The production team deserves recognition, but I wish the characters had more varied reactions than just pacing when they're stressed or deep in thought. The sound editing was fantastic – every impact, every kettle boiling, every slam on a table felt amplified and really contributed to the suspense the show needed to maintain its spooky atmosphere. The soundtrack also stood out; the combination of 80s hits and synth music heightened the scary moments and made the sad scenes even more impactful. There were so many inventive and beautiful transitions between shots and scenes, demonstrating how much thought and effort went into each episode from both the camera and post-production teams. I have to acknowledge the special effects, set design, and animation too – the depiction of the Upside Down was particularly impressive. I’ve been searching for a show that strikes the right balance between genuinely frightening and heartwarming since my time watching David Tennant in Doctor Who. It's an odd comparison, and perhaps those episodes wouldn’t feel as scary revisiting them now, but it illustrates exactly what I appreciate about Stranger Things. My dad and I used to hide behind cushions during the Weeping Angels episodes, even though that show was primarily aimed at children. The frightening parts were truly unsettling and exciting, while the relationships between characters and the emotional moments felt genuinely touching. That’s precisely how I feel about Stranger Things as well. The dialogue occasionally fell short. Hearing “can you please stop pacing,” "can everybody stop talking at the same time," or “we need to make a plan” one more time would be too much (though thankfully, that won't happen now). These lines were repeated often, which is disappointing considering how visually stunning and well-edited the show is. I have a somewhat unpopular opinion about the monsters – they’re significantly less frightening when they are made to seem human. I loved the demogorgons and demodogs, but the giant spider was underwhelming, and Vecna didn't scare me at all. While I was interested in his backstory, I didn’t experience the same sense of suspense watching him as I did with the demogorgons and demodogs lurking unseen, their origins and potential evolution unknown. Humanoid monsters feel too familiar; creatures from an alien source inspire fear because they represent the unknown and unpredictable—making them much more terrifying. Because of this, seasons 1 and 2 are my favorites, while I didn’t enjoy the later ones as much. They felt less scary, the repetitive dialogue became tiresome, and the beautiful sound design and cinematography that I previously praised started to feel commonplace rather than special. If the show had concluded after season 1 or 2, I probably would have rated it a perfect score. Despite my reservations about the dialogue and later story developments, this will remain one of my all-time favorite TV shows. I’ll always appreciate the gorgeous visuals and sound design, along with the way the series successfully combined truly frightening scenes with heartfelt coming-of-age moments. It's sad to see it end :’(

Source on TMDB