Web Series Name : Stranger Things 5: Volume 1
Streaming Date : Nov 27, 2025
Streaming Platform : Netflix
123telugu.com Rating : 3.25/5
Starring : Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery and others
Directors : Duffer Brothers, Frank Darabont
Producers : Duffer Brothers, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen.
Music Directors : Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein
Cinematographers : Tim Ives, Tod Campbell, Lachlan Milne, David Franco, Ricardo Diaz, Caleb Heymann, Brett Jutkiewicz
Editor : Dean Zimmerman, Kevin D. Ross, Nat Fuller, Katheryn Naranjo, Casey Cichocki
Related Links : Trailer
Audiences worldwide have been waiting with bated breath for this day. Finally, Netflix has released the first volume of the fifth season of the much-adored Stranger Things. The show is now streaming in multiple languages, including Telugu. Let’s see if the web series has met the mammoth expectations or not.
Story:
After the destruction caused by Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) in Hawkins, the US government and ‘Axis Control,’ the military group, jointly take charge of the borders. They start conducting some dangerous experiments in a lab. On the other side, we are shown the families of Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), and Will (Noah Schnapp). However, Nancy’s sister, Holly Wheeler, gets trapped by Henry (who is another form of the last season’s villain, Vecna). Not just her, but many other children start getting tormented by Vecna.
Meanwhile, Eleven/Jane (Millie Bobby Brown) trains with her father, Jim Hopper (David Harbour), to face Vecna. Will continues to suffer as well because of Vecna. Elsewhere, the other friends, Dustin, Lucas, and Steve, try to enter the ‘Upside Down’ world to destroy the villain. So, what happened to Will in the attempt to stop Vecna? What help did El find? How did the situations unfold leading up to the fight? You have to watch these four episodes to find out the answers.
Plus Points:
For audiences who have even a basic idea of the Stranger Things series, this four-episode volume is a solid treat. Despite the hype being massive, the first volume of Season 5 keeps us thrilled with many engaging moments and some high points.
The momentum picks up significantly starting from the second episode, and after that, there’s no looking back. The key emotions and the friendship tracks, which form the heart of the franchise, are impressive here too and will strike a chord with fans. Each character is designed pretty well, along with the narrative.
The transitions from one cut to another and the action episodes are largely satisfying. The reason behind Will’s suffering makes sense in this part. The last episode of this volume, however, is a mega feast. It offers a mad experience, and especially the climax portion is bound to give goosebumps.
The series definitely ends in a way that fans expect, carrying forward the emotional depth and leaving us super excited for the remaining episodes that are scheduled for release later this month. Some of the twists are also pretty good. As always, every main actor delivered a great performance.
El’s fans will resonate with her innocence once again. Dustin’s entry and his attitude will be loved by those who adore his role. Lucas did a great job. Steve Harrington, who enjoys a good following, gets a solid sequence going into the Upside Down portal gate. All the lead actors gave stunning performances.
Minus Points:
Generally, for people who loved the four seasons of Stranger Things, the length won’t be an issue. Even though the episodes are over an hour long, the past seasons made us feel like, “Is the series already done?” In the same manner, the episodes are long again, but the screenplay feels a bit slow in places. While this was done to build up the situations, not everyone might like that flow.
The VFX work didn’t look natural in some places this time. There were some weak visuals here and there, and this, coming from an iconic franchise, is a bit disappointing. Some scenes might confuse the general audience. The main point is, if you are new to the series and try to watch this, you will be even more confused. Also, if you watch this without knowing the backstory, you will feel bored.
Technical Aspects:
The makers planned this new edition with terrific production values once again. In terms of the total setup and production design, they didn’t compromise anywhere, but they should have taken a bit more care with the graphics, especially in certain shots.
Caleb Heymann provided solid camera work. The music by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein is good. They maintained the tempo of the scenes well. The editing is decent. The directors, The Duffer Brothers and Frank Darabont, did a good job with this season. The way they designed each episode to set up the hype needed for the fourth episode was amazing.
However, if they had placed high moments in every episode as they did in previous seasons, fans would have liked it even more. Still, their work in these four episodes is satisfactory.
Verdict:
Overall, Stranger Things: Season 5 – Volume 1 is a good treat for fans of the series. All the lead actors gave great performances. The narrative gets thrilling and interesting with each passing episode, along with the emotional and adventure ride, which will excite fans. Beyond all that, the ending of the fourth episode worked extremely well. There are a few flaws here and there. The pacing is slow at times, and some visual effects looked odd. However, after watching the fourth episode, expectations for the upcoming episodes will skyrocket. The real war is yet to happen. You can definitely enjoy this season on OTT this weekend.
123telugu.com Rating: 3.25/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team