Netflix's flagship sci-fi series Stranger Things 5 has shattered the streaming giant's viewership record, with its first five days of release raking in a staggering 59.6 million views. This monumental debut not only outdoes the previous English-language series to have aired on Netflix but also surpasses the second and third seasons of the highly acclaimed Korean show Squid Game.
The fifth season's massive success can be attributed to the sudden drop of all eight episodes at once, allowing viewers to binge-watch the final chapter without any breaks. This strategy not only boosted the show's popularity but also caused a temporary freeze on Netflix, with the platform's bandwidth being increased by 30% to avoid a crash.
The fifth season marks a significant jump in viewership from its predecessor, Stranger Things 4, which garnered 22 million views in 2022. The increase of 171% is a testament to the show's enduring popularity and its ability to attract new audiences.
Stranger Things 5 returns to Hawkins, Indiana, with a time jump that allows for the return of adult versions of the original child stars. Series regulars Winona Ryder and David Harbour also reprise their roles in this highly anticipated finale.
The final chapter has been three years in the making, with co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer hinting at the show's most violent death yet. Critics are praising the first half of the finale, particularly the fourth episode, which is described as a "solidly thrilling 90 minutes of flame-throwing, bullet-dodging spectacle."
With three episodes premiering on Christmas Day, fans will have to wait until December 31 for the series finale. As one critic noted, Stranger Things 5 will be an event that gets viewers standing on their chairs and hollering joyfully.
The fifth season's massive success can be attributed to the sudden drop of all eight episodes at once, allowing viewers to binge-watch the final chapter without any breaks. This strategy not only boosted the show's popularity but also caused a temporary freeze on Netflix, with the platform's bandwidth being increased by 30% to avoid a crash.
The fifth season marks a significant jump in viewership from its predecessor, Stranger Things 4, which garnered 22 million views in 2022. The increase of 171% is a testament to the show's enduring popularity and its ability to attract new audiences.
Stranger Things 5 returns to Hawkins, Indiana, with a time jump that allows for the return of adult versions of the original child stars. Series regulars Winona Ryder and David Harbour also reprise their roles in this highly anticipated finale.
The final chapter has been three years in the making, with co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer hinting at the show's most violent death yet. Critics are praising the first half of the finale, particularly the fourth episode, which is described as a "solidly thrilling 90 minutes of flame-throwing, bullet-dodging spectacle."
With three episodes premiering on Christmas Day, fans will have to wait until December 31 for the series finale. As one critic noted, Stranger Things 5 will be an event that gets viewers standing on their chairs and hollering joyfully.
like what can they do next?? 59.6 million views in just 5 days? that's insane 
and the fact that they dropped all 8 eps at once was pure genius 
i mean who needs a cliffhanger when u can binge the whole thing right away?! 
and i'm loving how they brought back winona ryder and david harbour as the adults 
cant wait for the final ep on dec 31! 
. First of all, 59.6 million views in five days? That's just not sustainable for the environment, you know? All those people watching eight episodes at once is like, totally unnecessary 
. And don't even get me started on how Netflix just drops an entire season without giving us a break 
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. I'm still skeptical about Stranger Things 5, and until I see something more substantial than just flashy action scenes, I'm not buying it 
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. I think it's brilliant that Netflix is giving fans the ultimate experience. The fact that it outdoes Squid Game is just icing on the cake 
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. It's like a whole new level of nostalgia, and I'm here for it 
. And with Matt and Ross Duffer at the helm, you know it's going to be a wild ride 
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it had the sickest old-school games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong I ended up beating my friends' high scores and feeling like a total boss 
anyway, back to Stranger Things - I'm so stoked for the finale! The time jump thing is gonna be lit 
. Who needs breaks when you can binge-watch to your heart's content, am I right? 
. The Duffer brothers are geniuses for leaving us with cliffhangers like this 
. I mean, who doesn't love binge-watching? And I'm loving how they're bringing back Winona Ryder and David Harbour as adults, that's gonna be so cool to see! 
. And can we talk about the cast returns? Winona Ryder and David Harbour are back as their iconic characters 
. I'm low-key freaking out for the finale, three more days to go! 
December 31, bring it on 
. And can we talk about how they just dropped all the episodes at once? Like, what if people get burnt out from binge-watching?! 
I'm not surprised by this massive turnout, tbh! Netflix's strategy of releasing all episodes at once is genius. It allowed fans to binge-watch in one go, creating a sense of FOMO 
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. The show's ability to balance action, horror, and coming-of-age themes is what keeps fans hooked 
. I'm just excited to see how it all wraps up on December 31 
. Can't wait for that finale! 
. And can we talk about how awesome it is that the original kids are all grown up now? It's like a whole new world of adventures and terror 
. The 171% increase in views from Season 4 is insane, I'm so glad I was able to catch up on the show before this one dropped 
... and can we talk about how excited I am for the return of Winona Ryder and David Harbour? It's like no time has passed at all 
The return of Winona Ryder and David Harbour is also a major win for me, I love those characters! 
I've heard great things about the first half of the finale too, can't wait to see what happens next... bring on the fireworks! 
. The time jump is cool tho, I love how they're bringing back the original gang... kinda. And Winona Ryder as an adult? 
That's gonna be interesting. Overall, I'm excited to see where they take this but let's not get ahead of ourselves 
. And don't even get me started on the binge-watching craze - it's like people can't even sit through an entire episode without freaking out 
... and now they're gonna make us wait three more episodes for the finale? 
That's just cruel 