The hit sci-fi-horror series Stranger Things returns Friday with three new episodes from its fifth and final season, ahead of the grand finale on Jan. 1.
Since its 2016 debut, the Netflix show has shattered streaming records, following a group of teenagers in a small American town battling supernatural creatures and a parallel universe.
Star-studded cast: The series revived 1980s icons like Winona Ryder and featured Robert Englund of Freddy Krueger fame. Younger actors like Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard have launched major careers, with the cast aiming for a “proper send-off” for all characters.
1980s nostalgia: Creators the Duffer Brothers drew inspiration from Freddy Krueger’s E.T., Nightmare on Elm Street, and Stephen King’s It. From retro fashion and hairstyles to Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” topping charts decades later, the show celebrates the era.
Netflix phenomenon: Stranger Things has become one of Netflix’s most-watched series, with episodes costing tens of millions to produce and boosting the platform’s global influence.
Marketing masterclass: Season five’s launch drew nearly 60 million viewers, with retailers like HMV in London and Galeries Lafayette in Paris creating dedicated show spaces. Fans have embraced the 1980s revival, from collectibles to shared nostalgia.
Stranger Things universe: The franchise has expanded to the West End and Broadway with Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel exploring villain Vecna’s backstory. Netflix plans a 2026 animated spin-off set between seasons two and three, while a mystery novel about Nancy Wheeler has just been released.
