“Stranger Things” falls flat in series finale
The hit “Stranger Things” falls flat in the finale
Review: Nine years in the making, the two-hour finale struggles to leave an impact.
On the last day of 2025, the finale of “Stranger Things” dropped to ring in the new year. Instead of ending 2025 with a bang, the finale felt lackluster and had fans questioning if nine years had really led up to this.
Since premiering in 2016, “Stranger Things” has been Netflix’s biggest hit. Set in the 1980s, the show follows a ragtag group of characters as they uncover the strange happenings in their town.
The fifth and final season consisted of eight episodes in total, split across three release dates. The first part of the series consisted of four highly-acclaimed episodes dropping in November, the second half (which many viewers noted as feeling subpar) dropping on Christmas day and the finale recently making its way to streaming and exclusive theaters.
The finale jumps in right where Vol. 2 left off, with the group of heroes venturing into the Upside Down with a plan to defeat Vecna once and for all.
The plan is dangerous, which the characters make a point of noting — hinting that not all of the group may make it back to Hawkins. This is where the show seems to lose momentum.
It is no secret that the Duffer Brothers seem to have a problem with letting go of their main characters. The writers have a habit of bringing new additions to the cast and killing them off in the same season, such as Bob Newby (Sean Astin) in season two and Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) in season four. This habit remains in season five.
The first part of the finale includes an incident in which the beloved Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) is atop a large radio tower with the rest of the gang, which is then hit by a falling rock. For a split second, the camera slows as Harrington tumbles off the tower, causing audience members to hold their breath as the screen cuts to black. Instead of what may have been a shocking death on the same level as JJ Maybank from “Outer Banks,” Harrington is quickly pulled to safety and out of danger for the rest of the show.
The only ones who are actually killed off (and stay dead) are much more minor characters, whose deaths have no real impact on viewers. The audience already knows the show will not kill off their beloved characters, which makes it harder for them to become fully invested in the stakes.
Since the first season, the show has been praised for its large ensemble cast, consisting of over 20 named characters, each with their own complex backstories and character arcs. But this large number of characters also serves as a detriment, as the show does not have time to develop each character into a fulfilling, well-rounded arc fully.
The character that primarily suffers from this in the finale is Will. Will was the primary focus in Vol. 1, where he developed his own psychic abilities. But in the final episode, he was on the sideline. Instead of using his powers to team up with Eleven and take down Vecna, Will is kept away from the final fight and serves to offer some exposition to Vecna’s shaky backstory.
It also seems as that the Duffer Brothers forgot that Eleven and Mike themselves were once main characters. It is not until the finale that the writers finally remember the pivotal part these two characters once played, shoehorning in an ending that ultimately feels lackluster.
A notable editing choice in the final episode is the intercutting of clips from past seasons. These montages, comprising moments from all four past seasons, are featured heavily throughout the episode. This use of past episodes is definitely meant to evoke a sense of nostalgia in the audience and to remind viewers of the show’s former glory.
The finale of “Stranger Things,” while a fine and safe ending, is struck by its inability to let go of the characters that made the show so entertaining back in 2016.
is Lead Life & Style Producer for The NewsHouse.