STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW Reviews- Page 5

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 12:41pm

Netflix has posted the first four episodes of Stranger Things: Season Five. I found two brief nods to the events of The First Shadow.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

A flashback to Joyce in high school, passing out flyers for the school play.

A reference to a cave that Henry is afraid of. Apparently it was discussed in more detail in the play in London. But was cut to just a sentence or two when I saw it on Broadway. The Duffers seem to be saving its significance for the final episodes.

 

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 2:19pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Haven't watched the show but the name Jack Throne alone is a big red flag. And I was not proven wrong. It feels like one of those run-of-the-mill kinds of storytelling without any focus. There is nothing for the story to latch onto that makes it compelling or transporting. Rather, the play is actively distancing itself from the audience and doesn't let you sit with the characters and see their humanity. I'm not sure whether this is the case for the tv show fans or there is some assumed familiarity, but as a standalone play it leaves an awful lot to be desired. The only joke that was remotely relatable personally was the Oklahoma ones, but when very few people in the theater even care about that joke you know you are probably in the wrong place."

Who cares? It was visually amazing and the performances were as well. 

[DramaTeach]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 2:23pm

MrsSallyAdams said: "Netflix has posted the first four episodes of Stranger Things: Season Five. I found two brief nods to the events of The First Shadow.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

A flashback to Joyce in high school, passing out flyers for the school play.

A reference to a cave that Henry is afraid of. Apparently it was discussed in more detail in the play in London. But was cut to just a sentence or two when I saw it on Broadway. The Duffers seem to be saving its significance for the final episodes.

"

SPOILERS:

If I recall correctly, they spent much of the play making fun of Oklahoma, no? And they did a different play. But in the TV show, it says they’re doing Oklahoma. Also thought it would’ve been nice to give the Broadway actors the parts instead of having other people do it with Winona’s voice.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 4:37pm

Matt Duffer gave an interview in Entertainment Weekly, where he said no actor from the play will appear in Season 5, because only a few people will see the play, and they want Season 5 to make sense as a standalone experience. 

The explanation makes zero sense to me because say you're going to use a different actor to play young Joyce Byers anyway, it's no more or less confusing to the general audience if it's the same actress from First Shadow.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 6:36pm

Re Drama Teach. Yes, Joyce decides to produce Dark of the Moon instead of the previously announced production of Oklahoma. I'm not sure why this involved passing out fliers for Oklahoma but I'll roll with it.

As far as stage actors go, another fan pointed out that Alex Breaux plays Dr. Brenner on Broadway and Lt. Akers in season five. I'm not sure if any other stage actors will be making cameos.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 6:49pm

Jonathan Cohen said: "Matt Duffergave an interview in Entertainment Weekly, where he said no actor from the play will appear in Season 5, because only a few people will see the play, and they want Season 5 to make sense as a standalone experience.

The explanation makes zero sense to me because say you're going to use a different actor to play young Joyce Byers anyway, it's no more or less confusing to the general audience if it's the same actress from First Shadow."


They know the play is sh*t and don’t wanna involve it in the series lol

[getatme]

Posted: 11/30/25 at 6:54pm

MrsSallyAdams said: "Re Drama Teach. Yes, Joycedecides to produceDark of the Mooninstead of the previously announced production ofOklahoma.I'm not sure why this involved passing out fliers forOklahomabut I'll roll with it.

As far as stage actors go, another fan pointed out that Alex Breaux plays Dr. Brenner on Broadway and Lt. Akers in season five. I'm not sure if any other stage actors will be making cameos."

