POPZ-CULTURE Series reviews – Stranger things Finale (2025)

Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, action, horror

Rated: 18

Creators: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder

NOTE: This article contains summary statements about the entire series. We have tried not to reveal any important plot points, but we recommend that you watch all episodes of the series before reading our overview to avoid spoilers.

It’s time to leave 2025 behind us. Although we’ve already taken a brief look at this year, there’s one unfinished business. The final episode of Stranger Things arrived on the last day of the year, and we had some thoughts about the show.

An era came to an end. We followed the adventures of the town of Hawkins on our TV screens for almost 10 years. Stranger Things has grown into a defining pop culture phenomenon over time. It was the first to make 1980s retro nostalgia appealing to today’s youth, forming a bridge between generations. It paid charming homage to classics such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Goonies (1985). It is almost certain that the Duffer brothers’ creation also contributed significantly to the success of Stephen King’s IT remake.

Since its premiere in 2016, the directors have remained faithful to their original concept of evoking the past, while also making several changes to the genre framework and the tools used to make an impact. We wouldn’t call these changes unequivocally good or bad, but they are part of the overall picture we have formed. We compiled a list of the differences we noticed and explained whether we considered them to be improvements or setbacks.

Mystery VS. Spectacular action: Although we saw some fast-paced episodes in the early seasons, the emphasis was on the mystery surrounding Upside Down. Since we knew very little about what the guys were up against in the beginning, there were more opportunities to let our imaginations run wild. Later, as the creators revealed every detail of the series’ world, they tried to fill the void left by the secrets with spectacular images. In terms of visuals, we considered it a step forward, but in terms of story and atmosphere, it went to a wrong direction.

Small-town story VS. Global conspiracy: From one season to the next, there was a noticeable effort to show that the threat went beyond the borders of Hawkins and affected the entire planet. The stakes grew higher and higher, but fortunately, in the endgame, we remained in the small-town, familiar milieu. We clearly welcomed this decision regarding the choice of location and storyline.

Fast pace VS. Slow pace, padded show: The initial standard 45-50 minute episodes were slowly replaced by episodes corresponding to the length of a full movie. However, the longer running time was not filled with meaningful content. Unfortunately, there were several occasions when we were downright bored and eagerly awaiting the plot to move forward.

Unexpected twists VS. Repetitive plot: The initial variety that characterized the story and the feeling that „anything can happen” was replaced by monotony from the fourth season onwards. There was no longer any reason for us to be amazed. As much as we loved the series, perhaps three seasons would have been more appropriate than the five that were made.

Have you seen the last episodes? What do you think about them? Write your comments below! We’ll stay on the streaming track and come back with another series recommendation at the end of the month. If you’ve read our New Year’s post about the 2026 premieres, you can easily guess what we have in mind for you next time. Watch lots of movies and series, and make your voice heard on our social media pages. And if you’re craving a tasty snack to go with your home movie night, POPZ popcorn is the best choice.