When an era concludes, the natural impulse is to reminisce. This is particularly true for television, and rightly so: viewers want to consider how their beloved characters have evolved, the obstacles they’ve conquered, and the bonds they’ve created. This explains the frequent use of flashbacks in a series finale — but *Stranger Things* seizes that convention and stretches it to an extreme.
As Netflix’s undisputed flagship series, Stranger Things was destined for a monumental send-off. It’s a primary revenue source for the streamer and a cornerstone franchise for a whole generation of audiences. However, the last season felt excessively inflated from the start. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer characterized Season 5 more as a “” than a traditional TV season. Their plan to divide it into three “volumes” also followed one of Netflix’s most annoying release patterns. The more the Duffers discussed their vision, the more they appeared overwhelmed by their own grand ambitions. While the season opened powerfully, it ultimately squandered years of accumulated goodwill, offering insufficient resolutions to nearly a decade of mysteries — or any genuinely daring plot turns — opting instead for monotonous trips into the past.
Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 8.
Stranger Things Season 5 resembled one extended, aggravating flashback more than a proper finale. A handful of callbacks highlighting the characters’ journeys — like Mike (Finn Wolfhard) first encountering Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) or Max (Sadie Sink) initially defeating Vecna — are appreciated, especially with the long gaps between seasons. Yet the Duffers don’t primarily use these reflective moments for closure; instead, they largely inflate a finale that is already unjustifiably long.
The final episode of this season runs slightly over two hours, an excessive length for a show that has been testing limits since Season 4. Stranger Things epitomizes streaming bloat: the series would have greatly benefited from tighter, less self-indulgent writing, but the Duffers exploit the freedom they have. Without the constraints of network television, pacing issues easily arise. In Season 5, these flaws are glaring — and even more noticeable because they are repeatedly interrupted by yet another unnecessary flashback.
It’s understandable that Stranger Things would strive to deliver a finale that rewards its fans. Viewers have dedicated considerable time to the show, so many don’t object to a season of 90-minute episodes (some even prefer it). The Duffers and their writing team have tried to compromise, crafting numerous poignant farewells between characters such as Mike and El, El and her surrogate father Hopper (David Harbour), and the group of clever teenagers.
The high stakes help justify some reflection, as the characters face a potential suicide mission against (a wormhole to another dimension, inexplicably). So, when Hopper directly asks if she intends to sacrifice herself, Eleven naturally recalls her years with him, learning about being a daughter. Will’s coming out moment logically prompts a montage of friendship memories. The issue, beyond the numbing repetitiveness, is that Stranger Things fails to apply similar focus to what comes next.
Despite a 40-minute epilogue, the Stranger Things finale is far too eager to overlook unresolved plot points in favor of self-congratulatory nostalgia. The ending is overly cautious: aside from Vecna, only unambiguously dies — though Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) gets yet another fake-out death! Its other, most obvious failing is a complete lack of interest in addressing the series’ major questions. How did the Hawkins group escape Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton) after being captured? How did Hopper seamlessly resume his old life after being presumed dead in the Battle of Starcourt? How did Max graduate with her class following a two-year coma? Is Eleven actually alive after her apparent sacrifice to the Upside Down? Critical answers are left off-screen, yet there’s . This may be the most egregious case of the Finale Flashback trend, and a profoundly disappointing way to conclude such an expansive story.