I know this headline is bound to stir up some controversy and it’s a hot take that plenty of fans probably won’t agree with. Honestly, this isn’t an opinion I’m thrilled to share. In fact, I wish I could be writing about how excited I am for “Stranger Things” season 5 instead, but unfortunately, that’s just not the case.
At this point, my excitement must be stuck in the Upside Down.
There’s no need to explain why “Stranger Things” isn’t just one of the biggest Netflix shows — it’s one of the biggest shows of all time. Period. Since season 1 dropped back in 2016, it’s built a massive fanbase, and I’m a part of it. My current lack of interest may suggest otherwise, but this was a show I genuinely enjoyed, and I was content on board the hype train.
But with season 5 returning sometime in 2025 (seemingly toward the end of the year), it’s hard to keep that same energy. The wait has been long, and while anticipation is at an all-time high for many fans, I’m struggling to see how this final season could possibly live up to it.
If you’re willing to entertain my hot take, here’s why I’m not exactly rushing to return to Hawkins.
The long wait is its biggest downfall
“Oh, but the wait will be worth it!” This, unfortunately, isn’t something I can agree with right now. And while I appreciate that most fans are probably excited, I’m more worried than anything.
The wait between “Stranger Things” seasons has always been lengthy, but season 5 has pushed it to an extreme. Season 1 debuted in 2016, with season 2 following just over a year later in 2017. After that, the gaps widened — season 3 arrived in 2019, and due to pandemic-related delays, season 4 didn’t hit Netflix until 2022 (so that’s understandable).
Now, with season 5 expected to premiere in 2025, fans will have waited another three years for the final chapter. That’s nearly a decade since the show first began, and while anticipation can build excitement, it can also lead to fatigue. Sadly, I’ve fallen into the latter category.
The long wait really does kill momentum. It’s been so long since “Stranger Things” season 4 that I barely remember how things left off. Sure, I could rewatch it, but I shouldn’t have to rely on a refresher just to feel invested again.
When a show has this big of a gap between seasons, it risks losing that emotional connection with its audience.
Then there’s the cast. The longer the wait, the older they get, and at this point, it’s getting harder to buy them as teenagers. It’s not their fault, of course, but it does make time jumps feel less like a creative decision and more like a necessity. And I’m pretty sure there will be a time jump in the next season just to make things consistent.
Another issue that stems from the long wait is reconnecting with the characters all over again. I found each character interesting in the first few seasons, but after years away, I feel like I’ve moved on. I shouldn’t have to remind myself why I care — it should be instinctual, right?
A great show keeps you hooked, but when there are massive delays, that emotional bond starts to fade.
When you wait this long for a finale, it has to be spectacular. Anything less than this is going to feel like a letdown for a lot of people. The pressure is piling on, and honestly, that worries me more than it excites me.
A movie marathon disguised as a TV show
Entertainment Weekly reported that Matt and Ross Duffer are describing the final stretch of the hit Netflix series not as traditional episodes but as “eight blockbuster movies.”
Ross Duffer said, “We spent a full year filming this season. By the end, we had captured over 650 hours of footage. So, needless to say, this is our biggest and most ambitious season yet. It’s like eight blockbuster movies. It’s pretty, pretty insane.”
Making a TV show feel like a full-blown movie marathon isn’t necessarily a good thing. “Stranger Things” was always meant to be an easy-to-binge, fast-paced show. But when every episode is said to be nearly two hours long, it starts feeling like a commitment rather than something you can casually enjoy.
Most of it comes down to the pacing. Just because something is longer doesn’t mean it’s better. A stretched-out runtime could lead to unnecessary filler, dragging out scenes that don’t need to be. I might even have to split an episode in half and finish it the next day just to make it somewhat watchable.
Of course, one of the best things about TV is the suspense between episodes, that feeling of “I need to watch the next one right now.” When episodes are basically movies, that anticipation might not hit the same way. And let’s be real — not everyone has the time to sit through a movie-length episode in one sitting. Season 4 even felt lengthy for what it was.
Instead of watching an episode here and there, people might feel like they need to carve out an entire afternoon just to keep up. And even though “Stranger Things” season 5 might be packed with relentless tension and emotionally draining scenes, sometimes you really do need a break from that stuff.
More content sounds great on paper, but there is such a thing as too much.
If “Stranger Things” really wants to go out with a bang and change my opinion, it needs to raise the stakes. Vecna is one of the most compelling villains the show has introduced, and I hope they don’t nerf his abilities just to keep the main characters safe (even if he isn't in his scary form).
A final season should feel final, and that means real consequences — actual losses, not just near-deaths for shock value. Max’s “death” in season 4 could have been a truly heartbreaking moment, but by pulling back at the last second, it lost so much of its impact. If season 5 is going to be emotional, they can’t hold back. Side characters shouldn’t be the only ones in danger this time.
So yes, if they want this finale to hit, it needs to hurt.
Despite my obvious lack of excitement, though, I’m still holding onto a bit of hope that “Stranger Things” season 5 will bring the nostalgia and entertainment it’s always been known for. Maybe it’ll surprise me, and I’ll end up getting swept back into the world of Hawkins like before and then regret ever writing this piece.
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