Audiences returned to Hawkins for one final time on Dec. 31, with the finale of Netflix’s beloved show Stranger Things released at 8 p.m. With a run time of two hours and eight minutes, the show aired on Netflix and had a limited theatrical release. As the show has been running for nearly a decade, cast and audiences alike have grown up with the show and now we have all graduated.
Following the release of Volume I on Thanksgiving and Volume II on Christmas Day, the series finale was highly anticipated worldwide. But with conspiracy theories running rampant online and clear frustration from both fans and critics, reactions to the finale of Stranger Things have been controversial.
Elements of this season fell flat compared to previous seasons. The combination of storylines and character arcs all had a confusing purpose. Several questions were left unanswered, and holes in the ending — even outside of the ambiguous conclusion — left many viewers dissatisfied and lacking clarity.
Fans were so underwhelmed and confused by the ending that they even formed a theory about a secret, final episode. This theory, also known as “Conformity Gate,” has been rapidly trending online and was so convincing that people were genuinely anticipating a new episode dropping on Jan. 7. Whether this is a means of coping with the show’s disappointing finale is up for debate.
Critics agree with these sentiments, with Season 5 receiving the lowest average episode ratings of any season. According to IMDb.com, Episode 7 of Season 5 was the lowest-rated episode of the entire series, managing a 5.7 out of 10, and the finale was the 3rd lowest-rated episode with a 7.7.
Many were frustrated by the lack of intensity and emotional turbulence of the finale, arguing that there should have been more shock factor. This show is about monsters from another dimension, though. Realism is not a common trope. The creators, the Duffer brothers, were generous and delicate with the audience, yet now they are being relentlessly attacked online for the overall “terrible writing” this season.
A positive was the superb soundtrack of the season, consistent with past seasons. Songs like Prince’s “Purple Rain,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” and David Bowie’s “Heroes” tugged at the heartstrings, creating a lingering sense of bittersweet nostalgia. The finale, particularly the epilogue, was deeply emotional, using the symbolism of the passage of time to highlight enduring friendships, nostalgia and the quiet pain of moving on.
To so many, including ourselves, the entirety of Stranger Things has felt much bigger than just a show. It encapsulated our adolescence as releases spanned throughout our formative years. It has become a comfort blanket during the most transformative time of our lives and has served as a lesson to all: Being different is not a defect, it’s a superpower. It has taught us to be resilient and never falter, no matter how hard life might get; if you are around the people you love, you can do anything, even save the world.
Would we call this a five-star ending to a historic series? No. Were there gaping plot holes and disappointing character arcs? Definitely. But we can’t ignore the fact that the Duffer brothers created a generation-defining show and gave us closure on the story and characters we’ve loved for nearly 10 years. For that alone we can’t help but give the final chapter of our favorite show anything but five stars.