'Stranger Things' Season 5 Review: Almost Down (Episodes 5-7)
Image Source: NetflixLife
Stranger Things is back from limbo. There are more laughs, further fears, and after watching this set of episodes, one path forward. But not everything feels like it’s inevitable. Editing in this season leaves something to be desired. Characters are on different paths, some in the Upside-Down, some in Vecna’s Abyss, and some in the real world. Many of these characters freely walk between these places, and with the intercutting, it can feel disjointed. Often, a scene starts with this question: Is this location back in another dimension, a psychic trap, or Hawkins? Although the intercutting is not as bad as it was in season 4, the details over who is where, and when, drag.
Combine this with how convoluted the magic system has become, and many viewers will feel like they are left behind. Side characters are suddenly introduced to the Upside-Down and must go along with it since the plot keeps hurdling onwards. But if anyone watching can keep it all straight, then they will fit right in the back of Murray’s cargo truck, ready to head right into the thick of it.
Because make no mistake: these episodes are a setup for the series finale. There is a reason why the release schedule is in three portions. The worst-case scenario seemed to be a Demogorgon invasion of Earth, but the Duffer Brothers have a few surprises left. However, because of the twist in Chapter Six, it’s hard to decipher all the stakes.
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Image Source: People
One aspect that should come as no surprise is the emotional focus. Drama in Stranger Things is nothing new, but there have been enough fake-out deaths to become desensitized to the occasional suspenseful scene. And yet when Will Byers cries, when Dustin hugs, when any of them open their hearts… let’s just say one doesn’t need to be a fan to feel what they’re feeling. The acting remains stupendous, with standout performances by Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler) and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair).
One issue that may divide audience opinion is the decision-making. Some sacrifices are made, more are hinted to come, but not every decision is exactly the right call. For example, two characters are stuck in a near-death situation where it is expected that they shall confess their love. Except, they don’t exactly do that. Instead, the show delivers on a rather unique but contemporary take on the traditional love story, in that sometimes a couple doesn’t have to be physically together for it to be authentic. Sometimes, all that is needed for somebody to function within a team is to believe without a shadow of a doubt that their individual power matters. Vecna has no friends. He needs to be something alien to fulfill his murky mission. And yet each hero works in tandem, in a way that does not diminish how they stand out as a single individual.
Image Source: Fandom
While this review has been avoiding spoilers like it’s a hivemind of moving vines, one thing that should be apparent is that all the characters are going into the finale as one potent unit. They may continue to bicker—the writers may pull the rug out with another plot twist—but it’s no secret that millions of real-world kids have grown up with these characters. Many of them are now young adults. Almost a decade has gone by. The finale will arrive in the blink of an eye. Netflix’s event series will conclude in 2025.
What happens then? Will anyone die, or will plot shields remain fully charged? One thing that is certain, as has been demonstrated by how attached many of these characters are to each other, is that the fans who have come this far are hooked. Disappointment or no disappointment. Whatever way the Upside-Down is made rightside up, the Stranger Things core audience has journeyed on a mature yet fantastical take about everything it means to grow up.
Rating: 7/10
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Sources: NetflixLife, Fandom, People
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