The actor who plays Murray Bauman has nothing but high praise for the minds behind the hit Netflix series as the show wraps up its run.
Brett Gelman, who joined the cast of Stranger Things in its second season, has spoken openly about his experience working with creators Matt and Ross Duffer. As the final season premieres on Netflix, Gelman is sharing his thoughts on what makes the brothers so special and why the show has connected with audiences worldwide for nearly a decade.
Gelman first took on the role of Murray Bauman, a paranoid yet surprisingly accurate conspiracy theorist, back in 2017. Over the course of three seasons, his character changed from a reclusive journalist into a flamethrower-wielding hero who helped take on Russian soldiers and creatures from the Upside Down. Through all of that, Gelman says the Duffer brothers have been steady guides.
What Brett Gelman Says About The Duffer Brothers’ Talent
The actor has called the Duffer brothers “brilliant geniuses” for their work on the show. In past interviews, Gelman compared their writing style to the work of legendary directors like Steven Spielberg, noting how they bring a cinematic quality to television.
“I love these two geniuses very much. Thank you, my buddies, for bringing me into this glorious world you’ve created,” Gelman wrote in a social media post about the creators.
He explained that the Duffers told him they wanted his character Murray Bauman to feel like Richard Dreyfuss’s character in Jaws. That kind of specific direction helped Gelman understand exactly what the brothers were looking for in his performance.
Gelman also pointed out that the Duffers share a deep love for 1980s filmmaking. He recommends watching movies from that era to understand where the show’s energy comes from.
“Watch Spielberg movies from the ’80s. Watch John Carpenter films. Watch Jim Cameron films from the ’80s. Robert Zemeckis films from the ’80s. All of those,” Gelman said.
How The Final Season Came Together
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things releases in three parts. Volume 1 with three episodes premiered on November 26, 2025. Volume 2 arrives on December 25, 2025, and the series finale drops on December 31, 2025.
Production for the final season pushed the Duffer brothers to their limits. The duo admitted in the documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 that they started filming without a finished script for the finale.
“We went into production without having a finished script for the finale,” Matt Duffer explained. “That was scary because we wanted to get it right. It was the most important script of the season.”
The pressure came from multiple directions. Netflix and the production team wanted scripts delivered quickly, but the Duffers refused to rush the ending that fans had been waiting for since 2016.
“We were getting hammered constantly by production and by Netflix for episode eight,” Matt Duffer said. “It was the most difficult writing circumstances we have ever found ourselves in. Not just because there was the pressure of we had to make sure the script was good, but there’s never been so much noise at the same time.”
Despite the challenges, the brothers worked through every detail to make sure the finale delivered a satisfying conclusion to a show that has become Netflix’s most valuable property.
Brett Gelman’s Mixed Emotions About Saying Goodbye
Gelman attended the red carpet premiere for the final season on November 6, 2025, in Los Angeles. There, he spoke about the complicated feelings that come with ending such a significant chapter in his career.
“The gratitude I normally feel—which is even up, because the seasons get better and better,” Gelman told SYFY Wire. “Excitement to play him again. And very sad that I’m not going to get a chance to do it past this season and work with these amazing people.”
He admitted to having “conflicting emotions” about reading Murray’s final scenes. After spending years developing the character from a background figure into a central part of the team, saying goodbye is not easy.
Gelman also expressed interest in seeing the finale in a movie theater, calling it “a cinematic experience.” Reports suggest Netflix is negotiating with AMC Theaters to show the final episodes on the big screen, which would match the Duffers’ movie-making approach to television.
The Duffers’ Approach To Storytelling
The Duffer brothers have shared their own thoughts on how they built the final season. They revealed that some ideas for the ending actually came from material they developed for season two back in 2017.
“For Season 5, we’re pulling from a lot of those big Season 2 ideas,” Ross Duffer said. “A lot of our big ending stuff has pulled from stuff that we thought was going to be in Season 2.”
The brothers also explained how they approach each season differently. They take inspiration from directors like Christopher Nolan, who makes each film in a series feel unique while staying connected to the larger story.
“That’s always been our approach,” Matt Duffer said. “We’re not trying to repeat ourselves. Each season should feel like its own movie.”
This thinking helped Stranger Things avoid the common problem of TV shows that run out of ideas after a few seasons. Each new chapter brought different threats, settings, and character arcs while keeping the core group of friends at the center.
Murray Bauman’s Journey Through The Series
Gelman’s character started as a small role in season two. Murray was a former journalist who believed the government covered up strange events in Hawkins. He helped Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) expose the truth about the Hawkins Lab.
By season three, Murray became more involved. He teamed up with Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) to take on Russian soldiers hiding under the Starcourt Mall. His conspiracy theories turned out to be mostly correct, making him one of the more reliable characters in the show.
Season four gave Murray his biggest moments yet. He traveled to Russia with Joyce to rescue Hopper from a prison camp. In one memorable scene, he used a flamethrower to fight Demogorgons while speaking Russian phrases he picked up along the way.
Gelman accidentally started rumors that Murray would die in season four when he posted a heartfelt thank-you to the Duffer brothers before the episodes aired. Fans thought he was saying goodbye to the character.
“I guess it read like I was saying goodbye, like Murray dies. And the kids went nuts!” Gelman said. “I felt really bad watching the kids, the fans suffer over that, but at the same time, it really meant a lot they felt that way.”
What Makes The Duffer Brothers Different
The Duffer brothers have earned respect from the cast for how they run their productions. Unlike some showrunners who stay distant, the Duffers stay involved in every part of the process.
They write, direct, and produce the show. They work closely with the visual effects team to make sure the creatures look right. They also pay attention to smaller details, like the music choices and the costumes.
Gelman noted that the Duffers’ “unmatched vision” sets them apart from other creators he has worked with.
The brothers have also been open about their influences. They grew up watching movies from the 1980s and wanted to make a show that captured that same feeling. Their father was a film fan who introduced them to directors like Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter at a young age.
That background helped them build Stranger Things into something that feels both new and familiar. The show mixes horror, science fiction, and coming-of-age drama in ways that appeal to older viewers who remember the 1980s and younger viewers who are discovering that era for the first time.
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The Legacy Of Stranger Things
As the final episodes roll out, Stranger Things leaves behind a major mark on television. Data firm Parrot Analytics estimates the series has brought in over $1 billion in revenue for Netflix since 2020. The show has also created a wave of merchandise, a Tony-winning stage play, and an upcoming animated series.
The final season reportedly cost between $50 million and $60 million per episode, making it one of the most expensive television productions ever made. That investment shows how much Netflix values the show as its flagship property.
For Gelman, being part of that legacy means something personal. He grew up wanting to be “the comedic relief in a Spielberg movie.” Working on Stranger Things, he said, “is the closest thing you can get to it.”
“It has that energy to it and the Duffer Brothers are influenced by the maestro,” Gelman said. “It feels like we are in an Indiana Jones movie when we are going after the Russians.”
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