Stranger Things documentary: the making-ofs, the behind-the-scenes, and the shows to watch after the series
Behind the scenes · Documentaries · Making-of
There is not one documentary on the show, but several: a studio show after season 2, making-ofs for each season, a film on the making of the last season, and hours of behind-the-scenes published by the creators themselves. Here is what exists, and what is worth it.
The essentials
- The best-known: “Beyond”, 2017, seven talk-show episodes
- The making-of: one per season, on the platform and online
- Behind the scenes: videos from the Duffers and the actors, on the show's socials
- The most recent: One Last Adventure, the Season 5 documentary, January 12, 2026
Contents
“Beyond” (2017)
After Season 2, the platform produced a seven-short-episode talk show: the Duffers and the actors, gathered around a host, go back over each episode, the writing choices, the effects and the cut scenes. You learn, among other things, how Bob's death was decided and why “The Lost Sister” exists. It remained, until 2026, the only real documentary the platform produced about the show.
The Hawkins T-shirt, the town of the behind-the-scenes.
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The making-of, season by season
For each season, behind-the-scenes videos were posted: the building of Starcourt in a real mall in 2019, the Creel house and the Vecna effects in 2022, the ruined town and the quarantine sets in 2025. They run from five to thirty minutes, and are available on the platform, in the extras tab, and on the show's channels.
| Title | Year | What it is | Runtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond | 2017 | Studio show after season 2 | 7 episodes of 20 min |
| The Season 3 behind-the-scenes | 2019 | Making-of of Starcourt and the effects | Several videos |
| Behind the scenes of Season 4 | 2022 | Vecna, the Creel house, Lithuania | Several videos |
| The last season's behind-the-scenes | 2025 and 2026 | The 2024 shoot, the goodbyes | Several videos |
| The Duffers' videos | Since 2016 | Commentaries, cut scenes | Variable |
The behind-the-scenes by the actors
The actors filmed their own behind-the-scenes, especially during the last season: each person's last shooting day, the goodbyes to the sets, the last scenes. Those videos, posted on the show's social accounts after the finale, are the most moving document on the ending: nine years of shooting summed up in a few minutes of tears.
What has existed since 2026One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, released January 12, 2026, is the first long documentary devoted to the show: the 237 shooting days, the final table read, and each actor's last shots. It was not released in theaters.
Where to watch them
"Beyond" is on the platform, in the catalog, separate from the show. The making-ofs are in each season's extras and on the show's video channels. The actors' videos are on their accounts and on the show's. Nothing is released on a physical format.
Where to start
Through "Beyond," to understand how the show is written; then through the season 4 behind-the-scenes, for the Vecna effects; and through the farewell videos, for the ending. Three hours in all, which change the way you rewatch the episodes.
The Hopper figure, for Beyond.
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One Last Adventure: the documentary of the ending
On January 12, 2026, twelve days after the last chapter, the platform released One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, the first documentary film devoted to the show. It follows the making of the last season: filming from January 8 to December 20, 2024, 237 days on set, the final table read of the script on September 8, 2024, where the cast discovered the ending together, and each actor's last day, organized to coincide with their last scene.
You see there what the behind-the-scenes videos only showed in pieces: the melting room of episode 6, prepared for months by Shawn Levy, the digital de-aging of Will, the spider of the Abyss, and the goodbyes. For anyone who wants to understand how a ten-year show ends, it is the reference document, and it completes "Beyond" as the last chapter completes the first.
What each document brings
| Document | Year | What you learn there |
|---|---|---|
| Beyond | 2017 | How season 2 was written, Bob's death, the Chicago episode |
| The Starcourt behind-the-scenes | 2019 | How a real mall became the 1985 set |
| Behind the scenes of Season 4 | 2022 | Vecna's prosthetics, the Creel house, the Lithuanian prison |
| One Last Adventure | 2026 | The 237 shooting days of the ending, the final table read, the goodbyes |
| The actors' videos | 2025-2026 | Each one's last day, filmed by themselves |
In what order to watch them
The simplest is to follow the order of the seasons: “Beyond” after Season 2, the Starcourt behind-the-scenes after Season 3, Vecna's after Season 4, and One Last Adventure after the last chapter. Each document reveals things about the season it accompanies, and One Last Adventure can only be enjoyed after you have seen the ending.
For a fan in a hurry, One Last Adventure and "Beyond" are enough: the first for the ending, the second for the Duffers' method. For a future fan, none of them is necessary, and all of them spoil surprises: they are made for after.
What “Beyond” showed, in 2017
"Beyond" remains, in hindsight, the most revealing document on the Duffers' method. Hosted by Jim Rash, the show brought together the creators and the actors after each episode of season 2, but was designed to be watched once the whole season had been seen, unlike usual after-episode shows. You learn there how Bob's death was decided, why the Chicago episode exists, and what the Duffers meant by "sequel" rather than "season."
The show had no follow-up for Seasons 3 and 4, replaced by shorter behind-the-scenes videos. One Last Adventure, in 2026, is its heir: a long format, after the end, for those who have seen it all.
The complete-series poster.
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Takeaway“Beyond”: the first real documentary, 2017. Making-ofs for each season, in the extras. The actors' goodbyes, after the finale. One Last Adventure, the documentary of the end, since January 12, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a documentary on Stranger Things?
Yes: "Beyond," a studio show in seven episodes released in 2017 after season 2, plus making-of films for each season.
Is there a documentary on the end of the show?
Yes: One Last Adventure, released on January 12, 2026, follows the making of season 5, on top of the farewell videos posted on the show's social accounts.
Where to watch Beyond?
On the platform, in the catalog, separate from the show.
Are the making-of in French?
They are subtitled on the platform; the videos posted on social media are most often in English.
When did One Last Adventure come out?
On January 12, 2026, twelve days after the last chapter. It is the first documentary film devoted to the show, on the making of Season 5.
Did One Last Adventure come out in theaters?
No, only on the platform. Only the last chapter of the show was screened in theaters, on December 31, 2025.
What does One Last Adventure show of the last day of filming?
The last shot of the season, filmed on December 20, 2024 with no actor, a lunch box, and the goodbyes of each member of the cast, whose last day coincided with their last scene.
How long is One Last Adventure?
A little more than an hour, the time to follow the 237 days of filming of season 5 and the final script reading.