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Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, better known as the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things arrived at a time when Netflix was still finding its footing — and it quickly became a defining moment for the platform.
“People always talk about Netflix and [say] our big moment was when we’d put on ‘House of Cards,’ and that was a big deal. But our real moment was when we put on Stranger Things,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos said during the season 5 premiere in Los Angeles recently.
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The first four episodes of the new season, released as Volume 1 over Thanksgiving, pulled in 59.6 million views in their first five days — the biggest launch for any English-language series on Netflix.
And the hype hasn’t died down since Volume 2 was released with three more episodes this Christmas. According to FlixPatrol, Stranger Things is currently the number one show on Netflix both in the US and around the world, proving that fans everywhere are still completely hooked on the Upside Down.
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It’s not just the new season keeping fans glued to their screens. Many went back to catch up, and season 4, which dropped in 2022, still holds strong — sitting at number two on Netflix’s list of the most popular English-language TV shows of all time.
Maybe that’s part of the Duffer Brothers’ strategy to get more viewers revisiting earlier seasons — by spacing out releases over long periods.
"If TV shows come out every year, it’s diminishing return," Matt Duffer said at Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit. "I like the build-up."
Netflix says each of the previous four Stranger Things seasons saw viewership jump week by week, as fans went back to rewatch older episodes before the new season dropped.
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But it’s not just parents asking the questions — many people online admit they are having trouble keeping up, especially if you have not revisited the earlier seasons.
There were also complaints that Volume 2’s episodes felt rushed, and relied more on explanation rather than moving the narrative forward.
But not everyone felt that way. Some fans defended the new season, saying its focus on character development and emotional moments is part of what makes it special. And that the explanations helped them fill in gaps from previous episodes
Whether you are a parent catching up or a longtime superfan, part of the fun this season has been piecing together the story and the characters.
Stranger Things is definitely a show that keeps on giving, with plenty of surprises and meme-worthy moments that make each episode just as enjoyable as the first.
