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All it took was one “yes” to turn the Duffer Brothers’ idea of a nostalgic 80s adventure with supernatural horror into producing a pop culture phenomenon: “Stranger Things.” With over 18 awards, including 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, this show blends comedy and the paranormal.
Since their childhood, Matt and Ross Duffer longed to engage in film production. In 2016, their filmmaking careers took off with their Stephen King-inspired series of supernatural occurrences in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana. A group of nerdy, D&D-obsessed boys intersects with a young girl, whose psycho-kinetic ability opens a gate to an alternate dimension: The Upside Down. The once-normal town becomes plagued with paranormal creatures and mystifying situations, and the responsibility to save the town from unprecedented danger falls on the boys and their newfound friend.
This past New Year’s Eve, the adventure finally came to a close, the season capping off with a 2-hour finale that received just as much praise as it did criticism. Many fans felt the elaborate operation to rescue the children and take down the antagonist Vecna, a battle with the foe Mind Flayer, the near-deaths of beloved characters, and its positive conclusion made the finale one to remember. But for others, the heart-warming scenes were not enough to tie the ribbon on such a brilliant show. Fans complained about the ease with which the group saved the world, plot holes never addressed, and no key characters having a definitive death.
Announced by Netflix in April 2025, the spinoff, Tales from ‘85, an animated series set between the 2nd and 3rd seasons of Stranger Things, features a brighter tone, suitable for younger audiences, and features a new cast, setting, and time period, with supernatural elements like demagorgons and The Abyss still at play.
A Duffers’ documentary, “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things Season 5,” was released on Netflix on January 12, and presented a behind-the-scenes look at the show, along with its longstanding cast saying goodbye to the show of their childhoods.
