New Year's Day turned into a nightmare for thousands of dedicated Stranger Things fans in the UK, as the much-anticipated series finale was derailed by a major Netflix crash. The streaming giant's platform experienced significant technical difficulties just minutes after the final episode was released, leaving viewers unable to watch the conclusion they had waited years to see.
A Midnight Meltdown for Streaming Giant
The two-hour finale of the Duffer Brothers' hit supernatural series landed on Netflix at 1am UK time on 1st January 2026. Many fans had stayed up late or set alarms specifically to watch the conclusion immediately. However, their excitement quickly turned to frustration. Shortly after the episode became available, users attempting to play it were met with an error message stating: 'Something went wrong. Sorry, we’re having trouble with your request.'
Social media erupted with complaints from furious subscribers. One user, @kathcos_, vented: ‘Of course @netflix is glitching and the ep is not even showing?’ Another, @russianslender, commented wryly: ‘Netflix is down… Honestly should’ve seen that coming.’ The sentiment was echoed by @ReagaaN00, who simply screamed: ‘WHY IS MY NETFLIX NOT WORKING?’
A Pattern of Problems for the Hit Show
This was, unfortunately, not an isolated incident for Stranger Things fans. Netflix also crashed in November 2025 when Volume 1 of the show's fifth season was released. The latest crash adds to a series of behind-the-scenes controversies that have surrounded the final season.
Prior to the finale, Netflix had to quietly fix an editing mistake in Season 5, Volume 2, where a modern Under Armour logo was visible on Holly Wheeler's sleeve, despite the show being set in 1987. Furthermore, a petition signed by more than 370,000 fans has been circulating, demanding to see 'unseen footage' allegedly cut from the latest series. Fans point to inconsistent cast interviews and changed runtimes as evidence of major edits, though Netflix has not substantiated these claims.
High Demand and Alternative Viewing
Despite the technical hiccups, demand for the show remains stratospheric. After Volume 2 debuted on Christmas Day, Stranger Things shot back to Netflix’s No. 1 slot with 34.5 million views. In total, the fifth season has racked up roughly 137.1 million views since Volume 1 premiered in November.
For those unable to access the app, there was an alternative. The finale was also shown on more than 350 cinema screens across the UK through New Year's Day, offering fans a big-screen experience unaffected by home streaming woes. Stranger Things Season 5 is now available to stream in full on Netflix, hopefully with a more stable service for those yet to watch the epic conclusion.
