Skyler Orton
One of the biggest pop culture phenomena of all time has come to an end as Stranger Things released its final episode on New Year’s Eve. Reactions have been across the board but generally skew negative which is a disappointment for the popular franchise. However, I do think the ending is better than most so let’s dive into it. Also, needless to say, a spoiler warning for all of Stranger Things season 5.
Stranger Things had a herculean task to accomplish in its 5th and final season. The show had upwards of a dozen main or major characters to wrap up and give satisfying arcs as well as a ridiculous amount of mythology to reckon with. Considering all of these factors I’m mostly impressed that they hit more of these major beats than they missed. I would say that on the character side of the show the season was a striking success.
Strong performances hold up weighty emotional moments that feel incredibly meaningful. As a long time fan of the show, I was pleased to see fan favorites like Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) and Joe Keery (Steve) flex their acting chops and see long overdue conclusions for characters like Nancy and Jonathan. Unfortunately not every character got that love as integral characters like Mike and Eleven had limited screen time together which made the emotional ending fall slightly flat.
Plot wise the show was inconsistent but definitely had its moments. Overall the show kept up the balance of driving the plot forward while balancing an enormous cast and gave answers about the show’s mythology that felt satisfying while still leaving room for a potential follow-up. The main whiff was the introduction of a new group of military scientists as secondary villains.
The show spent a lot of time on these characters that never impacted the plot much, especially in the second half. By the finale they are completely forgotten in order to make way for a lengthy epilogue with the main cast. That made their entire role feel like an afterthought which mostly detracted from the more exciting plotlines.
The other major miss was the final battle sequence against Vecna. In the ever so brief fight the stakes are lowered by the relative ease the mind flayer’s spider form is defeated by the ragtag group of teens. The Season 3 climactic fight had infinitely higher stakes and felt much more intense and grounded than this sequence. That’s not to mention several strange plot holes (how did the entire cast climb those cliffs again?) This made the sequence feel weightless as there was little emotional resonance to the supposed climax of an almost decade-long show. Fortunately the lackluster sequence was overshadowed by Joyce’s final blow but overall it was a minor disappointment.
The great elements of this show are as great as ever though. I already mentioned the engaging ensemble cast but this really stays the strongest element of the show throughout. The first half of the season is standout and Will’s power activation sequence is one of the most tense and satisfying moments of the entire series.
There are also a lot of brand new iconic characters, locations, and sequences that are perfectly in the spirit of the show. The “Squawk” radio station is a charming new home base location that has been embraced by fans and Netflix merchandisers alike. There’s a lot of charm to the location and the whole thing feels like a natural evolution of the Hawkins AV club crew’s humble beginnings. It’s also perfectly grounded in the 1980s which maintains the spirit that is lacking in the grander sci-fi concepts of the season.
The unique blend of sci-fi horror and comedy also comes very naturally to the show. Newcomer Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly) has a breakout performance here being equal parts hilarious and heartfelt throughout the entire run. While he is the main comedic relief in the grimmer season there are definitely other bright spots as Maya Hawke’s Robin and Joe Keery’s Steve keep a natural pace of comedy that is always welcome while also never overshadowing more serious moments.
Looking at the season as a whole it never truly fails like some other final seasons have. Looking at TV history it doesn’t compare to blunders like How I Met Your Mother, Game of Thrones, or Dexter. To use a more contemporary example it’s leagues above the disastrous ending of The Umbrella Academy. It’s just pretty middle of the road and safe. Unfortunately Stranger Things is easily one of the biggest shows in the world so a just-okay ending was never going to satisfy everyone.
Are there things I would change about this season? Yeah, probably. I do wish that Eleven spent more time with Hopper and Mike without Kalli interrupting the usual dynamic. I also would have slightly tweaked some of the Mr. Whatsit plotline that, while enjoyable, took time away from developing the main cast. Overall though I can’t really complain, I think that the season is a strong send off to a very special show.
Stranger Things 5: 7/10
