, we can only see one character as expendable: Mike Wheeler. He was painfully boring in ST4, and it feels like he'll have a chance to be important again only to sacrifice himself for Eleven. — HTC

13. Will there be a happy ending?

Game of Thrones' third season featured a very meta quote, with Ramsay Snow essentially telling the audience they shouldn’t be expecting a happy ending. But, as the Duffer Brothers have been quick to point out, Stranger Things is not Game of Thrones. So can we expect a nice, neat, happy ending at the end of the fifth season? Maybe, but also maybe not.

Every season of Stranger Things so far has ended on a bittersweet note. The kids may have saved the day from the monster of the season each time, but it has always come at some great cost — for instance Will being infected with Demogorgon spawn, Hopper seemingly dying, Bob Newby actually dying, and the latest finale that saw Vecna succeed in infecting the real world with The Upside Down. 

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if season 5 ended the same way, but then again the Duffers have made it clear that this is it — there's no season 6 coming later. So, if Steve is going to get his dream life with Nancy at his side, if Joyce and Hopper are finally going to get that meal together, and most of all if Will is going to get a haircut, season 5 will have to end with Vecna defeated and life at least partly returning to normal. Well, we can hope. — TP

Before I could even watch Stranger Things 4 volume 2, I was told that something very bad had happened. Making matters worse, it was something I saw coming. But, now, it seems like there could be a wild way to undo what has been done. 

Of course, consider this your spoiler warning for Stranger Things 4 volume 2, as we're diving into a fan theory and an interview that give some folks a bit of hope in advance of Stranger Things season 5. We're also going to dive into why you shouldn't get your hopes up.

Please, if you haven't watched the season and plan to, go now. I had this death kinda-spoiled for me, as I slowly figured out the aforementioned message I got from a friend. And if most Stranger Things fans are like my friend, they'll not want to have this news spoiled early.

Is Stranger Things 5 going to undo Stranger Things 4's saddest death?

More than a few people died in Stranger Things 4, but it was Eddie Munson's death-by-demobat that brought enough tears to flood the new lava-rivers in Hawkins. Tragically going out on his shield to give everyone else more time by being a distraction to the demobats (and therefore Vecna's hive mind), Eddie seemingly met his fate but got to say goodbye to Dustin one last time.

This is where the stages of fandom grief come in. As you might know, fandom grief operates a little differently: you go through about 100 stages of denial until all of the next chapters of the show or movie in question do nothing to reverse that death.

We start with a recent interview from Joseph Quinn (Eddie himself), who makes us think there's more going on than meets the eye. Speaking to E Online about a potential return for Stranger Things season 5, Munson said everything he should have said, stating "It'd be fun, wouldn't it? I'd be very up for it. But yeah, let's see. It'd be nice to clear his name. I don't know how we're gonna do that. But it feels unjust, doesn't it? He paid the ultimate sacrifice for a town that thinks he's a monster. But he's not. So hopefully, they can figure that out.”

That might not sound too ominous to you. Which is why you should hear it for yourself:

Either Quinn has zero poker face and knows something about Eddie that we don't, or he's performing this interview to try to get fans to raise hell on his (and Eddie's) behalf. If it's the latter, then we bet his plan will work like a charm.

A friend of mine breathlessly DM'd that video to me as proof that something was up. To which I replied with the tweet below (which she had a retort for).

Yes, the Duffers said "He's dead"

But before you let any of that give you the belief that Eddie is totally alive, let's let the Duffers break the news directly. On the appropriately titled Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz got Ross and Matt Duffer to confirm major Stranger Things deaths. 

For Eddie Munson, the practically identical Duffers were in agreement, saying "Yes" and "sadly, yeah," when asked for official confirmation that Eddie's dead.

This could and arguably should be the end of the debate. If they're that sure Eddie Munson is dead, we get the feeling that they wouldn't want to undo his death because of the ripple effects it will cause. Dustin seems like he's going to be forever changed by this event, for example.

The Stranger Things 4 fan theory that has hope for Eddie

Hope, though, comes from TikTok user @paulruddfanclub who applies a bit of D&D lore to Eddie's death to make us think he has a second chance. You'll see in the below post that there's similarities between Eddie and Kas, a lieutenant of Vecna's who helped play a role in the lich king's death. 

For starters, and this is arguably a small similarity, both Eddie and Kas fought with a one-handed blade and shield. Kas, a vampire, was a victim of bat-bites — just like how Eddie went out. 

Does this mean that Eddie could be resurrected in Stranger Things 5? That he could have been resurrected after Dustin saw him die? That doesn't seem as likely. 

That said, if Eddie were to play a role in Vecna's loss, and help his friends out one more time? That sounds like a way to give Eddie more glory while keeping his story and place in Hawkins tragic. After all, after Kas helps kill Vecna, he's banished to another plane — which sounds like it could be Eddie's fate.

