It's official: Stranger Things is coming back for season 5, and it's also ending with season 5. For over two years now, fans have been waiting for the arrival of Stranger Things season 4, which was initially expected to debut in early 2021. The coronavirus pandemic greatly delayed production throughout 2020, and as a result, Netflix had to shift the expected premiere to this year. This has only served to increase anticipation even more as fans speculate over what's next for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Hopper (David Harbour), and the rest of the Stranger Things cast.
Even as the wait for season 4 stretched on for longer than anticipated, many began to look ahead to the future. Harbour strongly indicated a Stranger Things season 5 was on the way last summer, which in and of itself wasn't too surprising since the show remains one of Netflix's biggest. However, talk of season 5 began to evolve into a conversation over whether it would be the show's last. Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy said last August that creators Matt and Ross Duffer have an endgame planned, but he wouldn't confirm whether said endgame would arrive with season 5.
Now it has been confirmed that not only has Stranger Things been renewed for season 5, but that it will also be the paranormal drama's last. The news came alongside Netflix's release date announcement for season 4, with the Duffers confirming in a statement that Stranger Things will be coming to a close with season 5.
Though this is sad news for the die-hard fans of Stranger Things, it also makes sense. The Duffers have been steadily building to their planned endgame for years now, and all signs were pointing to season 5 holding that endgame. While some shows can certainly go on for years and years, a serialized story like Stranger Things' is better off when it has a fixed conclusion, and it's smart of the Duffers to keep that in place despite having a fanbase that would likely watch for years to come. 5 is a good number for a show, and it really has been a great run.
The bright side to the Stranger Things season 5 announcement is that fans can go into this year's episodes with the knowledge that they are at the beginning of the end. Since 2016, audiences have been enthralled by the mysteries of the Upside Down and fervently thrown themselves into the world created by Stranger Things with eager abandon. A show like this one deserves a special sendoff, and knowing the final season is coming will allow everyone to bask in the new episodes while preparing to say goodbye. As for how Stranger Things season 5 will wrap everything up, fans will have to wait and see. Perhaps season 4 will provide some clues.
Stranger Things season 4, volume 1 premieres Friday, May 27 on Netflix.
Source: Netflix