The Hard Truth About Stranger Things Needs To Be Said

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The recent re-watch of Netflix’s Stranger Things is getting fans excited for the upcoming fifth season, but it’s also highlighted a major weakness in the show. With the release of season 5 approaching, many longtime viewers are realizing that one of Netflix’s most popular original series is about to conclude.

While the main Stranger Things series is on hold, the new spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, will continue the story in 2026. Because it features familiar characters, is set in the same town of Hawkins, Indiana, and fits within the original timeline, the spinoff should feel very similar to the show fans already love.

The new animated series, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, features different voice actors playing the familiar characters, and its animation style will feel quite different from the live-action original. With the main Stranger Things series ending after season 5, many fans are revisiting the show from the very beginning.

Going back to watch Stranger Things again is a bit odd, especially considering the show’s name. The first episode feels noticeably more somber and slow-paced than many remember, and the overall tone of the first season is quite bleak. You can really see the influence of the movie Prisoners, directed by Dennis Villeneuve, in these early episodes.

Stranger Things Season 3 Is By Far The Show’s Weakest Outing

The second season of Stranger Things is a bit more upbeat, but it still maintains the same overall feel as the first. This consistency in tone helps create a unified experience for viewers.

The first season of the show is quite bleak, focusing heavily on the disappearance and presumed death of Will, and the stressful relationships between characters like Joyce and Hopper, and Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve. The second season is noticeably brighter, as Will returns and, despite Mike believing Eleven is still gone, the adult characters experience more positive interactions.

Steve is becoming an increasingly popular character, especially with his friendship with Dustin. Meanwhile, Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship is developing as they look into the strange events happening in Hawkins. Despite the ongoing danger, the season feels more optimistic than previous ones. The actors still appear age-appropriate, and the show generally maintains a sense of realism.

Watching the series again from the beginning makes it clear when the show started to change for the worse. Season 3 tried to make Stranger Things feel bigger and more over-the-top, using brighter colors, lots more special effects, and treating character deaths with less seriousness.

Okay, so Season 3… it just felt really silly to me. They brought Murray, the conspiracy guy everyone either loves or hates, into almost every scene, and introduced a ton of wacky new characters, like that Russian spy, Alexei. Honestly, the whole thing with secret Soviet soldiers hiding under the mall was just… weird. And Hopper! I loved his character before, but this season he felt totally different – he went from being this complex, troubled guy to, well, kind of a clumsy goofball, and it happened so fast. It just didn’t quite work for me.

Season 3 Doesn’t Fit With The Rest of Stranger Things

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

Even Mike changes for the worse, going from the sensitive character we first met to an annoying and unlikeable teenager. The breakup between Eleven and Mike is especially awkward, and looking back, there are many moments in season 3 that feel embarrassing.

Season 3 of Stranger Things is a significant departure from its first season, feeling disjointed and often unbelievable. While Dacre Montgomery delivers a compelling and serious performance – a stark contrast to his role in season 3 – the season as a whole struggles. Odd choices, like Lucas promoting New Coke and Hopper’s casual disregard for Soviet lives, contribute to a feeling that the show has lost its way.

Once the show reached the point of a house-sized monster chasing Steve’s car uphill, with Dustin trying to distract it using a song from The NeverEnding Story, it was obvious that Stranger Things had lost the subtle, mysterious atmosphere of its first season. It began to feel like the show had settled into being a more lighthearted, over-the-top action series.

Stranger Things Season 4 Saved The Franchise In Time For Its Ending

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

Thankfully, Stranger Things season 4 managed to improve after a shaky start. While the season isn’t flawless, the death of Eddie Munson highlights a pattern: the show seems to prefer introducing and developing compelling new characters, only to eliminate them for emotional impact, rather than risk harming its original, core cast.

While people had issues with season 4, the problems with season 3 were much more significant. The plot of season 3 simply didn’t make sense. Several people from the town’s newspaper vanished as Billy tried to create an army for the Mind Flayer, but this important detail was completely ignored after the monster was defeated.

Many fans requested a more fun and lighthearted season of Stranger Things, which season 3 delivered. However, this showed that the show’s darker tone is essential to its success. Therefore, the final season, season 5, should recapture the serious, high-stakes atmosphere of season 4 to provide a satisfying conclusion.

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2025-11-10 19:49