Stranger Things 5 drops the nostalgia act—this time Hawkins punches back harder than the Upside Down.
Volume 1 brings us back to Hawkins—older cast, darker tone, and a plot that sprints like a Demogorgon after leg day. The stakes skyrocket from minute one, with Vecna’s grip tightening and new horrors crawling out of the Upside Down while the kids-who-are-now-fully-grown-adults pretend to still be school-aged. Chaos brews, secrets unravel, and the fight for Hawkins takes a bold new direction.
This season’s heart still beats through El and Hopper, sharing those father-daughter moments… though now it feels like they’re bonding during military drills instead of breakfasts at the cabin. Sweet? Yes. Emotional sucker-punch? Not quite this time.
Will Byers finally gets the narrative spotlight he’s deserved since Season 1, and his storyline with Robin—both exploring big themes around identity and sexuality—adds a mature, honest emotional layer to the show. It’s heartfelt, beautifully written, and gives both characters much richer dimensions.
The Wheelers? They go through absolute carnage. They’re massacred, battered, bruised—but hold their own with one of the season’s tightest, most brutal set pieces. The Demogorgon (now realm-shifting like it unlocked a new DLC) is menacing and violent… though honestly, could’ve shown a bit more teeth. Literally.
Newcomer Derek, played by Jake Connelly, instantly becomes a fan favourite. Charisma? Check. Likability? Check. Potential to be killed off painfully in Volume 2? …We’ll see.
Nell Fisher shocks the season into top form as Holly, who becomes the emotional anchor of Volume 1. Her fear feels real—like “grab the remote, turn the lights on” real.
And then… Sadie Sink.
She walks in like she’s spent her off-season hanging with Oscar winners. Mature, layered, emotionally surgical—she reminds you why Max has always been one of the best things about Stranger Things.
The Duffers are NOT playing around.
Camera work is tighter, movement is sharper, and the action scenes—especially that finale—are some of the most cinematic in the entire series. Volume 1 genuinely rivals past season finales in scale and emotional payoff.
And the visual effects? The Upside Down looks angrier, hungrier, and more disturbingly alive.
Graphic violence also hits a new high—so maybe don’t let a 10-year-old watch this during dinner.
Also, let’s address the comedy gold:
These fully grown adults walking through high school corridors pretending to be teenagers? Hilarious. It feels like they turned 21 Jump Street into a supernatural horror bit.
Volume 1 doesn’t waste time. No slow burn. No gentle re-entry. The creators throw us in a chokehold and tighten it with every episode.
The story centres more heavily on Holly, whose perspective injects fresh fear into the season’s core mystery. Vecna’s influence evolves, pushing the characters into new strategies, darker decisions, and more unpredictable confrontations.
Will’s arc finally explodes with big emotional growth and a finale moment that is pure chaos, drama, and reveal after reveal. It’s one of the wildest endings the show has delivered—leaving you staring at the screen like, “Netflix… drop Volume 2 immediately.”
These first four episodes mark a triumphant return to Hawkins. The tone has matured with the cast, the emergencies feel more catastrophic, and the action escalates fast. The climactic sequence especially shows the Duffers’ strongest directing yet—big, bold, and unashamedly brutal.
Overall?
Volume 1 is a confident, ferocious opening to the final chapter—recognising the show has grown up, and dragging us into a darker, sharper Stranger Things than ever before.
