
Could Stranger Things Conformity Gate Still Be Real?
From That Would Be Rad by Woody Brown and Tyler Bence
February 16, 2026 · 2h 32m · Season 5 · Episode 34
About this episode
The hosts discuss their return to the podcast after a break, reflecting on life, creativity, and their final thoughts on Stranger Things.
What happens when you step away for a while… and then come back to the microphones? This week’s episode isn’t about one mystery. It’s about the space between them. After taking some time off, we finally sit back down, shake off the rust, and catch up on life, burnout, and the weird in-between season feeling of being away from the show longer than we meant to be. We talk honestly about why the break happened, what the time away did for us creatively, and what it felt like to come back and hit record again. From there, we dive back into Hawkins one last time. With some distance from the finale of Stranger Things , we share our final thoughts on how the series ended — what worked, what didn’t, what hit us emotionally, and which moments still stick with us now that the dust has settled. We also revisit the internet-fueled frenzy around the so-called “secret final episode” and the conformity gate mystery — the theories, the supposed clues, and whether or not we think there’s anything left to uncover… or if this is just what happens when a show ends and people aren’t ready to let go yet. And then… we open the vault. As a bonus for everyone on the main feed, we’re including a full hour…
People in this episode
Hosts: Woody Brown, Tyler Bence
Topics covered
- Stranger Things
- burnout
- creativity
- podcast return
- theories
- conformity gate
- emotional reactions
Keywords
- Stranger Things
- podcast return
- burnout
- conformity gate
- theories
- final season
- emotional predictions
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Stranger Things
More episodes of That Would Be Rad
- S6 E12: Michigan Monsters & Mysteries (Summer Rewind) · June 8, 2026 · 1h 25m
- S6 E11: Saints & Aliens · June 1, 2026 · 1h 36m
- S6 E10: Why Encino Man Was Secretly The Perfect 90s Movie · May 25, 2026 · 1h 20m
- S6 E9: The Southend Werewolf · May 11, 2026 · 1h 15m
- S6 E8: 11+ U.S. Scientists Dead or Missing - Coincidence or Conspiracy? · May 4, 2026 · 1h 27m
- S6 E7: The Conquistador & The Devil in Texas - The Incredible TRUE Story of Cabeza de Vaca & The Mala Cosa · April 27, 2026 · 1h 22m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the That Would Be Rad podcast page.