Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things Season 5
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Cathal Gunning
Published 8 minutes ago
Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies, television, culture, and politics online and in print since 2017. He worked as a Senior Editor in Adbusters Media Foundation from 2018-2019 and wrote for WhatCulture in early 2020. He has been a Senior Features Writer for ScreenRant since 2020.
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Although the wait for Stranger Things season 5, volume 2 isn’t inordinately long, the show’s chosen release date continues to be a recurring problem for Netflix as a streaming service. After over three years of waiting, Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is finally here. Astoundingly, it doesn’t seem to have disappointed viewers.
The first four episodes of season 5 have earned rave reviews so far, and it is easy to see why. The final outing of the series has gracefully expanded on the show’s existing story while simultaneously incorporating new characters like Linda Hamilton’s chilling villain, Dr. Kay, and Holly Wheeler’s abrasive but ultimately lovable classmate, Derek.
However, while Stranger Things season 5 volume 1’s ending leaves viewers excited about the show’s next outing, this is where things prove somewhat problematic. Stranger Things season 5, volume 2, arrives relatively soon, but its release date could be fairly awkward for a lot of viewers the world over.
Stranger Things Season 5 Has 4 Episodes Left
Since Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 includes episodes 1-4, volume 2 will include episodes 5-7, and volume 3 will consist of the series finale. This makes for a total of eight episodes in the season, with the first three arriving in late December and the finale arriving at the end of the year.
More specifically, Stranger Things season 5, volume 2, arrives on December 25, and the show will presumably be available to stream on Netflix around the same time of day that season 5 volume 1 dropped. This means that volume 2 will be streaming from 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, smack in the middle of dinner time on Christmas Day.
This is strange timing to say the least, since it is perhaps the only day of the year that even the most die-hard fans of Stranger Things are more likely to be spending time with family or friends than watching television. Although plenty of families sit around the TV on Christmas Day, it is still a weird decision.
Stranger Things Season 5, Part 2 Releases On December 25
The release of Stranger Things season 5, volume 2, is one of the biggest moments in streaming history, as evidenced by the show’s success to date. Not only was season 4’s May 2022 arrival one of the biggest releases Netflix ever had, but already, seasons 1-4 made Netflix history when they all reached the streaming service’s top 10.
All four seasons were among Netflix’s 10 most watched titles in the week leading up to season 5, volume 1’s release, proving that there is massive hype around the series right now. It seems like nothing on earth could jeopardize that hype, but the timing of volume 2’s release is doing everything imaginable to limit its number of viewers.
Stranger Things Season 5's Final Episode Releases On December 31
Dustin in Stranger Things season 5Image via Netflix
To be fair to the show’s creators, season 5, volume 2’s Christmas Day release date could prove an ingenious ploy. If, as the streaming service hopes, viewers tune into Netflix instead of traditional television on the evening of Christmas Day, then there’s a chance that season 5, volume 2 will be just as big a hit as its predecessor.
However, this only makes the timing of season 5, volume 3, aka the series finale, even harder to understand. The ending of Stranger Things is a massive cultural moment that will bring a nine-year franchise to a close. Although 2026’s spinoff Tales from ’85 continues the Stranger Things story, this is still a historic moment for the show.
As such, it is nigh on impossible to understand why the streaming service would opt to release season 5, volume 3 on New Year’s Eve. A day when people famously have plans and parties, New Year’s Eve seems like the worst time imaginable to release a series finale on a streaming service.
Why Netflix Split Stranger Things Season 5 Into Three Parts
Nancy in Stranger Things season 5Image via Netflix
Netflix could have avoided this entire issue if the streaming service had released all of Stranger Things season 5 in one 8-episode volume. This is how the show’s early seasons were released, but the success of season 4’s two-volume release model seems to have emboldened the streaming service. Furthermore, there is the timing of holidays to consider.
The underrated Stranger Things season 2 was released around Halloween and set around the same time, while the divisive Stranger Things season 3 was both set and released around summer break. The show never addressed Christmas before outside a brief epilogue that was featured at the end of season 1.
As such, it makes perfect sense for Stranger Things, a show about family, friends, and community, to wrap up around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Within this paradigm, splitting season 5 between Thanksgiving and Christmas ensured that, if viewers don’t tune in on Christmas Day, the volume 1 drop will still have succeeded.
However, even with this explanation, it is tough to see why the show’s creators felt compelled to release the series finale on New Year’s Eve. Not only is this holiday not particularly thematically linked to Stranger Things, but it is also a time when viewers may well have other plans that lead them to miss the ending's arrival.
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10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Drama Mystery Horror Science Fiction Release Date 2016 - 2025-00-00 Network Netflix Showrunner Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer Directors Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz Writers Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
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Eleven looking into an opening of the Upside Down with pink light in Stranger Things season 1
Jim Hopper (David Harbour) grabbing Jonathan's (Charlie Heaton) shoulders in Stranger Things season 1©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Eleven with cables all over her head in Stranger Things season 4
Vecna looking towards Will in the trailer for Stranger Things season 5 (2025)
Max and Eleven in Stranger ThingsNetflix
Stranger Things season 2, episode 2 "Trick or Treat, Freak".MovieStillsDB
The Upside Down in Stranger Things season 5Courtesy of Netflix Close
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How do you feel about Netflix splitting Stranger Things season 5 into three parts instead of releasing it all at once?
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8 minutes ago
Splitting the season allows for anticipation and discussion between parts, building hype. However, some fans may prefer binge-watching the whole season at once for a more immersive experience. The multi-part release is a strategic choice by Netflix to keep viewers engaged over a longer period.
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