The series may be over, but the show goes on!Yes, we’re talking about Stranger Things. After One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, fans online came up with some wild theories – a little to make up for their disappointment with the series finale. One particular scene in the documentary had everyone in a tizzy – some people thought they had discovered a ChatGPT tab on a laptop and concluded that Matt and Ross Duffer had AI help write the final season. The rumor spread like wildfire, especially because there was so much talk about the finale itself. And now the director of the documentary is stepping in to clear things up.
All about the rumor: How did it all start?
It all started with a quick recording: The Duffer brothers were sitting at the laptop and working on the script. Some people saw what looked like a ChatGPT browser tab in the background and shared this discovery online. Suddenly, fans on X (Twitter), other fan forums, and everywhere else were convinced that the AI was involved in the finale – and maybe even blamed it for the parts they didn’t like. Posts saying “So they really used ChatGPT for this script?” lifted off and how. Considering how mixed the reaction to the ending was – with a greater share of disappointment – the idea that AI was behind it only added fuel to the fire. People directly linked their disappointment to the possibility that the authors had left things to a machine.
The facts behind the speculation: Here’s what the documentary director actually said
After the documentary aired, director Martina Radwan wasted no time addressing the rumors. She was direct: There is no real evidence that the Duffers used ChatGPT to write the finale. Sure, you might see a bunch of tabs open—research, notes, who knows, what else—but that’s exactly what writers do. According to E! News, Martina told The Hollywood Reporter, “But for me it’s like, doesn’t everyone have the ability to do quick research?”Radwan even joked about it: “How can you possibly write a storyline with 19 characters and use ChatGPT?” She pointed out that the theory falls apart when you look at how real writing works on television. She revealed: “People think ‘writers’ room’ means people sit there and write,” adding: “No, it’s a creative exchange. It’s the development of a story. And of course you go to certain places in your creative mind and then come back.” [to the script].“She even added the analogy (not a metaphor): “It’s like having your iPhone next to your computer while you write a story.” We just use these tools… while multitasking.”Radwan said it hurts to see fans doubting the human side of the show: “What’s heartbreaking to me is that everyone loves the show and suddenly we have to tear it apart.” She watched as the writers discussed, brainstormed, and rewritten together—true creative teamwork, not shorthand for AI. She even said it: “I witnessed creative exchanges. I witnessed conversations.” The rumor, she claims, simply doesn’t correspond to reality:
Where is the fandom now?
Let’s be honest – the ChatGPT rumor didn’t appear out of nowhere. The Stranger Things finale divided the fan base, and these crimes – these are just the cracks showing. Devoted fans argued about everything from character arcs to the so-called “conformity gate,” a theory that the ending was intentionally misleading just to get a conclusion they felt the series deserved. Fans were already dissecting every frame, and when someone posted a screenshot with the ChatGPT tab, it snowballed. But despite all the theories and screenshots circulating, no one has provided any proof that AI helped write the show.However, Martina’s comments now put things into perspective. Sure, authors could use AI for research or to share ideas. But the finale we saw came from people – real writers, real arguments, real creativity. The documentary even features the hours of debate and back-and-forth that one would expect from a huge show like this.
