'Stranger Things' is back. Does everything old still feel new?

"There is a certain kind of magic to a show like Stranger Things, which somehow manages to re-engage fans with every new season despite a sense it is often telling the same story, over and over again. After more than three years away, Netflix has turned its final season into its holiday gift to the world, releasing four episodes on Wednesday, three on Christmas Day and the series finale on New Year's Eve."

"Courtesy of Netflix's decision to release the first five minutes from the first new episode weeks ago, fans know this season begins with a horrific flashback. A young Will Byers played by a younger actor camouflaged with digital technology to look like a de-aged Noah Schnapp is captured in 1983 by murderous extra-dimensional psychic bad guy Vecna and connected by a pulsing umbilical to his hive mind. Talk about foreshadowing."

"Creators Matt and Ross Duffer known collectively as the Duffer Brothers have their work cut out this time around as showrunners and regular writers and directors. But the real question is whether the Duffer Brothers can come up with a finale that truly feels like a satisfying conclusion, after nine years of gory jump scares, inexplicable plot twists, extra-dimensional bad guys and pink-laced, '80s nostalgia that helped redefine the streaming age."

Stranger Things Season 5 begins with a de-aged Will Byers abducted by Vecna in a 1983 flashback and then jumps four years forward to Hawkins under quarantine. Netflix released four episodes initially, followed by three on Christmas Day and a series finale scheduled for New Year's Eve. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer return as showrunners and regular writers and directors, balancing franchise expectations with the challenge of delivering a conclusive finale. The narrative again places teenagers at the center, navigating adult failures to confront an extra-dimensional, hive-minded threat. The season leans on gory jump scares, puzzling plot twists and heavy 1980s nostalgia while raising questions about a satisfying ending.

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