Stranger Things is a television show set in the 1980s. The show follows a group of kids as they navigate school, friendships, and the terrifying alternate dimension under their small town, the Upside Down. The series blends investigative drama and supernatural horror. The first season premiered in the Summer of 2016 on the streaming channel Netflix. Since then, each season of Stranger Things has taken many years to produce, due to the extensive amount of CGI and intricate set design needed for each of its lengthy episodes.

Over the past decade, Stranger Things has captured the hearts of millions worldwide, becoming one of Netflix’s most popular franchises. Made in 2016 by the Duffer brothers, the show follows a girl named Eleven who escapes from a laboratory and has secret powers, and a boy named Will, who goes missing in a different dimension called the Upside Down. Surprisingly enough, the show takes its roots in a somewhat real-life story: The Montauk Project. This project was a conspiracy theory about a group of government projects conducted in Montauk, New York, dedicated to developing ways of time travel and psychological warfare. These ideas were circulating in the 1980s, and gave the brothers the idea for their show in the 2010s. The show was even going to be called “Montauk” until budget cuts forced a shift in setting to Indiana, even though the show was filmed in Georgia. The show is beloved for its 80s pop culture that has caused a resurgence of songs like “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” by Kate Bush and “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash, and supernatural themes with intensive plot lines. It’s safe to say that after a three-year wait due to editing and SAG-AFTRA strikes, fans went ballistic over the new season. 

In Stranger Things Season 4, after characters died and the Upside Down began seeping into the characters’ town, many viewers were left wanting more. The wait ended on the night of Wednesday, November 26, 2025, when Stranger Things Season 5 aired, releasing the first four episodes of the new season. The new episodes sparked a wave of theories and speculation among viewers who are eager to know the fate of the fictional town–Hawkins–and its inhabitants. Many viewers have already begun rewatching past seasons to find hidden clues, while others have taken to social media to share everything from relationships to possible endings. June, a sophomore at Clinton, has conveyed mixed feelings regarding the show: “I’m very excited, but also scared for the next few episodes because I know characters are going to die and I’m scared to see who does.”

The continuous, painful experiences of several characters throughout Stranger Things have left Clintonians with a wide range of opinions on the show’s cast. Due to the stress, many characters have changed. An anonymous Clinton student says that Dustin has changed the most “because he used to be so sweet and cheerful, but after the 4th season, he became so depressed, which is sad.” Dustin has been driven by his emotions this season. During the first episode, he managed to grab a pet snake from school and put it in a bully’s locker. In return, the bullies killed the snake and put its blood on Dustin’s dead friend’s grave, Edddie Munson. Later, Dustin discovered that when he visited the cemetery, he got cornered by the bullies. This made Dustin miss a really important meeting with his friends, about getting closer to Vecna. However, he only does these rebellious acts because he really misses Eddie Munson. Dustin hasn’t been the only one to change. Another anonymous Clinton student believes that “Eleven has changed the most, as she has become incredibly strong and fierce. However, she acts a bit more aggressively toward the other characters, especially Hopper, than in the other seasons.” The first time viewers saw the caring, motivated, and heroic Eleven in season 5 was her jumping over buses and cars. This is new because usually, in the past seasons, using her powers to make her do big movements caused her to feel weak and sick. But during this scene, even after jumping over huge objects, she wanted to do it again. Which shows readers the strength her powers have gained. In addition, the show highlighted how Eleven’s emotions are becoming more powerful as well. Since many scenes of Eleven are shown with her and Hopper arguing about her abilities. Hopper and Eleven seem to be forming a more father-daughter relationship, where she doesn’t really want to do what he says. Clinton students are invested in the characters and their development, and are eager to see what happens next!

Hopefully, in the upcoming episodes, some questionsthat  Clinton students are wondering can be answered, and the characters get closer and closer to defeating Vecna. Even though the next episodes won’t be the last, many viewers will feel sad because a beloved and unique show is coming to an end.