In Episode Magazine’s 62nd issue, our cover story focuses on Stranger Things, which will come to an end with its fifth season. Oben Budak spoke with the series’ creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, about the Netflix hit.
- You can read our interview with Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/One), and Natalia Dyer (Nancy) here.
- Matt Duffer: Everyone agrees it was time to end the show, but when it came time to say goodbye to these characters and actors and shoot those final scenes, it wasn’t easy for us. Saying goodbye was hard for everyone.
- Ross Duffer: Watching these kids grow up was surreal. Seeing how small they were in Season 1 really makes you realize how much time has passed. When the show first started, they were all tiny. A huge part of their lives was spent on this show.
You can read our interview with Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/One), and Natalia Dyer (Nancy) here.
As the final season approaches, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer talk about everything from the military quarantine in Hawkins to Vecna’s “Hellraiser”-inspired transformation. They also reveal how legendary actress Linda Hamilton joined the cast and share how the team felt while saying goodbye to these iconic characters.
For eight years, they kept us immersed in the nostalgic depths of the ’80s, mysteries beneath Christmas lights, and the chilling darkness of the Upside Down. Now, the final chapter of the Stranger Things legend is opening. Matt and Ross Duffer explain how the final season (Season 5) differs from previous adventures, the unique sense of chaos at the beginning, and the completely transformed face of Hawkins.
How does Season 5 begin differently compared to previous seasons?
Ross Duffer: Because our heroes were defeated at the end of Season 4, this season begins in a unique state of chaos. We usually start by showing how their normal lives are going and how school is, and then introduce the supernatural elements later. But this season is intense right from the start.
Matt Duffer: Yes, exactly. Their lives are no longer following a normal flow. Nothing in Hawkins is normal anymore. The town is under military quarantine, everyone’s movements are restricted, and surveillance cameras are everywhere. So neither they nor their lives are active in the way they once were.
Matt Duffer: Everyone agrees it was time to end the show, but when it came time to say goodbye to these characters and actors and shoot those final scenes, it wasn’t easy for us. Saying goodbye was hard for everyone.
How did Linda Hamilton join the cast?
Ross Duffer: Linda is a legend. We were incredibly excited. Before casting her, we weren’t entirely sure what Dr. Kay would be like. We knew she was part of the military and wanted her to be very different from Brenner. Once Linda joined, we shaped the character around her. We moved away from the traditional scientist archetype and gave her a more military persona. Dr. Kay can fight and has no hesitation using a gun. She’s not someone you’d want to mess with.
Matt Duffer: If our casting director Carmen Cuba hadn’t suggested Linda Hamilton, this character probably wouldn’t have had that side. But our core idea was to cast a legendary actor we grew up watching. Like previous guest stars Sean Astin and Paul Reiser, Linda fits perfectly into that category. The idea of working with an actor we’ve loved since childhood was incredibly exciting. We didn’t know if she would accept the role, but fortunately, we learned that Linda was also a fan of the show and had watched all four seasons.
How did you decide to introduce new kids into the story, especially Holly?
Matt Duffer: We wanted to recapture the spirit of Season 1. A large part of that season revolved around the kids. That’s why we decided to make Mike’s sister Holly a significant character. Once we did that, she needed friends around her. We initially planned Derek as a typical bully character, but then we found a kid named Jake Connelly and felt there was something very special about him. Jake is incredibly charming and funny, so we decided to expand his role throughout the season. Much like what we did with Steve Harrington, Derek started out as a stereotypical bully but evolved into a much more compelling character thanks to Jake.
Ross Duffer: Watching these kids grow up was surreal. Seeing how small they were in Season 1 really makes you realize how much time has passed. When the show first started, they were all tiny. A huge part of their lives was spent on this show.
What did you want to reveal about the Upside Down this season?
Ross Duffer: In the final season, we planned to explore the Upside Down and finally explain what it is. I remember Netflix asking us for a mythology document in Season 1. A lot of things were happening in the show, and they wanted explanations. We explained everything in that document, but we didn’t want to reveal it all in the very first season.
How is Vecna different this season?
Matt Duffer: The film Hellraiser, and especially the character Pinhead, was a major inspiration for Vecna. In the first Hellraiser film, there are extremely disturbing scenes where a body is reconstructed in a supernatural way. At the end of Season 4, Nancy completely destroys Vecna’s body with a shotgun. In the years between Seasons 4 and 5, Vecna reconstructs his body and plans to take over Hawkins forever.
How did you feel saying goodbye to the series and the cast?
Matt Duffer: It’s very hard to put into words. I think everyone is still trying to process it. It’s a confusing feeling. Everyone agrees it was time to end the show, but when it came time to say goodbye to these characters and actors and shoot those final scenes, it wasn’t easy for us. Saying goodbye was hard for everyone.
Ross Duffer: According to the schedule designed by our production designer, each actor’s final scene also marked their last day on the show. Everyone became emotional on their last day, and those very real and powerful emotions carried over into the characters’ final scenes. We hope the audience feels that. I certainly did when I watched it.
What was it like watching the kids grow up throughout the series?
Ross Duffer: Watching these kids grow up was surreal. Seeing how small they were in Season 1 really makes you realize how much time has passed. When the show first started, they were all tiny. A huge part of their lives was spent on this show. Seeing them grow into such wonderful young adults is an incredible feeling, something you experience only once in a lifetime. We’re grateful for that.
Matt Duffer: You hear a lot of frightening stories about actors who become famous at a young age, how fame destroys them and derails their lives. Thankfully, that didn’t happen to our cast. Luck certainly played a role, but they were good kids with good parents. It also helped that they didn’t go through this process alone. They all experienced the same challenges and supported one another, navigating it all in a grounded and sensible way, at least that’s how I see it. Whatever the reason, we’re proud of them for remaining such good people.
