Stranger Things Season 5 has become the lowest-rated season of the hit Netflix series, with many fans complaining that the new set of episodes has completely fallen off.
But despite the backlash, there’s no denying that show creators Matt and Ross Duffer have consistently delivered strong season finales over the past four seasons.
With one episode still left that could change how the story ends, here’s why fans still need to trust the Duffer Brothers.
What is the Stranger Things Season 5 Backlash About?
Despite being a constant hit, Stranger Things Season 5 has a poor 56% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to the previous season’s 89%.
Some viewers have even called it “the worst season of the series,” with others going as far as to label it “comically bad.”
From a cast that has already aged to a storyline that feels strangely crowded, the season has drawn criticism for feeling oversaturated.
With the addition of Vickie (Amybeth McNulty) and Mr. Scott Clarke (Randy Havens) joining the group in their fight against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), many fans feel the narrative has become overwhelming.
And those aren’t the only complaints. After delivering one of the show’s best coming-out scenes –Robin’s (Maya Hawke) heartfelt confession to Steve (Joe Keery) in Season 3, Episode 7 – the same praise can’t be said to Will’s (Noah Schnapp) revelation in Season 5, Episode 7, which has become the lowest-rated episode on IMDb.
What was supposed to be an intimate confession shared with close friends and family instead played out like a group meeting that included characters outside the core circle.
There have also been complaints about the graphics, writing, pacing, and overall direction, with some fans already comparing Stranger Things to HBO’s Game of Thrones that started strong but ended poorly.
Still, with the series finale yet to be released, there remains hope that the show can redeem itself.
Will the Duffer Brothers Deliver a Satisfying Stranger Things Season 5 Finale?
Sure, there’s only one episode left in Stranger Things Season 5, but the Duffer Brothers still have many loose ends to tie up and questions to answer in a single episode that runs just over two hours.
While everything may feel overwhelming after the penultimate episode, Matt and Ross Duffer could still resolve these lingering threads when Episode 8 finally drops.
From Seasons 1 through 4, the finales have consistently been jaw-dropping – from Will coughing up a slug-like creature after being rescued, to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) closing the Upside Down only for the Mind Flayer to emerge later, and from Hopper’s (David Harbour) apparent disappearance to his imprisonment in a Russian facility, as well as the Upside Down seeping into Hawkins.
The showrunners have always delivered. In fact, Stranger Things season finales are typically the series’ highest-rated episodes, often earning ratings above 9.0.
- Season 1, Chapter Eight – “The Upside Down”: 9.3/10
- Season 2, Chapter Nine – “The Gate”: 9.3/10
- Season 3, Chapter Eight – “The Battle of Starcourt": 9.2/10
- Season 4, Chapter Nine – “The Piggyback”: 9.1/10
So, by all accounts, fans may need to trust the Duffer Brothers once more and wait for the Stranger Things Season 5 finale to premiere on December 31 on Netflix to see what will happen next.
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