The first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 are out on Netflix now. This piece discusses details from the show; if you’d rather avoid those, come back after you’ve watched.

There is a certain kind of magic to a show like Stranger Things, which somehow manages to re-engage fans with every new season — despite a sense it is often telling the same story, over and over again.

After more than three years away, Netflix has turned its final season into its holiday gift to the world, releasing four episodes on Wednesday, three on Christmas Day and the series finale on New Year’s Eve. Still, whether this truly feels like a holiday present may depend on how eager viewers are to dive into yet another adventure hanging the world’s fate on a bunch of teenagers from small town Indiana.

Creators Matt and Ross Duffer — known collectively as the Duffer Brothers — have their work cut out this time around as showrunners and regular writers and directors.

But the real question is whether the Duffer Brothers can come up with a finale that truly feels like a satisfying conclusion, after nine years of gory jump scares, inexplicable plot twists, extra-dimensional bad guys and pink-laced, ’80s nostalgia that helped redefine the streaming age.

Life under quarantine

This season begins, as always, with an intrepid band of young people working together to sidestep adult venality and cluelessness to save the world from a monstrous, super-powered entity. Courtesy of Netflix’s decision to release the first five minutes from the first new episode weeks ago, fans know this season begins with a horrific flashback. A young Will Byers — played by a younger actor camouflaged with digital technology to look like a de-aged Noah Schnapp — is captured in 1983 by murderous extra-dimensional psychic bad guy Vecna and connected by a pulsing umbilical to his hive mind.

Talk about foreshadowing. When the story picks up again four years later, Will’s hometown of Hawkins, Ind. is under quarantine, sealed off by the military. And Will has a mysterious connection with Vecna and his monstrous minions.

Last season saw the horrific alternate dimension the Upside Down intrude into the real world. Now the military is regularly testing residents in Hawkins and guarding a portal between the worlds, which pulses and throbs like a gooey outtake from an Alien movie. Inexplicably, the military has required the town’s denizens to stay put, going to school and work like they don’t live at the epicenter of a psychic and extradimensional phenomenon that nearly engulfed the world.

Most of our heroes are trying to fly under the radar — spearheaded by can-do group leader Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer). Eccentric motormouth Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke) and heroically coiffed Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) now run the local radio station, while Gaten Matarazzo’s angry nerd Dustin Henderson joins friends Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) and a more mature Will in navigating a high school where their fellow students resent their presence.

Millie Bobby Brown’s character, the psychic-powered orphan Eleven/Jane Hopper, is in hiding around Hawkins, hunted by authorities who believe she caused the problems with the Upside Down and might be key to understanding it. She’s in training to refine her powers with Winona Ryder’s Joyce Byers — Will’s mom — and father figure Jim Hopper, played by David Harbour.

And Sadie Sink’s character Max, the show’s flame-haired tomboy, remains in a coma after surviving an attack by Vecna last season aimed at helping him open a portal from the Upside Down to the real world.

David Harbour as Jim Hopper and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven.

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Making old plotlines feel new again        

There is a lot about this new batch of episodes that reminded me of previous storylines, as this kooky new-school Scooby Gang repeatedly pulls off elaborate plans to get past the military, sneak inside the Upside Down and search for Vecna.

Once again, there’s a ruthless doctor empowered by the military to probe the Upside Down — this time, played by Terminator alum Linda Hamilton. Our young heroes keep devising elaborate-yet-successful plans to outwit the military and access the alternate universe where Vecna is hiding. We have generous sprinkles of ’80s pop culture, from a surprising reference to pop star Tiffany to the sly use of Diana Ross’ 1980 dance hit Upside Down.

There are also winking nods to movies, with scenes that recall moments from Aliens, Good Morning, Vietnam and even Home Alone. Deft as these touches are, however, they are also moves we have seen before in this show.

And there’s a series of attacks by Demogorgons — super strong, super-teethy humanoid creatures from the Upside Down controlled by Vecna — who motivate our heroes by targeting children in Hawkins for kidnapping. This seems a deliberate callback to the way Will’s abduction jumpstarted everything in the show’s first season.

