Stranger Things Season 5 Has Already Made Netflix History

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Just before the release of season 5, all four previous seasons of Stranger Things unexpectedly climbed into Netflix’s Top 10 at the same time, showing that Netflix’s campaign to encourage re-watching was successful. This makes Stranger Things the first series ever to have four seasons ranked in the top ten simultaneously.

Despite criticism of the long gap between seasons and the choice to release the first part on Thanksgiving, the show’s popularity is clearly thriving. The excitement for Stranger Things season 5 is immense, and all previous seasons are currently trending worldwide on the streaming platform, proving the release strategy was effective.

It took over three years for the fifth season of Stranger Things to arrive after season four ended in May 2022, with the first part finally debuting in November 2025. Because of this long gap, and the fact that the show first came out in July 2016, some reviewers worried that audiences might lose interest.

Stranger Things Season 5 Waiting Over 3 Years Between Seasons Paid Off

Interestingly, the show seems to have benefited from its time off the air. Similar to what happened with Netflix’s Wednesday, Stranger Things has actually gained more attention and excitement during its absence. Just as season 2 of Wednesday was more popular than the first, the fifth season of Stranger Things is expected to be the show’s most successful release yet.

With its popularity and high production costs, the fifth season of Stranger Things was always going to be a huge event for Netflix. Knowing it’s the last season—even with plans for future Stranger Things shows—made the anticipation even greater.

Waiting over three years between seasons was still a big gamble for Netflix. The young cast of Stranger Things has aged considerably during the hiatus. Many of the actors, who originally played teenagers, are now in their early 20s. For example, the actors portraying characters who were supposed to be in their late teens – like Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve – are now in their 30s.

The problem was significant enough that the upcoming Stranger Things spinoff, Tales from ’85, had to replace its original actors. Despite this, the creators of season 5 weren’t deterred by the years passing and instead began the season with a time jump to account for the cast’s aging.

Stranger Things Season 5’s Thanksgiving Release Clearly Won’t Hurt Its Performance

©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Honestly, with a show as huge as Stranger Things, I wasn’t surprised when there was some drama around the release of the final season. A lot of fans, myself included, were a little annoyed when they announced Season 5 would be split into two parts – the first dropping on Thanksgiving and the second on Christmas. It just felt… weird timing, you know?

The final part of season 5 will be available on New Year’s Eve, allowing the show’s creators to keep their promise of releasing the complete series in 2025. Releasing all three parts around major holidays likely makes sense, as more people are home and looking for things to stream during those times.

Releasing new episodes during the holidays is a bit risky. While people are home, they might be too busy with family and festivities to tune in. Plus, the first part of Stranger Things season 5 will be released all at once with four episodes, and viewers will need time to watch them all while also enjoying Thanksgiving.

Another thing to consider is how well the show caters to different regions. When Netflix was planning the release of Stranger Things, it’s unclear if they realized Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated everywhere. Since Thanksgiving is primarily an American holiday, viewers outside the US might not have the time off to watch when it first comes out.

Thanksgiving episodes are often tricky for TV networks because of breaks in the usual show schedule. While some shows, like Friends and Bob’s Burgers, have made Thanksgiving a regular theme, the holiday generally gets less attention than Christmas or Halloween. This is mainly because Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated worldwide like those other holidays.

Stranger Things Season 5’s Release Strategy Could Still Falter

Image via Netflix

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are much larger holidays, which might suggest a good time to release Stranger Things season 5 because more people are likely to be home. However, this isn’t a guaranteed way to ensure the show’s success.

It’s likely many people will be spending Christmas Day with family rather than watching shows. While dedicated fans will watch the new episodes of Stranger Things as soon as they’re released, more casual viewers probably won’t tune in right away.

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2025-11-26 16:40