Greer Riddell (pronounced Gre-er Rid-dell) is a very tired Londoner who is fuelled by tea and rarely looks up from her laptop.
The final season of Stranger Things has come to a close, but the wait and the expectations have been unbearable! Netflix’s decision to release Season 5 in three parts may look on paper like a great way to milk the buzz that only Stranger Things can deliver for, in Vecna’s words, “one last time.
” However, this staggered release worked against the show's favor, diminishing fans’ confidence in how the story was being told. Volume 1 was overall well-received with only a few expected criticisms, including the actors being significantly older than their on-screen counterparts. It succeeded in building excitement and faith in the story, as viewers fell in love with the “delightful” Derek Turnbow despite his late entrance, and finally saw Karen Wheeler receive her introduction to the supernatural — wine included. However, Volume 2 was received negatively in comparison, and fans rushed to the internet after watching “Chapter 7: The Bridge” to share their thoughts. The disappointment is, on the surface, surprising, given that Volume 2 finally delivers major revelations audiences have been waiting for almost ten years, including what the Upside Down really is as well as Will’s much-anticipated coming-out scene. Regardless, some viewers claimed that little actually happened, that it relied on dialogue-heavy recaps, and that too much was left to resolve in a single final episode. Had Volume 1 and 2 been released together, much of this criticism may have been softened while still building excitement for the series finale. Splitting Up ‘Stranger Things 5’ Gave Viewers Too Much Time to Theorize The series finale of Stranger Things is a huge event, and arguably one of the biggest finales in recent television history. As the cast began the show as young children, viewers quite literally watched them grow up on screen, and many of the show’s most vocal fans grew up alongside them. As a result, Stranger Things’ ending feels like something deeply personal, and its unprecedented appearance in cinemas underlines the burden to get it right. One of the strongest reasons Volume 2 fell flat is that the gap between releases gave fans more time to theorize, speculate, and establish their own ideal resolutions. Criticism largely revolved around characters not being taken in the direction viewers had hoped for during the gap. For instance, Will's struggle with his identity has been present since Season 1, from bullies calling him slurs to Vecna using his shame as a way to control him. This arc has been building for years, and expectations for its resolution were extremely high. Episode 7 of Volume 2 finally showed Will sharing his secret with, uncharacteristically, the entire group in a 15-minute window of opportunity. The moment felt out of place and tacked on at the end, rather than intimate or special. Audience disappointment was also heightened by a long-standing investment in Will and Mike , Will’s best friend and his secret crush. There have been several moments throughout the series where Mike appears to show deep care toward Will, despite being romantically linked with Eleven . Some viewers believed this hinted at possible reciprocation and hoped “Byler” would finally materialize in Volume 2. Yet Episode 7 offered little emotional payoff between them either way. If Volume 1 and 2 had aired together, Will’s coming out could even have been more of a natural next step in his growing friendship with Robin , and an exploration of his self-acceptance rather than hinting at a new romance. 'Stranger Things 5' Focused Too Much on New Characters Instead of Answering Big Questions Another downside of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 is that the backstory of the Upside Down and Vecna — Henry Creel, 001, Mr Whatsit, you name it — has not been fully explored. Much of his origin story is only understood by viewers who have seen the canonical play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Netflix audiences are only given fragments of Henry’s childhood, including a brief shot of him bludgeoning a man to death in a tunnel, and a seemingly random memory involving Joyce in high school. There’s now a hierarchy in the Stranger Things fanbase, which has left only those with access to New York or London knowing that Henry went to school with the adult characters. With only one episode left to resolve this, the lack of clarity felt increasingly like estrangement. There has also been widespread criticism of how much screen time both volumes have dedicated to new characters instead of the core main Party audiences have followed since the beginning. Volume 1 focused heavily on Holly and Derek, which initially felt exciting and key to understanding Vecna’s plans. However, this storyline continued heavily into Volume 2, and many viewers felt that precious time was being taken away from resolving the arcs of the original characters. If Volume 1 and 2 had been released together, the continued focus on the younger kids could have been perceived as a single, continuous arc that ultimately culminated in Max , an original character, returning from her coma. Related 'Stranger Things' Season 5 Vol. 2 Review: Netflix's Sci-Fi Sensation Struggles Before the Series Finale The penultimate installment of 'Stranger Things 5' leaves much to be desired. Posts 2 By Robert Brian Taylor It's Impossible for the 'Stranger Things' Series Finale To Please Everyone The marketing campaign surrounding Netflix's split release shared some responsibility for how Volume 2 was received by fans. The gap between volumes meant another round of press interviews for the cast and the creators, which generated more quotes and speculation around the upcoming episodes. In particular, the Duffers’ claims to the Associated Press that Christmas would be “dark” set expectations that Volume 2 ultimately did not meet. There were no major character deaths or disturbing moments — instead, there was a joke about how well-endowed Steve is! Significant developments, such as the breakup of Nancy and Jonathan in “Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz,” went awkwardly unnoticed. As the scene ended with them declaring their love, many only realized they had broken up after reading the Duffers’ interviews. Subscribe for Clearer Analysis of Stranger Things 5 Get smarter perspective when you subscribe to our newsletter: clear, context-rich breakdowns of Stranger Things Season 5's split release, character arcs, and finale fallout — ideal for readers who want thoughtful TV analysis. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Understandably, the Duffer Brothers experienced enormous amounts of pressure to get the ending right, and it was seemingly an impossible task. When a series becomes this big, finales are always criticized, as seen with shows like Game of Thrones and The Sopranos. Expectations were extremely high on both sides: audiences wanted a genius landing from the Duffer Brothers, while the creators wanted to deliver their intended vision rather than pander to fan-favorite ships or demands. The second volume of Season 5 was filled with ample dialogue and basic exposition, re-explaining plans for defeating Vecna from Volume 1. Releasing the episodes as one continuous experience would also have allowed major revelations to land together, rather than being teased, delayed, and then explained again through further chatter. Volume 2 left a vast number of threads unresolved for the series finale to cover, while also introducing new elements such as the wormhole, Mr. Clarke joining the group, and Kali and Eleven’s suicide mission. Instead of pushing the story forward, these additions risked overcomplicating an already crowded narrative. Thankfully, the wordy Volume 2 set up everything needed for the final battle, so the finale could go straight into the action and stay there until the epilogue. The delayed gratification between Stranger Things 5 Volume 1 and 2 did build hype, but it also left enormous room for disappointment when the second drop wasn't as strong as the first. Both volumes would have hit harder if released together, allowing audiences to engage with the final season of Stranger Things as a complete story rather than a fragmented one while still building the necessary excitement for its explosive finale. Stranger Things Like TV-14 Drama Mystery Horror Science Fiction Release Date 2016 - 2025-00-00 Network Netflix Showrunner Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Directors Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz Writers Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock 7 Images Close Cast See All When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
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