‘Stranger Things’ just gave Netflix its biggest Christmas ever

Netflix closed the Christmas week with a record streaming surge fueled by the return of one of its biggest franchises.

The release of volume 2 of “Stranger Things 5″ not only increased viewership; it also reshaped the platform’s entire holiday performance.

New episodes, loyal fans, and strategic timing combined to make this Netflix’s most successful Christmas viewing period.

‘Stranger Things’ Helps Netflix Set New Christmas Day Record

Netflix has confirmed that it reached its highest Christmas Day viewership ever, thanks in large part to the arrival of “Stranger Things” Season 5 Volume 2.

According to Varietyalthough the streamer did not release an exact total for December 25, it did acknowledge that the hit series became the most-watched title in the world that day after the release of three new episodes.

These episodes helped season 5 reach 34.5 million views during the week of December 22-28.

The figure marks the second strongest week of the season, behind only its November debut, which generated 59.6 million views and became Netflix’s biggest opening week ever for an English-language series.

The holiday push also coincided with other major programming, including NFL games, but the sci-fi juggernaut clearly led the charge.

How Netflix counts views and why it matters

Viewership comparisons have become more complex this time around because of how Netflix measures its weekly totals.

The streamer does not separate audience data by volume when publishing its Top 10 rankings.

While the November debut reflected viewing hours divided by the length of the first four episodes, the 34.5 million views reported this week were calculated using the seven episodes available.

For this reason, it is impossible to determine whether Volume 1 or Volume 2 attracted more viewers at launch.

Yet the data confirms that interest remained remarkably high well into the season, a rare feat for a series already near its conclusion.

‘Stranger Things’ gains momentum ahead of its finale

There’s still one episode left in “Stranger Things” season 5, and Netflix has opted for an unconventional release strategy.

The series finale will premiere in theaters on New Year’s Eve while simultaneously debuting on the streaming platform.

Once this episode is released on December 31, the season will officially begin its 91-day eligibility window for Netflix’s all-time most popular English-language TV slate.

Given the performance so far, expectations are high that Season 5 will secure a place among the streamer’s most-watched titles.

A chart dominated by familiar favorites

For the week, “Stranger Things” naturally took the top spot on Netflix’s global TV show rankings.

It was followed by “The Great Flood,” which topped the non-English film category, while “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” topped the English-language film list with 16.5 million views.

Elsewhere in the TV rankings, season 5 of “Emily in Paris” ranked No. 2 with 13.3 million views, followed by the Dave Chappelle special “The Unstoppable…” at No. 3 with 9.2 million views. “Man Vs. Baby” landed at No. 4 with 7.8 million views.

Older seasons of “Stranger Things” have also seen a resurgence, taking up several additional spots on the charts.

Season 1 reached fifth place with 4.8 million views, season 4 followed at No. 6 with 4.1 million, and seasons 3 and 2 tied for No. 8 and No. 9 with 3.6 million views each.

Even “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” and “Fireplace for Your Home: Crackling Birchwood Fireplace” found space on the list, highlighting how “Stranger Things” helped fuel a historic holiday week for Netflix.

Stranger Things faces bombing after Will’s Coming Out episode

Amidst this praise, the release of “Stranger Things 5” volume 2 also sparked a backlash, with Netflix’s hit becoming the target of widespread criticism bombardment.

After the Dec. 25 drop, the season’s Rotten Tomatoes score plunged from the 70s to 56%, a sharp drop from previous seasons that regularly scored in the 80s and 90s.

Much of the reaction has focused on the penultimate episode, “The Bridge,” in which Will Byers introduces himself to his friends as the group prepares to take on Vecna.

By Varietythe episode now has the distinction of being the lowest rated of the series on IMDb, with a score of 5.4 out of 10. More than 96,000 users rated the episode, far exceeding the engagement seen on other episodes this season.

The backlash also spilled over into broader cultural conversations, sparking comments from figures who framed the response as part of a broader debate about representation in entertainment.

However, many viewers pointed out that their criticisms were not about Will’s sexuality, which has been subtly established since the show’s early seasons.

Instead, frustrated fans cited clunky exposition, slow pacing, and uneven storytelling as their biggest complaints.

Heading into the final episode, the controversy highlights the fact that even a global phenomenon like “Stranger Things” can find itself sharply divided in the latter part of its journey.