Stranger Things Series Finale Review: Despite Its Flaws, A Satisfying Ending

We're finally here. It's been almost ten years (and five seasons) of "Stranger Things". The two hour series finale dropped on New Years Eve. Did Netflix's most watched series EVER leave fans satisfied? Well, it's an impossible task to begin with. Just ask "Game Of Thrones" or "The Sopranos" or "Dexter". Below are my thoughts on the hits and misses in the series finale.:

The Misses:

Pacing- I know the Duffer Brothers are contracted for a certain number of episodes but I could have done without the three before the finale. Maybe my attention span is not what it used to be-- but these episodes seemed to just be filler. All the characters kept running around but never accomplishing anything. I would have preferred going straight to the finale instead.
Heart To Heart Moments- How many times did we stop for a heart to heart in the middle of a life threatening crisis? Way too many. I'm all for emotional endings but these were way over the top.
Mythology- After the buildup to Henry being the "Big Bad", we are introduced to yet another villain that we dont care much about. A fight to the end with Vecna would have been satisfying enough. The convoluted story about the Upside Down being a bridge to the Abyss-- and that the master plan by the Mind Flayer (a kaiju size monster) is to merge the Abyss and Earth together (so he can suck the life out of Earth) was too much. Also why do they need 12 kidnapped kids to accomplish this?
Length- I know I mentioned pacing previously but the finale could have easily been an hour long instead of two.
Unnecessary Characters- Why reintroduce Kali? She didnt have much to do except try to convince El to end it. And did we really need the military chasing the kids around all the time? I loved seeing Linda Hamilton (as Dr Kay) but that seemed like wasted time. I have no idea what the military's master plan is. Also they just picked up and left Hawkins in the end? Uh, dont the kids know some sort of military secrets that it might be important to keep? Also, what happened to all those pregnant ladies? After the military hits the road, the town returns to normal. And there's a memorial to those lost in the Hawkins "earthquake".
No Demogorgons- After five seasons of the demo's being the Upside Down's hell hounds, we didnt even see them in the finale? Maybe they ran out of special effects money?

The Hits:

The Show Needed To End- How much longer could we pretend these guys were teenagers? If it had gone on much longer, they'd need to apply for AARP cards.
Teamwork Saves The Day- Yes the cast of "Stranger Things" is huge. I'm glad that they used everyone (including Lucas' sister Erica and Murray and Mr Clarke and Derek The Delightful) to win in the end. It takes a village after all.
El's Exit- We always knew El wasnt going to be able to settle down and have a normal life. I think the possible fake death (and Mike's story about where she really was) was a great resolution.
Will's Character Arc- It all started way back in episode 1 with Will being kidnapped. He spent almost five seasons being a victim. I'm glad he turned his pain into strength and used his powers to become a central character in the fight against Vecna.
Girl Power and Mama Bears- I appreciate the strong female characters that were written for the series. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is of course first but other characters such as Max (Sadie Sink) and Holly (Nell Fisher) were also given room to stretch their acting chops. And extra kudos for the Mrs Wheeler vs Demo fight. That was great.
Henry/Vecna/One- I loved this character. Jamie Campbell Bower really sold all his scenes (both in and out of costume). We also learn that Henry got his power from the Mind Flayer via a stone/fragment that a scientist was trying to protect. Even though Henry didnt start out bad, he makes it clear that he chose this route and that the Earth needed to be "fixed".
Great Music- excellent music choices. I especially like that Kate Bush and "Running Up That Hill" are being discovered by a new generation.
Leaving The Past Behind- I do like how the how show emphasized the end of this adventure (and the end of their childhood). This is true for both our core kids (Will, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Max) and the older group (Steve, Robin, Nancy and Jonathan). We also saw Hopper propose to Joyce and plan to move away from Hawkins.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). Yes, there were pacing issues. Yes the finale's story was all of the place. No, the story doesnt make a lot of sense at times. Despite it's flaws, I still think "Stranger Things" had a satisfying and appropriate ending.

I will remember "Stranger Things" as a great 80s YA nostalga show about the power of friendship. I cant wait to see what all these child-- now adult actors-- do next.

So what did we learn from this series? Friendship, love and teamwork can save us all. It might be hokey but it's lesson we all need to be reminded of these days.