- The final season of “Stranger Things” disappointed many viewers.
- Volume 2 of the final season came out on Christmas.
- The ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb are lower than ever.
- A predictable plot and too little focus on the characters are criticized.
The final season of “Stranger Things” is currently running. Volume 2 was released at Christmas with three new episodes. Since then, the viewer rating of season 5 has fallen significantly and has even reached a new low.
The new episodes have continued the plot of the series and clarified central questions, including the background to the “Upside Down” and the situation surrounding Max Mayfield. Regardless, however, the series is seeing a decline in viewer ratings online.
“Stranger Things”: Lowest ratings of the entire series
Volume 2, which includes episodes 5 to 7, was accompanied by a significant decline in audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As of December 28th, this was 59 percent, after Volume 1 of Season 5 had achieved a rating of 91 percent. However, as the episodes have only recently been released, these values are subject to change.
A look at the previous seasons shows that the first season achieved 97 percent approval from critics and 96 percent from audiences, followed by season 2 with 94 and 90 percent respectively. The current season is therefore below previous values, although previous seasons were able to see a recovery in ratings as the series progressed.
On the rating platform IMDb, the average rating of the previous episodes of “Stranger Things” Season 5 is mostly in the solid to very good range. The fourth episode in particular is one of the best-rated episodes of the entire series. However, according to IMDb, episode 7 is currently the lowest score of the season – and also the lowest score of all episodes to date – with 5.9. The final episode of the series is still pending and could influence the averages. She appears on New Year’s Eve.
Why are the votes rather negative?
The reasons for the rather negative response vary. Some of the audience criticizes the fact that the season follows a predictable course and takes few narrative risks. Others complain that the conflicts portrayed lose tension given the characters’ previous experiences. It is also occasionally noted that the most recent episodes place greater focus on the plot, while the relationships and interactions between the characters receive less space.
Fans online are disappointed
The critical voices are not limited to rating platforms. Viewers have also expressed mixed reactions on social networks such as X and Instagram since the fifth season was released in December.
One user writes, among other things: “actually disappointing three episodes”. The comment received over 26,000 likes. “I felt like I had watched three episodes of absolutely nothing,” wrote another user. At the same time, there is also positive feedback, emphasizing: “This episode reminded me why I fell in love with this series.”
The reactions illustrate the challenges that come with completing a long-running and successful series. Parts of the criticism are also aimed at key creative people such as the Duffer Brothers and director Shawn Levy (57). How the end of “Stranger Things” will ultimately be received will only become clear after the final episode has aired.
How do you rate the episodes of the last “Stranger Things” season so far?
Felipe Cordova (cof), intern in the People department at 20 Minuten since 2025. He reports on national and international stars and their stories.
