As Upside Down was finally destroyed and the final gate closed in Hawkins, Indiana, fans across the globe are still processing the end of an era defined by Stranger Things. Since 2016, audiences have grown up alongside the Party, celebrating their wins and crying over the many losses as we learned that “friends don’t lie.” However, the conclusion of the series that turned into a cultural phenomenon doesn’t have to mean the end of this deeply developed and textured universe. The Duffer Brothers created a world teeming with untold histories, forgotten experiments, and characters whose journeys feel like they are only just beginning. From the neon-soaked hallways of the 1980s to another small town across the country grappling with similar paranormal problems, the potential for expansion is as vast as the Mind Flayer itself.
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Exploring the “what ifs” and “what comes next” allows us to keep the gate open just a little longer, ensuring the legacy of Hawkins lives on in a new way with unexpected perspectives.
11) Max’s Lost Months
Max Mayfield is a fan-favorite character for a reason. A spin-off focusing on her nearly 2 years inside of Henry Creel’s/Venca’s mind would give viewers a deep dive into what she went through. Rather than a traditional narrative, this could be a psychological thriller exploring the surreal, non-linear landscape of Henry’s mind. We already know that Max had to navigate a shifting landscape of her own memories and Henry’s traumas, playing a high-stakes game of hide-and-seek within a psychic labyrinth where the rules of physics and time simply do not apply. However, knowing and seeing the full two years’ worth of how she learned to survive would provide more context for Season 5.
As Max fights to maintain her identity and her fervent desire to get back to her friends, she could encounter fragments of other victims who were brought into Henry’s psychic hellscape over the decades. It would be a story about resilience and the power of the human spirit to stay “awake” even when trapped in total darkness, providing a hauntingly beautiful bridge to her eventual return.
10) Mr. Clarke Deserves More Time to Shine
Mr. Clarke was always the unsung hero of Hawkins—the teacher who provided all the scientific keys to unlocking interdimensional mysteries (even though he didn’t know it until the latter half of the final season). Now that Mr. Clarke is fully aware of the existence of the supernatural, this spin-off could be a charming, retro-style educational series or mystery-of-the-week show where Mr. Clarke investigates local anomalies that aren’t necessarily related to the Upside Down. It could be a low-stakes, heartwarming version of The X-Files set against the backdrop of a 1980s middle school science department.
While the tone would be lighter, this spinoff would celebrate the joy of discovery and the importance of keeping an open mind, much like Bill Nye the Science Guy. Mr. Clarke could connect with other scientists, debunk urban legends, and perhaps stumble upon even more government secrets in Hawkins that he wasn’t meant to find. It would be a love letter to curiosity, proving that you don’t need a telekinetic girl to find wonder in the world if you have a good textbook and a compass.
9) Tales from the Upside Down
An anthology format is the perfect way to revisit fan-favorite characters whose journeys were cut tragically short. Each episode could function as a standalone short film, showing lost chapters of the Stranger Things mythos. For instance, little is known about Eddie Munson before his introduction and subsequent death in Season 4. An episode in an anthology format could show his life before Dustin, Lucas, and Mike joined Hellfire, giving more background on a favorite character while also not requiring years-long contracts from the actors.
This structure would allow the creators to experiment with different genres, from slasher horror to coming-of-age comedy. It would give closure to characters we weren’t ready to let go of (like Bob Newby) while expanding the lore of the town itself. By focusing on the ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, the series would maintain the human heart that made the original show a global phenomenon while keeping the stakes personal and intimate.
8) The New Guard
Set several years after the events of Season 5, this spinoff could follow a teenage Holly Wheeler and Erica Sinclair as they navigate a world that has forever been changed by the “earthquake” of 1986. With the older teens spread out across the country, a new supernatural threat could bubble up in Hawkins, forcing the younger generation to step up. Erica (naturally) leads the group with her signature wit, fearlessness, and tactical brilliance.
The show would blend the classic “kids on bikes” nostalgia that the original series excelled at, except with a ’90s aesthetic to reflect the passage of time. Holly, having been more affected by the supernatural occurrences than her parents realized, might have a unique sensitivity to the Abyss, given how long she was held prisoner by Henry and the Mind Flayer there. Together with a new group of friends (including Delightful Derek), the younger generation must prove that the nerds of Hawkins are still the world’s best defense against the things that go bump in the night.
7) The Missing Numbers
While Eleven, Henry, and Kali are the most famous subjects of Brenner’s experiments, many other children were also kidnapped and held in Hawkins Lab. This spinoff would be a gritty, character-driven drama that could explain how each child was taken and what their lives were like before. Each child would eventually develop a unique and likely destructive ability after Brenner infuses them with Henry’s blood.
We all know what happened to Eleven during her time at Hawkins Lab, as well as how she came to be a subject in the first place. Though Kali/Eight told her own story about how she escaped, it is never actually shown in the series. Therefore, even Kali could reprise her role, but this time, in the days/months leading up to her escape. Given the fact that virtually nothing is known about these subjects, the potential is endless.
