Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 Review: Hawkins Gets Dark, And We’re Here for It
- Je-Ree
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Hawkins is collapsing, and not in that “aww, I remember that when I was a kid” way we fell in love with back in the ’80s (or so I've heard, I'm a 90s kid). The gates to the Upside Down are flung wide open, monsters are casually stalking the streets like they own the place and the gang that once pedaled bikes and rolled dice is now fighting for survival on a scale that could erase everything they hold dear. Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 is back with a vengeance, cranking up the horror, the stakes and the emotional gut punches, all while keeping just enough of that charm that made us stick around in the first place.
From the first scene, it’s clear: Hawkins isn’t your quaint, mall-hopping hometown anymore but seriously, has it ever been? Military lockdowns, creeping demonic horrors and quarantine measures make the town feel like a cross between a war zone and a really bad vacation. The monsters? Not just spooky, they’re relentless, grotesque and somehow even more nightmarish than before. And the visual effects? A mix of practical makeup and CGI that somehow makes you squirm while whispering, “Yep, that could totally eat you alive.”
The season kicks off with a flashback to November 1983, rewriting what we thought we knew about Will Byers’ disappearance. Turns out, Will’s link to the Upside Down was a lot more intentional and a lot more terrifying than we realized. And suddenly, our quiet, psychic kid isn’t just surviving; he’s manipulating Vecna’s own freaky powers mid-air like some sort of Upside Down MacGyver. Will goes from haunted side character to actual MVP of this mess, setting up what promises to be an all-out apocalyptic showdown. Move over Elle.
Of course, it’s not just about the monsters. Volume 1 digs into the fallout of trauma, grief and maturing friendships. These kids are officially adults now (sort of), carrying guilt, scars and emotional baggage heavy enough to crush a Demogorgon. Every battle has stakes that go beyond life or death, it’s about who they are now and what they’re willing to sacrifice. The actors sell it with a mix of anxiety, hope and sheer stubborn determination that makes you care about them even while your popcorn is half-burnt from holding your breath.
Meanwhile, Hawkins itself is basically a post-apocalyptic theme park. Streets are militarized, civilians are quarantined and suburban normalcy is toast. Max is still in a coma (don’t even get me started on that), tension is simmering and relationships are fraying under the pressure of years of horror. The dynamic that once made the show feel lighthearted (as you can get with a show like this) and fun now feels earned, raw and sometimes brutally sad. When did this shift happen? I wasn't looking, I guess.
That said, this ambitious chaos isn’t perfect. With a decade of mythology to juggle, some arcs feel a bit rushed sure and certain beloved dynamics don’t get as much screen time as they deserve. I find the darker, high-stakes tone a little jarring. But honestly? Between the suspense, the grotesque creatures and the “oh no, not again” moments, it’s impossible to look away.
Volume 1 is a rollercoaster for long-time fans: the kids are grown, Hawkins is trashed and the monsters have leveled up, yet the human stories still hit hard. It’s messy, it’s ambitious, sometimes overcrowded and absolutely terrifying but it’s exactly the show/season we’ve been waiting for.
In the end, Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 isn’t flawless. It is ambitious, messy at times and occasionally gives too much with the mythology. Yet it succeeds in delivering a cinematic, heart-pounding and emotionally charged first half of the final season. Hawkins is broken, the Upside Down is encroaching and the stakes have never been higher, but that’s exactly the kind of thrill the series has always promised. Fans ready to face the darkness alongside the gang will find this volume both terrifying and unforgettable, setting the stage for a finale that promises heartbreak and a glimmer of hope.
What did you think?
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