The highly anticipated final season of Netflix's flagship series, Stranger Things, has been dealt a surprising blow in the streaming charts, failing to secure the number one spot for 2025.
Viewership Battle: Sci-Fi Epic vs. Korean Thriller
The first part of Stranger Things season five launched last week with four new episodes, drawing an impressive 59.6 million views in its first five days. The midseason finale saw Eleven and Hopper venture into the Upside Down while their friends raced to stop Vecna, culminating in a chaotic battle at a military site and a shocking revelation for Will Byers.
Despite these strong numbers and an 84 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, the crown for Netflix's biggest success this year remains with the final season of the South Korean thriller, Squid Game. Its third season shattered records by amassing a staggering 60.1 million views in just three days, securing its place as the platform's most-streamed release of all time.
Fan Backlash Against Squid Game's Conclusion
Ironically, Squid Game's record-breaking viewership has been accompanied by a wave of intense criticism from disappointed fans. Many who adored the groundbreaking first season in 2021 have labelled the conclusion "absolutely terrible".
On social media platform Reddit, one viewer asked if others agreed with this harsh assessment, to which another replied, "Absolutely nothing came to fruition from the second season. I advise anyone who hasn't seen it, don't." A third fan expressed their frustration on X, stating, "This season was genuinely so bad i’m sorry wtf were these writers on when they wrote it. and that ending."
The Race for the Year-End Top Spot
While Stranger Things 5 is currently the biggest English-language series on Netflix this year, its fate in the annual rankings is still undecided. The release of the remaining four episodes will be crucial.
Stranger Things season 5, part 2 is scheduled for release on 26th December, with the grand finale following on 1st January. This holiday season drop will determine if Hawkins' heroes can ultimately overtake Squid Game to claim the top position on Netflix's global chart.
