Back to Hawkins:  A review of Volume One of Season Five of Stranger Things

The familiar mix of suspense, nostalgia and unease settles in as I click the play button on Netflix at exactly 7 p.m. for Stranger Things season five. As the “New season” sign on the series cover opens, the giant Netflix logo pops up on my screen with the memorable “tu-dum” sound.

The first episode picks up 18 months after the final events of season four, as the show's rag-tag team deals with the after-effects of the “destruction” of last season's villain, Vecna.

New and unsettling events ripple through the town, with weird occurrences resurfacing, including demogorgons attacking people and children going missing. All hinting that something dangerous, and possibly even worse than Vecna, will appear.

Instead of sticking together, the characters split up across Hawkins, each group uncovering different aspects of the mystery. Mike’s group begins noticing weird military activity near the edge of town, while Lucas and Erica stumble into rumors about a new power struggle forming beneath the surface. Eleven and Hopper run into signs that the government hasn’t fully shut down the experiments that caused earlier chaos in the past seasons. 

There were no bad plot points this season. The small-town unease, with everyday life immediately going upside down — pun intended is what the show always felt like — now more than ever. As the people of Hawkins try to go back into their usual lives, small clues start to surface that something isn’t right.

More characters are finally getting their screen time. Tina Turnbow — Erica Sinclair's “best friend,” played by Caroline Elle Abrams — appears for the first time after being referenced in earlier seasons but never shown. Her brother, “Dips---t” Derrick Turnbow, is introduced as well. Holly Wheeler, the younger sister of Mike and Nancy, played by Nell Fisher, is no longer just a side character; she plays a major role this season.

Throughout the first 20 minutes of the first episode, I was confused by random adventures planned called “crawls.” As the episode progressed, I eventually caught on and was immediately hooked.

And the Stranger Things soundtrack never disappoints, with popular and catchy 80s songs like “Fernando” by ABBA, “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes and “Upside Down” By Paloma Faith, and I think we’re along now” by Tiffany adding to the tension and vibe of the scenes. 

Along with the music, the wardrobe is spot on like it is every season. Each piece of clothing perfectly complements each character, with striped outfits, big poofy hair and old 50s-styled dresses in throwback scenes. I’ve always loved the series’ wardrobe, but this one really topped it off for the last season.

But the new characters that were introduced, Mr. Whatsit and Derek added to the plot in the best way possible. New characters were also added this season. I usually hate new characters because they typically ruin the plot and add unnecessary scenes that bore me. 

Mr. Whatsit brought a new layer of mystery with his strange behavior, acting as an “imaginary friend” to children, but really, he’s using them for his goal of getting them into the Upside Down. 

Each episode ended with a significant plot twist that practically forced me to watch the next one. The final episode left my jaw on the floor. As soon as I finished, I immediately made theories on what’s going to happen next, counting down the days until Dec. 25 when volume 2 releases. 

There are multiple parallels, especially between Dustin Henderson and Eddie Munson. Actions, scenes, or random clips, like eating at the school lunch in a “Hellfire” club shirt, resemble their appearances like their curly hair and roles in the season.

What impressed me most was how well the season blended emotion with suspense. Some scenes made me die of laughter, and others had me holding my breath without even realizing it.

Volume one is a huge step forward for the show. The directors, the Duffer Brothers, clearly put time into balancing nostalgia with new storytelling, and it shows in every episode. It was expected, though, with it taking about three years to make the season, so every episode should be amazing. 

The series is showing its two-hour and 30-minute finale in theaters. It’s obvious the show is preparing for its biggest finale yet.