Emily Flores
After nearly a decade of Demogorgons, Mind Flayers, and “Running Up That Hill” on repeat, the cultural juggernaut that is “Stranger Things” is finally closing the gate for good. Netflix’s nostalgic sci-fi horror series, which debuted in July 2016, will conclude with its fifth and final season, bringing an end to the adventures of Eleven, Mike, and the rest of the Hawkins crew.
But as production drags on and anticipation wanes, what was once appointment television now feels more like a marathon we’re obligated to finish.
The Long Road To Hawkins’ Finale
The wait between “Stranger Things” seasons has become almost as legendary as the show itself. Season 4 arrived in summer 2022, a full three years after Season 3’s 2019 release. Now, Season 5 won’t premiere until 2025—meaning nearly a decade will have passed between the show’s debut and its conclusion. The Duffer Brothers, the series’ creators, announced the final season in February 2022, promising to wrap up the story they’d envisioned from the beginning.
Production officially began in January 2024, with filming expected to continue through late 2024. This glacial pace has tested even the most devoted fans’ patience, especially as the young cast has visibly aged while their characters remain perpetually in the 1980s. Millie Bobby Brown was just twelve when the series started; she’s now in her twenties, making the suspension of disbelief increasingly difficult.
When Nostalgia Becomes A Formula
What made “Stranger Things” initially thrilling was its fresh take on 1980s nostalgia, blending “E.T.”, “The Goonies”, and “Stephen King” into something that felt both familiar and new. The first season was a tight eight episodes of genuine mystery and heart. But as the seasons progressed, the formula became transparent. Each year brought a new supernatural threat to Hawkins, Indiana, requiring the gang to reunite, uncover government conspiracies, and save the world while navigating teenage drama.
Season 4’s runtime ballooned to nearly thirteen hours total, with a finale clocking in at two and a half hours—longer than most feature films. The bloat became undeniable. What once felt like carefully crafted storytelling started resembling a greatest-hits compilation, recycling emotional beats and plot structures while cranking up the special effects budget. The show’s reliance on nostalgia, once charming, began feeling like a crutch.
The Cultural Moment Has Passed
Perhaps most telling is how the conversation around “Stranger Things” has shifted. Season 4 still drew massive viewership—Netflix reported over 1.3 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days—but the cultural grip had loosened. The show no longer dominates water-cooler conversations the way it once did. In an era of endless streaming content, even the Upside Down struggles to hold attention spans.
The final season promises answers, closure, and presumably one last battle for Hawkins. But after years of delays and diminishing returns, it’s hard not to feel like we’re watching out of obligation rather than genuine excitement. Sometimes the best stories know when to end, and this one may have stayed just a little too long.