‘Stranger Things’ Finale Review-Bombed Minutes After Episode Drop on Netflix

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Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the finale of Stranger Things.

The series concluded with a thrilling two-hour finale, but it’s unclear if it provided a satisfying ending for most viewers. It’s difficult to gauge reactions because online reviews are unreliable. Unlike previous episodes which received overwhelmingly negative reviews, the finale faces a different issue: immediately after its release, IMDb was flooded with numerous lengthy, remarkably similar reviews.

The final episode of Stranger Things largely delivered what fans anticipated: almost all the main characters made it through the battle against Vecna and the Mind Flayer. This climactic fight finally showed the creature in all its terrifying detail, and the scene was visually stunning enough to make up for some of the episode’s weaknesses. Though Eleven seemingly sacrificed herself to prevent future disasters, the rest of the characters received epilogues reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, with mostly cheerful resolutions to their stories.

The show avoided major character deaths, even after moments where it seemed likely – like Steve’s dangerous situation on the tower and Dustin and Nancy nearly being killed. This made it obvious the creators weren’t going to kill off many characters, despite what some viewers expected. As a result, many negative reviews of the finale likely came from people who used AI to write them, or simply didn’t pay close attention to how the story unfolded.

Why ‘Stranger Things’ Reviews Are So Misleading


Netflix

At the time of writing, IMDb gives the eighth episode, “The Right-Side Up,” a score of around 8.6. This seems like a reasonable rating for the finale, as it has both impressive and somewhat underwhelming moments.

One reviewer, khobaizmohamad, noticed something strange: when a huge number of lengthy reviews appear within minutes of a new episode airing, it’s a strong sign they aren’t from genuine viewers – and maybe not even fans of the show. They wrote:

It’s pretty silly to see people rushing to rate this just minutes after it’s released – seriously, go find something productive to do! And the long, pointless reviews people are writing just to hit a character count, hoping to guess what the actual reviews will say, is even more ridiculous.

It’s easy to understand the reactions, especially with reviews that simply recap the last episode and offer basic opinions like whether things were resolved well or allowed to develop naturally. One reviewer pointed out the creators really emphasized the emotional impact with several characters dying, leading to heartbreaking moments for those who survived. However, beyond the potential deaths of Kali and Eleven (though the ending leaves room for interpretation), none of the main characters actually died.

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Honestly, after all the hype, the only way to really decide if Stranger Things had a good ending is to watch it yourself. It definitely had some moments where things felt a little too easy, and a few characters, like Linda Hamilton’s, didn’t get enough to do. It didn’t always feel like there were real stakes. But, looking back, I think the Duffer brothers probably did the best they could with how they wrapped things up.

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2026-01-01 16:20