Analysis: Keep your Eddie hopes within reason

According to Punkbeast, the Happy Sad Confused podcast had more reason to see gloom for Eddie Munson. A transcription from that site credits the Duffers as saying "In a way we sort of saw Eddie as bit of a doomed character. Even imagining a flip side of that where he does survive that final battle, there’s not a great life waiting for Eddie back in the right side up either. He was really designed from the get-go as a doomed character."

And this is why I predicted Eddie's death back when we argued about who will die in Stranger Things 4 volume 2. The horde of morons (sorry, not sorry) who are still drawing demon horns on Eddie's image wouldn't let him live a good life if he came back. Eddie probably knew that. The best case scenario for Eddie Munson, if we're being honest, would be living a life in hiding. He could be resurrected, but then He'd immediately go into hiding. That would be rad, but it doesn't match what the Duffers are saying.

Going back to the stages of fandom grief, we know that some won't believe Eddie Munson is truly "dead" until the credits roll on Stranger Things 5. And while we want to say "keep hope alive," that might not be a wholly-rational move. Not that fandom is rational. 

Either way, remember to play Metallica's "Master of Puppets" at full blast. It's what Eddie would have wanted.

Yes, we're getting a Stranger Things spin-off show (as it's more than just a rumor now) — but only one of the Stranger Things-related announcements that Netflix just dropped in our laps. In a press release sent today, Netflix broke a lot of Stranger Things-adjacent news, taking a victory lap in this moment where it's got high visibility as one of the best streaming services.

The story all kinda begins with a new production company that the Matt and Ross Duffer, the Stranger Things creators duo known as The Duffer Brothers, have started. Upside Down Pictures "will produce film and televisions projects as a part of [The Duffers'] overall deal with Netflix." The company is going to be run by a venerable name in current TV history, producer Hilary Leavitt (Ozark, Orphan Black).

This new studio, unsurprisingly, will create content that has a similarity to Stranger Things. The Duffers are quoted as saying Upside Down Pictures will "aim to create the kind of stories that inspired the Duffers growing up - stories that take place at that beautiful crossroads where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where big spectacle co-exists with intimate character work, where heart wins out over cynicism."

Here's what we know about the Stranger Things spin-off and the other projects that Upside Down Pictures is delivering.

Stranger Things spin-off details

The press release states the "live-action Stranger Things spin-off series" is "based on an original idea by The Duffer Brothers." Which isn't a whole lot to go on. Chatter online has speculated that the series would be about Steve and Dustin, or possibly Eleven, but the Duffers have spoken to how this series will be very different. 

On Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Matt and Ross Duffer explained that the details about the spinoff that they hadn't told Netflix about the spin-off details yet (they also sorta-debunked the Stranger Things 4 fan theory giving some hope for next season). Not only will they not direct this show, but the duo said to not expect any of the current Stranger Things characters to show up, saying "It’s not following – I’ve read these rumors that there’s gonna be an Eleven spinoff, that there’s gonna be a Steve and Dustin spinoff, or that it’s another number." 

That's not the case. They continued, stating "That’s not interesting  ... because we’ve done all that. We’ve spent I don’t know how many hours exploring all of that. So it’s very different." The biggest connection, without any known characters would be the manner in which it's told: "The most important connective tissue I would say is the storytelling sensibility of it," they continued. "There is story that connects to the Stranger Things world, but it really is more about how we’re telling that story."

The other Stranger Things and Duffer projects announced

That's not all, though. The Duffers are also working on "A new stage play set within the world and mythology of Stranger Things." This will be delivered by producers Sonia Friedman, Stephen Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot, The Reader) and Netflix. Daldry is on tap to direct.

In non-Stranger Things content news, three other projects are coming from the duo and Netflix:

• An all-new live-action version of Death Note, the Japanese manga and anime series that Netflix already tried to adapt once.
• A new series from creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance)
• A series adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub‘s The Talisman. Produced alongside Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and Paramount Television, and created by Curtis Gwinn.

Outlook: Netflix doubles down on Duffers

The press release also announced that Stranger Things 4 ranks as the No. 1 all time most popular English-language TV shows, as audiences viewed 1.15 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days.

But with a season as long as Stranger Things season 4, we're not entirely surprised. Netflix also claimed Stranger Things is the first English-language series to hit No.1 on the Top 10 lists in 91 countries, and that it has the highest premiere weekend on the service ever, with 286.79 million hours viewed.

In a year where Netflix's headlines have had more to do with its fails than its wins —as subscriber numbers are not great — it's not shocking to see the service buddy up with the Duffers as they prepare to deliver Stranger Things season 5.

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Stranger Things season 4 was pretty great, but it wasn’t perfect — and one problem was that half the characters spent the entire season outside of Hawkins. Fortunately, Season 5 won’t repeat that mistake.

Speaking to the Happy Sad Confused podcast (via The Wrap), Stranger Things creators Ross and Matt Duffer confirmed they'll be bringing the series back to its roots with the final season. That includes keeping the action firmly set within the town of Hawkins, Indiana — with no galavanting off to California or Siberia for a side quest. 

