Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2, the much-awaited continuation of Netflix’s flagship sci-fi series, has finally arrived — but the response has been far from what fans hoped for. The second part of the Duffer Brothers’ final chapter has left many disappointed, with viewers calling it ‘underwhelming’ and ‘emotionally flat’.
The story so far
Following the explosive events of Volume 1, Stranger Things 5 picks up where the gang’s battle against Vecna left off. This time, the focus shifts to Will Byers, who discovers his ability to tap into the hive mind of the Upside Down. By gaining control of the monsters, Will turns the tide in the group’s favour — a setup that promised a gripping showdown.
The series, created by Matt and Ross Duffer, stars Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Gaten Matarazzo, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and Joe Keery. After four blockbuster seasons, expectations for the finale were sky-high — but Volume 2 seems to have missed the mark.
Fans react
Social media has been flooded with reactions, most of them negative. One viewer wrote, “My exact feelings about Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 2. Feels like I don’t even know who the villain is anymore. Is it Vecna or exotic matter? Is it the woke agenda? Or is it the ridiculously complex story being shoved into eight episodes?”
Another user echoed the sentiment, “Just watched Stranger Things S5 Vol.2 — very disappointing and overhyped. Vol.1 was much better. Vol.2 is just an emotional and boring setup for a dark finale. Mark my words — Dustin, Steve, Derek, Eleven, and Jonathan will die. But yeah, the volume is pretty mid.”
Several fans also took issue with the pacing. “There are so many scenes where a character starts monologuing at the absolute wrong time. The amount of times I asked myself, ‘Is this really the time for that?’” wrote one user. Another comment summed it up bluntly: “Given that these are the penultimate episodes, the pacing and story beats feel surprisingly restrained and underwhelming. You’d think with the series nearly over, there’d be a sense of urgency or narrative escalation.”
Millie Bobby Brown faces backlash
Much of the criticism has been directed toward lead star Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven. Viewers felt her performance lacked the emotional depth of previous seasons. “I swear I was more impressed by the actor who plays Holly. Millie did absolutely nothing this season,” one user commented. “All that development till Season 4 — and now she’s talking like she’s a kid again,” said one. Another viewer added, “I’m not sure how much of it is the writing or Millie Bobby Brown’s acting, but El just totally falls flat this season.”
With the final stretch of Stranger Things now underway, Netflix faces an uphill battle to win fans back before the series concludes.
