Bringing a story to a close is, I think, always the hardest part. How the climax will be achieved, how the central conflict will be resolved, how each character will be given a fitting ending. And how all of this will come together while remaining true to the spirit of the story. And when we are talking about a global phenomenon with millions of viewers, how it will be satisfying for the audience. Is that even possible?
Stranger Things has built enormous excitement and hype, also with its latest season, which in my view was excellent, if not superior then at least equal to the first. On top of that, three years have passed since then, so anticipation has grown even more, theories about what might happen are everywhere, and expectations for a grand final season have reached the sky.
All of us who follow the show have various reasons why we like it and why it has kept us engaged. If you believe the series went downhill one, two, or three seasons ago, or that it was bad from the start, I am not sure what you are doing here. Still, the way we prioritize those reasons differs for each of us. Some want to see epic battles, others focus on the relationships between characters, others simply wait for their own theory to be confirmed and are disappointed if the story deviates even slightly from it. Based on these factors, and sometimes others as well such as other series one has watched, everyone has formed a different horizon of expectations, to borrow a term from literary theory. That, I think, is the core issue and the reason why we see so many opposing opinions. Some love it, some hate it, some are satisfied with anything, others will look for the smallest detail to complain about.
Personally, when I try to judge something I watch or read, my primary concern is how well it stays true to the spirit of the story, and only then whether it was executed in a satisfying way.
So, Stranger Things season 5. Spoilers ahead.
Is it excellent? No. Is it terrible? Also no. I would say it is rather good, and it depends on what happens and how it unfolds in the final episode for me to decide whether the overall impression will remain positive or turn negative. As I mentioned above, I really loved season 4, so season 5 carries a heavy burden, both as its continuation and as the overall conclusion of the entire series.
I like that they manage once again to add new characters to the story, Holly, and give them an important role without making me feel that others are pushed aside. I also like that each of the main characters gets their moment. The revelation that Will can use powers is the highlight so far. I also like how Dustin and Steve’s relationship developed, from mourning Eddie’s death to reconciliation and the “If you die, I die” moment. Henry’s manipulative personality toward the kids, where he presents himself as a friend or savior, combined with his badass appearance as Vecna in episode four, makes him a completely iconic villain. The scene in episode seven where the other kids attack Holly is almost traumatic. As for the coming out scene, I may not belong to the LGBTQ+ community, but what I deeply hear there is Will’s fear that his family and friends will push him aside and that he will be left completely alone. That is a universal fear, one that I do not think relates only to sexual identity, so I cannot help but empathize.
There are, however, some missteps. I think there are moments where the writing is not as strong. At times, solutions seem to come too easily. For example, the heroes’ theories about things they do not fully understand always seem to be perfectly accurate, spot on. On the other hand, I often feel that characters say or repeat things that are obvious or already clear. This is not something I can blame solely on this series, since, as Jameela Jamil has explained, it often happens at the request of production companies. I was also thrown off by sudden shifts in behavior from certain characters, for example Joyce going from being overprotective one moment to encouraging Will to face Vecna alone the next.
Finally, perhaps the most controversial issue, based on what I have seen in comments. The stakes are now clearly very high, so should there not be some corresponding losses? So far in the season, there has been no death of a main character. There were opportunities. The demogorgon attack on the Wheeler parents, or Jonathan and Nancy submerged in the melted substance. The truth is that losing a character would give a very different meaning to the whole effort of the others and would significantly raise the stakes. The Wheeler parents are peripheral but have a strong impact on the core group. Nancy and Jonathan had a very powerful “final” moment, and I honestly believed that was it, that we had lost them. Still, I wonder whether that would align with the spirit of the series. Stranger Things was never Game of Thrones, killing off one character after another. On the contrary, until now no one from the main group has been lost. Those who died in previous seasons were peripheral characters, Bob, Billy, Eddie. All of them died in the final episode of the season, not earlier. Even Hopper in season three and Max in season four are “lost” in the final episode. So the fact that there has been no death of a main character so far in season five does not feel out of character for the show. I do expect, however, that something will happen in the final episode.
Enjoy watching, and happy new year to everyone!