Anyone who's seen Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 will know that Hawkins is an important place right now. If you haven’t, be warned that spoilers for Stranger Things season 4 follow.

The season 4 finale saw Vecna succeed in his plan, despite opposition from the kids, by opening up four portals that stretch across Hawkins. These portals, as we saw at the end, allowed the Upside Down to start leaking into our world, seemingly infecting the town with decay from the other side.

Hawkins is the literal centerpoint of Vecna’s incursion, so taking the action elsewhere for season 5 would make zero sense. 

Not that it made much sense in season 4, mind you. While the Hopper-in-Siberia storyline was key in bringing the Sheriff back to town, it dragged on an awfully long time. Meanwhile, the subplot involving Mike and the gang did little to add to the story — only functioning as a convenient escape route for Eleven when Project NINA was invaded by the military.

Meanwhile, season 4’s Hawkins-centered storylines were the highlight of the nine episodes. Even the truly insufferable characters — Jason and his gang, for instance — were integral to the wider plot. So the news that Hawkins will be at the heart of things from this point on is great news.

The Duffers also confirmed that season 1 will be the inspiration for how things are in the show’s final season. "We wanna go back to a lot of the things we did in season 1,” said Matt Duffer. “A lot of the original groupings and pairings that we had in season 1 — there's something nice about coming full circle."

Plus, because season 4 didn’t neatly wrap things up, season 5 will see our teenage heroes straight back into the action and dealing with the cliffhanger ending. 

"For the first time ever, we don’t wrap things up at the end of 4, and so it’s going to be moving. I don’t know that it’s going to be going 100 miles an hour at the start of 5, but it’s going to be moving pretty fast,” Matt said.

As to whether season 5 will be quite as long as season 4's 13-hour epic, Duffer hinted that it might be a little shorter, explaining that “Characters are already going to be in action, they’re already going to have a goal and a drive, and I think that’s going to carve out at least a couple hours and make this season feel really different." 

That said, you should still expect a lengthy finale, with Ross Duffer revealing that “We’re more likely to do what we did here which is to just have a 2.5 hour episode.”

While we still don’t know when season 5 will arrive, the Duffers confirmed the writer’s room will be opening back up in August and that they will be taking their time with the show’s conclusion — which will apparently be “'Return of the King'-ish, with, like, eight endings.” 

Meanwhile, David Harbour, the actor behind Hopper, told GQ UK that he suspects the writing work will be finished before the end of the year, with filming in 2023 and a possible mid-2024 release date. That’s “based on [the show’s] track record,” so Harbour is only guessing — but we certainly hope we won't have to wait another three years for the conclusion.

In the meantime, be sure to check out some of the best Netflix shows available right now, and hope that your favourites don't end up among the growing list of canceled Netflix shows.

Read next: The Duffer brothers have confirmed that the characters who died won't be returning for Stranger Things 5. We do also feel that Stranger Things season 5 might ditch the one thing we care about.

And we rounded up all the questions Stranger Things Season 5 needs to answer.

In one of the standout scenes from Stranger Things season 4, Max Mayfield listens to Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill to escape the Mind Lair of Venca — this is her "savior song" and you can find yours on Spotify. 

To coincide with the release of the final two episodes of Stranger Things season 4 volume 2, Netflix has teamed up with the streaming platform Spotify, to help you work out which song would save you from Venca’s grasp. Mine is Murder On The Dancefloor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor (make of that what you will), but here’s how to find yours. 

How to find your "savior song"

In order to find your savior song, you’ll need to have a Spotify account — for those who don’t use the streaming platform, feel free to curate your own playlist and share it with friends should you ever start seeing a ticking grandfather clock. 

On Spotify, search for your ‘Upside Down Playlist’. You’ll then see a curated playlist of 50 songs that would help you make a dramatic exit from the grasps of Venca, the first song on the list is your savior song, which has been identified by Spotify's algorithm as one you listen to frequently. 

According to Spotify: “The Upside Down Playlist takes some of your favorite songs and mixes them with a handful of Stranger Things classics to create a vibe strong enough to ward off Hawkins’ most fearsome foe." 

The good news is if you aren’t happy with your savior song (or it’s too embarrassing to share), the collection updates automatically each day, so grab your Walkman (aka one of our picks for the best phones), your bike, and your bomber jacket, and get listening. 

Looking for more Stranger Things content to binge? We've put together a look at how the Stranger Things kids have aged over the years here, as well as our main problem with the fourth series. 

And we've also chewed over a whole bunch of questions Stanger Things season 4 left us with, which we hope are answered in the last two episodes. 

Read next: Stranger Things season 5 won't repeat the same mistake as season 4.

It's almost time for the Stranger Things 4 volume 2 release date. And, no we're not practicing by listening to Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" on repeat (though it does appear in the first Stranger Things 4 volume 2 trailer.

