STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5 PART 1 REVIEW: The Beginning of the End

Stranger Things fans have been waiting for what feels like forever to return to Hawkins, as Season 4 left our jaws on the floor, as it seems all hell had broken loose. The first four episodes were released on Netflix on November 26th, and we are here to dive into the Upside Down and talk all about them!

SPOILERS AHEAD

THE BAND IS BACK TOGETHER

Let’s address the elephant in the room first, yes, the kids all look older. Due to various delays during the writers’ strike and natural aging, the kids all look older; however, the team has done a great job of making them look relatively close to where they should be. The show takes place 18 months after the events of season 4 in a Hawkins that has been quarantined and taken over by the military. I do feel that since we are working with teenagers that we often forget that in 18 months, yes, there will be some aging done (I know the cast is largely all not teenagers anymore).

In these 18 months, we quickly see that Eleven, Hopper, and Joyce have been rigorously training to prepare for the looming battle. Joyce, Jonathan, and Will have moved in with the Wheelers, much to Mr. Wheeler’s chagrin, and Steve and Robin are running the radio station in Hawkins with the help of Nancy and the rest of the team. Meanwhile, our favorite conspiracy theorist, Murray is undercover as a delivery driver who is running supplies into Hawkins, although his actual cargo is a flurry of supplies to aid in our team’s efforts against Vecna. Speaking of Vecna, He has not been seen or heard from since the battle with El and the military is shown to be operating both in Hawkins and the Upside Down.

The Stakes Have Never Been Higher

The show’s final season hits the ground running immediately and spends a lot of time in the Upside Down, which works well for this season as it is setting up the epic final confrontation for the fate of the world. The visual effects were well done, as not only do they do a great job transporting us into this world, but we do get a lot of time with the Demogorgons in this first batch. They are ruthless, and the gloves appear to be off as the creatures slash their way through anyone and anything that stands in their way. We’re not entirely sure what the goal is, but Henry is kidnapping children to the Upside Down and making them part of his final plan.

This allows for younger members of the cast to shine, such as Hollly Wheeler, Nancy, and Mike’s younger sister, played by Anniston Price, and newcomer to the shower, Delightful Derek, played by Jake Connelly. The show intertwines various plot threads between those in the Upside Down, such as Hopper and El, who are evading the military and searching for Vecna, the team in the real Hawkins, and a surprising team-up of Max and Holly, as it turns out, Max is trapped inside of Vecna’s memories.

Cast Dynamics

The cast hasn’t skipped a beat, as the chemistry is all very much still there between everyone. Something that stood out to me is how Dustin and Steve appear to be at odds with one another this whole season. Dustin, who is still grieving Eddie’s death, comes for Steve’s throat more often than not for not knowing about technology as much as he does. These two have been known to be a pair, so having them fighting creates tension across the four episodes. Robin (Maya Hawk) stands out as a shining star in these first four episodes as we get more time with her character and, surprisingly, she and Will (Noah Schnapp) bond throughout the first part of this season. Despite all of the outside rumors, Hopper (David Harbour) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) spend a lot of time together strengthening their trust and bond, which works well.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5 set the stage for all-out war. We finally see what happened to Will in season 1, as shockingly, the final 15 minutes of episode 4 blow us away with the return of Vecna and Will showing that he has powers as he tears the Demogorgons apart viciously. We see the return of a long-forgotten member from the series’s most divisive episode, which evens the playing field just a bit. It’s full of action, emotions, and surprises, and now we are dying for the next batch to drop after that insane cliffhanger!

Stranger Things is back, and the next two episodes will drop on Christmas Day only on Netflix! Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the first four episodes!

More from Matt at the Hops “Geek” News podcast!