Stranger Things Season 5 FIRST Review Out: Critics Call Finale ‘Grand’, ‘Gory’ And ‘Epic’

Netflix has finally dropped Stranger Things Season 5, marking the beginning of the end for the massively popular sci-fi horror saga created by the Duffer Brothers. Arriving nearly three years after Season 4,

the new chapter promises an epic wrap-up to the story that began in 2016, and fans have wasted no time flooding social media with early reactions. With theories, speculation and years of anticipation behind it, the final season’s arrival has already sparked a frenzy online.

The core cast returns in full force: Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike, Noah Schnapp as Will, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin, and Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas. Sadie Sink once again plays Max, while David Harbour is back as Chief Hopper. Winona Ryder continues to anchor the emotional core of the series as Joyce Byers. Teasers had promised darker turns, powerful goodbyes and heightened stakes — and according to first impressions, the show delivers both nostalgia and spectacle.

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 has impressed critics enough to earn a “Certified Fresh” score of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 47 reviews. The critics’ consensus reads: “Stranger Things plays its cards just right in Season 5, solidifying its pop culture classic status with genuinely captivating genre fare.”

Critics Praise the Action, Visuals & Cast Chemistry

Several reviewers applauded the scale and execution of the first four episodes. Bob Strauss of TheWrap declared that Season 5’s opening stretch is “packed with gory action, movie-grade visual effects and effortless, amusing interactions from its now-veteran ensemble.” Many agree that the show’s production quality has never been higher, and the chemistry between the cast continues to shine.

The Guardian awarded the season 4/5, stating that “this luxurious final run will have you standing on a chair, yelling with joy.” Empire echoed similar sentiments, noting, “As our time in Hawkins reaches its climax, Stranger Things gets grander and gorier.”

What Critics Did Not Like About The Show

Not all reviews are glowing. Some critics felt the season’s first half revisits familiar narrative patterns, with mentions of the story “resetting” itself. A few also noted that certain emotional beats didn’t land as strongly as expected. Still, these remain minority opinions compared to the overwhelmingly positive reactions.

Matt Duffer reflected on the emotional weight behind creating the final episodes. Speaking to Radio Times, he shared, “Filming the ending was very emotional. We made it so everybody’s final scene in the show was their final day on the set. Each of those days was really hard, but I would argue it was harder for me and Ross, because we had to experience it many, many times for everybody’s final day!”