Stranger Things Season 5 Is Not Nearly As Bad As Fans Claim | Bobby Burack

Not since the final season of Game of Thrones in 2019 has a series faced as much scrutiny as Stranger Things 5. With one episode remaining, fans and critics have overwhelmingly panned the final season.

"‘Stranger Things’ Shows Its Age in a Final Season That’s Outgrown Its Core Appeal," Variety wrote. The Atlantic published a review listing all the ways the show "lost itself" during its last run.

Meanwhile, fans "review bombed" the season following the December 25 release of Season 5, Volume 2, dropping the show’s Rotten Tomatoes score from the 70s to 56 percent. 

The penultimate episode, "The Bridge," is now the lowest-rated episode of Stranger Things on IMDb, with a score of 5.4 out of 10. It is the only episode to fall below a 7.8. The episode faced fierce backlash on social media for a melodramatic scene in which Will Byers comes out as gay to his friends. "I don't like girls," he said in tears.

Like Game of Thrones, the consensus is that the once-great drama has limped to the finish and failed to uphold its previous standards. However, we disagree.

Of course, we reserve full judgment until after the season finale on December 31. But, so far, the season has not been nearly as bad as its detractors claim. Like Thrones, Stranger Things faces the unenviable position of monocultural expectations. The show is so popular that most fans have already imagined how they want the series to end and naturally oppose any other path.

There was no scenario in which Season 5 would satisfy everyone. Consider that the chief criticism of Thrones’ final season was that it felt rushed. Critics and viewers lamented that there was not enough time for character reflection between the battles for Winterfell and King’s Landing. Conversely, the criticism of Stranger Things 5 is that it has moved too slowly, with too much time devoted to reflection.

See the problem?

Without delving too deeply into spoilers, the season has largely focused on the mind of Vecna, also known as Henry or One, and on the untapped power of Will. That said, the decision to feature Holly Wheeler so prominently, rather than the main cast members, is questionable.

Our read: the Duffer Brothers chose her as a vehicle to help viewers better understand Vecna/Henry. The showrunners have an opportunity to pay off this story arc in the finale.

As for the much-debated coming-out scene, we do not agree with those who say Stranger Things turned "woke." While we are generally opposed to including overt social commentary in a series, Will’s homosexuality did not feel forced. The implication was that Vecna had tapped into his thoughts and secrets – specifically, his most haunting secret. 

Based on the dialogue, the purpose of the scene was to free Will from his fear so he could use his inherent abilities to defeat Vecna.

Now, if the season ends with Will engaging romantically with a resurrected Henry, then perhaps the critics will have a point. For now, though, the outrage feels exaggerated and misplaced.

A general view of the Netflix Stranger Things Christmas Tree is in Via Dante in Milan, Italy, on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Alessandro Bremec/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Ultimately, Season 5 has set up a finale in which any of the main cast members could seemingly die or end up saving the world from the Upside Down. That unpredictability is a credit to the Duffer Brothers.

As for the show’s legacy, no serious critic ever claimed that Stranger Things belongs alongside the Mount Rushmore of television: The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Wire, and Mad Men. Conversely, Game of Thrones had a chance to join that group and fell short. 

Stranger Things has always been a good, not great, series that thrived on its Stephen King–inspired characters, 1980s nostalgia, and Reddit-fueled fan theories.

By that standard, Season 5 has been fine. Our advice is to watch it for yourself and ignore the noise. If nothing else, the introduction of "Dipshit" Derek Turnbow will leave you laughing — and probably telling people in your daily life to suck a fat one.

We give Stranger Things 5 a B so far, which is about on par with the rest of the series. We now await the finale.