The final season of “Stranger Things” sets out to do the near-impossible: bring one of Netflix’s most iconic series to a satisfying close. Blending action, nostalgia and emotional resolution across eight episodes, some of it landed beautifully. But some of it didn’t. Here’s what I loved — and here’s what left me wanting more.
VOL. 1
Episode 1, “The Crawl”: 8/10
Episode One shares what all our favorite characters have been up to throughout the one-year gap since Season Four. A strong opener that successfully sets up the emotional tone, central relationships and looming dangers the plot might bring, this episode shows the characters performing a “crawl” — a check through the upside-down to find Vecna. The scene suggests that these “crawls” have become routine, starting us right where we left off at the end of last season, with our favorite characters once again exploring evil.
Episode 2, “The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler”: 9.5/10
While Episode One sets the stage, Episode Two quite literally drives the glass in your face when Karen Wheeler stabs a Demogorgon with a wine bottle. A new main character introduced in this episode and season is Holly Wheeler, played by Nell Fisher. Several of Holly’s friends, such as “Dipshit” Derek (or should I say “Delightful” Derek), are also new to Season Five. Their presence highlights how much the main characters have grown up throughout the seasons and shifts them into more mentor-like roles. This sense of passing the torch is surprisingly emotional, and as someone who has watched the show since I was 10, adding a new generation of kids really makes this season feel like a finale.
Episode 3, “The Turnbow Trap”: 10/10
This episode is everything fans love about “Stranger Things.” “The Turnbow Trap” has become one of my personal favorites of the whole season. It follows the group orchestrating an elaborate plan involving kidnapping and pie poisoning. We even get the Steve-and-Dustin duo back, even though they’re still kind of at odds. Hopper and Eleven’s relationship remains heartwarming, and their conversations in this episode feel genuine and emotional. As the stakes rise higher and the tension builds, it’s hard not to keep coming back for more.
Episode 4, “The Sorcerer”: 10/10
Starting strong, we finally see Max Mayfield, played by Sadie Sink, again after being trapped in Vecna’s mind! I love her character and the whole Camazotz plotline, which takes place inside Vecna’s mind, where he traps all his victims. Additionally, Will’s character arc hits its peak when he finally embraces who he is instead of hiding it. After watching him be used over and over again, it’s so satisfying to see him take back his life. His self-acceptance being the source of his “sorcery” is incredibly sweet, especially with Robin’s speech in the background and the videos from his childhood. Overall, “The Sorcerer” is truly one of the best episodes across all five seasons of “Stranger Things.”
VOL. 2
Episode 5, “Shock Jock”: 8/10
After Episode Four’s big reveal (Will’s powers), Episode Five serves more as a tension builder. By this point, it really feels like the show is ramping up for the finale. The episode comes off as somewhat messy and hard to follow, with multiple plotlines that feel as if they’re switching every two minutes. I love the dynamic between Dustin and Steve in this episode; it feels like such a pivotal moment for their characters. Their friendship is one of my favorites to watch, and their argument-turned-apology scene had my heart warm and my eyes watering.
Episode 6, “Escape from Camaztoz”: 7/10
You can really immerse yourself in the “Stranger Things” world while watching Max star in this episode. Sadie Sink is the best actor on the show, and her journey through Henry/Vecna’s mind is definitely a high point of this episode. However, we definitely reach a low in Nancy and Jonathan’s confession scene. It’s emotional, but the actors have such good chemistry with each other that it does not come off as a breakup at all. In fact, when I watched it, I thought they were getting married! The Duffers actually had to confirm their breakup in an interview, which implies they didn’t make that scene very clear. Also, why was the world melting? While I was initially immersed in the world of “Stranger Things,” the ending took me right out of it.
Episode 7, “The Bridge”: 6/10
This episode received the lowest rating of the whole show on IMDb, and I think that’s completely valid. It also sparked the “Conformity Gate” theory, in which fans believed the ending was fake and everyone was being controlled by Vecna — that’s how bad it was. Aside from that, there are many other things I could say that confused me. First of all, how come 30 extra people were at Will’s coming-out scene? It felt unnecessary and not well thought-out. What was supposed to be a huge moment for his character didn’t feel personal, and the decision to stage it in front of a large group weakened its touching effect. However, the episode wasn’t all bad. Max’s waking-up scene was so raw, beautiful and acted out perfectly that it honestly made me cry. I love that scene, and it evened out the rocky parts of the episode.
VOL. 3
Episode 8, “The Rightside Up”: 7/10
The finale — what everyone had been waiting for. Would all the unanswered questions from Episode Seven finally make sense? Had everyone been under Vecna’s control the whole time? No — that was just bad writing (thanks for nothing, Conformity Gate). Starting with the not-so-sweet: The Mind Flayer vs. the gang fight felt far too easy, almost ridiculous. The writers spent seven minutes on Will’s coming-out scene, while the fight was only six and a half. We wanted much more from that long-awaited scene! However, the second half of the episode felt much more genuine and served as a strong wrap-up for the series. I loved the ending with our main characters (minus Eleven) playing Dungeons and Dragons for the last time, and passing the tradition on to Holly and the other younger children. Mike’s theory about Eleven feels true to his character, and controversially, I like that the season leaves room for viewers to decide whether she is alive or not. I believe!
