Stranger Things Co-Creator Teases Season 5 Part 2: Six-Day Countdown to the Finale

Stranger Things is stuffing our stockings this year. Ross Duffer jumped on Instagram to say the next batch of season 5 episodes is finished-finished, and he dropped some very specific, very nerdy tidbits about what each chapter is doing.

"Chapters Five, Six and Seven: locked, mixed, scored, colored... Volume Two is DONE."

"It's gonna be a long six day wait for the finale..."

"Runtimes to come."

When you get it

Volume Two hits Netflix on Christmas Day with Chapters Five, Six, and Seven. The series finale arrives a week later on New Year's Day. Translation: binge three chapters on Dec 25, then wait six days for the last one to drop on Jan 1.

What each episode is doing

• Shock Jock - Picks up moments after the end of Sorcerer. Frank Darabont is back in the director's chair, and Duffer says it's a different flavor than Darabont's earlier episode Turnbow Trap: darker and scarier.
• Escape from Camazotz - Shawn Levy returns to direct. Duffer calls it the biggest of the three, and says the performances make the team cry every time they watch it.
• The Bridge - Co-directed by the Duffers and Shawn Levy. Duffer is keeping plot specifics close, but he does say that, aside from the finale, this is probably the most emotional chapter of the season.

The vibe, in short

One dark scare machine, one big emotional swing, and one gut-punch that's second only to the finale. Also, yes, Frank Darabont back on Stranger Things is a wild crossover of sensibilities, and Duffer seems very happy with how far into the shadows that episode goes.

Big picture

Season 5 is the final run for the show after nearly a decade on Netflix. Season 5 Chapter 1 is already streaming, Volume Two lands on Dec 25, and the finale closes it all out on Jan 1. Duffer says runtimes are coming soon, so expect another mini-update before the calendar flips.