Stranger Things, Netflix’s flagship nostalgic-gross-80s-IP horror show, has been an international phenomenon for nearly a decade. The creators, identical twins Matt and Ross Duffer, initially intended it to be a standalone series. Its surprise success motivated its creators to further flesh out the story, resulting in an elaborate mythology that has grown ever more cumbersome. The series is now preparing for its fifth season finale. Now, viewers are being introduced to a swirling vortex of a plot that often requires the audience to be repeatedly spoon-fed information about the characters and what’s happening.
The fifth season of Stranger Things ushers in a whole new episode experience. One episode stands out as particularly captivating with its head-scratching storyline. Critics note that the second episode forces characters into absurd scenarios, such as Maya Hawke’s character stopping the action to explain the convoluted plot using props, akin to explaining complex ideas to children. This new moment underscores just how serious the time is for this series. The story has gotten so tangled up in knots that even the characters literally can’t follow along.
Stranger Things explores several different dimensions over the course of its four seasons. It details the shadowy Upside Down and a secret memory dimension inside that creepy parallel universe. It’s true that these layers of reality only increase the complexity, but they add an enriching depth. In one especially odd interlude, protagonists find themselves sealed in a chamber rapidly filling with yogurt. This odd, misleading image is perhaps the best testament to the show’s growing, bizarrely beautiful surrealism narrative.
Now with the story spread out, there’s 17 different protagonists and they all need strong, believable emotional arcs. The critics would respond that indeed, over half of these 68 characters come across as dramatically unnecessary. The Duffer Brothers really do an incredible job building this large cast of characters. Most of these characters are thinly drawn and serve little to no function in the main plot.
The series’ main antagonist Vecna is a manifestation of this violent creativity and confusing chaos. Vecna’s motives are pretty confusing. He’s somewhere between the Grinch and an R-rated colon cleanse commercial outtake. He wants to collapse a wormhole to an even worse dimension, so he can rule both and be unstoppable. As the series heads towards its climax, conquering Vecna is absolutely essential. Getting that clarity in the midst of all that chaos is quite a challenge for the characters and for the audience.
Stranger Things has transformed into a series that regularly dumbfounds its viewers. Far too often, audiences have to keep catching each other up on what’s happening important on-screen and why it matters for these characters. This seemingly simple series of questions is indicative of how far the series has diverged from its original simple premise. Today, it’s a massive story filled with intrigue and deception.