Did the Duffer Brothers Use AI to Write ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5? Fans Think This Documentary Detail Gives It Away

ByHrvoje Milakovic Published on
0 Comments
IGN / Netflix
Our Editorial Policy.

Share:

The long-awaited behind-the-scenes look at the end of an era has arrived, but it isn’t exactly receiving a standing ovation. On January 12, 2026, Netflix released One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, a two-hour documentary intended to celebrate the monumental production of the series finale.

While the film was meant to be a love letter to the fans, it has instead ignited a firestorm of controversy across social media. Viewers are now scrutinizing every frame, leading to serious allegations regarding the creative process behind the final season.

The most explosive takeaway from the documentary involves a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment featuring a laptop screen.

Eagle-eyed fans on X claim to have spotted multiple ChatGPT tabs open on a computer in the writers’ room.

Screenshots of the blurry screen quickly went viral, with many fans arguing that this explains why the finale felt “mechanical” or “hollow.” One user labeled the incident a “generational fumble,” questioning why a show with a budget exceeding $400 million would need AI assistance.

While some defenders suggest the icon could be a Google Doc or a different productivity app, the damage to the show’s reputation has been swift. Critics are now using these allegations to justify their disappointment with the Season 5 finale, which many felt failed to live up to a decade of hype.

The AI allegations aren’t the only thing making fans uneasy. In the documentary, Ross and Matt Duffer openly admit that they began production on Season 5 without a completed script for the finale episode, “The Rightside Up.”

The creators described the situation as “scary” and “the most difficult writing circumstances” they had ever faced. They revealed they were being “hammered constantly” by Netflix and production teams to deliver the pages while cameras were already rolling.

This admission has led to a wave of backlash from fans who believe the “chaotic” production schedule resulted in a rushed ending. Many are pointing to this lack of preparation as the primary reason for the season’s perceived narrative inconsistencies.

Perhaps the most awkward moment in the doc involves Maya Hawke, who plays Robin Buckley. Footage from the set shows Hawke pausing a scene to point out a significant continuity error to director Shawn Levy.

Hawke realized that the script didn’t account for whether the other characters knew that Robin and Vickie (Amybeth McNulty) were officially dating. She suggested playing the scene in a whisper to maintain the secret, a suggestion Levy accepted but didn’t seem to have planned for.

Viewers were also shocked to find that two of the show’s biggest stars, David Harbour (Jim Hopper) and Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), were almost entirely absent from the documentary’s sit-down interviews. While they appear in behind-the-scenes footage and table reads, they didn’t provide any new commentary for the special.

Director Martina Radwan explained that the production “couldn’t find the time” to sit down with the duo due to scheduling conflicts. However, rumors of behind-the-scenes exhaustion have persisted, especially after Harbour reportedly stepped away from several projects to “rest” following the intense Season 5 rollout.

As the curtain falls on Stranger Things, the cast is already moving on to massive new chapters in 2026

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

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments