When Stranger Things returned with Season five on Nov. 26, students at Plant High School couldn’t stop talking about it, with theories and discussions spreading across campus as the series enters its final stretch. Students said they are planning watch parties and speculating on how the story will end.
What’s new
Stranger Things, created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, premiered July 15, 2016, and Season five, episodes one through four, were released Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. EST. Volume two is scheduled to release Dec. 25, followed by the final episode on Dec. 31, according to Netflix and Forbes.
Season five recorded 59.6 million views worldwide in its first six days, according to Variety, for the week of Nov. 24-30. Netflix defines “views” as total hours watched divided by a title’s runtime. The series also reached Number one on Netflix’s U.S. Top 10 list during that same week.
Netflix announced Nov. 18 that the final episode will be shown in more than 350 theaters across the U.S. and Canada beginning Dec. 31.
Background
Set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Ind., during the 1980s, Stranger Things begins with the disappearance of Will Byers. His mother, Joyce Byers, police chief Jim Hopper and Will’s friends Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson and Lucas Sinclair lead the search. Along the way, they meet Eleven, a girl with telekinetic powers, and uncover secret government experiments tied to a parallel dimension known as the Upside Down.
Spoiler warning: The following section includes discussion of Season 5.
Plant opinions
“I thought it was good, but I believe the show wasn’t supposed to have this many seasons,” said Sadie Robins, a senior. “I think it was kind of rushed, and there are a lot of holes in the plot. I need more explanations overall, but it’s still a good show.”
“I love the new Stranger Things season,” said Alec Toledo, a junior. He said he was surprised by Max’s role and felt the show is “setting up something really big,” though he also added it feels more rushed than previous seasons.
“My favorite character is Steve Harrington,” said Presley Parry, a junior. “He is such a good father figure to all the kids. The Duffer brothers cannot kill him off.”
The show’s cinematography continues to stand out as one of its strongest elements. Nearly every shot feels intentional, with details that connect closely to the plot and heighten suspense throughout each episode. Season five keeps viewers on edge, building tension that makes it easy to grow even more attached to the characters, especially for fans who have followed the series since it first premiered.
That attachment has led to widespread concern about which characters will survive their final encounters with the Upside Down, Demogorgons and Vecna. Fan theories continue to circulate on social media, many centered on major character deaths in the remaining episodes. One of the most unexpected moments of the season so far was Will Byers gaining powers and realizing his connection to Vecna, a scene that reshapes his character and alters the direction of the story moving forward.
As the final episodes approach, students at Plant High continue to discuss theories, plan watch parties and speculate about how the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down will come to an end.