Duffer Brothers Open Up About the Struggles Behind Stranger Things Finale
The Duffer Brothers admit the Stranger Things season 5 finale was their toughest writing challenge, facing intense pressure and unfinished scripts as production rolled on.
The creators behind Stranger Things, Matt and Ross Duffer, have shared just how tough it was to bring the series to its dramatic close. In the new documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things, the brothers described the process of writing the season 5 finale as the hardest challenge of their careers. The pressure was relentless, and the demands from both the production team and Netflix made the experience even more intense.
"We were getting hammered constantly by production and by Netflix for episode 8,"
the Duffers revealed in the documentary. The duo explained that the situation was made even more difficult by the constant noise and distractions surrounding them. It wasn’t just about delivering a strong script; it was about doing so under circumstances they’d never faced before.
Unfinished Scripts and High Stakes
Matt Duffer admitted that they started filming the final episode without a completed script.
"We went into production without having a finished script for the finale. That was scary because we wanted to get it right. It was the most important script of the season."
The stakes were higher than ever, and the pressure to deliver a satisfying conclusion weighed heavily on the team.
As the final season unfolded, fans were left divided over the show’s ending. Some viewers were so dissatisfied that they speculated the finale was a decoy, convinced a secret episode would soon be released to provide a more fitting conclusion. This theory, dubbed "Conformity Gate," spread quickly among the show’s passionate fanbase.
Behind the Scenes Revelations
One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things, which premiered on Netflix on January 12, offers a rare look behind the curtain of the show’s last season. The documentary is packed with insights, including the revelation that the ending was altered to leave Eleven ’s fate more uncertain. This decision added another layer of intrigue to the already emotional finale.
With all episodes now available to stream, fans can revisit the journey from start to finish. For those looking to dive deeper, there are detailed reviews and breakdowns of the final episode, exploring every twist and turn of the story’s conclusion.