“Stranger Things 5″: Episodes, release dates, and one major change for the final season

The final season of “Stranger Things” is pulling out all the stops. While the original first season cost $50 million total, the last season will spend that same amount on each episode. That gives you a sense of just how massive the show has become since its 2016 debut.

Episode lengths are also expanding dramatically. Where the first season had eight 50-minute episodes, totaling six hours and 40 minutes, the final season’s eight episodes will each run between 90 and 120 minutes. According to PuckNews, fans are essentially getting eight full-length feature films, adding up to a potential 15 hours and 30 minutes, almost three times longer than the original.

Bigger doesn’t always mean better

At first glance, longer episodes sound like a dream for fans. After more than three years since season four, a “Stranger Things” binge is exactly what audiences are craving. But TV history shows that stretching a series beyond its usual format can backfire.

Longer episodes don’t always suit the story, and sometimes extended runtimes let directors get lazy, filling scenes without meaningful purpose. Shows like “Ted Lasso” and even the final season of “Game of Thrones” serve as cautionary tales. Sometimes constraints, whether in budget or runtime, spark creativity and stronger storytelling. Fingers crossed that “Stranger Things” can pull off this ambitious experiment..

A staggered release for the holidays

Netflix plans to release the final season in parts, following the strategy used for hits like “Wednesday” and “You.” The goal is for the finale to be the talk of the holiday season.

• Episodes 1-4: November 26, 2025
• Episodes 5-7: December 25, 2025
• Episode 8: December 31, 2025

With the final season dropping over the holidays, fans will have plenty of time to dive into the Upside Down, just remember not to overdo it during the New Year’s Eve celebrations.

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