[2.5/5 stars]

After three years of anticipation, fans from around the world gathered to watch the fifth season of the television series “Stranger Things.” The final season was split into three separate release dates. Volume One, or the first four episodes of the season, were released on Nov. 26, Volume Two had three episodes released on Dec. 25, and the finale episode was released on Dec. 31. 

Season 5 continues the story of the now-teenage friend group in Hawkins, Indiana, battling an interdimensional supervillain who tries to dominate the world. With the previous season ending on a triumph for the villain, many viewers had high hopes for the end of this decade-long story. 

This season had some surprising moments that I certainly did not anticipate: sparks of new friendships formed between the characters, and impressive visual effects overall. However, it was noticeably the weakest written season of the show. After a long wait and what felt like foreshadowing during Volume One, I was underwhelmed by Volume Two and the predictable overall conclusion of the series. 

For instance, the creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, already have a history of giving immense plot armor to their main characters, meaning that their characters survive potentially impossible scenarios, only because the plot calls for it. This was no different in the finale, so I was let down when there were many needless emotional roller coasters that ended up cleanly resolved. 

Moreover, the inconsistencies of the storyline compared to the details of the previous seasons made the show difficult to understand. With the explanation of the villain Vecna’s backstory and the time skips within the storyline, I was left with several unanswered questions. 

One of my major gripes was with the season’s awkwardly written dialogue, which did not match the maturity level of the now-grown characters. While the Duffer brothers are often praised for writing witty and charming dialogue, this element was completely lost in the newest season. 

Despite the inconsistencies, I enjoyed the first volume. It contained many surprising outcomes, and once I finished it, I was left remorseful that I had to wait a whole month for the next episodes to come out. I liked the finale’s epilogue, as it felt like a sweet and playful way to showcase the characters’ growth and bond with one another. 

As the Duffers raise the idea of spinoffs in the “Stranger Things” universe to come, I’m still interested to see what might be in store for the characters and will hopefully get some of my season 5 questions answered.