Netflix experienced another system outage, this time immediately after releasing the final episode of Stranger Things, turning the highly anticipated finale into a frustrating experience for fans around the world.
Stranger Things officially came to an end on New Year’s Eve, concluding a nearly decade-long run that spanned five seasons. The final episode of season five, titled “Chapter Eight: The Right Side Up,” was released at 5:00 PM PT, but shortly afterward Netflix began malfunctioning.
Many viewers reported being unable to start the episode, instead receiving an on-screen error message that read:
“Something went wrong. Sorry, we’re having trouble with your request. You’ll find lots to explore on the home page.”
The outage is believed to have been caused by an extraordinarily high number of users attempting to watch the finale simultaneously, overwhelming Netflix’s servers.
Fans React With Frustration Online
Social media quickly filled with angry reactions from fans who were blocked from watching the episode that was expected to reveal the fate of all major characters following their final confrontation with Vecna.
Viewers expressed particular frustration because the episode marked the long-awaited conclusion of one of Netflix’s most popular and successful series.
Interestingly, at the same time, comments also surfaced from viewers who had already seen the episode and expressed disappointment with its content—leading some fans to speculate whether Netflix had temporarily removed the episode altogether.
Others pointed out that, given Netflix’s history of similar technical issues during major premieres, the situation should not have come as a surprise.
Staggered Release Led to Final-Day Surge
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things was released in three parts.
The first part, consisting of four episodes, premiered on November 26.
The second part, with three episodes, was released on Christmas Day.
The third and final part consisted of a single extended episode released on New Year’s Eve—the episode that ultimately triggered the latest technical collapse.
Due to fears of streaming issues, some of the most dedicated fans reportedly chose to avoid Netflix altogether and instead watched the finale in cinemas, purchasing tickets for special theatrical screenings of the final episode.
Not the First Time for Netflix
This was not the first outage linked to the final season. Netflix experienced a similar disruption one month earlier when the first batch of season five episodes was released.
At that time, the streaming service told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement that “some members briefly experienced an issue streaming on TV devices, but the service was restored for all accounts within five minutes.”
As fans finally manage to watch the closing chapter of Stranger Things, the latest crash once again raises questions about Netflix’s ability to handle peak demand during its biggest global releases.
