While the final season of Stranger Things didn’t satisfy everyone, it might have been better received if it had followed a similar path to Stephen King’s highly anticipated 2025 series.
Even though Stranger Things was well-received by critics and lasted for five seasons, some viewers feel its final season didn’t deliver a satisfying conclusion, drawing comparisons to the disappointing ending of Game of Thrones. Many feel the show repeated familiar storylines and that certain ambiguous details in the finale felt added just for the sake of it.
The top Stephen King show of 2025 drew comparisons to Stranger Things due to its similar themes, but it successfully avoided the pitfalls of that show’s storytelling.
If You Were Disappointed By Stranger Things Season 5’s Ending, You Must Watch It: Welcome To Derry
The latest season of Stranger Things is getting criticism for not feeling very dangerous and for avoiding major character deaths. Many viewers felt even the storyline about Eleven’s fate was too safe, opting for a less impactful, somewhat hopeful ending. In contrast, It: Welcome to Derry takes a very different approach.
The movie It: Welcome to Derry initially leads viewers to expect a similar experience to Stranger Things, with scenes of kids on bikes searching for a missing friend in their town.
Despite introducing a large cast of characters, the Stephen King series quickly raises the tension by killing off almost half of them in the very first episode. Before the season even concludes, It: Welcome to Derry delivers a heartbreaking death for one of its most endearing characters, effectively demonstrating just how terrifying the main villain, Pennywise, truly is.
However, Stranger Things appears to reduce the threat of the Mind Flayer later in the series, despite initially presenting it as an overwhelmingly powerful, nearly invincible entity.
Like Stranger Things, It: Welcome to Derry offers a heartfelt and somewhat cheesy ending where a group of kids defeat a terrifying enemy using the strength of their bonds. The story also makes it clear that the villain, Pennywise, isn’t truly defeated and will be back for revenge. By keeping the tension high while still embracing familiar horror elements, It: Welcome to Derry successfully addresses the issues many had with Stranger Things‘ conclusion.
It: Welcome To Derry’s Future Seems Even More Exciting Than That Of Stranger Things
Image via HBO
The world of Stranger Things is expanding, and we already know a spin-off is in the works. There will likely be several more shows and movies following the original series. However, the upcoming It: Welcome to Derry looks even more promising and exciting.
The recent reveal of Pennywise’s time-traveling abilities in It: Welcome to Derry suggests the story has much more to explore. In contrast, Stranger Things has finished its main storyline, and any future installments will likely be spin-offs that revisit already established themes and characters.
Although it’s premature to count out future seasons of Stranger Things, the potential continuation of It: Welcome to Derry appears to have more fresh and interesting stories to explore if it gets the chance.
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2026-01-07 04:08