Stranger Things often juxtaposes action sequences and physical danger with protagonists separating and reuniting emotionally. So the new episodes feature Eleven pushing back against Hopper’s efforts to keep her out of the fray and safe from capture by the military, while Steve struggles with feelings for ex-girlfriend Nancy, Robin bumbles a relationship with her girlfriend and Will is continually on the verge of declaring something about his romantic feelings. Again, little of this will seem new to longtime fans.

Last season, I noted the show’s tendency to resolve emotional conflicts with “confessional monologues” — where one character turns to another and neatly, emotionally explains exactly the problem in their relationship. This time around, those monologues have become arguments, with characters revealing themselves in irritating fights aimed at fracturing the team, even as they resolve to work together.

Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers.

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Still, the Duffers are so skilled at keeping the plot hurtling along — fueled by smart, suspenseful cuts between situations, sprinkled with lots of breathless exposition and meticulous planning — that many may not notice how much these new dangers feel like old storylines.

When it gets tough to suspend disbelief 

Absurd as it may be to grouse about improbable storytelling in a series featuring psychic-powered villains from an alternate universe, it remains true that more fanciful moments play better when they are surrounded by stuff that feels grounded and authentic. So moments where Stranger Things loses that plot can be oddly annoying.

In one climactic moment, for instance, soldiers spend a lot of time shooting at Demogorgons after it is obvious bullets don’t stop them. Though one character wounded a Demogorgon with a broken wine bottle and another hurt it with a shotgun. Sigh.)

In a different scene, a Demogorgon is tearing up a screaming child’s bedroom while her mother is taking a bath, blaring an ABBA hit and zoning out. But, unless you’ve got headphones stapled to your head, it seems it would be tough to miss that kind of ruckus a few feet away.

It’s also tough to believe a military force that has spent millions occupying the town couldn’t figure out which local kids were close to Eleven and might understand a bit about this supernatural force which has impacted the world.

All of this produces a feeling that the Duffer Brothers have come up with a newly beguiling, action-packed way to lead viewers down a very familiar road. Critics have only seen the four episodes debuting Wednesday, so perhaps there are more surprising storytelling turns in episodes to come.

But, depending on how much you enjoy the journey, what they’ve pulled off so far could be achievement enough.

Instagram/@lewishamilton

Lewis Hamilton has unveiled a new fashion line that honors Las Vegas and simultaneously goes hand in hand with the renowned artist Ralph Steadman. The Formula 1 racer has expressed his excitement for making “something bold” for his +44 brand and thus an extra Vegas-themed release in his clothing line. The new collection drops just as Hamilton is all set to enjoy the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.

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The seven-time world champion was excited about the project and he shared his emotions by writing “VEGAS DAZE” on some stunning pictures taken during the collection shoot. Hamilton said it was a great honor for him to collaborate with Steadman, the great artist who has previously worked with Hunter S. Thompson and who has his own distinctive, chaotic way of painting. This collaboration has become a further step in Hamilton’s fashion empire which has always centered on the interplay of racing culture and high fashion, as well as artistic expression.

Hamilton’s fans were quick to come up with creative responses, and the majority of them were in favor of the new fashion line. An artist’s comment that caught my attention was Ralph Steadman’s, who said “Thank you! And may your tail wind carry the full force of Gonzo!” This reference to the Gonzo journalism style that Steadman helped to define with Thompson effectively conveyed the collection’s rebellious spirit.

The collection was launched at the same time as the Las Vegas Grand Prix and many followers pointed this out. One user referred to the sixth picture in the series and quoted the now-famous opening line from Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: “We Where just Outside Barstow, When…” This literary allusion really resonated with some commentators who were pleased with The Thompson-Steadman connection.

The great admiration for Hamilton himself was very evident in the comments. One particularly moving comment held that Hamilton was “the best racing driver F1 has ever and will ever have”, comparing him with Muhammad Ali – the “People’s Champion”, who, like sport itself, transcends. The comment, which was supported by many positive replies, emphasized Hamilton’s social activism and persistence, concluding with “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, let’s go Lewis. Still, we rise.”

