On July 15, 2016, things changed. Well, show-wise at least. “Stranger Things” season one was released on this day without anyone knowing what an iconic show it would become. The American sci-fi/horror series was launched on the streaming platform Netflix, where it topped the charts almost immediately.
As the story goes, a 12-year-old boy, Will Byers, was biking home in Hawkins, Indiana, in 1983. However, Will mysteriously disappeared before anyone could catch sight of him that night. His friends Mike, Lucas, and Dustin accidentally met a girl their age whom they named Eleven (El). Soon, they discovered that El might harbor major psychic powers, leading them into a long-term supernatural hunt. These friends go through a series of supernatural and mental challenges as they battle odd creatures and monsters to save their friends from the eternal doom of the “Upside Down,” in an alternate dimension. While these events transpire, they later learn that this issue is much more significant than they imagined, discovering a secret government operation and lab with Russian involvement, heavily linked to El’s entire past and abilities.
As of 2025, we have finally reached the end of the story. On Nov. 26, four brand new episodes of the show’s final season will be released. There will be a total of eight episodes, with three more releases on Dec. 25, and the season finale on Dec. 31. In this fifth and final season, Vecna returns while Hawkins, Indiana, is under government-ordered quarantine, accompanied and enforced by military watch. The main friends will fight their final battles in the Upside Down and bring the dimension and story full circle while settling Max’s fate.
Though the show has sparked some controversy, some people think that foreshadowing may play a negative role in the series.
“I love that the previous seasons kept you on your toes, but I am concerned that because it’s the last season it will be predictable,” criticizes statistics teacher Morgan Anderson.
In the previous third and fourth seasons, foreshadowing became very prominent, with the indication of some unnecessary character deaths that, in popular opinion, didn’t need to occur for any plot points. For example, with a spoiler warning, Dr. Alexei’s death didn’t quite make much sense. From what has been gathered, his death was solely to symbolize how ruthless the Russians were but served no actual purpose in changing the storyline or triggering any events. Though it served as a great tear-jerker scene.
“Stranger Things” is only available to stream on Netflix and is exactly where the new season will be premiering in all three parts.
