There is little doubt that Stranger Things is one of the most successful shows on Netflix. Back in the late 2010s, streaming platforms were still in their early years, and most people (at least I’m sure that I did) kept up with TV shows and cartoons mainly through television. Netflix’s success was in great part due to the strong series they were able to promote and hook audiences onto, such as House of Cards for those who enjoy drama, Narcos for people interested in crime, and Money Heist for crime thriller enthusiasts. Stranger Things, however, was able to surpass its genre boundaries and attract people with all kinds of interests. I even recall myself, an 11-year-old kid, amazed by the appealing mystery of the series.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a recurring curse over TV shows that are very successful at first, where later seasons fail to meet the original’s impact and end up as a weaker version of that initial plot. Stranger Things is no exception. While this might not have been as evident in season 2, the later seasons have faced considerable backlash among fans. The reason for this negative reaction is not only the wave of criticism online, but also something deeper: the show gradually lost its essence.

In general, viewers have pointed to worse acting, lack of coherence as some knots were left untied from season 4, a script that feels overly bold at times, an unremarkable soundtrack, and a lack of clear planning by the screenwriters, who had over three years to develop the latest season. Above all, though, what truly affected the series’ reputation was the fading of its core. As the show developed, so did its tone. The first season, which sets the atmosphere for the rest, was centered on the unknown. The viewer was drawn to the mystery, to the thrill of not fully understanding the threat, and to the nostalgic eighties aesthetic of kids in a suburban American town facing something far bigger than themselves, inspired by films such as E.T., A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Back to the Future.

All of that gradually shifted, especially in the later seasons, into an overly complex and dramatic plot that lost much of its original atmosphere. The story became more of a power scale between the main character, Eleven, and the villain, Vecna, while the rest of the characters were reduced to spectators. This is reflected, for example, in the final battle, which many fans criticized for lacking depth, and meaning.

While the initial plot of the first seasons felt relatable, as the kids were simply trying to rescue their friend, the story grew into unnecessarily high stakes, where the entire world was under threat and even the U.S. military could not respond effectively. The first season is filled with moments that many childhoods can relate to, such as Eleven defending her friends from bullies or the kids secretly working together to find their own solutions, like experimenting with the salt bathtub at school. These moments brought viewers closer to the characters and to the story, as they felt personal and familiar. Even though the plot was fictional, the audience could still find comfort in these details and feel deeply connected to those four close friends. However, that connection faded as more characters were introduced and the situation became more disproportionate over time.

All in all, Netflix was given a one-in-a-million opportunity with the success of Stranger Things. Unfortunately, the show could not sustain its initial strength, as its intimate and mysterious tone slowly turned into something closer to performative chaos. The narrative lost depth as the story shifted from a simple, personal mystery about friendship and the unknown into an overcomplicated, high-stakes spectacle. As a result, in the long run, Stranger Things may not hold the same legacy it once seemed to have.