Stranger Things 5 Bonus Episode Sparks AI Speculation, Finale Under Fire
Topics: Stranger Things, TV And Film, Netflix
Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Stranger Things, TV And Film, Netflix
After almost a decade, Stranger Things finally came to an end on 31 December but with fans left feeling divided over how the hit show wrapped up, there could be a simple reason why.
First airing back in July 2016, Stranger Things became an instant hit for Netflix with the show following a group of teenagers who embark on a journey into the realm of the supernatural during 1980s Indiana.
Since then, Stranger Things has become a household name, with five seasons airing over the past decade, culminating in the finale which aired on the very last day of 2025.
Despite hoping to tie up any loose ends, the majority of fans were left with more questions than answers with reports of plot holes, questionable writing, and ambiguous endings which just do not make any sense based on previous seasons.
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As a result, Stranger Things Season 5 currently sits at an average 53% user score on Rotten Tomatoes.
So why was the Stranger Things finale so divisive?
Well, there could be one simple answer and yes, it is time for even more AI speculation.
In recent days, a documentary bonus episode for Stranger Things aired on Netflix and gave us some insight into the production and development of the fifth and final season.
One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 featured the cast and crew talking about the end of an era, as well as giving us a glimpse into some behind-the-scenes action.
However, it was during this that some eagle-eyed fans noticed potential ChatGPT tabs lurking on a laptop used by the Duffer brothers whilst writing the script. A script that was not even completed before production began, might I add.
Fans accuse the Duffer Brothers of using AI to write ‘Stranger Things’ final season after spotting ChatGPT tabs in behind-the-scenes documentary. pic.twitter.com/gxmYW2OCUJ
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 13, 2026
Can you spot that? Fans are claiming it's the tabs one and two to the left of the open Google Docs tab.
So does this mean that the Duffer brothers used AI to help with the finale’s script?
With the writing coming under fire since the finale aired, viewers were quick to share their thoughts.
“I mean, that explains a ton”, one user shared.
“The last episode felt very robotic”, another claimed.
Of course, whether or not AI or ChatGPT was used to help with Stranger Things has not been officially confirmed.
However, with other fans joking that ChatGPT could have come up with a better ending than the one we received, the jury is still out on that one.
Our verdict? It's far too blurry to tell. Plus, even if it is - there's no proof it was used for writing the Stranger Things script. Just because you don't like the ending, doesn't make it bad.