Stranger Things 5: The Duffer Brothers are resisting adding new characters

The Netflix series Stranger Things has been good about adding new fan favorite characters with each new season. Characters like Max (Sadie Sink) and Bob Newby (Sean Astin) in season 2, Robin (Maya Hawke) in season 3, Eddie (Joseph Quinn) in season 4, etc. But the fifth season of Stranger Things is going to be its final season… and the show’s creators The Duffer Brothers want to keep the focus on the original and returning characters for this one.

Speaking with IndieWire, Ross Duffer said,

Whenever we introduce a new character, we want to make sure that they’re going to be an integral part of the narrative. So that’s something with Eddie this season, where we go, “Well, we need a character here for this storyline to really work, and to give it the engine that is needed.” But every time we do that, we’re nervous, because you go, “We’ve got a great cast of characters here, and actors, and any moment we’re spending with a new character, we’re taking time away from one of the other actors.” So we’re just very, very careful about who we’re introducing. And then specifically in the casting process, it took a very long time to find Joe Quinn, and you just go through so many edits, because you know that we can’t add someone that’s going to just take away from our characters if they’re not terrific.”

Matt Duffer added,

And the same was true with Sadie and Maya. And it’s not like the actors don’t know [either]. They all know that they’re coming into a cast people love, and you’re introducing a new element. And you’ve seen it on shows go wrong, and so they’re all nervous, but like Ross said, with those particular three, and Dacre [Mongomery] as well, who played Billy, it was like, because these actors are amazing it’s just really fun. I just like shaking it up, so we shake it up by changing the plot or adding in a new monster. We’re doing our best to resist [adding new characters] for Season 5. We’re trying not to do that so we can focus on the OG characters, I guess.”

This seems like a smart move to me. Unless they show up in spin-offs down the line, Stranger Things season 5 will be the last time we’ll have the chance to see the characters we’ve been caring about since the show began, so it’s better to keep the focus tightly on them in the final season. Judging by the cliffhanger ending of season 4, it doesn’t seem like there should be much opportunity to mess around with new characters in the next season anyway. Our heroes have a problem to fix, they don’t have time to make new friends.

What do you think of the Duffers resisting adding new characters to Stranger Things season 5? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.