Stranger Things Series Finale Review: A Tragic Final Bow

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Before the final episode of ‘s last season aired on New Year’s Eve, most online viewers agreed on one thing: it was disappointing. While some might enjoy the action-packed scenes, those hoping for a return to the quality of the show’s first two seasons were likely to be let down. The finale simply didn’t live up to expectations for long-time fans.

The show’s decline in quality might be due to its shift from a dark, mysterious, small-town sci-fi vibe – similar to Twin Peaks – to a more mainstream, action-packed superhero style, despite still including strong language and violence. Another possibility is that the creators focused too much on showing what happened instead of telling the story, or that they simply ran out of interesting things to do with their characters, especially those from earlier seasons like Joyce Byers. However, while the finale isn’t terrible – it’s certainly better than some recent series endings – it doesn’t quite reach the level of a truly great conclusion.

Stranger Things Ends With a Mixed-Bag Finale

For a show that truly changed television, simply being okay isn’t good enough. It feels like the climax fell flat – imagine if the hero just gave the villain a heads-up instead of delivering a final, decisive blow. The ending lacked a powerful resolution. Either the important moments played out as expected, or they didn’t feel true to the spirit of the series.

As a longtime fan, I have to say Episode 8, “The Rightside Up,” felt really uneven. It’s basically split into the big showdown with Vecna and then a look at what happens 18 months later. Honestly, the Vecna fight felt a bit… formulaic, like a standard action movie. It jumps around between so many characters and storylines, but a lot of the action happens in this creepy alternate dimension, “the Abyss.” And without giving too much away, things get really strange in there – almost like the show suddenly turned into a video game like Final Fantasy.

While there’s nothing inherently bad about Final Fantasy, it’s definitely not what makes Stranger Things great. Add in some unnecessary jokes during tense moments and characters taking time to deliver a speech or witty remark before acting, and the climax feels like something from a low-budget movie.

A common criticism of the show is the lack of truly impactful character deaths. While characters do die, these moments often lack emotional weight. Stranger Things seems reluctant to permanently kill off its main characters, and while leaving one character’s fate uncertain isn’t a terrible decision, consistently avoiding definitive deaths can feel like an easy way out. The show does handle ambiguity well, delivering these unresolved storylines with strong emotion and skillful writing, but the pattern of avoiding major character deaths remains noticeable.

Stranger Things’ Epilogue Saves the Conclusion

The episode’s final scenes are the strongest part, even if they run a little long. The epilogue carefully explores what the future holds for each character, revisiting their stories to show how things are developing. This section really captures the heart of the show – it’s not just about the familiar setting and flashbacks, but about the lasting connections between these characters, and the emotional moments remind us of their enduring bond.

The show’s dialogue can occasionally feel a bit corny, but that’s easily forgiven knowing this is the final season. Overall, it’s a really good conclusion, and it smartly hands the story off to a new generation—hopefully without another spin-off series. What’s especially great is that the ending focuses on Mike Wheeler as the true hero. He’s not superpowered or special; he’s just an ordinary boy who guided his friends through an incredible journey and found love. He’s a relatable hero anyone can see themselves in.

Stranger Things Leaves Behind a Complicated Legacy

However, several characters suffered from poor development. A prime example is Joyce Byers, who felt underused in her own show. Initially, she was the public face of Stranger Things – the character who introduced audiences to the story. Yet, she barely speaks for the first half-hour of the episode and fades into the background, making it easy to forget she’s even there.

Joyce has a powerful and satisfying moment confronting Vecna, finally getting revenge for her son and the peaceful life she once had before Will went missing. However, it’s striking how sidelined she’s become in the show. This season seems to be turning original characters into supporting roles, simply delivering lines when the plot demands it.

The series finale is a mixed bag. While the ending itself feels earned and provides closure, the path to get there wasn’t very engaging. The show left several plot points unresolved, and key backstory about Henry Creel is largely explained in the spin-off play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow – something most viewers likely haven’t experienced. Additionally, the large-scale effects during the final battle in the other world were underwhelming, and the sequence felt more like a video game adaptation of Stranger Things than a satisfying conclusion to the series.

What’s most striking about the show isn’t that it’s bad, but that it feels strangely detached. After being off the air for so long, it’s difficult to feel invested in what happens next. It feels like Stranger Things simply existed, and now it doesn’t, but in its final moments, it briefly recaptures the magic that made it great. It’s a pleasant, nostalgic feeling, like reconnecting with an old friend – nice to have, but not something you’d want to dwell on.

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.

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2026-01-01 07:10