'Stranger Things' – Saying Goodbye Is Harder Than I Thought It Would Be

 

Stranger Things was something that seemed to be different than any other TV show when I first saw it back in 2016. I felt fresh and yet familiar. Series creators Matt and Ross Duffer found a way to evoke viewers' emotions and also remind some of them of their youthful days. 

Setting the story in a small town in the 1980s was brilliant because many parents who grew up in that time would like the story just as much as their kids would. The kids on bikes, the ubiquitous basement hangout space, the bright and shiny mall, and the weary chief of police all felt like something we saw before because we did, but that didn't stop us from loving it.

Season 5 – premiering in three releases November 26,  December 25, and December 31 –was both exciting and annoying. Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve are not the usual TV watching nights, but by dragging it out for a little over a month kept the tension and anxiety high.

Eleven training for her showdown with Vecna

The gang is all back in various ways working together, fighting the enemy and also some of them with one another. I don't want to go into any spoilers here, but let is suffice to say that people get hurt and the danger is high. The group does not only have to deal with the villain Vecna (a decidedly creepy Jamie Campbell Bower), but also the evil military Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton) who will stop at nothing to capture Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) for her blood for use in experiments. 

Since I don't want to let the cat out of the bag so to speak, I will say that Season 5 was excellent, and seeing all the young actors who have grown before our eyes now as young adults is wonderful but also sad because we know we're saying goodbye to them. 

Vecna wants to reshape the world

Particularly moving is the journey of Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) who in previous seasons sometimes was not involved in the action because had been a victim of Vecna. It was mostly about the group trying to save Will, but this season Will is front and center and learning to deal with new powers he has acquired.

As always in every season, Eleven is seen as the one who can defeat the evil that is threatening the kids and the whole town, but with Will coming into his own she has a partner. All of the group step up to work together to try to overcome the odds against them. 

Joyce and Hopper

The adults in the group Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) also have their moments to shine. They basically function as the parent figures for the rest of the team, with Murray (Brett Gelman) acting the part of the crazy but crafty uncle. Joyce has one specific moment that is sure to please when she finally uses the axe that she has been carrying around.   

This essay is really not for fans because they already know what happens, but it is for those of you who have not watched the series to come aboard. You are the luckiest in a way because you can sit down and watch all five seasons and binge away. We had to go through 2016-2025 to do that.

The kids are all grown up

While it's hard to say goodbye to this show and the characters, I am very happy I had the chance to follow them on their journey and watch the kids grow up. Watching the series with my son was a bonus, and he basically grew up as we watched the seasons over the years together. 

If you like a series about the supernatural but also like it to have a human heart. this series is for you. The actors are amazing, and I'm hopeful that all of these young people will have long careers in other vehicles that will be worthy of their talents.

I give the season and the series as a whole five thumbs up. Jump in and get to know the wonder of Stranger Things. You will be glad that you got to be a part of the world the Duffers built, one that is hauntingly unforgettable.