🚨 “STRANGER THINGS HAS BECOME RAINBOW THINGS” – Netflix in FULL PANIC as Season 5 Gets CRUSHED Over “Cringe” Will Byers Scene! 🚨

The meme is everywhere: “Stranger Things turned into Rainbow Things” – and fans are NOT holding back! Will’s big coming-out monologue is being called the “cringiest moment in TV history,” with thousands review-bombing the episode, tanking ratings, and screaming “forced woke agenda killed the show!”

Conservative influencers, YouTubers, even random dads on Facebook are piling on: “Why shove this in right before the final battle?!” IMDb flooded with 1-stars, Rotten Tomatoes audience score in freefall, petitions demanding Netflix “fix” the scene exploding overnight!

Netflix reportedly in crisis mode – insiders say execs are “panicking” over the backlash hitting viewership and merch sales. Duffers silent after their “cut us slack” plea backfired HARD.

THIS WAR IS NOT OVER YET. Read more:

Netflix’s crown jewel Stranger Things is reeling from a ferocious wave of backlash centered on Will Byers’ coming-out scene in the penultimate episode of Season 5, with the viral meme “Stranger Things has become Rainbow Things” capturing the fury of thousands of disappointed and outraged viewers.

The phrase, which originated on X and quickly spread to TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, has become the rallying cry for critics who accuse the show of prioritizing a “woke agenda” over storytelling in its final hours. Episode 7, “The Bridge,” released on Christmas Day as part of Volume 2, features Noah Schnapp’s Will delivering an extended emotional monologue confirming his sexuality to close friends and family – a moment designed to rob Vecna of psychological leverage before the series finale.

Instead, the scene has ignited a firestorm. IMDb ratings for the episode crashed to historic lows for the series, hovering around 5.4-5.6 amid an avalanche of one-star reviews. Rotten Tomatoes’ audience score for the season sits at a dismal 56%, a sharp drop from previous seasons’ 80-90% approval. Social media platforms are flooded with complaints labeling the monologue “cringe,” “forced,” “poorly timed,” and “agenda-driven,” with many arguing it derailed the momentum heading into the epic finale.

The “Rainbow Things” meme – often paired with rainbow-flag edits of the show’s logo or mocking clips of the scene – has racked up millions of impressions. Conservative commentators, right-leaning YouTubers, and culture-war accounts amplified the outrage, framing it as Netflix “going full woke” at the worst possible moment. One viral post declared: “They turned a monster-hunting classic into Rainbow Things – thanks for ruining the finale, Netflix.”

Sources inside Netflix reportedly describe executives as “panicking” over the intensity of the negative reaction. While initial viewership numbers remain massive – the staggered release (Volume 1 in late November, Volume 2 on Christmas, and the two-hour finale on New Year’s Eve) still broke streaming records – concerns are mounting about long-term damage to merchandise sales, convention appearances, and the brand’s family-friendly appeal. One insider told a trade publication that marketing teams are scrambling to pivot promotional focus toward action sequences and nostalgia rather than character-driven emotional beats.

Creators Matt and Ross Duffer, already battered by broader finale criticism, have gone quiet since Matt’s viral “cut me some slack” plea on a recent podcast, where he admitted being “fried” and regretting early explanatory interviews. In prior statements, they defended the scene as the culmination of nine years of subtle buildup, emphasizing its thematic necessity: Will’s self-acceptance as the key to overcoming Vecna’s manipulation of his deepest insecurities. “It was the ultimate defiance,” Ross told Variety, expressing surprise at lingering homophobic responses in 2025.

Supporters of the scene – including many LGBTQ+ fans and allies – argue the backlash exposes persistent intolerance rather than genuine storytelling flaws. “Will being gay was hinted at since Season 1,” one widely shared defense reads. “In the ’80s, coming out was terrifying – this was brave and earned.” Noah Schnapp, who publicly came out in 2023, has not commented directly on the controversy.

The controversy has overshadowed other finale debates: accusations of low stakes (minimal character deaths despite pre-release “brutal” teases), plot inconsistencies, and an overly long epilogue. Petitions both condemning and defending the scene have garnered hundreds of thousands of signatures.

Netflix has declined to comment officially, instead pushing promotion of the upcoming behind-the-scenes documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things Season 5, set for January 12 release. The trailer highlights tearful farewells and writers’ room discussions but avoids the contentious monologue.

The Stranger Things universe marches forward regardless: An animated prequel series, Tales from ’85, arrives in 2026, alongside the ongoing West End/Broadway stage production The First Shadow and a planned live-action spinoff featuring new characters.

Whether the “Rainbow Things” backlash represents a vocal minority or a genuine shift in audience sentiment remains unclear. Early data suggests completion rates stayed strong, but social sentiment has undeniably soured for a significant portion of the fanbase.

After nearly a decade as a cultural juggernaut blending ’80s nostalgia, horror, and heartfelt coming-of-age themes, Stranger Things finds its legacy entangled in modern culture wars. For some, the Will Byers scene elevated the series’ message of acceptance; for others, it crossed an unacceptable line.

As the dust settles on Hawkins one last time, one thing is certain: The conversation around Stranger Things is far from over – and considerably less unified than the Duffers might have hoped.