In the plays they are pretending publicly to be doing Oklahoma because that is the show the school approved, but Joyce decides to instead put on Dark of the Moon and announce this on opening night before the show starts.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 12/23/25 at 3:16pm

Stranger Things Stats

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/stranger-things-stats-views-rewatched-scenes-1236615396/

[MezzA101]

Posted: 12/24/25 at 2:29pm

How Netflix Used 'Stranger Things' to Boost 'The First Shadow' Sales

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/stranger-things-the-first-shadow-broadway-ticket-boost-1236613193/

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/25/25 at 2:37pm

Kate Trefry said in the documentary that she had to be careful not to give anything away from the final season while writing the play. But the play would tie into the final season, and it is so far. There was also talk of a spin-off a few years ago. Wonder if that is still happening? 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 10:22am

'Stranger Things' Play Breaks Broadway House Box Office Record

https://variety.com/2025/theater/news/stranger-things-play-broadway-box-office-record-1236619506/

[FANtomFollies]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 1:46pm

MezzA101 said: "'Stranger Things' Play Breaks Broadway House Box Office Record

https://variety.com/2025/theater/news/stranger-things-play-broadway-box-office-record-1236619506/"

Good for them, I suppose this is a combination of the final season coming out and the holiday bump. January and February will be interesting to see what happens.

[Lot666]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 4:34pm

I love seeing this enter the top five!

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 4:49pm

Demand is way up for the West End production, too.

The next season of the series is precisely the moment team STRANGER THINGS has been waiting for since it premiered in 2023. Now they have to keep up that demand for years - which it should with the inevitable Netflix spinoffs to come.

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 11:27pm

The first is an animated show due in 2026 that takes place between Seasons 2 and 3.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m49Wm64ngo&t=5s

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 1/1/26 at 10:58am

The Broadway script was full of holes. I'd hoped the final season of the show would fill the gaps and make it feel like a necessary work. Sadly, it only gets the briefest of nods.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The Duffers cut the moment Henry first met the Mindflayer from the play so that they could feature it in the final episode. And, while we see a glimpse of the play in Vecna's memory, we get no word from Patty Newby, the play's co-lead.

The play tells us he was once a sweet kid with a crush who wanted to be normal. Will tells Henry that he's being used and controlled. Henry insists he isn't. That he's a bad seed who agrees with the Mind Flayer's philosophy. It's up to the audience to reconcile the two portrayals.

I'm curious what lasting cultural impact the play will have, if it never gets filmed for Netflix.

[Owen22]

Posted: 1/1/26 at 11:45am

There's a very good ST on the tube page.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 1/1/26 at 12:59pm

Can anyone confirm if orchestra side view is PV ? ESP in row L

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 1/9/26 at 12:43pm

New block of tickets through September 10 went on sale this morning. 

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 1/9/26 at 12:56pm

MrsSallyAdams said: "The Broadway script was full of holes. I'd hoped the final season of the show would fill the gaps and make it feel like a necessary work. Sadly, it only gets the briefest of nods.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The Duffers cut the moment Henry first met the Mindflayer from the play so that they could feature it in the final episode. And, while we see a glimpse of the play in Vecna's memory, we get no word from Patty Newby, the play's co-lead.

The play tells us he was once a sweet kid with a crush who wanted to be normal. Will tells Henry that he's being used and controlled. Henry insists he isn't. That he's a bad seed who agrees with the Mind Flayer's philosophy. It's up to the audience to reconcile the two portrayals.

I'm curious what lasting cultural impact the play will have, if it never gets filmed for Netflix."

Whoa whoa they changed the play?

[barcelona20]

Posted: 1/9/26 at 1:17pm

They did not change the play. That's not what they were saying.

[witchoftheeast2]

Posted: 1/9/26 at 3:26pm

barcelona20 said: "They did not change the play. That's not what they were saying."

The wording was odd. Thank you 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/10/26 at 12:28pm

Louis McCartney and the full original Broadway cast will play their final performance on March 29. 

For its second year on Broadway, current understudies Victor de Paula Rocha, Ayana Cymone, and Shea Grant are being bumped up to full-time Henry Creel, Patty Newby, and Joyce Maldonado, respectively.

New to the show is Matthew Erick White as James Hopper, Jr.; he played the role in the play's first workshop.

Further casting to be announced later.

[Lot666]

Posted: 2/10/26 at 1:20pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Louis McCartney and the full original Broadway cast will play their final performance on March 29."

 I really wanted to see Louis do this one more time.

 

[theatergoer3]

Posted: 2/10/26 at 2:12pm

According to Collider, this is being filmed with the OBC.