‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Breaks Unwanted Records, Hits an Unflattering First for the Entire Franchise

Stranger Things Season 5 has reached a milestone the show has never seen before, and it is not a good one. For the first time in the series’ run, the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes has dropped into “rotten” territory.

As of now, Season 5 sits at 57 percent on the Popcornmeter, based on more than 5,000 audience ratings, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

The drop happened after Volume 2 of the season was released on Christmas Day. Until then, the show had maintained strong audience support across every season. The reaction to the second batch of episodes changed that quickly, with many fans heading online to share frustration and disappointment.

A large part of the backlash comes from viewers who were unhappy with story choices in the later episodes. Some fans reacted strongly to Will Byers finally coming out as gay. While some welcomed the moment, others felt it was poorly timed or unnecessary given the high-stakes plot.

The reaction online shows a clear split between viewers upset by representation itself and those who felt the writing simply did not work.

Several viewers criticized the focus of the story, saying too much attention was given to side characters instead of the core group that made the show popular.

One fan wrote that “the focus was too much on the wrong characters instead of the original crew,” adding that certain scenes felt boring and made the season hard to rewatch. Others said the season felt rushed and that big emotional moments did not land the way they should have.

Some fans also complained about how powerful characters were handled. There were comments saying that returning characters felt wasted and that major threats lost tension.

One viewer said the season “kills the tension and feels like forced messaging instead of continued character building and storytelling.” Another added that while representation is important, “it just feels irrelevant in that moment and derails the momentum.”

Not all criticism came from fans. Forbes also weighed in on the reaction to Volume 2. The outlet described the episodes as “genuinely dreadful Netflix slop,” pointing to uneven pacing and weak storytelling. That review added fuel to the growing conversation online about whether the final season lived up to expectations.

Despite the backlash, the show’s ending is still being treated as a major event. The series finale will receive a limited theatrical release in the United States and Canada, running until January 1, 2026.

This decision was previously debated, since Stranger Things is closely tied to Netflix viewing at home. However, it was later confirmed that the theatrical plan had been in development for a long time. Ross Duffer said the idea had been in the works for about a year.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!