The launch of Stranger Things Season 5 caused major streaming disruptions for Netflix users in the United States, with the service reportedly down for about an hour on Wednesday night. The fifth and final season of the hit series drew unprecedented demand, overwhelming the platform.

Thousands of subscribers reported issues accessing the service, prompting Netflix to implement emergency measures. Co-creator Ross Duffer posted on Instagram that the platform had “increased bandwidth by 30% to prevent network collapse.” Netflix later told Reuters that “some members experienced brief streaming issues on TV devices, but the service was restored for all accounts within five minutes.”

The series, a pop culture phenomenon since its 2016 debut, has faced a prolonged production period due to pandemic restrictions, as well as writers’ and actors’ strikes in Los Angeles, and the complexity of its visual effects. Despite the delays, Stranger Things has maintained a massive following and is now ranked as Netflix’s third most popular English-language series worldwide.

The fifth season is available in Greece from early Thursday, already securing a spot in the platform’s Top 10 most-watched shows. Netflix has faced similar outages in the past during major live events, including high-profile boxing matches and popular reality shows.

With its final season now streaming, fans around the world are eager to see how the beloved supernatural saga concludes, marking the end of one of the most influential series in recent pop culture history.