Stranger Things Creators Defend Season 5's Three-Part Split
The final season of Stranger Things will be released in three parts over two months, allowing the story to expand more than ever before. The Duffer Brothers, creators of the series, explain how this structure benefits the show's conclusion.
Volume One as a Mega-Movie
Ross Duffer shared in an interview with SFX Magazine that unlike season four, where the split was unplanned due to the pandemic, season five was designed from the start to be divided into two halves. This approach makes Volume One a standalone "mega-movie" with its own climax.
"I'm also excited about the first volume because, in season four, we weren't aware that it was going to get split in two. It's not Netflix's fault, it's nobody’s fault. There was the pandemic, and we ended up dividing it in two so we could get episodes out sooner. But this time, we knew we were going to divide it into two, so it really is in two halves. Volume One really exists as its own mega-movie. It has its own climax." — Ross Duffer
The Most Challenging Episode
The fourth episode of season 5, which serves as the finale for Volume One, is described by Ross as "the hardest thing that we've ever done on a technical level."
"Episode four was the most challenging episode we've ever made, and that includes the finale – though on an emotional level, the finale was the hardest. I don't know how many days I found myself crying, and I'm not someone who cries very often outside of watching Pixar movies." — Ross Duffer
Summary
The split format gives the creators flexibility to deliver a richer, more intense ending to Stranger Things, with Volume One standing strong as a cinematic experience and a technically demanding highlight in the series.
Author's Summary
The Duffers' thoughtful split of season 5 allows for deeper storytelling, with a technically ambitious Volume One that delivers a powerful, emotional punch to fans.