Fashion lovers’ comments highlighted details that made the viewers take a second look. “The ice bucket picture is LIT” wrote one user, while another commented “the aura is effortless. The flow is effortless. The style is effortless.” The Brazilian audience also chimed in, with one of the comments in Portuguese saying “as always the Plus 44 collections are full of style and personality” and another one asking “next time get one for Brasil.”

The timing of the photoshoot amid Hamilton’s busy racing schedule was definitely noted. One of the followers joked “When on earth do you have time for a photoshoot? You must have done this at 7 am or something” pointing out how incredibly demanding the champion’s schedule is during race weekends.

Along with his successful racing career, Hamilton has been a gradual celebrity in the fashion business, with the positioning of his +44 brand as a major player. Collaborating with Steadman is probably the most artistically ambitious project that Hamilton has done so far, merging streetwear with fine art influences. The Las Vegas theme maybe is the most fitting, as the city is becoming a Formula 1 hub and Hamilton has lots of memories with it.

The collection reveal during the Grand Prix weekend gives an authentic bond to the racing and fashion aspects of Hamilton’s career. One commentator very aptly expressed the general sentiment: “At this point even gravity has a crush on him.” The blending of world-class racing with chic has been the defining characteristic of Hamilton’s remarkable position in both areas.

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This recent partnership has proven that Hamilton has been continuously changing from a racing champion to a cultural icon; he has been combining high-speed competition and high-fashion creativity in such a way that it constantly attracts more and more people to him worldwide. At the same time, the Steadman partnership, without a doubt, signifies his commitment to working with the greats of artistry while still maintaining his own personal style. Hamilton recently celebrated his honorary Brazilian citizenship and has also collaborated with Saul Nash and Lululemon on another collection. In a recent magazine feature, he discussed the profound meaning of wearing Ferrari red, and on the track, he secured a P3 starting position for the Mexican Grand Prix with Ferrari.

On the second floor of a cultural center at Christ Cathedral in Orange County, an AI-rendered depiction of Jesus, calm and smiling, fills one side of the room. Breaking a piece of flatbread in two, he passes it to the 12 similarly enlarged men projected on all four walls around him. On the ground are images of heaping plates of food — roast lamb, vegetables, olives and dips.

“Take and eat,” the AI Jesus says. “This is my body.”

In the center of the room, real-life visitors arrayed on 26 swivel chairs turn their heads back and forth to take in the supersized Last Supper occurring all around them. Already, they have been plunged into the sea of Galilee watching as Jesus walked on water and witnessed his transfiguration on a mountain top. It was all part of what’s being touted as “a museum unlike any other, where faith and forensics meet.”

Located five miles from Disneyland on the campus that once housed televangelist Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral Ministries, the Shroud of Turin Experience is Orange County’s newest tourist attraction with a Christian twist. The 10,000-square-foot exhibit, which opened to the public last week, uses digital projection, artificial intelligence and special effects to introduce visitors to the life of Jesus as depicted in the Gospels with a focus on the mysterious linen burial cloth that believers say wrapped his body after the crucifixion.

“It’s a little Disney-esque, but we really want you to feel like you are in these scenes,” said Pat Powers, a financial adviser who helped raise money for the exhibit. “We want the whole experience to be visually overwhelming.”

Powered by technological advances and a consumer desire for in-person connection, immersive experiences are reinvigorating the way businesses and organizations connect with new audiences and the Catholic Church has taken note. From the viral success of Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience which arrived in L.A. in 2021 to the 360-degree entertainment at the Sphere in Las Vegas, young people in particular are seeking new and dynamic ways of interacting with their entertainment. Now, as the Catholic Church seeks to connect with a new generation of Christians who may be unfamiliar with the Biblical Jesus and the mystery of the shroud, religious and lay leaders are exploring digitally enhanced ways of bringing people to faith.

