Netflix is set to close one of its biggest shows as Stranger Things reaches its series finale tonight. After nearly a decade on screen, the hit sci-fi series from the Duffer Brothers will end with Season 5, Episode 8, titled “The Rightside Up.”
Record-Breaking Final Season
Season 5 has been a major success for Netflix. The first volume launched over Thanksgiving and recorded 59.6 million views in its first five days, the largest English-language premiere in Netflix history. Volume 2 followed on Christmas and added 34.5 million views between December 25 and 28, making it Netflix’s biggest Christmas release ever.
With the finale still to come, total views for Season 5 have already passed 137 million, placing the show among Netflix’s most-watched series of all time.
What Time Does the Finale Stream?
The Stranger Things series finale will stream worldwide on Wednesday, December 31, at the following times:
- Pacific Time (PT): 5:00 PM
- Mountain Time (MT): 6:00 PM
- Central Time (CT): 7:00 PM
- Eastern Time (ET): 8:00 PM
- UK (GMT): 1:00 AM (January 1)
- Central Europe (CET): 2:00 AM (January 1)
- India (IST): 6:30 AM (January 1)
- Japan (JST): 10:00 AM (January 1)
- Australia (AET): 12:00 PM / Noon (January 1)
The release allows fans to ring in the New Year with the final chapter of the show.
How Long Is the Final Episode?
The finale runs for 128 minutes, or 2 hours and 8 minutes. It is the second-longest episode in Stranger Things history, behind the Season 4 finale, which ran for 142 minutes.
What to Expect From the Ending
The final episode continues directly from Volume 2. Vecna has captured multiple children and plans to merge another dimension with the real world through the Upside Down. Eleven and the rest of the Hawkins group face their last and most dangerous battle yet.
Mixed Reactions, High Stakes
While Season 5 has drawn huge viewership, reactions have been mixed. Some episodes earned strong praise, while others received the lowest ratings in the show’s history. Fans and critics now look to the finale to deliver a satisfying ending.
After first debuting in 2016, Stranger Things comes to a close just under ten years later. The series finale marks the end of a defining era for Netflix — and the final visit to Hawkins.
