Netflix just released the first trailer for the Stranger Things Season 5 BTS documentary, releasing on January 12th. Get ready to cry, scream, and question your life choices all over again — but this time, with bloopers, bad takes, and a soundtrack that sounds like it was recorded in a broom closet.
Yes, folks, the wait is over. The Duffer Brothers have finally given us what we’ve all been begging for: a behind-the-scenes look at how they *accidentally* ruined one of the greatest shows of our time. Because nothing says “I’m sorry” like a 20-minute montage of Matt and Ross staring at blank pages, whispering, “What if Eleven just… dies? No, too soon. What if she lives? Too happy. What if she just… becomes a cat?” 🐾
Fans will be able to revisit the Upside Down one last time. Netflix dropped the first official trailer for One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 Documentary. And by “documentary,” we mean a 90-minute excuse for Netflix to charge us extra for “Premium Access to Emotional Trauma.” The doc is a never-before-seen behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Stranger Things Season 5. Because apparently, watching the *actual* finale wasn’t heartbreaking enough, now we get to watch the writers *trying* to make it heartbreaking. It’s like therapy, but with fewer tissues and more Demodogs. 🐕
The Stranger Things doc offers an inside look at the years of effort and craft that went into the final installment of the Duffer Brothers’ generation-defining series. The trailer unveils the stress and difficulties the Duffer Brothers had with writing the final season. Viewers can hear the anxiety from Matt and Ross Duffer as they try to come up with the perfect ending for the worldwide phenomena. Even hearing producer/director Shawn Levy’s voice adds to the gravity of the situation on writing the fifth and final season. Because nothing says “serious drama” like a man who once made Night at the Museum whisper, “We have to end this responsibly.” 🤦♂️
Levy says, “It’s a beloved show, and Matt and Ross have to bring it to an end. The stakes are high.” Then, Matt says in a different scene, “At the end of the day, the audience cares most about the characters.” He goes on talking about how they “debated Eleven’s fate”, along with many montages of the cast on press tours, shots from the finished version of the final season, and BTS footage of some of the stunts from the season. It ends with Matt and Ross giving one last thanks to the cast and crew with a wrap speech. And by “wrap speech,” we mean them standing in a circle, crying, and accidentally whispering “we’re sorry” into the mic. 🎤😭
Stranger Things began streaming on Netflix back in July 2016, and arguably the first Netflix original series that hit across all ages around the world. Yes, there was House of Cards, Marco Polo, Daredevil, and Orange is the New Black. But none of those catered towards the younger viewers. I would argue it is the series that first made me and countless others excited to purchase a Netflix subscription. It was this show and Daredevil, which came out the previous year. Even though Netflix was around since 2007, it felt like Stranger Things was the show that became the global face of the streamer—and rightfully so. The general populous did not know what a Demogorgon, Mind Flayer, or Vecna was before this show, but they do now. And let’s be real, half of you now think Vecna is a TikTok dance. 💃🕺
Stranger Things is critically-acclaimed for its various themes: coming-of-age, coming out as a queer, found families versus blood-related family relations, nostalgia of the 80s and 90s, and so much more. The way the Duffer Brothers used Dungeons & Dragons as a storytelling device is one of the most creative connections of this series, and is most likely why many new players have played their own campaigns—alongside Critical Role influences. The Netflix series has garnered numerous awards and nominations across the entertainment industry, including ten Primetime Emmy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations through the second season. And let’s not forget the *real* victory: convincing adults that it’s okay to wear Star Wars pajamas to work. 🧥✨
While the internet is torn about that finale, this documentary is a great way to celebrate all the series has achieved as a whole—from Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers to Chapter 8 of Season 5’s The Rightside Up. Time to say goodbye to Hawkins, Indiana…for now.
The documentary, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 Documentary is set to come out on Netflix for January 12th. In terms of timing, viewers can expect it to drop around the same time most new content drops: 12:00 am PT or 3:00 am ET. This is unless Netflix decides to drop it at a specially-requested time, like when the finale dropped. Who knows, maybe it will come out at 11:11 pm in one of the time zones. Because nothing says “mystical alignment” like dropping a documentary about heartbreak at a time when even cats are confused. 🐱🕰️
And let’s talk about the marketing. Netflix, bless their corporate little hearts, have released a trailer that’s equal parts “tear-jerker” and “why did I just spend $20 on a subscription?” The first 30 seconds are just close-ups of Millie Bobby Brown whispering, “I don’t know what I want to do with my life,” while the camera zooms in on a single grain of sand. It’s art. It’s trauma. It’s the emotional equivalent of watching a baby goat get kicked out of a pop band. 🐐🎸
The documentary promises to reveal never-before-seen footage of the cast’s emotional breakdowns, the *real* reason Mike and Eleven couldn’t end up together (it was budget cuts), and a full explanation of why the Duffer Brothers chose to kill off the most beloved character in a way that made no sense. Spoiler: It was a metaphor. For Netflix stock. 📈
But seriously, if you thought the finale was bad, just wait until you see the Duffer Brothers trying to explain it in a roundtable discussion. Matt will say something like, “We wanted to honor the character’s journey,” and Ross will nod while slowly removing his glasses and crying into them. It’s beautiful. It’s tragic. It’s the emotional equivalent of a Netflix stock report. 💸
So mark your calendars, grab your favorite Hawkins resident (or at least your favorite Hawkins meme), and prepare for a night of sobbing, second-guessing your life decisions, and wondering why you ever trusted the Duffer Brothers with your heart. Because let’s be real, we all did. We were all Eleven when we first saw Will walk through the woods. And now? Now we’re all just sad adults who still haven’t forgiven Mike for not being with Eleven. 💔
January 12th. Netflix. Be there, or be square. Or be Eleven. Either way, you’re doomed. 🎬💀
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
