Fans Accuse the Duffer Brothers of Using AI for ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 After Spotting This Shocking Detail in the Documentary

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The new Stranger Things documentary is available now, but it’s sparked a lot of frustration among fans. The backlash began shortly after ‘One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5’ premiered on Netflix on January 12th.

This two-hour documentary offers a special look behind the scenes of the show’s popular fifth and final season. It features the cast, crew, and creators, the Duffer brothers, at work, with footage from the writers’ room and interviews detailing how the season came together.

Okay, so I was watching this documentary, and something really odd popped up that’s now causing a bit of a stir online. Viewers started noticing what looked like several ChatGPT tabs open on a laptop in the background of one scene. Screenshots quickly circulated, especially on X, and now people are questioning things – basically, accusing the filmmakers of potentially using AI in a way they shouldn’t have. It’s definitely sparked a conversation!

Someone claims the writer of the recent season of Stranger Things used ChatGPT, and fans are upset, believing it’s the reason the season was disappointing.

— Vicky Shinde (@iamshinde83) January 12, 2026

Some viewers began suggesting that the creators of Stranger Things, Ross and Matt Duffer, might have used artificial intelligence to assist with writing the fifth season. This quickly led to negative reactions, particularly from those who were already unhappy with how the season concluded.

Imagine getting caught with ChatGPT tabs in your own BTS doc… that’s a generational fumble 📉

— Mindwanderer (@gmrfyd969) January 13, 2026

On X, users reacted strongly to speculation that BTS’s documentary might have used ChatGPT. One person joked that being caught using it would be a major mistake. Another suggested the show’s script sometimes felt mechanically written, hinting at AI involvement. A third user was more critical, stating that if AI was used to write the finale of a decade-long, high-budget series, the backlash was justified.

One conspiracy that kind of tracks lol. Definitely had some real mechanical scriptwriting at times

— Quenton Albertie (ℚ) (@qshironalberti3) January 13, 2026

If they really used AI to write the final episode of a show that cost over $400 million and ran for ten years, the criticism they’re receiving is completely justified.

— 🦋 HereForTheShips 💚Des💚 (@FangirlingPain) January 13, 2026

I can’t believe they started filming the final episodes without a finished script! It’s obvious the story didn’t have a satisfying conclusion because of that.

— Paris (@7Bylers) January 12, 2026

The screenshots caused a lot of upset, but it’s worth remembering the documentary footage is unclear. We can’t be certain the tabs shown were actually from ChatGPT. However, many viewers were quick to assume the worst, particularly those who were disappointed with how the season ended.

Viewers weren’t just upset about the possible use of AI in the show. The creators, the Duffer brothers, also shared that they started filming the final season without having a completed script for the finale, which sparked even more criticism online.

A viewer on X suggested the show’s problems stemmed from beginning production before the story was fully written. Others noted that during filming, cast members themselves seemed to recognize flaws in the narrative.

Maya Hawke, who plays Robin on the show, had to explain to director Shawn Levy that a line needed to be adjusted. She pointed out that other characters weren’t aware of her character’s relationship with Vickie. While Levy agreed to the change, many fans were unhappy with how it played out. One fan on X (formerly Twitter) expressed their disappointment, questioning whether it was good representation for the show to require actors to point out basic relationship details.

Many viewers were surprised to see that David Harbour and Winona Ryder, two of the show’s biggest stars, weren’t included in the documentary, leading to further questions and some negative reactions.

I’ve been seeing clips from that documentary and fan reactions everywhere online – PrimeTimer and all the usual entertainment sites are covering it. It’s pretty wild. What’s really frustrating is that Netflix and the Duffer brothers haven’t said anything about these AI accusations yet. Honestly, for a lot of us fans, the feeling is that the damage is done. This documentary just seems to be adding fuel to the fire regarding how Stranger Things wrapped up, and it’s definitely not helping anyone feel better about the ending.

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2026-01-13 14:46