Stranger Things creators talk season 5 episodes and "massive" finale
It looks like we're in for another epic finale.
Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers have teased the season 5 finale, admitting it will be "pretty massive".
The show’s recent fourth season was the biggest yet in terms of scope and episode runtimes, with the first eight episodes all exceeding the hour-long mark and the finale coming in at a whopping two-and-a-half hours long.
And while Matt and Ross Duffer aren’t planning for season 5’s episodes to be as long on average, they've admitted they are making an exception for the finale.
"I don’t think the runtimes will be as extreme in season 5," Matt Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter. "We’re trying to return to the simplicity of the structure in season 1, with bigger scale and scope. Except for the finale, which I’m expecting will be pretty massive."
Netflix is estimated to have spent around $270 million on the super-sized fourth season, which proved to be well worth it, as the latest chapter has smashed viewership records for the streaming service and has dominated discussion on social media since it landed earlier this summer.
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However, it appears season 4's lengthy episode runtimes were never actually planned.
"The runtimes being as long as they were was something of a surprise to us. Ross and I have been trying to analyse how they ended up that long, because the scripts aren’t even that long," Matt revealed.
"We’ve realized that our writing style has changed a little bit, in terms of how we space out description. I think that added to some length. Also, we had an additional plot with Hopper in Russia. It’s a pretty dense season. We weren’t sure they were that long, really, until we got into edit.
"But it’s something Ross and I are actually excited about; with streaming, you’re not beholden to advertisers in the way that television used to be. We don’t have to hit this specific 45-minute length, so it can be as short or as long as you want."
Ross added: "Our concern is pacing. If we can hold your interest for an hour and 15 minutes, then that’s a win. We did discuss breaking up [the finale]. We ultimately decided if it’s too long for someone, they can pause it and they can come back. It’s like reading a book. You can watch it at your own pace."
Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are available to stream on Netflix. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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