It’s strange to say goodbye to a TV show, but “Stranger Things,” a Netflix series produced by the Duffer Brothers, was never just a show. For many students who grew up with the teenagers from Hawkins, Indiana over the last 4 seasons, and even adults who grew up in the 1980s, the show’s pop-culture relevance was at the forefront of every episode. From childhood sleepover viewing parties to late-night premieres, viewers have grown up with the characters. Now that the final chapter chapter, season 5, has launched, it marks the end of an era.
Junior Henry Hogard enjoyed seeing how the characters progressed along with the viewers.
“It’s kind of cool to see the characters because I’m growing at at the same time as them and its like we’re growing up alongside each other,” Hogard said.
According to Variety.com, season 5, Volume 1 debuted on Nov. 26 with the first four episodes, and had 59.6 million views in the first five days of streaming— the best premiere-week viewership an English-language Netflix series has ever achieved.
The additional volumes will roll out over Christmas break: Volume 2 (3 new episodes) releases Dec. 25. Volume 3 (the finale) will release on Dec. 31,
Since its debut in 2016, the series has taken viewers from the nostalgic streets of Hawkins to the eerie deep corners of the Upside Down.
“I think Hawkins is gonna experience a fall and won’t exist anymore,” junior Sadie Lepper said.
“I unfortunately think Steve Harrington and Will Byers are gonna die in the upcoming season,” junior Joseph Clark said.
Beyond the story itself, “Stranger Things” have had a huge impact on the world’s pop culture, during the release of Season 3 in 2019, 80s era fashion made a comeback.
“People started wearing scrunchies and other 80’s and 90’s fashion came back,” Lepper said.
Between the return of mall culture, the soundtracks and bright patterned clothing making a return, the neon lights of the Starcourt Mall became a major symbol of nostalgia, blending the sci-fi tension with a fun 80s style as the show made a generation fall in love with a decade they never lived through.
For algebra teacher Jane Barreca, the show was a nostalgic throwback to her childhood. While younger viewers are drawn in by monsters and mysteries, adults who remember the decade firsthand find a familiar nostalgia and echoes from their adventures growing up, woven into the storyline.
“I grew up in the 80s, so its definitely nostalgic for me,” Barreca said. “I can relate to all the fashion trends and all the little things like the mall.”
Part of what’s made “Stranger Things” stick with viewers is how realistic the characters and connections have felt.
“Steve is my favorite, he’s had so much growth and character development we’ve got to see, and I love how supportive he’s been of all the kids we’ve gotten to grow up with,” Barreca said.
Viewers have watched the heroes go through loss, change, friendships, drama and finding their places in the world. The friendships, the heartbreaks, the growing pains— the messy, confusing parts of finding themself, mirroring what high schoolers wrestles with: loyalty, change and trying to figure out who you are.
“One of the biggest lessons to take is to be honest with your friends,” Barreca said. “‘Friends don’t lie’ is a big one in the show, and true friends will always stick together, even through tough times and bad choices.”
