Arriving on Netflix on November 26 is the first four episodes from ‘Stranger Things’ fifth season, starting the long(ish) road to wrapping up the series as a whole.
GDURPnUbr4KjlXXfeUeKt6The cast for the show includes Winona Ryder (‘Reality Bites’), David Harbour (‘Black Widow’), Millie Bobby Brown (‘Enola Holmes’), Finn Wolfhard (‘It’), Gaten Matarazzo (‘Honor Society’) and Noah Schnapp (‘Bridge of Spies’).
Related Article: Joe Keery Talks ‘Finally Dawn’ and ‘Stranger Things’ Final Season
Initial Thoughts
Finishing off a series that has had as much worldwide attention of ‘Stranger Things’ is a task that could best be described as “mammoth.” There is so much expectations and a multitude of dangling plot lines to be tied up.
Creators Matt and Ross Duffer have opted to go big, and Netflix in its infinite wisdom (and hunt for viewing figures) has decided to split this final season somewhat confusingly into various-sized chunks. Fortunately, the first four, at least don’t disappoint.
Script and Direction
The Duffers and their writers team appear fully cognizant of the challenges inherent in sticking the landing –– and what has emerged, at least in this initial run of four is a mostly balanced treatment of the surviving main characters.
A majority of the cast get something fun (or terrifying; or both) to do, and the team-up concept means that there are more interactions. The creators have also built on the premise, raising the stakes as the final conflict begins.
Despite hour-plus running times for most episodes, there’s not much downtime, and the show’s hefty budget means it all looks good.
Cast and Performances
Though the younger cast have all aged to such a degree that they’re not the most convincing high-schoolers to grace screens, they still give committed, entertaining performances.
Gaten Matarazzo’s Dustin remains a standout, but all the “young” characters enjoy decent storylines or at least moments, while Winona Ryder is on good form as Joyce.
Final Thoughts
It might have very familiar genre bones (evil presence in a small town, psychic connections or powers, monsters) but ‘Stranger Things’ has always built well on those foundations, with this initial batch of final season episodes delivering on heart and spectacle.
Now we just have to wait until Christmas Day for the next three.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 1 receives 75 out of 100.
TV Review: ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 2
Arriving on Netflix on December 25 is the second three episodes from ‘Stranger Things’ fifth season, leading to the big finish on New Year’s Eve.
The cast for the show includes Winona Ryder (‘Reality Bites’), David Harbour (‘Black Widow’), Millie Bobby Brown (‘Enola Holmes’), Finn Wolfhard (‘It’), Gaten Matarazzo (‘Honor Society’) and Noah Schnapp (‘Bridge of Spies’).
Initial Thoughts
‘Stranger Things’ has always referenced 1980s pop culture, so it seems appropriate that this middle chunk of Season 5 should be the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ of the final run. The heroes are on the back foot to some degree, but are looking for ways to win. It never reaches the sheer quality of that second ‘Star Wars,’ but there is some solid entertainment here.
Script and Direction
The scripts are a mixed bag here and there –– we get plenty of big reveals (particularly about the nature of the Upside Down) and a lovely moment for Will, but the episodes also suffer from long batches of exposition designed to set the finale up (though one scene featuring the reuniting gang manages to pull off an info dump while also being fun).
Frank Darabont and Shawn Levy are on directing duty here (the Duffers share a credit with Levy on Episode 7) and the three episodes are generally stylish, full of interesting visuals.
Cast and Performances
While we talked about the main characters in the review of the first chunk, credit to Noah Schnapp, who brings real pathos and nervy energy to Will’s big revelation to his friends.
But we would be remiss if we didn’t also highlight Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow, who is a real star in his supporting role.
Final Thoughts
We’re in the endgame now for ‘Stranger Things’ and while the final season has been a mixed bag, it’s certainly got plenty to offer fans who have been on the ride for nearly a decade.
Can it stick the landing? We’ll have to wait and see once the finale arrives.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 2 receives 70 out of 100.
TV Review: ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5: The Finale
Arriving on Netflix on December 31 is final bumper-sized episode from ‘Stranger Things’ fifth season, which is also the series finale.
The cast for the show includes Winona Ryder (‘Reality Bites’), David Harbour (‘Black Widow’), Millie Bobby Brown (‘Enola Holmes’), Finn Wolfhard (‘It’), Gaten Matarazzo (‘Honor Society’) and Noah Schnapp (‘Bridge of Spies’).
Initial Thoughts
And so… it ends. With somewhat of a bang, but also a slight whimper as the big finish proves to be as epic as you’d hope, but the more exciting moments are also sandbagged by protracted sequences that play the same beat over and over again.
Script and Direction
Series creators Matt and Ross Duffer were behind the writing and directing for this giant wrap-up (the whole thing runs for around two hours and eight minutes, longer than many movies), and –– spoiler alert in case you haven’t seen it –– chose to largely keep following their pop cultural inspirations and go for a big ol’ happy ending. At least, mostly.
The script is baggy in places (there really was a world where this could have been about an hour and a half) and some of the moments are saccharine, but all in all, it’s a solid ending for the show.
And style-wise, the big final battle against Vecna and his even more powerful allies does deliver on the spectacle, while the extended wrap-up gives the characters some closure.
Cast and Performances
The main cast are brought front and center once again, with the likes of Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo standing out once more.
On the other end of the spectrum, spare a thought for poor Winona Ryder, who mostly got reaction shots until one big moment and then the character coda.
Final Thoughts
It stumbled slightly, but for the most part, this ‘Stranger Things’ finale stuck the landing, offering a big, effects-heavy clash and then scope to explore the characters’ ongoing stories.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 2: The Finale receives 80 out of 100.
What’s the plot of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 1?
The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown.
Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s (Noah Schnapp) disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming…
Who stars in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 1?
- Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
- David Harbour as Jim Hopper
- Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
- Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
- Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
- Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair
- Noah Schnapp as Will Byers
- Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield
- Joe Keery as Steve Harrington
- Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley
- Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair
Movies Similar to ‘Stranger Things:’
- ‘Ghostbusters‘ (1984)
- ‘The Goonies‘ (1985)
- ‘Twilight‘ (2008)
- ‘The Hunger Games‘ (2012)
- ‘Beautiful Creatures‘ (2013)
- ‘Metallica: Through the Never‘ (2013)
- ‘Divergent‘ (2014)
- ‘The Maze Runner‘ (2014)
- ‘Brightburn‘ (2019)
- ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife‘ (2021)
- ‘Teen Wolf: The Movie‘ (2023)
It might be easy to dismiss this without “The Montauk Project” connections…
[UPDATE: Since press time, 
The Duffer brothers can’t always keep “Stranger Things” fans happy, but there is a method to their madness.
With Netflix’s 80s-centric-horror-retro original series “Stranger Things” emerging as the sensation of the summer of 2016, we should all expect an even bigger, scarier and splashier second season, right?
Things won’t get stranger in Hawkins, Indiana for much longer.
While “Stranger Things” Season 1 brought goodbyes for some characters, the Netflix series’ much-anticipated Season 2 is saying hello to at least three new ones.