But when it comes to our excitement to watch Stranger Things 4 volume 2 on Netflix, it feels like we're marching to a very sad ending. While the gang may survive this season (we do know Stranger Things 5 is confirmed) that aforementioned trailer basically screams prepare your Stranger Things 4 deaths lists! Though, in a bit of a spoiler, Stranger Things 4 volume 2 photos just casually spoiled a character's fate.

Hopefully, though, we get all the answers we need, including the 13 Stranger Things 4 questions we have for volume 2. So, without further ado, here's everything you need to watch Stranger Things 4 volume 2 online:

When does Stranger Things 4 volume 2 come out on Netflix?

Stranger Things 4 volume 2 drops on Friday (July 1) at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. BST. Netflix revealed this when it announced the Stranger Things season 4 release dates.

Stranger Things 4 volume 2 is comprised of episodes 8 and 9. 

Tonight, starting at 11:30 p.m. PT / 2:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. BST, you'll be able to (sorta) watch Stranger Things 4 volume 2 with some of the cast — virtually. David Harbour, Brett Gelman, Joseph Quinn and Jamie Campbell Bower will all be a part of a live Q&A at Scener. 

Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 trailers and teasers

The full Stranger Things 4 volume 2 trailer is here, and if you didn't think someone was going to die, I bet you do now.

The voice of Vecna haunts the Stranger Things 4 volume 2 teaser trailer, itself something of an Easter egg. For those who watched to the very end of Stranger Things 4 episode 7's credits, you saw the below clip.

Vecna, speaking to Eleven (back in the flashbacks when El unwittingly aided the escape of 001/Henry Creel, who seems to have caused the Upside Down to exist) says "It is over, Eleven, you have freed me. You can't stop this now," over a series of rapid-fire moments.

Netflix finally released the official version of the clip as a part of Geeked Week.

Stranger Things 4 volume 2 running times

The first report of Stranger Things 4 episode running time was the kind of shocking news that intimidated as much as it potentially annoyed. It all started when Netflix published the news that "Episode 407 is 1 hour, 38 minutes; Episode 408 is around 1 hour, 25 minutes; and 409 is almost two and a half hours."

The lack of specificity for those last two episodes (which comprise all of Stranger Things 4 volume 2) was something of a red flag that everyone kind of ignored. The finale was, according to some sites we won't shame, "two and a half hours," as the "almost" was erased.

Then, the official Twitter account for the Stranger Things writer's room cleared things up, tweeting "Official finale runtime: 2 hours and 19 minutes."

Stranger Things 4 volume 2 plot

First off, the biggest news of the finale is that we now know who was responsible for The Massacre at Hawkins Lab — and it wasn't Eleven. While El may have freed Henry Creel (aka 001) from the controls that the lab had put in his body, she was an unwitting assistant to Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower)'s killing. Eleven then came to stop Henry Creel, and basically sent him into (or created?) the Upside Down we know and do not really love. 

Now that it seems Vecna is out for revenge and it's up to the kids to stop him. In order to stop him, Eleven will need more of her powers back, as it seems she only got a fraction of her abilities back during her time inside the NINA project, reliving her past.

And while Dustin and the gang were able to help Steve, Robin and Eddie escape the Upside-Down, Nancy is in fact stuck there after taking a mysterious "fall." Saving her is likely the top priority for Steve (and the rest) in Stranger Things 4 volume 2.

Meanwhile, in Russia, Joyce and Murray finally tracked down Hopper and Dmitri, who just stopped a Demogorgon with a spear through the face. We expect them back in the U.S. ASAP.

For one of us, though, the Stranger Things storyline wasn't the most surprising thing about season 4.

Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 cast

We have a full Stranger Things season 4 cast and character guide so you can get caught up. But expect the regular familiar faces of the younger teens: Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Max (Sadie Sink) and Will (Noah Schnapp). Oh, and since we've been waiting and waiting for this new season, we've put together a look at how the Stranger Things kids have aged over the years.

Speaking of Sink, she's told the press that Stranger Things season 4 will have the highest "stakes" ever for the show. We're wondering if that means The Upside Down is becoming a danger to the whole world, or something entirely different.

Young adults Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Robin (Maya Hawke) will also return, as will Joyce (Winona Ryder, who's one of our picks for best TV moms) and Hopper. 

Stranger Things season 4 also includes Erica (Priah Ferguson), Sam Owens (Paul Reiser), Karen (Cara Buono) and Murray (Brett Gelman).

Eight new cast members have been reported by Variety, starting with the horror icon himself: Robert Englund. Yes, the man behind the Freddy Krueger is coming to Stranger Things. The report notes that Englund is portraying Victor Creel, "a disturbed and intimidating man who is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s."

001/Henry Creel is played by Jamie Campbell Bower (Sweeney Todd), distracted stoner with a car Argyle is played by Eduardo Franco (Booksmart) and Joseph Quinn (Catherine the Great) is Eddie Munson, who runs The Hellfire Club D&D group, and was targeted by Jason Carver (another new cast member, Mason Dye), the rich kid at school. Nikola Djuricko (Genius) is Yuri, a Russian smuggler.

