If you live in London, UK, and happened to be free yesterday (November 13) at almost midnight, you stood a chance of grabbing extremely limited tickets to an advance fan screening of Stranger Things season 5 episode 1.
Netflix put on the event to coincide with the hit show's UK premiere, with the first volume of season 5 set for global release on the streamer on November 26 in the US (and November 27 for those in the UK and Australia).
It's no surprise that season 5 is likely to be unlike any season we've seen before, upping the ante in every possible way as Stranger Things' main show draws to a close for good. While I've got major premiere FOMO, I knew I wanted to ask some incredibly lucky fans for their first reactions.
The Duffer Brothers have made something that means a great deal to people, and it's amazing to see how many have grown up alongside its cast. Say what you will, but that feels pretty special to me.
Before we go any further, let's make one thing clear – there's absolutely no spoilers here. Nobody wants to ruin details of what we're actually going to see in a few weeks time, so think of this as a vibes check to get ourselves ready (i.e. emotionally prepared) for what's to come.
Be warned: it sounds like we're going to be devastated.
'What really surprised me was the emotional depth' fan says after Stranger Things season 5 episode 1 advance screening
"It doesn’t ease you in, but throws you straight into the heart of the story," 23-year-old Diya tells me about Stranger Things season 5 episode 1. " You immediately feel the emotional weight on the characters this season; there’s a heaviness in the air, but also this deep sense of determination running through the group."
"There’s also so much happening that on a second watch, I would absolutely notice things I didn’t the first time. The episode is intense, emotional, and honestly pretty overwhelming at times, in a 'wow, this is really finally happening' kind of way. It felt huge, cinematic, and very much like Stranger Things leveling up for its final run."
She continues, "What really surprised me was the emotional depth right out of the gate. I expected intensity, but not for it to feel so deeply personal from the start. The show balances that heaviness with moments of warmth, humor, and connection, but even those moments feel different now, more fragile and meaningful because we know the end is coming."
28-year-old Callum adds, "Any expectations that season 5 would be missing the charm of the earlier seasons in the darkness of the plot was washed away in the opening minutes.
"It felt like a really natural pick-up from the end of season 4 in an unexpectedly simple and satisfying way. The tone shifts from the pure cosmic horror of the last episode to a more action vibe this time. We picked up everyone's story, but there are a few characters who really surprised with how much screentime they got."
As for what they're excited for across the rest of the season, it all comes down to the character arcs. It's clear that we're "heading into complicated territory" as our Hawkins gang try to take down Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) for good, and they've changed hugely throughout that process.
But given how many twists and turns the show throws at us, anything could happen... so we can't take anything for granted.
Stranger Things season 5 episode 1 summed up in three words? "Full-circle, relentless, emotional. Or We’re. Not. Ready." I can hardly wait.
Full season 5 release dates are as follows:
- Season 5 volume 1 – November 26 / 27; comprises episodes 1 to 4
- Season 5 volume 2 – December 25 / 26; includes episodes 5 to 7
- Season 5 volume 3 – December 31, 2025 / January 1, 2026; only contains the finale
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