6) Steve & Robin are Never Unemployed
Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley are arguably the best duo in recent television history, and a spin-off featuring their post-Hawkins adventures is not only a want but a mighty need. Throughout their journey in Stranger Things, Steve and Robin have never held jobs without the other, from Scoops Ahoy to Family Video to WSQK. Whether they are managing a Virgin Megastore in a new town or stumbling into a corporate conspiracy while working at a 90s tech startup, their chemistry would be the soul of the show. It would be a workplace comedy-mystery where the “monsters” are often just rude customers.
The series would lean heavily into their platonic soulmate energy, navigating the ups and downs of young adulthood and the dating scene before Steve eventually decides to become a middle school teacher and baseball coach, as seen in the series finale of Stranger Things. While the duo might occasionally stumble upon a supernatural element lingering somewhere in the shadows, the focus would remain on their dialogue, chemistry, and devoted friendship. It would be a lighthearted, character-focused pallet cleanser fans need after the heavy drama of the final season, proving that life goes on even after you’ve saved the world.
5) Discovering the Abyss
This prequel would take us back to the late 1970s and early 1980s, focusing on Dr. Martin Brenner’s obsessive attempts to bridge the gap between our world and the “Abyss.” Following the moment Eleven banished Henry Creel, Brenner became consumed with finding him and using Eleven to make contact with the dimension. Turning back to the clock and seeing exactly how Brenner’s obsession began, the show would be a cold, calculated scientific thriller, detailing Brenner’s unethical experiments and political maneuvering required to keep the lab operational.
It would dive deep into Brenner’s psyche, showing him not just as a villain, but as a man driven by a dangerous, visionary curiosity. It could even show the early days of his classified program and how he developed the methods used to train Eleven and her siblings to harness and use their psychic abilities. Such a spinoff would be a chilling look at the cost of progress and the cold reality of a government agency playing with forces it doesn’t understand.
4) The First Shadow
Based on the critically acclaimed stage play of the same name, this streaming adaptation would take audiences back to 1959, exploring the Creel family’s short stint in Hawkins. It would show a young Jim Hopper, Joyce Maldonado, and Bob Newby as they navigate high school life, unaware that their town is about to become the epicenter of a cosmic horror (and even more unaware that Bob’s sister, Patty, is falling in love with the man who would become Vecna). The central focus is Henry Creel’s few months in Hawkins High as the boy who is “different” in ways no one can explain.
The series would serve as a definitive origin story, connecting the dots between the mundane 1950s Americana and the eldritch horrors of the future. By seeing the younger versions of our favorite adults, the plot of The First Shadow gives fans a deeper understanding of their motivations and the scars they carry. It’s a tragic, isolated piece that proves the darkness in Hawkins was brewing long before Eleven ever stepped into a sensory deprivation tank.
3) Henry Creel’s Backstory is Still Filled With Questions
Before the Mind Flayer and the lab, there was just Henry Creel—a troubled boy with a terrifying gift. This psychological horror prequel would take some elements from The First Shadow, but expand upon them in ways a 2-hour stage play cannot. It would document Henry’s childhood, focusing on the period before his powers fully manifested and he was sent to Brenner. It could explore how a child perceived a world he feels alienated from, and how his resentment began to twist his reality.
The spinoff would rely on atmosphere and tension rather than jump scares, showing Henry’s internal monologue as he struggles for mental control with the Mind Flayer. It would see the gradual erosion of his family’s sanity as they realize something is fundamentally wrong with their son in a way the singular flashback and exposition given by Victor Creel in Season 4 could not. It would be a dark character study that asks whether Henry was born a monster or if the Mind Flayer truly made him one in the way he claimed in the series finale.
2) Nancy Wheeler’s Story Continues
Nancy Wheeler has always been the best investigator (and the best shot) in Hawkins, and this spinoff would see her officially trading her journalism notebook for a badge. In the series finale, Nancy explains that she dropped out of college to work for the Boston Herald. But what if she changed her mind again? What if, instead of staying miles away in Massachusetts, Nancy returned to her roots in Hawkins and once again dipped into her arsenal of weapons? Under the mentorship of Jim Hopper, Nancy would join the police force, bringing her ace shot skills, fearlessness, and relentless tenacity to the department. Set in the aftermath of the series, she would handle the transition of Hawkins from a supernatural hotspot back into a “normal” town—or so it seems.
The series would be akin to a procedural, with Nancy investigating cases that have a lingering “Upside Down” flavor, even though the wormhole is gone. She struggles to balance the bureaucratic red tape of the law with her knowledge that the world is far stranger than the public is told. Nancy’s evolution from a suburban teenager to a hard-boiled detective would be a natural progression for her character, showcasing her as a force of nature for justice in a scarred community.
1) We’re Not Ready to Let Go of Steve & Dustin Just Yet
The ultimate “babysitter” duo returns in a series that follows Steve and Dustin as they travel across the country to investigate reports of strange occurrences. After the events of Season 5, the Upside Down may have been destroyed, but the world is still full of unexplained anomalies. Dustin provides the brains and the gadgets, while Steve provides the muscle, driving skills, and the hair-care tips, building on their already irresistible dynamic that is as hilarious as it is effective.
This spinoff could be an episodic adventure show—a spiritual successor to Supernatural but with a distinct 80s/90s flair. As they bond over their shared trauma and their brotherly love, they find themselves helping other families who are being terrorized by the unknown. It’s the perfect blend of heart, humor, and horror, giving fans exactly what they want: more time with the most iconic bromance in modern television.
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