The Netflix hit Stranger Things concluded its nearly decade-long run with a two-hour series finale on December 31, 2025. The fifth and final season wraps up the sci-fi horror mystery that captivated audiences since 2016 with its 1980s nostalgia. While the show earned praise for its core relationships and monster sequences, it faced criticism for becoming crowded over time.
Stranger Things, which premiered in 2016, became one of Netflix's most popular series, blending sci-fi horror, mystery, and 1980s influences from Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, and Dungeons & Dragons. The show hooked viewers with stories of kids saving their friend amid scary supernatural threats, establishing Netflix's binge-watching model for original content.
The fifth season, released in two batches, addressed past issues of overcrowding from new characters and complex lore. NPR critic Linda Holmes rated it a solid B, noting it felt unfocused at times but excelled in core relationships and compelling monster scenes. "When it's good, it's still really good," Holmes said. The finale streamlines the narrative as the gang ventures into an alternate nightmare world to defeat a monster and rescue kids, returning to the show's first principles.
Created by the Duffer brothers, Stranger Things ends after nearly 10 years, but the franchise continues. An animated series set between existing seasons arrives on Netflix in 2026, and a spinoff with new characters and story is in development. Cameos from original cast seem possible, as Holmes observed, "Nothing is ever really over unless the actors get too famous to do it."
This finale caps a year when over 80 TV shows ended, including Netflix's Squid Game and The Sandman, but Stranger Things stands out for its cultural impact.
