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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Stuart Heritage

Stranger Things season five vol 2 review – the fact that this isn’t unbearable is a miracle

‘A winning cross between the Grinch and an unbroadcastable outtake from a colon cleanse commercial’ … Vecna in Stranger Things.
‘A winning cross between the Grinch and an unbroadcastable outtake from a colon cleanse commercial’ … Vecna in Stranger Things. Photograph: Courtesy Of Netflix/Netflix © 2025

Listen, this isn’t the place for newcomers. Stranger Things has been around for almost a decade, and it has spent almost all this time building a mythology that has grown so unwieldy that trying to explain it would cost me my wordcount and my will to live.

However, in fairness, this new penultimate batch of episodes gives it a good try. The content of these new episodes can neatly be split into three categories. There’s action, which is high-octane and fun, and probably why you’re watching. Then there’s dialogue, which is less successful because it causes characters to stop moving and emote at each other, even though they should probably be concentrating on the imminent end of the world.

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