After nearly a decade, the hit Netflix series Stranger Things is coming to an end. The cast and creators have shared their emotional experiences filming the fifth and final season, describing a powerful sense of closure for a show that has defined a generation.
The final season will be released in three parts, with the first four episodes arriving on November 26, followed by three more on Christmas Day, and the series finale on New Year’s Eve.
A Decade-Long Journey Ends
The show’s creators, brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, started with a supernatural adventure steeped in 80s nostalgia. What began as an underdog project quickly became a global television phenomenon. Matt Duffer reflected that the show felt like a “second chance” for them after their first film went straight to video-on-demand.
The final season is set in November 1987, with Hawkins under military quarantine after Vecna opened another gate to the Upside Down in the season four finale. The residents must find and kill Vecna for good while the military hunts for Eleven.
Ross Duffer explained they always knew how the story would end, calling the final scene their “north star” that they had planned from the very start. Despite spin-off series being in development, the brothers confirm this is definitely “the end for these characters.”
Emotional Goodbyes on Set
The conclusion of filming brought intense emotions for the cast, many of whom have grown up on the show. Director Shawn Levy described the final day of shooting as “more emotional than you’ve heard.”
For the young cast members who started as children, saying goodbye felt like closing a major chapter of their lives. Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson, admitted to feeling “a bit shaky and there is a bit of anxiety” about the show ending. He noted that “your twenties are all about change, transition and growing,” and losing the consistency of the show marks a significant life change.
The emotional impact was particularly strong during the final table read of the series finale script in September 2024. Actor Finn Wolfhard described how he planned to feel “very normal” but ended up “totally bawling my eyes out” halfway through the reading. Noah Schnapp also became emotional, noting that the script felt like “they were writing the end of our real people lives.”
Cast Reflections on a Life-Changing Experience
Joe Keery, whose character Steve Harrington evolved from high school jock to heroic figure, simply called the experience “what a journey.” He noted that season one felt like “an indie film” that has now become “this crazy big-budget movie.”
The bonds formed off-camera mirrored the friendships their characters shared on screen. Natalia Dyer, who plays Nancy Wheeler, explained that “these characters have this shared secret world they all know about and in real life, we have something similar as we’re the only people who know the show inside-out.”
Charlie Heaton, who plays Jonathan Byers, compared finishing the series to the “end of a relationship” or “dealing with loss,” indicating how deeply involved they were in the process.
For Joe Chrest, who plays the often-overlooked father Ted Wheeler, the end brought “various waves of emotional moments.” He particularly felt the passage of time seeing old photos with his on-screen son Finn Wolfhard: “He’s down below my armpit [in old photos]. And now, he’s taller than me.”
New Additions and Familiar Elements
The final season introduces Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay, a military scientist described as a replacement for the late Dr. Brenner. Hamilton, famous for her role as Sarah Connor in The Terminator, brings both intelligence and physical toughness to the role. She admitted that walking onto the set for the first time was “very overwhelming” and that she already loved the show as a fan.
The season will also feature more of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” which became a viral hit after featuring prominently in season four. The Duffers revealed that Bush sent them a unique gift: a gilded bird cage with animatronic birds that chirp a song when wound up.
A Cultural Legacy
Beyond its entertainment value, Stranger Things brought nerd culture into the mainstream and celebrated being different. Ross Duffer explained that part of the show’s goal was to communicate that “there are people out there like you, and your differences are what make you cool.”
The show’s impact on its young cast has been profound. Caleb McLaughlin hopes the show “lives on and becomes one of those things that people will rewatch and never get tired of, like a classic film.”
As the cast moves on to new projects, the relationships built over ten years remain strong. Joe Keery assured that “the friendships we made aren’t going anywhere. We will still be in each other’s lives.”
The final eight episodes of Stranger Things will provide what the Duffers have promised will be “a definitive end to every character’s story,” bringing closure to one of Netflix’s most successful original series.
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