Stranger Things 5 Smashes Netflix Records with 59.6 Million Views in Record-Breaking Opening Week
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The highly-anticipated fifth and final season of Stranger Things has shattered Netflix records, raking in a staggering 59.6 million views in its first five days. This marks the platform's highest opening for any English-language show, surpassing even the massive debut of Squid Game's second season. The new season dropped its first four episodes simultaneously, causing a sharp spike in viewership that exceeded analyst expectations. To put this milestone into perspective, Stranger Things 4, which launched in 2022, recorded 287 million hours viewed, equivalent to around 22 million views. In contrast, Season 5 has more than doubled this number, making it the third-biggest debut overall on Netflix. The show's massive success has pushed Netflix to its limits, with the platform experiencing brief delays during the premiere window. Co-creator Ross Duffer revealed on Instagram that Netflix had increased bandwidth by 30% to prevent any outages, but the surge still caused some disruptions. Stranger Things, which first premiered in 2016, has been instrumental in defining Netflix's identity in English-language originals. The show's cast, including Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard, has become synonymous with the platform's early wave of breakout stars. Season 5 marks a significant shift in the story, with a time jump allowing the cast to age naturally as the plot returns to Hawkins, Indiana, and its recurring pattern of supernatural threats. The Duffers have described the season as their most intense, featuring the most violent death of any season. The remaining episodes will be released on Netflix at the end of the month, with three episodes arriving on Christmas Day and the series finale set for December 31. This final run marks the culmination of a nearly three-year production cycle. Key statistics: - Stranger Things 5 recorded 59.6 million views in its first five days on Netflix. - The season broke Netflix's record for the highest English-language debut ever. - The launch saw a significant jump from Season 4's opening, which measured 287 million hours under the old metric.
