Major spoilers for Stranger Things season 4 follow.
Stranger Things season 5 will feature shorter episodes than its predecessor, and I'm glad the final season of the show won't be another long one.
Speaking about the latest episode of the Happy Sad Confused (opens in a new tab) podcast, the Duffer brothers, the co-creators of Stranger Things, confirmed that season 5 won't be as long as the last entry in the hit Netflix show. . .
"The only reason we don't expect (*5*) to be that long is because, this season, if you watch it, it's almost two hours before our kids are really sucked into the supernatural mystery," Matt Duffer explained. For the first time, we're not wrapping things up at the end of Season 4. So it's going to be moving, I don't know if it's going to be moving at 100 mph at the start of Season 5, but it's going to be moving pretty fast."
That, dear reader, is music to my ears. I Enjoyed Stranger Things Season 4: In our review, we said that season four was a "terror-fueled triumphant return" for the show. For the most part, Season 4's lengthy episodes didn't bother me either, as they were necessary for its multi-narrative approach and extensive character development, especially for newcomers like Joe Quinn's Eddie Munson (RIP, wonderful metalheads).
Still, I'm glad Stranger Things 5 is going back to the series' roots with its shorter episodes. And there are several reasons for this.
For one, after spending the entirety of Season 4 apart, the main cast of the show reunited in Hawkins. If the fictional town of Indiana is the only location where Season 5 takes place, we won't need to follow our heroes through multiple stories in multiple locations. Without a myriad of narratives to follow, Season 5 episode lengths are bound to be shortened significantly.
While season 5 should be the last entry in the main Stranger Things show, the Duffer brothers have plans for a spin-off or two, Eleven and company (and us by proxy) are truly in the endgame. The show's fifth season will feature the Hawkins gang's final battle against Vecna and the other hideous creatures of the Upside Down, so it's unlikely we'll see the introduction of new characters or much character development.
And it doesn't matter. Season 5 of Stranger Things should be completely focused on the protagonists of the series and their fight against the Upside Down. We want to see our heroes' stories end with the Season 5 finale in a satisfying way, with no plot threads dangling once the credits roll one last time.
Of course, Stranger Things Season 4 has to answer some basic questions from Season 1984 and beyond. Is Max still alive? Where did Vecna go? What exactly is Shadow? How did the Upside Down become such a dull and gloomy dimension despite being a stormy wasteland when Henry Creel (i.e. Vecna) first came to this realm? Why does the Upside Down seem stuck in XNUMX? Will number eight, also known as Kali Prasad, appear?
Ultimately, though, Season 5 needs an action-packed entry, namely Team Hawkins battling the Upside Down in an effort to save the world, while simultaneously focusing on the core group of heroes we've been following since. Netflix. The show debuted in July 2016. Focus on this light-hearted bunch, and Stranger Things 5 won't need episodes that are longer than an hour. You know, aside from the lengthy finale of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the Duffer brothers are already planning for the final season of the show, according to their discussion on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
By focusing on a single location and following the main characters of Stranger Things, the overall plot of Season 5 will also be tighter and more cohesive than Seasons 2, 3, and 4. This will keep the gang together and ensure they collaborate more closely. than the previous ones. seasons and allowing Season 5 to evoke the tone, aesthetic and sense of togetherness of the show's first season.
Yes, Stranger Things had to evolve as a TV show to stay relevant and fulfill the Duffer brothers' ambitions for the story they wanted to tell. That is why the series have become more and more extensive and creative throughout the seasons.
But there's a reason why the first season of Stranger Things holds a special place in the hearts of fans. Granted, it was the right show launched at the right time, but its potent combination of '80s nostalgia, original story, and talented cast (remember how good the young actors on Stranger Things were even in 2016?) helped it become in an overnight sensation. It wasn't extravagant at all, but it still became a worldwide phenomenon. La saison 5 devrait suivre le plan de la première saison d'un récit à plus petite échelle, en concentrant sur un groupe de personnages de base alors qu'ils se battent pour sauver le monde d'une menace surnaturelle et boucler la boucle de the Serie. In doing so, its episodic runtimes will be compared to the 45- to 55-minute stretches of Season 1, rather than the longer Season 4 offerings.
Of course, the Duffer brothers could decide to write another supersized season for the series' fifth and final entry, with the route they take determined by the story they want to tell. Still, I can't help but think that a season with shorter episodes would be a fitting and satisfying way to wrap up the show's main narrative. If that's the Duffers' choice, they won't hear me complain.
For more content based on Stranger Things, check out our Season 4 Volume 2 finale explained. You can also find out why a fan-favorite character might not return for Season 5.