The OG Stranger Things party: Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and WillImage via Netflix
By
Chris McPherson
Published 2 minutes ago
Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.
For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.
He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.
His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.
Sign in to your Collider account
Summary
Generate a summary of this story
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
Here’s a shocker for absolutely no one: the series that crashed Netflix last night is now the No. 1 show across the entire world. Stranger Things 5, the long-awaited final season of the streamer’s biggest cultural phenomenon, dropped its first four episodes — and within hours, the platform buckled under the weight of demand. For a moment, it felt like Netflix itself fell into the Upside Down.
The surge was expected, but not this quickly. Minutes after launch, social media lit up with the familiar cocktail of excitement and chaos: fans posting error screens, Netflix trending worldwide, and the inevitable “Eddie Munson died for this” memes making their triumphant return. And by morning, the numbers confirmed what the internet already knew — Stranger Things remains Netflix’s crown jewel, and its final season might be its biggest event yet.
After three years of speculation, cliffhangers, production delays, theories, leaks, rewrites, and Reddit threads so intense they could power the Hawkins power plant, Stranger Things 5 has landed. And it has landed hard. The Duffer Brothers split their grand finale into two parts, dropping the first four episodes now and saving the final showdown for later. The result? A level of anticipation so intense that the second the new episodes hit, millions logged on at once — overwhelming Netflix’s servers and recreating the kind of monoculture moment most streaming shows can only dream of.
Is 'Stranger Things 5' Worth Seeing?
Collider's own review scored the initial episodes 8/10, with reviewer Robert Brian Taylor praising the "patience" shown by the Duffer Bros in staying the course and not bending to fan service, while criticizing the lack of action Mike is given — a common complaint from all the way back to Season 2?
Taylor was also relieved to see the core cast finally operating as a true unit again — no more endless split-ups across continents (let us never speak of Hopper in Russia again) — giving the season a grounded, classic Stranger Things energy. As Taylor put it:
There are one or two reveals here that likely won't be universally beloved by the fanbase, but they feel right for the story, all the same. Because of that, these four episodes make a statement that the Duffers are ending their series on their own terms, even while they serve as a culmination of everything that has come before. That's a good thing, and if Stranger Things can maintain that balance the rest of the way, the back half of the final season should be able to deliver the type of remarkable ending the residents of Hawkins and the viewers watching at home all deserve.
Stranger Things 5 Episodes 1–4 are now streaming on Netflix.
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
Eleven looking into an opening of the Upside Down with pink light in Stranger Things season 1
Jim Hopper (David Harbour) grabbing Jonathan's (Charlie Heaton) shoulders in Stranger Things season 1©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Eleven with cables all over her head in Stranger Things season 4
Vecna looking towards Will in the trailer for Stranger Things season 5 (2025)
Max and Eleven in Stranger ThingsNetflix
Stranger Things season 2, episode 2 "Trick or Treat, Freak".MovieStillsDB
The Upside Down in Stranger Things season 5Courtesy of Netflix Close
Cast
See All-
Millie Bobby Brown
Jane 'Eleven' Hopper
-
Finn Wolfhard
Mike Wheeler
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces and one strange little girl.
Genres Drama, Mystery, Horror, Science Fiction Powered by
Expand
Collapse
-
Netflix
-
Stranger Things
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
17 hours ago
The 10 Greatest Pop-Punk Songs of the 2000s, Ranked
1 hour ago
Stop Adapting George R.R. Martin’s ‘Game of Thrones’ Books and Bring His Sci-Fi Novel to TV Instead
17 hours ago
The 10 Greatest Christmas Movies of the 2000s, Ranked
17 hours ago
Love It or Hate It, This Divisive Fantasy Film Franchise Is Free to Watch and Dominating the Streaming Charts
More from our brands
Everything We Know About Stranger Things Season 5
Two Strangers Things Characters Are Being Recast For Season 5
37 Shows on Netflix That Couples Can Binge-Watch Together
How Old Are the Main Characters in Each Season of Stranger Things?
Netflix Just Lost The Perfect Opportunity To Win The Streaming Wars For Good
Stranger Things Season 5 Taking So Long To Make Is A Symptom Of The Netflix Show’s Biggest Problem
Stranger Things Achieves Rare Streaming Feat Before Season 5 Even Releases
What To Watch
July 20, 2025
The 72 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
Trending Now
The 20 Most Rewatchable Horror Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked
'Stranger Things' Season 5 Vol. 1 Review: Netflix's Hit Sci-Fi Series Returns to Set Up an Explosive Ending
If You Can't Get Enough Jonathan Bailey, You Need To See Him in This 71% RT Action Adventure Series
