‘Stranger Things 5’ Flips Christmas Upside Down. Volume 2 Drops Today
Why You Can Trust CNET
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement
It’s time to unwrap three new episodes.
‘Tis the season for Stranger Things. The fifth and final season kicked off its epic run with Volume 1, which contained four monster-sized episodes, the night before Thanksgiving. Now, Volume 2 of Netflix’s smash-hit series is upon us, just in time for Chistmas. And it gives you the perfect excuse to remove yourself from that awkward family dinner. Let them have Santa; you’ve got Vecna.
After an extended wait, Stranger Things 5 returned viewers to Hawkins, Indiana. The year is 1987, and while there’s a formidable military presence in town, it seems that Vecna, the big bad villain of the series, has all but disappeared.
Well, if you’ve watched the first four episodes of Season 5 on Netflix, you know that isn’t exactly the case. But I’m not here to shell out spoilers.
The fourth episode, which concluded Volume 1, found Will in an unexpected position of power. How will this turn of events impact the hunt for Vecna and the final boss battle, when it arrives? Your guess is as good as mine.
What is clear is that Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Steve, Hopper, Joyce and the rest of the crew are in for one heck of an adventure — and that’s not taking into account every other adventure, monster fight and race for survival they’ve already been through. I know therapy wasn’t as prevalent in the ’80s, but goodness, do these folks need some.
Watch this: Why Christmas Movies Don’t Feel the Same Anymore I How it Hits
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Maya Hawke, Sadie Sink, Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Jamie Campbell Bower, Brett Gelman and Priah Ferguson all star in Stranger Things 5. Linda Hamilton and Nell Fisher are among the newcomers this season. Read on to find out more info on the release schedule for Stranger Things 5. Note the premiere times for the episodes are different this time around.
Stranger Things 5, Volume 2 and Volume 3 episode schedule
Season 5 of Stranger Things has two volumes remaining, with Vol. 2 dropping Friday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day. The final volume, which serves as the series finale, arrives on Wednesday, Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve. All of these episodes premiere at unusual times, compared to the previous seasons, landing on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The finale episode will be available to watch in movie theaters in the US and Canada, so be sure to buy your tickets if you want to experience it among fellow fans.
What are the episode titles for Stranger Things Season 5?
Below is the complete episode release schedule, including the episode titles.
Volume 1
- Episode 1: The Crawl
- Episode 2: The Vanishing of…
- Episode 3: The Turnbow Trap
- Episode 4: Sorcerer
Volume 2
- Episode 5: Shock Jock
- Episode 6: Escape From Camazotz
- Episode 7: The Bridge
Volume 3
- Episode 8: The Rightside Up
How to watch Stranger Things 5 on Netflix
You can watch Stranger Things with a Netflix subscription. The streamer raised its prices earlier this year, which means the Standard with ads plan now costs $8 a month. If you want to watch ad-free, the Standard plan is $18 and the Premium plan is $25 a month.
To check back into the Upside Down, you’ll need a subscription to Netflix. You may be interested in saving some money, and if you are a Comcast customer, you may be able to do just that. Check out the StreamSaver bundle from Comcast. The package bundles Netflix, Peacock and Apple TV for $15 a month.
Other Services & Software
