Netflix Inc. (NFLX) has built an empire on original content, and few shows have captured lightning in a bottle quite like "Stranger Things." When the first season dropped on July 15, 2016, it became an instant cultural phenomenon. Now, as the series prepares for its final bow in November 2025, it's worth looking back at what the show has meant for Netflix shareholders.

Spoiler alert: the returns have been pretty spectacular.

From Hawkins, Indiana to Wall Street Glory

Netflix didn't always produce its own content. The company started by licensing existing movies and TV shows before dipping its toe into originals with "Lilyhammer" in 2012. That experiment paid off, leading to massive hits like "House of Cards," "Squid Game," and of course, "Stranger Things."

The first season of "Stranger Things" premiered on July 15, 2016, and quickly became a sensation. It built a fiercely loyal fanbase and established itself as one of Netflix's most successful original series. But the show didn't peak early. Each subsequent season brought even bigger viewership numbers for the streaming giant.

When the first part of season 4 dropped in May 2022, it obliterated records for English-language series. Those initial episodes racked up 287 million hours viewed in their first week, crushing the previous record of 193 million hours set by "Bridgerton" season 2.

The full fourth season accumulated 1.35 billion hours viewed in its first 28 days, an English-language record for Netflix. The second part of season 4, consisting of two feature-length episodes, pushed things even further with 301.3 million hours watched in week one.

Today, season 4 sits third all-time among English-language series on Netflix with 140.7 million views. More impressively, it holds the number one spot for total hours viewed among English-language series at 1.84 billion hours.

The Final Chapter Arrives

The fifth and final season premieres on November 26, 2025, with Netflix splitting the release across three dates tied to major holidays:

• Part 1: four episodes, November 26 (the day before Thanksgiving)
• Part 2: three episodes, December 25 (Christmas Day)
• Part 3: final episode, December 31

All episodes will go live at 5 p.m. PST on their respective dates.

In a unique twist, the series finale will also screen in hundreds of AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) theaters across North America, streaming simultaneously with its Netflix premiere. It's a fitting theatrical send-off for a show that's dominated the cultural conversation for nearly a decade.

While the main series is ending, fans shouldn't despair completely. Spinoffs are in the works that could extend the "Stranger Things" universe. However, creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer are leaving Netflix for a new four-year deal with Paramount Skydance (PSKY) that will emphasize theatrical releases. Their existing Netflix projects, including potential "Stranger Things" spinoffs, won't be affected by the move.

The Math That Makes You Jealous

Here's where things get fun. If you had invested $1,000 in Netflix stock on July 15, 2016, when "Stranger Things" premiered, you would have purchased 101.63 shares at a split-adjusted price of $9.84.

That $1,000 investment would be worth $10,809.37 today, delivering a return of 980.9% over nine-plus years. Not bad for betting on a show about kids fighting interdimensional monsters.

Netflix currently charges $17.99 per month for its standard ad-free plan. At today's value, that initial $1,000 investment could cover 600.85 months of Netflix's standard plan. That's more than 50 years of streaming. Sure, Netflix will probably raise prices multiple times between now and 2075, but the point stands: your investment would have grown enough to cover decades of subscription fees.

For context, the same $1,000 invested in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) would be worth $3,154.51 today, representing a 215.5% return over the same period. Netflix beat the broader market by a factor of four.

As "Stranger Things" prepares for its final season, it's clear the show delivered value for Netflix investors and entertainment for millions of fans worldwide. Not every streaming bet pays off this well, but when Netflix gets it right, they really get it right.