Stranger Things Spectacle

Sadly, an era has ended! If you’ve been in it for the long haul then you know exactly what I’m talking about – “Stranger Things!”

The first season of the now Sci-Fi favorite, “Stranger Things” aired on July 15th, 2016. However, more recently, the show came full circle when the Duffer brothers released Season 5 in three sections which were conveniently placed during the winter holidays. The show’s arrival was so highly anticipated that it temporarily crashed Netflix, proving its enduring global appeal. So why not go back to the start and talk about it?

“Stranger Things” fan An Truong, ‘28, certainly loves the beginning, “[My] favorite season has got to be Season 1,” said Truong. “[It is] so nostalgic and it was the only season to really keep me on my toes.” 

For many high schoolers, “Stranger Things” was something that they grew up with. For the Class of 2026, in particular, the series’ timeline aligns perfectly with their coming-of-age story. Sarah Kuntz ‘26,  who has watched the show since she was nine, remarked how watching the final episodes over winter break was “like closing my childhood.” 

But when it comes to the final season, opinions are split. The ending was filled with nonstop press, fan theories, and high expectations that dominated many audiences’ holidays – but did the finale truly deliver? 

Truong says a firm no. “So many things were wrong,” she said, going on to mention how the show’s killing of the main character, “didn’t deliver on any point.” Kuntz shares a similar opinion explaining how the ending was “rushed” and that the Duffer brothers didn’t follow any sort of direction. “I think the battle was underwhelming,” she said, admitting that while it would be sad, she would actually have liked to see some more deaths.  

When it comes to favorite characters, Truong and Kuntz are on the same page: Mike Wheeler! Yet both expressed disappointment on the craft of particular scenes. Truong had particularly strong feelings. “Will’s coming out scene and just his entire gay arc is so bad, I don’t even wanna start,” she said. 

However, whether you’ve been on the “Stranger Things” journey since the beginning, or are just starting the show, it truly is one of Netflix’s greatest feats! It’s a cultural touchstone that grew up with a generation, and as the curtain falls, one question lingers: What will come next?