‘Stranger Things’ Actor Jennifer Marshall Reacts to Season 5 Absence: “I Was Surprised”

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Jennifer Marshall, who played Susan Hargrove on Stranger Things, has spoken about not being asked to return for the show’s final season. The show, which premiered on Netflix around Christmas, quickly became a major topic of conversation. Susan, the mother of Sadie Sink’s character Max, was last seen in the ninth episode of Season 4. Many viewers were surprised she wasn’t included in Season 5, even though Max spent much of it in a coma.

Actress Marshall, known for her roles in HBO’s Sugar and Prime Video’s The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, recently explained why her character wasn’t involved in recent scenes. She suggested her recent skin cancer diagnosis might have been a factor, and shared this on Instagram earlier this week.

I’m a cancer survivor, and I was actually in remission while they were filming Season 5. Working on the show would have meant I could keep my health insurance through the union. It feels like they had too many characters, honestly, and Susan Hargrove is just a terrible mother – seriously! #strangerthings #strangerthings5 #cancer #cancersucks #butwhy

A reel Marshall posted quickly gained attention, leading some media outlets to suggest she was critical of the creators of Stranger Things. However, Marshall explained to Variety that the reel was just meant as a joke and she doesn’t harbor any negative feelings. While she was surprised not to be asked back for future seasons, she doesn’t know why that decision was made, and remains thankful for having been part of the show previously.

‘Stranger Things’ Sequel Series Would Be “Gross Cash Grab” Says Matt Duffer


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The Duffer brothers, creators of the popular show, have firmly ruled out any sequel series. In a recent interview, Matt Duffer jokingly suggested a sequel might focus on a midlife crisis, but quickly dismissed the idea. He specifically expressed concern that a continuation featuring an older Hopper would seem like a cynical attempt to make more money.

This feeling was reinforced by the show’s final scene, where Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) essentially signals to the audience that the story is over, like closing a door on the world of Stranger Things. As Matt Duffer explained, “Mike is closing the basement door, and we’re closing the door on the story.” The closing credits were specifically designed to emphasize that this was the end, both for the characters like Mike, Eleven, Joyce, and Hopper, and for the overall narrative.

We don’t have any plans to continue the story beyond its natural conclusion. It was always meant to be a coming-of-age tale, and that’s what it is. When the character closes the basement door, it symbolizes him leaving childhood behind and stepping into adulthood.

Despite the season finale, some fans are hoping for one last surprise from the show, speculating that a hidden episode might be released on January 12th to address their concerns. If you’re interested in learning more about the ‘conformitygate’ theory, you can find a helpful explanation here.

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2026-01-08 18:32