Summary
Two bigNetflixshows are ending this year, and fans have a lot to talk about. Now thatSquid Gameseason 3 has concluded, many viewers are unsure about the finale, and there are definitely some tough moments and harsh realities to unpack. Fans are only a few months away fromthe highly anticipated releaseofStranger Thingsseason 5, withpart one arriving on the streaming platform on November 26th, 2025. Part two will be available on December 25th, and viewers can watch the series finale on December 31st.
Fans have spent the past few years thinking of theories, explanations, and possible final scenes, and whilesome don’t mind the long waitif the final product is great, many are eager to see how it all concludes. But, considering the somewhat negative response toSquid Gameseason 3,it’s hard not to wonder if fans could be disappointed byStranger Thingsseason 5.
AlthoughSquid Gameseason 3 was a hit with critics, it had a lower Rotten Tomatoes score than previous seasons, and a particularly bad Audience Score. Although seasons 1 and 2 had high Rotten Tomatoes ratings, the Audience Score has dropped with every season.Season 3 has only 78% on the Tomatometer and 51% on the Popcornmeter.
This low Audience Score suggests that manyfans were unhappy withSquid Game’s ending, which suggests thatthe same thing could happen whenStranger Thingsseason 5 is released. Expectations are high, and the ending has to be excellent, or viewers are going to feel they’ve invested almost ten years in a TV show that didn’t have a solid conclusion.
The fifth and final season could have a high Rotten Tomatoes rating ascritics will likely be impressed with the storytelling, character growth, and action scenes. But fans might not think that these elements, while beautifully crafted and impressive, are enough. It really all comes down to the final episode and the final scenes. Many cast members have teased the exciting action of these episodes, withLinda Hamilton noting that she filmed “huge” sceneson her first day on set. The finale has to deliver and feel like one big adventure.
84%
64%
Season 3: 78%
51%
Of course,this all depends on whetherStranger Thingsseason 5 has a happy ending. If it’s a dark and upsetting ending likeSquid Gameseason 3, then most fans will likely be disappointed. While starLee Jung-jae shared their thoughts on the controversial conclusionand agreed that it makes sense for the story, not everyone was on board. In this case, the vision that creator Hwang Dong-hyuk had for his show didn’t match up with what fans wanted to see. However, many would agree that it’s important for an artist to tell the story they want to tell and to feel satisfied with their work. From that lens,Squid Gameseason 3 was a huge success, and Hwang told a complete story, atlhoughthere’s room for a spinoff.
Squid Gameis a darker show thanStranger Things, which makes it more likely that the Hawkins-set series will have a joyful and uplifting ending. As long as a few major plot points happen, it’s hard to imagine fans being that upset. Manyhope that the show’s major relationships last, that Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and her friends defeat Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), and that adult characters such as Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Byers) are happy. After watching the show for almost a decade, fans want to feel that the characters are in a solid place.
Stranger Things Has Maintained Consistently High Rotten Tomatoes Ratings
WhileSquid Gameseason 3 has a lower Rotten Tomatoes rating and Popcornmeter score than previous seasons,all four seasons ofStranger Thingshave had high Rotten Tomatoes ratings. Season 1 had 97%, season 2 had 94%, season 3 had 89%, and season 4 had 88%.
However, it’s possible to note that every season ofStranger Thingshas seen a decrease in its Rotten Tomatoes rating, which could suggest that season 5’s might be a bit lower, too.
While there areother teen mystery shows, likeThe Society, that also have high Rotten Tomatoes scores and a similar gripping and adventure-packed premise, there’s no question that everyone is ready to check outStranger Thingsseason 5. Sincethe release date announcementhadmore than 250 million social media impressions, it’s already a success, no matter how the compelling tale of Eleven and her friends ends.