Then, there's Grace Van Dien as Chrissy, Hawkins High's lead cheerleader and the most popular girl in school. One of Vecna's victims, but E! News reports that Ross and Matt Duffer want to do more with Van Dien, after saying they regret killing her off. Chrissy could come back in a flashback or a dream (or nightmare) sequence experienced by Eddie Munson (the last person to see her alive), or her boyfriend Jason Carver.

Other new additions: Tom Wlaschiha (Game of Thrones) is playing Dmitri, a Russian prison guard, who Hopper became friends with. Sherman Augustus (Into the Badlands) is Lt. Colonel Sullivan, who is out to squash the evil out of Hawkins for good. 

Brenner (Matthew Modine), who "raised" Eleven in the Hawkins National Laboratory, is also back, helping Eleven get her powers back.

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Thinking about who will die in Stranger Things 4 volume 2 is a very natural, if only somewhat morbid thought exercise that many are going through at the moment. Trials and tribulations have surrounded our favorite teens and adults of Hawkins, Ind., all season, but it feels like we're building to something worse.

We've seen the kids survive a trip to the Upside Down (well, Nancy's still there), watched Hopper take on a Demogorgon in a Russian Fight Club and even observed Eleven return to the last place she wanted to go. And we still have almost 4 hours left this season, which is part of why "who dies?" is one of the Stranger Things 4 questions we need answered.

So, with a finale that's as long as a modern Marvel movie, it feels like there's a lot of room for Ross and Matt Duffer, the brothers behind Stranger Things, to take some of our favorites away from us. 

Stranger Things 4 is already confirmed to be a penultimate season, so it would be unsurprising for the series to kill off one or more beloved characters, both to raise the stakes for Stranger Things 5 (and who knows when that will hit Netflix) and to give the surviving characters more trauma to digest.

Here's what we think ahead of the final episodes airing tomorrow (July 1) at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT / 8 a.m. BST.

Is Steve Harrington going to die in Stranger Things 4?

I do not want Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) to die. Co-creator Matt Duffer is amused about the topic, telling TVLine that "Everybody’s always worried about Steve. I love it … It feels wrong to say ‘excited,’ but I’m excited that people are concerned. And they should be concerned going into the final two episodes [of Season 4] — for everybody." 

And while that last sentence is meant to sound the alarm for the full cast, if I'm honest, I think Steve's too good and brave and caring for his friends for us to be sure he'll make it out alive. I'm especially concerned because the Duffers revealed that Steve was meant to die in Stranger Things season 1, during Netflix Geeked Week 2022. 

What's more, Netflix has itself been playing up the 'Will Steve die in Stranger Things?' question, posting a mischievous — or possibly portentous — tweet earlier today. 

Does Steve need protecting? Yes, of course he does — he's marooned in the Upside Down. Does that mean he will die? Let's hope not, but he's got to be the favorite right now. – Henry T. Casey 

Is Max Mayfield going to die in Stranger Things 4?

One thing we don't know for sure about Vecna is how long his control lasts after you've been freed. Logic states that Max (Sadie Sink) has been freed (thanks again, Kate Bush), and so she's on a fresh start against the baddest bully of the Upside Down. But, let's be honest: the psychological horror at play right now in Stranger Things makes us think that Max's time with Vecna makes her all the more vulnerable going forward.

Not only does Vecna know her emotional pressure points all the more intimately from their time together, but Max still feels in play because of her letters. Yes, those letters she wrote to her loved ones, in case she were to go. They're basically the Chekhov's Gun of Stranger Things 4, and since they're in play, it's hard to assume they won't be opened. – HTC

Is Eddie Munson going to die in Stranger Things 4?

The big concern around Mr. Munson (Joseph Quinn) for me comes from the fact that he's got a role to play in the fight against Vecna — he's been seen in trailers shredding on his guitar in the Upside Down, likely to help his friends — and a reputation to save. Right now, some of Hawkins' finest dullards have our favorite D&D dungeon master as their big target in the witch-hunt that's a callback to the Satanic Panic nonsense of the 1980s. 

And so I enter the final two episodes of Stranger Things 4 wondering how Eddie Munson can get off the hook with the haters of Hawkins. While a lack of proof that Munson was responsible for cheerleader Chrissy's death could be enough to quell the mob, I think Eddie dying a hero's death that makes everyone look bad for saying he's a satanic murder feels most probable. – HTC 

Is Will Byers going to die in Stranger Things 4?

It would be somewhat ironic if Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) died in season 4, considering he survived a trip to Demogorgon land in ST1, and very close brushes with the Mind Flayer in ST2 and ST3. But it's hardly impossible. For one, he's about to head to Nevada with Mike and Jonathan, in search of Eleven, at exactly the same time as Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan is on his way there. A shootout at Owens' desert lab seems likely — and innocent people sometimes die in shootouts.