An interactive screen at the Shroud of Turin Experience allows guests to zoom in on details of the shroud of Turin, a mysterious linen cloth which some believe covered Jesus after his death.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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“We want to speak to people the way they are used to being spoken to today and in a way they can absorb,” Powers said.

Organizers said the desire to outfit the exhibit with digital bells and whistles came directly from the top. The Diocese of Orange only agreed to sign off on the privately funded project after organizers promised it would offer interactive elements beyond text and images.

“I said no static pictures, too boring,” said Bishop Timothy Freyer, auxiliary bishop of the diocese. “Posters on the walls wasn’t going to do it.”

Now, signs around the 34-acre Christ Cathedral campus where the Diocese of Orange is located advertise “The Shroud of Turin Experience” as if it were a summer blockbuster: “Discover the blood. Uncover the mystery. Encounter the light.”

Roughly 14 feet long and three feet wide, the shroud of Turin is one of the most scientifically studied and contested religious objects in the world — a holy relic to some and a medieval forgery to others. Scarred by burn marks and water stains, the narrow sheet of linen features hundreds of blood stains consistent with the wounds Jesus suffered at the time of his death. Even more mysteriously, it bares the faint image of a bearded man that some Christians believe provides physical evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. The Catholic Church has not taken an official position on the shroud’s veracity, but the exhibit’s organizers find the evidence for its divine provenance convincing and hope others will too.

A bronze statue of Jesus lies in front of an enlarged photo negative image of the face detail on the shroud of Turin.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“Our position is that the shroud offers evidence of the resurrection, but not proof,” said Nora Creech, a shroud scholar who helped organize the exhibit. “The goal is to lead people in and let them go on their own journey.”

Visitors will not be able to see the actual shroud of Turin. It hasn’t left its long time home of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Turin, Italy, for centuries. However, with the bishop of Turin’s blessing, organizers were able to procure a high-resolution, full-sized replica. Docents at the exhibit will show visitors how to change their iPhone camera settings to create what looks like a photo negative, making it easier to see the shadowy figure on the cloth.

“Kids always think that’s cool,” said Creech.

The exhibit costs $20 for adults, and organizers say visitors should budget at least 90 minutes to make their way through it. In the first of three immersive rooms, a dizzying 360-degree video introduces guests to the story of Jesus’ life from his baptism to the crucifixion — including that jumbo last supper. At the end of the 20-minute film, a projected rock rolls away from a door leading into a second room designed to look like Jesus’ tomb, complete with a prone figure lying on a stone altar, draped in a white cloth. There guests watch an 18-minute documentary detailing the scientific research on the shroud before moving on to a third “chapel” room where a video animated by AI shares stories from the Bible of sightings of Jesus after his death.

Patrons view a supersized image of Christ on the cross.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The second half of the exhibit is more traditional. Guests can examine several instruments of torture that were reportedly used to inflict pain on Jesus, including replicas of the nails used for crucifixion, the crown of thorns that adorned his head, and the double-edged blade of a Roman lance that pierced his side. Interactive features include a kiosk that digitally separates each level of the shroud so visitors can examine just the blood stains, just the burn marks or just the shadowy image. Those who want a really deep dive on the shroud can interact with a virtual Father Spitzer, president of the Magis Center on Reason and Faith and a local expert on the shroud, to hear pre-recorded answers to questions like “What evidence suggests a supernatural cause was necessary for the image formulation on the shroud” and “How do neutrons explain the shroud’s exceptional resistance to aging and solvents?”

The final room of the exhibit is designed for reflection and includes a life-sized bronze statue of Jesus created by Italian artist Luigi Enzo Matte, according to the dimensions of the image on the shroud.

Although there is a clear religious bent to the entire experience, Creech said the exhibit, expected to remain at Christ Cathedral through at least 2030, is designed to share information on the life of Jesus and the shroud, but not necessarily to convert anyone.

“I think we can convince people that the shroud is the shroud that wrapped the physical body of Jesus,” she said. “But Jesus stresses the importance of belief. To proclaim that Jesus is our lord and savior is an act of faith that everyone has to take on their own.”