One of my all-time favorite shows has come to a bittersweet end. Stranger Things, the Netflix sci-fi series that follows a group of kids in the fictional town of Hawkins that regularly battle the creatures and dangers that come from an alternate dimension known as the Upside-Down, is a show that didn’t take long for me to become a fan of. It’s unique premise, likable characters, and its impressive scale/lore that only grew with each season kept me hooked, despite how long each season took to release. While the earlier seasons of this show will always be appreciated for its sense of small scale mystery and capturing the timeless nostalgia of the 80s time period that the series is set in, Season 4 is when this show really shined for me. The fourth season expanded the narrative and the lore by putting our characters in different locations across the globe and giving us a new terrifying villain with Vecna that masterfully tied into the series’ earlier events. I didn’t think this show could possibly get any better than Season 4, especially with the apocalyptic cliffhanger the fourth season left us on. In my opinion, while this fifth and final season of the show didn’t quite reach the level of Season 4, or even the seasons that came before it, there was still a lot to enjoy about it. Seeing all of these characters we’ve come to know over the years grow and evolve with the series itself was a treat in its own right. Every character from Mike & Will to Hopper & Joyce has undergone a significant amount of satisfying character growth. (My favorite relationship throughout the series has been the friendship between Dustin & Steve, and the places this season takes their dynamic was heartwrenching as well as heartfelt.) I even liked the newer characters such as Derek Turnbow and older Holly Wheeler as well. This is definitely the most action-packed season, too, with each episode having no shortage of Demogorgon scares or thrilling set pieces. (Vecna will definitely go down as one of my favorite television villains.) However, for every exciting action scene, there was a plot point that should’ve been more expanded on or a narrative thread from a previous season that was completely forgotten about. (Where are Dr. Owens & Suzie?) The shorter episode runtimes of this season compared to the previous one did make me a little nervous when I first saw them, and some of those fears unfortunately came to fruition. The high stakes that the previous season set up were also seemingly forgotten as our characters effortlessly survived most of the dangerous situations they found themselves in. Despite this fifth and final season being my least favorite season out of the five, the ending still gave each character, and the show, a satisfying and emotional conclusion that will forever cement this show as one of my favorites. My main hope for this final season was that it would be better than the final season of Game of Thrones, and it technically was, so I consider that a win. Score: 8/10
Noah Robinson 