Stranger Things season 5 Vol 1 review: Duffer Brothers show forgot to grow up with its cast, is good but no longer great

STranger Things flavour 5 loudness 1 reviewCast: Winona Ryder, st. David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby robert brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, Noah Schnapp, Sadie go down, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Linda HamiltonCreators: The Duffer BrothersRating: ★★★When the Duffer Brothers unveiled Stranger Things to the world almost a decade ago, the show broke new ground. There had been fantasy horror shows before; there had been stories with kids in the lead; and there had been mind-bending sci-fi before. But Stranger Things tackled these genres with a blend of innocence, wide-eyed excitement, and irreverent confidence that made it stand out. Add to that the Duffers’ ability to set up awe-inspiring moments, and it was peak cinema. The series has managed to buck the streaming trend and maintain its quality - give or take the odd episode - for four seasons. However, age seems to have caught up with Stranger Things in Season 5, at least in Volume 1 of Season 5. It is quite the irony that a show which has faced criticism for its cast outgrowing their on-screen ages is refusing to grow up and move with the times.Stranger Things season 5, volume 1, despite its good intentions, gets caught in a loop of corny one-liners, predictable plotlines, and drawn-out setups, barely saved by the Duffer Brothers' innate ability to create emotional moments and still occasionally surprise the audience.Stranger Things Season 5 plotSeason 5, Volume 1, consists of 4 episodes, set in November 1987, months after the incidents of Season 4, where Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) was revealed as the show’s overarching antagonist. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is on the run now, along with Hopper (David Harbour), who is preparing her for the ultimate showdown. The Byers and the Wheelers, along with Steve and Robin, are also preparing to hunt Vecna in the Upside Down, even as Hawkins has turned into a garrison after the incidents of season 4. The town is under quarantine, with Dr Kay (Linda Hamilton) now running the show.The soul is still intactMuch of what made Stranger Things so successful and so loved is still present in the latest season. The Duffers still find a way to create moments of joy, humour, and heartfelt emotion amid all the drama, which keeps the show grounded and relatable despite the otherworldly happenings on the screen.Among the most beautiful things that make Stranger Things what it is is how the makers get diverse characters to bond. Steve (Joe Keery) and Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) bromance is cooler this time (for plot reasons), but Stranger Things surprises us with Will (Noah Schnapp) and Robin’s (Maya Hawke) unusual but delightful friendship. It also infuses more character into Dustin and the loss he feels for Eddie Munson, his friend from season 4. These genuine moments of humanity make Stranger Things more than watchable.There may be no Billy or Eddie this season, in that the makers have not introduced a new character that becomes a favourite immediately. But there is no dearth of minor characters shining. Karen Wheeler gets her moment, as does little Holly (played by a different actor this season). The Duffers’ effort to give even the smallest of characters a share in the pie and extensive screentime needs to be applauded. But perhaps that is what leads to the ‘movie-like’ runtime of each episode. However, the character that truly stands out is indeed a new one. Jake Connelly’s Derek provides both some much-needed humorous respite and a redemption character arc that Stranger Things is famous for.But age is catching up with Stranger ThingsBut what throws you off is the hokiness that has crept into the narrative. The dialogue seems corny, and the exchange between several characters now seems forced. A lot of the chemistry is still present, but the show is failing to utilise it. While Stranger Things had depicted 10-13-year-olds perfectly, it suddenly struggles to portray 15-18-year-olds with equal finesse. The show seems stuck in a time capsule, pretending that the protagonists are still 11 (no pun intended). That dissonance between the characters’ ages and the way they have been depicted makes it all the more corny.Predictability has also crept into the narrative. Stranger Things worked because it stayed ahead of the audience at every step. Retconning Vecna as Eleven’s arch-nemesis was one such plot twist that very few saw coming. That has been the hallmark of the show. Season 5 tries, and does have some moments that make you sit up, but by and large, you feel you are ahead of your heroes. This makes the long runtime of a couple of the episodes more arduous than engaging.Yet, the show does not descend into the ‘bad’ territory. It is still watchable and still entertaining. But we have come to expect more from Stranger Things. Think of the Hawkins Lab massacre sequence, or Eddie Munson’s guitar riff in the upside down, or even Eleven’s first faceoff against the demogorgon in season one. These are some of the greatest moments in TV history, not just this show. That is the bar Stranger Things has set for itself. And this time around - barring that one insane moment in episode 4 - it seems to be playing catch-up all season.