But why Will? Well, despite being the initial poster boy for the series, he's been steadily sidelined ever since that first episode. His screen time has been severely limited compared to that of his buddies, and it's hard to see where else his story goes. Another brush with the Upside Down? Boring! Another psychic kidnapping? Yawn! No, the boy with the bad haircut seemingly has little to offer the Stranger Things story besides his own tragic death (prove us wrong, Duffers). Sorry, Will. — Marc McLaren

Is Mike Wheeler going to die in Stranger Things 4?

Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) is in danger for all the same reasons as his (sometime) best friend Will. They're on the way to find Eleven, and are unlikely to receive a warm welcome from anyone there (other than our favorite shaven-headed superhero, of course).

But in some ways I'm more worried for Mike than I am for Will. Sure, that's partly because I really like Mike and don't want him to die, but it's also because surely he's the one who can help Eleven get her powers back. Not through his love — that would be too corny — but through his death. After all, we know Eleven channels grief and anger, and what could make her more upset and angry than her boyfriend dying in front of her. Oh, and the fact that he now looks about 30 rather than 15 also gives the Duffers good reason to write him out. — MMc

Is Eleven going to die in Stranger Things 4?

Alright, stay with me here. No, Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) probably won't die in Stranger Things season 4 — but what if she did? Stranger Things may be an ensemble show, but Eleven is by far the most important character in it. At the same time, she also holds it back. With Eleven around, you might feel a little worried about the fate of individual characters, but you know the world will be alright. Max or Mike may die, but Mayor Vecna is not going to be opening the 1987 Roane County Fair. 

If Eleven were off the scene, though, Season 5 really would be a blank slate. And it could happen. Sure, she's defeated evil of both the human and otherworldly kind before, but without her powers she's got no more chance of surviving Vecna's clutches than any other child. And that's assuming she can escape the attentions of the army guys and the mad scientists. 

Realistically, it won't happen; but it would be a proper TV moment if it did. — MMc

Is Enzo going to die in Stranger Things 4?

Stranger Things 4 has introduced a bunch of new characters, but none of them seem to have as much terrible luck as Dmitri ‘Enzo’ Antonov (Tom Wlaschiha) — the Russian guard who conspired to free Hopper from the gulag. Granted he was as corrupt as they come, and willing to free a criminal in exchange for a (relatively) large sum of money, but his willingness to help Hopper saw him make an enemy of high-ranking KGB agents, thrown in prison, attacked multiple times and then almost eaten by the Demogorgon.

Something tells me the guy’s luck is going to run out, and very quickly considering how many episodes we have left. Making an enemy of the Soviet Union is never particularly good for your lifespan, and Enzo being a family man suggests he won’t be defecting to the States with the rest of Hopper’s entourage. And if the KGB don’t get to him, you can be sure one of the Upside Down nasties will be looking for a snack. — Tom Pritchard

Dr. Martin Brenner / Papa

Before Stranger Things 4 came along, it certainly looked like Dr Brenner (Matthew Modine) aka Eleven’s "Papa" was dead, after being killed by the Demogorgon in the first season. There were rumors he lived, but we didn’t have confirmation until Eleven arrived at NINA to reclaim her lost powers. It’s here that he proved pretty conclusively that he does care for Eleven in his own way, even if he’s not a particularly good person.

And that is why I am certain Brenner is doomed. Eleven needs him because he’s the most qualified to help her regain her powers, and Brenner does feel like he wants to make amends. The real mystery here is why bring back a character we all thought dead? To kill him off conclusively, of course. Eleven has a lot of interested parties after her, including the U.S. Military. My personal theory is that the same group that attacked the Byers house will attack NINA, leaving Brenner with only one option: Redeem himself by giving his own life to preserve Eleven’s. Anything less and I’ll be prepping for a riot. — TP

Is Nancy Wheeler going to die in Stranger Things 4?

Last seen stuck in the Upside Down inspecting Vecna's memories of life as Henry Creel, Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) has work to be done in the Rightside Up, which makes me think she's the least likely to die. Unfortunately, thinking someone is unlikely to die is basically like casting a bad luck spell on them. 

Right now, Nancy's probably going to survive long enough that she can give intel about who Vecna used to be to her friends. But beyond that? Her death would likely be a heck of an emotionally-devastating moment to at least Joe and her brother Mike. And just like with Max, I think that Vecna's probably not going to be happy if and when Nancy escapes. – HTC

Next: All the deaths that happened in Stranger Things 4? They're real and won't be reversed in season 5

I actually watched the first season of Stranger Things on a punt when it first came to Netflix. I soon realized that there was nothing else out there like it, and was hooked on its '80s horror-comedy style from the first episode. I’ve loved every season since and can’t wait for Stranger Things 4 volume 2 which is just under a week away (here’s when it comes to our screens).

