After a long wait, the final season of Stranger Things premiered on Netflix in late 2025, concluding the show’s nearly decade-long run. While the season remained popular with viewers, it also sparked debate among fans who disagreed with some of the creative decisions and noticed inconsistencies in the plot. The behind-the-scenes documentary, One Last Adventure, also caused some controversy, which wasn’t entirely unexpected. Despite the criticism from some fans, Stranger Things continues to be a top show on Netflix.
From January 12th to 18th, the documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 ranked as the third most popular movie on Netflix globally. It garnered 8.7 million views and a total of 17.9 million hours of watch time. People We Meet on Vacation and The Rip were the only titles watched more during that week. This marked the first week in the top 10 for the documentary, which premiered on January 12th.
Stranger Things 5 Was Controversial, but the Franchise Still Has a Big Future at Netflix
It’s notoriously difficult to deliver a satisfying conclusion to a popular show or movie. With a large fanbase like the one for Stranger Things, and so many fan theories floating around, pleasing everyone is impossible. The reaction to the finale quickly became extreme, with many viewers voicing their disappointment. A prime example is the conspiracy theory—dubbed “Conformity Gate”—that Netflix had secretly filmed a ninth, true final episode. While that didn’t happen, it clearly shows how unhappy some fans were with the show’s ending.
Many viewers hoped the documentary would finally explain some unanswered questions and offer a clearer understanding of the show, but it largely upset the most dedicated fans. Details like the chaotic start to production, discussions about Eleven’s storyline, and the absence of monsters in a key scene only intensified existing frustrations. The documentary ultimately added to the controversy surrounding Stranger Things Season 5. Despite the negative reactions to both the season and the documentary, the show doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.
Netflix intends to build on the success of Stranger Things with new spinoffs, starting with the animated series Tales from ’85. They’re also developing other projects that will delve deeper into the show’s universe and introduce new characters and stories. Given how many people still watch Stranger Things, it’s clear why Netflix wants to continue the franchise. In a changing streaming landscape, keeping popular and well-known shows is a solid business move.
It remains to be seen whether the new spinoffs will capture audiences’ interest. Recent reactions to Season 5 and the documentary might have diminished some viewers’ overall enthusiasm for Stranger Things, potentially impacting their desire to see the story continue. Even if online fan reactions aren’t representative of broader public opinion, the spinoffs will still face challenges. A key ingredient of Stranger Things’ success was its memorable characters, so the creative team will need to develop a new group of characters that viewers will connect with – a difficult task. Ultimately, everyone hopes the spinoffs will be popular and keep Stranger Things as one of Netflix’s biggest hits for years to come.
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2026-01-21 20:11