Creators of “Stranger Things” Address Review Bombing

The minds behind Netflix’s “Stranger Things” are speaking out after a wave of negative reviews flooded in for the show’s penultimate episode. This backlash followed the portrayal of a key moment: Will Byers coming out as gay to his family and friends right before a major showdown with the show’s antagonist, Vecna.

Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, often referred to as the Duffer Brothers, said they were surprised by the criticism. They shared with Variety that they’ve worked on this storyline for quite some time. “As Ross pointed out, it’s been a long time in coming. I mean, I think it’s safe to say that subtlety isn’t really our forte!” Matt commented.

The brothers emphasized that they dedicated considerable effort to crafting this scene, expressing their worries about portraying it accurately. They mentioned that it was one of the most significant moments in the series, which made sense given Will’s character development throughout.

Currently, this episode holds the title of the lowest-rated installment in the series on IMDb, scoring only 5.6 out of 10. Rotten Tomatoes reflects a similar sentiment, showing a critic score of 83%, contrasted starkly by a weaker audience score of just 56%—the lowest across all seasons.

Some viewers took issue with the timing of Will’s coming out, feeling it disrupted the flow leading into the climactic battle. However, the Duffer brothers maintained that the scene was essential for plot progression.

They underscored that Will’s revelation was crucial for his personal journey and ultimately necessary for confronting Vecna, stating, “This is a key moment for Will—it marks a pivotal step in his development.” Matt elaborated that for Will, discovering his identity is intertwined with finding the strength to defeat the main antagonist, highlighting that this coming out moment was, in a way, a powerful statement against Vecna.

Will’s character is portrayed by Noah Schnapp, who publicly came out himself in 2023. He noted that the creators were particularly thoughtful in how they approached this sensitive topic, given its personal significance to him.

Despite facing criticism, the Duffer brothers expressed pride in this episode and season, with Ross stating, “We believe in this scene, and we’re proud of Noah’s brave and heartfelt performance.”