However, the thing which has stuck with me since watching the latest season isn’t one I expected. While the storyline didn’t fail to impress and the characters and attention to detail still leave me wanting more, this latest season provided something completely different. Something which no other Netflix series has managed before. 

Spoiler warning: Before I go on, bear in mind that I will be mentioning some specific scenes from Stranger Things 4. Go finish volume 1, and come back, to avoid spoilers. 

Stranger Things 4 reminded me about a true legend

Those of you who have already watched the latest season of Stranger Things will no doubt remember one of its most heart-stopping scenes. I’m referring to Max trying to escape Vecna in episode 4. 

What made this scene so special wasn’t the acting, the timing, or the visual effects (although I can’t really complain about any of these). It was Max’s favorite song, which needed to be played to give her a way out, back to the real world. And that song, Kate Bush’s "Running Up That Hill," has seen immense popularity since and for good reason. 

It doesn’t just fit in with the '80s nostalgia, it successfully builds up with the tension behind the scene and offers a release as Max finally breaks free from Vecna’s ties. It’s also got an iconic tempo and lyrics which you just can’t get out of your head once you hear them. And thanks to Max repeatedly playing this song to keep Vecna at bay, a lot of us became fans it seems.  

This 1985 single saw decent success when it was first released, reaching number 30 in the U.S. and number 3 in the U.K., however that’s nothing compared to what it achieved thanks to appearing in Stranger Things 4. It has now reached number four in the US and number one in the UK charts, and features in Spotify’s Top Hits. Thank goodness Kate Bush gave her permission to use it — otherwise who knows what would have been used instead. Other popular '80s artists, such as Madonna, or Duran Duran, hardly have the same feel.

This song has done more for me than pique my interest though — I now have a newfound love for Kate Bush. I’ve started listening to her other songs and feel like my ears have been opened to a whole other style of music. Each song is so different and addictive that I now know why she’s so iconic. She truly represents the best of the '80s and her artistic-while-unorthodox deliverance is why she suits Stranger Things so well. 

Among my new favorite songs are "Babooshka" — which reads and sounds like nothing I (and possibly you as well) have heard before. It combines an almost mystical soundtrack with a proper storyline you can understand and follow, not to mention onomatopoeic crashes and smashes in the background. "Cloudbusting" is another favorite, in which the violins and drums build up, while the lyrics tell the story of Wilhelm Reich’s abrupt arrest from his son's point of view. Each song really contains something special, and "Wuthering Heights" is no exception either. The high-pitched tone in which Kate sings this song accompanied by the piano makes it seem like it's from a fairy tale. 

So, thank you Stranger Things 4, for giving me something I didn't see coming — an appreciation for Kate Bush. And Stranger Things is more than aware of the impact of this song, as it now features in the new trailer; an anthem of sorts for the series. I can only hope Stranger Things opens my eyes to more artists that deserve another shot at the charts. 

Oh, and since you're caught up on Stranger Things, be sure to check out 11 new movies and shows to watch this weekend. 

We've been worried, and the Stranger Things 4 volume 2 trailer isn't helping. Especially when one of our favorites declares:  "It might not work out for us this time." Everyone is afraid and preparing for what could be their end in the last two episodes of one of the best Netflix shows.

A very moody and sad trailer, with an orange hue that permeates much of the shots, this trailer begins with a lot of warnings from Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine). The kids are not ready, he says. Hawkins will fall, he says. And now we're rethinking our list of who we think dies in Stranger Things 4 volume 2.

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Will is afraid of Vecna taking everyone. And then Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)" hits, to make sure we're emotionally hyped. And, as mentioned above, Robin warns Steve that she's afraid they're not all coming back.

And then we see Max, Lucas and Erica entering the Creel house, because of course we should be throwing Max into Vecna's old home. A home where, it seems, Lucas gets into a fight with one of his fellow basketball teammates (or is it an illusion created by Vecna?).

Oh, and a giant explosion seems to destroy the base where Eleven's been trying to get her powers back in the Nina machine. Whether that's the military interfering where they shouldn't, or Eleven finally back to full powers, nothing about that shot truly makes us feel more confident. 

Then, if we weren't worried enough, the scariest words hit. Vecna (it seems) says "It is over. Now I just want you to watch." That may sound like a Bond villain giving James to escape and win, but it's just unsettling here. Especially when he later says, "your friends have lost."

The other Stranger Things 4 volume 2 moments we noticed

Dustin and Eddie arming themselves for the return to the Upside Down has us ready to root for them. But while Eddie has his guitar to fight Vecna's blues with good feels through his rock n roll, we're now a little worried about Dustin.

Hopper, Joyce and Murray are seemingly still stuck on their own, but now they've all got weapons. Joyce looks like she has a shotgun, while Murray's even got a flame thrower!

We're just happy that Max has her tape-player attached to her person. 

Stranger Things 4 volume 2 arrives on Netflix on July 1.

