Why This Netflix Sci-Fi Series Had Only Two Seasons in Six Years: Creators Explain

Nearly 10 years ago, Netflix launched what would become a cultural phenomenon: Stranger Things. Over these years, the platform has produced “only” five short seasons. The final season, which will be released in three parts, will conclude the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down. But before diving back into this captivating sci-fi tale, showrunners Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer felt compelled to explain a few things to their audience.

The Duffer brothers made a specific request to Netflix… which was denied!

“It Consumed Our Thirties”

Stranger Things fans are aware that it took three years between season 3 and season 4, and another three years from season 4 to the final season. That’s six years to write, shoot, edit, and release 17 episodes. And while that might not seem like much, the creators have revealed they spent an enormous amount of time on the series.

“We took very little time off, very little time for ourselves. The break between the early seasons was almost non-existent,” Ross Duffer explained to Variety. “Part of me regrets not being able to tell more different stories over these ten years… it consumed our thirties.”

Several factors contributed to this lengthy delay. Unlike other showrunners, the Duffer brothers chose to be involved in every step: they wrote all the episodes, directed half of them (24 out of 42), and were present in the editing and VFX rooms. Describing themselves as “obsessive” and “meticulous,” they aimed to deliver the best entertainment possible to Stranger Things fans, even at the expense of their personal lives.

This commitment is evident on screen, especially in the length of the episodes in season 5: viewers can expect a minimum of 1 hour per episode, with a finale that exceeds 2 hours. Yes, subscribers have waited 3 years, but it will be worth their time (hopefully).

It should be noted that the Duffer brothers and their teams also had to contend with a pandemic and a Hollywood strike that halted production and prevented some writers from progressing in their scripts.

While these reasons don’t justify everything, Stranger Things is far from being an isolated case at Netflix. It’s not uncommon to wait three years to see the continuation of a favorite series, especially when it involves a high-cost project. And fans of One Piece can relate to that…

Stranger Things returns on November 26 on Netflix.