Between the trailers, early looks, glitzy premieres, ongoing gossip about on-set drama, Doritos tie-ins and endless handy guide articles, it has been impossible to avoid the Stranger Things juggernaut as it geared up for its fifth and final season.
Volume 1 is finally here, comprising the first four episodes of the eight-episode season. Enough for a relatively spoiler-free review. So was it worth the wait, and can it possibly live up to the hype?
The story picks up eighteen months on from the end of season four (but three-and-a-half years in real life). Season four ended on a cliffhanger with long chasms opening up in Hawkins and presumably spewing the Upside Down into our world.
It felt like an immediate threat, but the opening of season five rolls back on that. The chasms have been covered up with metal sheeting, and life in Hawkins continues with a degree of normality. Well, apart from the fact that the population is quarantined and the town is occupied by the army.
The first episode introduces us to the new normal and catches us up with the extensive cast. It may be a slightly awkward reintroduction at times, but once we’re caught up, it’s straight down to business.
Our heroes have been infiltrating the Upside Down to hunt evil Vecna, who hasn’t been seen since the end of season four. But they can only do it at certain times to avoid the army. A single portal to the Upside Down remains at the centre of town but is heavily guarded.
When children start going missing in Hawkins, the search for Vecna becomes an urgent one.
The army still thinks Eleven is responsible for everything, so she is in hiding (again), and spends her days training for her Vecna rematch.
Children In Peril
The season opens with a flashback to season one and tells more of Will’s story when he was trapped in the Upside Down. It also shoehorns Vecna in at that early stage. After being somewhat sidelined in season four, Will is a key character in season five due to his psychic connection to the Upside Down.
Will spends a lot of time with Robin, and their dual gay storylines are still going strong. Robin is annoying and arguably receives too much screen time. Steve has regressed back to his season three days, playing second fiddle to Robin at work and getting bossed around by Dustin. The love triangle between Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan is still bubbling away. What’s the betting that one of them dies (heroically of course) so Nancy doesn’t have to choose between them?
None of these things are flaws, per se, but they won’t be to everybody’s taste. Characterisation is strong overall, and nobody is forgotten or left behind. It’s just that some of them are insufferable (looking at you, Erica).
Mike’s sister Holly, who was a toddler in season one, is now an important character. Her Alice in Wonderland/Little Red Riding Hood inspired storyline is one of the most interesting parts of the show and brings balance to the action. The Cartman kid is pretty funny, too. The main cast have outgrown their roles, but children in peril is still an important aspect of the show.
Stranger Things season five isn’t particularly scary but it makes up for it with plenty of thrills and action. This might be the most action-packed season so far. The Demogorgon is back, and he’s brought his friends.
Episode four feels like a proper mid-season finale, with a runtime of 1:26, action set pieces, a jail break, numerous revelations, and a twist that may inspire a re-evaluation of a season two plot detour, which until now seemed like a long-abandoned misstep.
Overall
At the halfway point of the season, I put Stranger Things 5, volume 1 somewhere between seasons three and four in terms of quality and feel. The kids are definitely too old for this shit now, but it’s still a hell of a ride.
