The Upside Down is once again about to take the world by storm... and we're not just talking about Hawkins, Indiana! Stranger Things is set to return to Netflix for the opening act of its fifth and final season, and expectations for the showdown are quite literally through the roof. This is, after all, one of the biggest TV shows of the past decade. You can rest assured it will go out of its way to earn that reputation one more time.
It's going to be a global event for sure, as fans are already gathering to celebrate the Thanksgiving drop of Season 5 Volume 1. And yet, if you're one of the many Stranger Things fans in the UK, you might have noticed that it's already November 26 and there aren't any new episodes on Netflix. There's a good reason for that. Let's break down why.
Stranger Things season 5 comes out later than expected in the UK
Stranger Things season 5 part 1 premieres in the UK on Netflix on Thursday, November 27, at 1:00 a.m. GMT. The time is drastically different than fans are used to, as Netflix shows tend to premiere at the beginning of the working day, at 8:00 a.m. GMT. The reason for the change stems from the fact that its domestic release in the US is also at a much later time.
The final season will premiere during the primetime hours in the US for the first time ever, as it arrives at 5:00 p.m. PT and 8:00 p.m. ET. This means that, while its premiere will still take place on November 26 in the US, it's at a much later time than usual. Netflix typically drops new releases at midnight PT / 3:00 a.m. ET, but the change in Stranger Things' release format means it's later in all areas all around the world. For the United Kingdom, however, that pushes its release to November 27.
Although Netflix is the streaming service responsible for the midnight release format, the streamer has opted to try something different this time with Stranger Things. It could be down to the fact that it's its biggest show of all time, so the platform wants to ensure that everyone is around to enjoy it at the same time Stateside - just as they would with live programming that airs at Primetime. Or it could be down to the fact that other streamers are enjoying success in experimenting with release times.
Disney Plus, for example, has proven that primetime releases for streaming shows still work. The streamer has enjoyed a great deal of success with evening drops, with the likes of Marvel shows Loki, Agatha All Along, and Daredevil: Born Again all drawing people in during the evening in the US - just as any good broadcast TV series would on a network such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, or The CW.
Taking all of that into account, Stranger Things 5's UK release is still imminent. It takes place at the exact same time as it does around the world. It's just that you'll have to stay up a little later for it due to the new release format, meaning that it will technically be November 27 in your specific area.
Nevertheless, the Upside Down still beckons!