After a three-year hiatus, Netflix’s most popular and biggest show, Stranger Things, has returned for its fifth and final season. The final season is dropping in three batches, with the finale ending on New Year’s Eve. Matt and Ross Duffer have created a magical ride for audiences who are yearning for the ending to close out this series on a high note. Our favorite group of kids aren’t kids anymore, and they are attempting to take down Vecna once and for all.
Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 1 picks up one year after season 4 in the fall of 1987. The rift has left Hawkins in shambles, and the group of kids is on the hunt to find and kill Vecna. However, with his disappearance, the government has the city on lockdown, leading to them struggling to make the moves needed to find him. To bring about his ultimate end, the group must stand together one last time.
You know, as a fan of the Fast and the Furious movies, I often see people complain about the absurdity of the franchise. And it really is difficult to defend going to space, escaping the law, or jumping cars from building to building hundreds of feet in the air. That said, I felt those similarities within the fourth season of Stranger Things. The Duffer brothers almost shifted away from the focal point of the show being about the kids. Yes, there are supernatural elements, but the group (or family, if you will) is the heart of it, and it felt off in the distance.
But I am thrilled to report that the Duffer brothers went back to the roots with season 5. This first batch of episodes felt like season 1 all over again. There is one scene in particular where you could sit up in your chair and say, “Avengers Assemble,” where the kids reunite to track down and take down Vecna.
The evolution of Eleven within each season has been remarkable. Albeit not in a giant role in the first volume, Eleven is starting to come further and further out of her shell, showcasing the incredible range of Millie Bobby Brown. Brown was 11 (funny) years old when she began filming this show and has grown up in front of our eyes on and off the screen. Brown has grown from subtle and reserved to commanding the screen. I can’t wait to see her grow even further into the finale.
Of course, I’ve got to talk about the rest of the crew. As we started to see everyone come together, it seemed like the entire cast was having the time of their lives. My personal favorite continues to be Dustin Henderson, played by Gaten Matarazzo. Henderson has some true depth through this first volume, showcasing Matarazzo’s best work in the role yet. And Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna? My goodness, the Duffer brothers unlocked a gem here with truly creepy and calculated writing leading to Bower’s incredible portrayal of the villain.
Technically speaking, I hate to sound like a broken record, but this is the best the season has looked in a few seasons. I feel like a conversation was held during this three-year gap of filming that everyone sat at the table and said, “We need to go out with a bang.” The production, cinematography, visual effects, and score are gorgeously constructed, enriching the show to an all-time high. I was in awe as everything was clicking on all cylinders.
Ultimately, the Duffer brothers’ ability to get back to what made this series so great is why the final season of Stranger Things is off to a brilliant start. The simple back-to-the-basics highlights the unity of these friends gathering for the greater good. As we inch closer and closer to the final episode, you start to realize how much we are going to miss our friends from Hawkins. Stranger Things fans rejoice as we are in for one heck of a final ride.
Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 1 is currently streaming on Netflix. Vol. 2 will release on Christmas Day, and the finale on New Year’s Eve.
Ultimately, the Duffer brothers ability to get back to what made this series so great is why the final season of Stranger Things is off to a brilliant start
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