And now, even stars of the series are speaking out about their feelings on the controversial final season. Matthew Modine, who played Papa, was asked on Instagram if he enjoyed the series finale. To that, and likely much to Netflix‘s chagrin, he said simply, “No.” And when asked if he believed the fan-spun conspiracy theory that there was a secret ninth episode out there that’s still to be aired, he stated, “Hoping so for the fans.”
Fans promptly jumped in with their own feelings in the comments, with one saying, “Honestly respect the honesty. Not every finale sticks the landing, and forcing hype doesn’t make it better. ‘Nope’ is cleaner than a PR-safe essay. Hope it worked for the fans—but actors are allowed opinions, not just applause tracks.” Another fan agreed, adding, “He’s right. The finale felt like a brand meeting disguised as an episode: safe, bloated, and terrified of upsetting anyone. ‘Nope’ is the most honest review possible.”
In a final season that was stripped of all nuance and riddled with plot holes, forced heart-to-hearts, and long, drawn-out conversations that were riddled with awkward dialogue, Modine’s “Nope” really does say it all. The season as a whole, but especially the second half, feels like a dramatic and drastic step down from the seasons that came before—seasons that highlighted what the show was meant to be about: hope, friendship, and embracing our own inherent otherness. Not only that, but it opens up a whole can of worms for the spin-off series, Tales From ‘85, in the form of retcons and even more plot holes, preemptively tanking that series before it’s even off the ground.
What are your thoughts on Matthew Modine’s stance on the Stranger Things finale? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other fans are saying.
