‘Stranger Things’ Final Season Wows Critics with High Rotten Tomatoes Scores
The final season of Stranger Things has arrived, and critics are loving it. The fifth season of the popular sci-fi horror series debuted on Netflix on November 26, with the first four episodes available to stream. The season will be released in three parts, with the second volume set for December 25 and the finale on December 31.
The Duffer Brothers, along with producers Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen, returned to lead the project. The main cast includes familiar faces like Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Cara Buono, and Jamie Campbell Bower. Joe Chrest and Amybeth McNulty have been promoted to the main cast, and newcomers Linda Hamilton, Jake Connelly, and Nell Fisher join the story as well.
At long last… we can begin. The trailer for the epic final season of STRANGER THINGS is here pic.twitter.com/w4WuzuCqRs
— sƃuᴉɥʇ ɹǝƃuɐɹʇs (@Stranger_Things) October 30, 2025
Early reviews show the season is off to a strong start. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 86% Tomatometer score based on 49 critic reviews, while audience ratings on Popcornmeter are even higher at 92% from over 250 ratings.
Critics praised the season for bringing together long-running storylines and building toward an exciting finale. They noted that the show successfully balances suspense, humor, and heartfelt moments while highlighting the friendships at the heart of the series. The season’s first episodes were described as delivering a strong setup for the final battles, keeping the series’ signature tension and emotional depth intact.
Just PERFECTION for fans! Incredible pay off from much of the setup from the entire series all coming together into a finale that has me dying to see the rest of the season. Loved the choices, Loved the surprises, and of course I cant wait
Zach Pope
This opening batch of episodes does more than set the stage for a climactic showdown; it reminds us why “Stranger Things” hooked us in the first place.
Zaki Hasan
It’s big, funny, scary, and sincere. Even with the bumps, that beating heart is still there—and I’m genuinely eager to see where this finale lands.
Matthew Jackson
The Duffer brothers’ ability to get back to what made this series so great is why the final season of Stranger Things is off to a brilliant start. The simple back-to-the-basics highlights the unity of these friends gathering for the greater good.
Ricky Valero
It takes a minute, but the Duffers soon find their groove in Vol. 1 of Stranger Things Season 5, confidently moving their epic campaign towards its conclusion.
Tara Bennett
Overall, Stranger Things 5 has captured the excitement of both longtime fans and new viewers. Its ability to appeal to a wide audience while tying together years of storytelling has been recognized as a major strength.
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