WARNING: Spoilers ahead for “Stranger Things” Season 5

Ten years ago, on July 15, 2016, streaming giant Netflix premiered a brand-new sci-fi show called “Stranger Things.” Since 2016, the series had a significant impact on social media, pop culture and the lives of fans worldwide. The final episode of season five, the final season, was released on Dec. 31, 2025. The show’s decade of glory is coming to a close, as Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators, writers, directors and producers bring the series to a conclusion.

Season five introduced new characters that brought a fresh point of view, like “Delightful” Derek Turnbow (the nicer counterpart of his less savory nickname), Dr. Kay, the antagonist of Season five and the dramatized reinvention of Holly Wheeler. These new stories deepened the plot of season five, created cliffhangers and introduced interesting new perspectives.

The new season has brought in new and old fans alike to enjoy the experience of the show’s conclusion. 

Melina Bagnaschi, a Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) freshman, recalls her first time watching the series in 2022 and said, “I was bored in my living room, and I was like, ‘You know what, Mom? I’m gonna watch ‘Stranger Things,’ and she was like, ‘Fine, go knock yourself out. I’ve heard it’s not that good.’ I was like, ‘I’ll give it a try!’”

 Now, Bagnaschi has watched all five seasons of “Stranger Things” and has been a fan for years. When talking about the popularity of the Netflix show, she said, “I have some friends who don’t even watch it, [but they] still reference it and still chat to me about theories.”

The series garnered over 105.7 million views with the fifth season alone. With season five being the show’s last, the storyline could have gone any way imaginable. The episodes were released simultaneously worldwide, with the first volume (episodes one through four) dropped at 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on Nov. 26, 2025, the second part on Dec. 2, 2025 (episodes five through seven) and the final part (episode eight) on Dec. 31, 2025. The new season jumps into action immediately, with an 18-month time gap after the season four finale. 

HBHS freshman Lily Jacobs said, “I actually really liked it! I was very excited when the new episodes came out. There were so many plot twists that kept me on the edge of my seat…It definitely made me emotional and gave the story even more weight. The way the season balances suspense, emotional moments, and humor made it so engaging.”

Marketing the Final Season

With the release of the new season, commercials, brand deals and spin-offs came to life. “Stranger Things” partnered with shoe brands like Converse and Nike to create designs inspired by the character’s nostalgic style. Now, fans can literally step into the “Stranger Things” world with their own pair of ’80s kicks. Several commercials for the new season aired before and after the series’ release, like the Ted Wheeler “Target” commercial and the Karen Wheeler laundry detergent advertisement. 

Addie Rehberger, an HBHS junior, when talking about the “Stranger Things” marketing said, “I don’t think it’s over-hyping [the show], because big companies just…want to make it interactive. It’s such a good way to make money, to be honest. I think they’re being very strategic.” 

In late Dec. of 2025, the Duffer Brothers also announced a timeline of spin-offs to fill lore gaps from the original series.

“Netflix” had a massive marketing campaign for the release of the final episode in theaters for a limited time only—a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans to enjoy. “Stranger Things” episode eight, “The Rightside Up,” was screened in theaters on Dec. 31, 2025 and Jan. 1, with 1.1 million tickets sold and 3,500 theaters sold out.

What Inspired the Show

“Stranger Things” didn’t just come out of nowhere; the Duffer Brothers have stated in recent interviews that they almost called the show “Montauk,” after the Montauk project that took place at Camp Hero in New York. Camp Hero was an Air Force base in the 1950s and remained in use until 1993. Between 1993 and 1995, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) conducted studies in underground facilities. In 2000, USACE issued an Archive Search report that described training that happened there in 1945 using chemical agents. The site inspired the fictitious Hawkins Lab in “Stranger Things,” but that’s not all that it inspired, as conspiracy theories suggest that the experiments conducted there gave people the ability to time-travel, move objects with their minds and teleport, similar to Eleven’s powers in the show.

The theory, which is unproven and based on speculation, is that Camp Hero’s Cold War radar tower had underground labs. They are rumored to have housed kidnapped children who were turned into mind-controlled soldiers. Officials insist that nothing is hidden there, but many people have explored the site and discovered sealed tunnels, odd documents and graffiti that reads, “Stranger Help Me.” Now, Camp Hero is a state park in a heavily wooded area with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the government’s reassurance that none of the experiments occurred, many locals still believe, and even with the gorgeous ocean view, the creepy buildings haunt the coast of Montauk.

With “Stranger Things” and all its glory coming to an end, fans are reminiscing on old memories of watching the seasons and how much they impacted their lives and experiences.

“I think it just spread more awareness and…acceptance towards nerd culture…like nerds are actually really cool, and it just became widely known,” said Lyra Piccinino, a HBHS junior.

The series inspired many people to be themselves and face their fears, just like the characters, and allowed them to grow up with the characters. The show taught people to accept themselves for who they are, making it more than just a show but a piece of their lives. The show has brought together not just jocks and nerds, but millions of people who enjoy the nostalgia of the ’80s.