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The fact I’m a Stranger Things fan might come as a surprise to anyone who could see my Netflix history. I normally opt for shows like Bridgerton and Love is Blind — you know, the mindless reality TV style vibes, where the biggest drama that unfolds is a messy love triangle or someone cheating on their spouse.

That said, I’ve followed Stranger Things since season one, and I was more than happy to enter the Upside Down version of my living room and put my normal TV choices aside for nine hours upon the release of season four (here’s when the second part is coming out for those equally as hooked). 

Warning: I’ll be talking about some specific moments from the show in this article, so stop reading, call me a baby and look away now if you’re not ready for spoilers. 

What happened to the cute kids on bikes? 

About 30-minutes into the fourth series of the hit Netflix show I had one huge problem — it was terrifying. Whereas seasons one and two had hinted at the supernatural, which of course, is scary if you think about it for too long, season four hits you with full-on gore in episode one.

Thirty-four minutes into the first episode, I, like Chrissy Cunningham, am terrified by the monster peering around the toilet door. Half an hour later, I’m hiding behind the sofa cushions as the popular cheerleader’s eyes pop out and limbs break.  

I’m the first to admit that I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to horror. I was never one of those kids desperate to sneak into the scary films at the theater. Simba’s dad dying in Lion King was about as much as my tiny mind could take. As an adult, I was no better — my partner has never let me forget the moment I screamed until I cried after mistaking the Christmas tree for a killer after watching an episode of BBC crime drama Luther. Anything rated more than a 15 is a no-go, and I turn 30 next month. 

Armed with this information, you’ll understand why I found Eleven’s constant flashbacks to dead children in the Hawkins National Laboratory's Rainbow Room terrifying. You’ll see why I couldn’t cope with the brutal scenes of torture, both to Hopper in the hands of the Russians, and Agent Wallace by the FBI. Heck, even the cover photo of this article is too much. Make no mistake, the cute kids on bikes are teens now — Eleven’s superpowers might be gone, but she’s smashing bullies’ faces in with rollerskates instead. 

In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Executive Producer Shawn Levy confirmed the show was too frightening for younger viewers, saying. “I was occasionally nervous that the show was going so dark, it would be off-putting to the younger viewers that have flocked to our show. When we made season one, we thought this was a 13-and-over kind of viewing experience. What we now know is that kids as young as 9 and 10 are watching Stranger Things, and I knew that this season would be scary as sh*t for some of those viewers. The Duffers, to their credit, pointed out that every time we go darker, somehow our audience stays with us and grows.” Netflix, too, has rated the show a 15. 

Will I continue watching? Of course. But I’m hanging around for Dustin and Steve’s friendship, more Kate Bush songs, and this will-they-won't-they Nancy-Steve storyline. Perhaps the reason Netflix has made us wait a month till we find out more is so we can all stop having nightmares about Vecna and start sleeping without a light on again. Just me?

Be sure to check out the one Disney Plus show you need to watch now and 11 new movies and shows to watch this weekend. 

Stranger Things 4 volume 2 is about half a month away, so we're kinda shocked about what we're about to report. Netflix just dropped a series of press images that very casually spoil the fate of one Stranger Things character. 

It's kind of a surprising move, because we would have thought Netflix would be doing everything it could to protect each little secret while we wait for the last two episodes of Stranger Things 4. This isn't like the fact that Stranger Things 4 spoilers came out early because of a board game. This is something they chose to do. And that's weird, if you ask us. 

We'd say more, but we don't want to be so cavalier. So, first and foremost, this is your spoiler warning. A Stranger Things 4 volume 2 spoiler awaits beyond this point.

Okay, here goes:

The first Stranger Things 4 volume 2 photos

In the below gallery of six photos, you'll see the exact character we're talking about. We're just not putting this character in the first image, because — again — we don't want to spoil anything for anyone. 

So, as you can see above, Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) is definitely alive and well, following her unexpected fall into Vecna's clutches. One of the big cliff-hangers of the end of episode 7 and volume 1, Nancy's fate is the kind of thing that could have gone in any direction. 

This season has seen Robin (Maya Hawke) nudge Nancy back towards Steve (Joe Keery), and it's felt like a resolution to their situation is one of the pivotal "will it happen?" questions surrounding Stranger Things 4. So while these photos don't spoil that news — we just see her around her friends at a table, and in a car with Steve and Eddie (Joseph Quinn), we now know that she does make it out of the Upside Down alive.

Elsewhere in these photos, we see confusion and possibly frustration on the faces of Hopper, Joyce, Murray and Dmitri, which we really hope doesn't say they're stuck in Russia. Maybe they've found something more disturbing than the Demogorgon fight club. There's also shots of moments between both Max and Lucas and Eleven and Dr. Brennan. 

Hilariously, there's also a shot of the guys in Mike's storyline, where Mike's pointing at something excitedly. Maybe it's the base where Eleven is. Maybe it's an explanation for why his story has felt so meaningless. Also, the image is so dark that you can barely see Will, only the outline of his face. 

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