Not every series manages to close its story flawlessly, and Stranger Things has just faced one of the harshest reviews of its entire run.
The long-awaited final season of Netflix ‘s hit sci-fi series recently premiered its second volume, composed of three episodes that promised to intensify the path towards the final denouement. However, one of them surprised fans for very different reasons than expected: it became the worst-rated episode in the show’s history.
Titled El Puente (The Bridge), the seventh episode of the fifth season has been widely commented on in social networks and specialized forums due to its poor reception.
At the time of its evaluation, the episode registered a rating of 5.4 out of 10 on IMDb, based on more than 77 thousand votes, a number that reflects the general dissatisfaction of the audience. This score not only places it as the worst episode of the series, but has also affected the overall season average, which currently stands at 8.2, the lowest of the entire production.
The curious “curse” of episode seven of Stranger Things
The backlash to The Bridge reignited an old conversation among fans: the apparent irregularity of episode seven over the seasons. In Stranger Things 2, the episode The Lost Sister was heavily criticized as an unnecessary detour from the main plot. In it, Eleven joins a group of young outcasts and meets another girl with special abilities, a story that many described as filler and earned a 6.0 rating.
In contrast, Stranger Things 4 presented one of the highest points of the series with Massacre at Hawkins Lab, an episode that delved into Eleven’s past and heightened the narrative tension. With a rating close to 9.6, it was considered by many as one of the best moments of the entire saga.
The drop-off was abrupt. In The Bridge, viewers pointed out scenes that were not very believable and narrative twists that were out of tune with the tone established by the Duffer brothers. One of the most questioned moments was the reconciliation between Nancy and Jonathan, posed in the middle of a borderline situation that is conveniently resolved through a forced narrative device. Added to this is the unexpected prominence of Holly, a secondary character who suddenly acquires a central weight, relegating key figures such as Joyce, played by Winona Ryder, to a practically decorative role.
The most discussed moment: Will and his confession
However, the point most ridiculed by fans was the scene starring Will. His declaration as part of the LGBT community, something that many viewers had already sensed for some time, was criticized not for the content, but for the form.
Instead of an intimate and emotional moment, the scene was perceived as an unnecessary public exposure, performed in the midst of an apocalyptic context and in front of characters with whom she barely has a relationship.
Rotten Tomatoes figures have not been favorable either: the fifth season registers an audience approval rating of 56%, the lowest in the series’ history.
Despite this, the community remains divided between those who see the closure as a sign of attrition and those who defend that the essence of Stranger Things is still intact. With the final episode about to premiere, the series still has the opportunity to redeem itself and offer a denouement at the height of a story that has marked an entire generation for almost a decade.
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