The original post: /r/television by /u/ThreadAndSolve on 2025-12-20 07:23:17+00:00.
Netflix is testing a new distribution strategy with the final season of Stranger Things that could change how the platform handles its major properties in the future. Instead of dropping the entire season at once, they have split the episodes into three distinct volumes released across Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
This move effectively ends the one week binge cycle and replaces it with a three month cultural window. By spacing the releases this way, Netflix ensures the show remains the primary topic of conversation during the biggest family gathering periods of the year.
The most significant part of this shift is the theatrical release of the finale on December 31. Releasing a two hour episode in over 500 theaters across the US and Canada is a major precedent. It suggests that Netflix now views its biggest hits as theatrical events that can compete with holiday blockbusters.
Do you think this staggered volume approach is a better way to experience a massive series, or would you still prefer to have every episode available on day one?
It feels like the era of the all at once release might be coming to an end for the biggest streaming shows.