Netflix just gave Stranger Things a blockbuster upgrade – and it's about time

It is undeniable that video streaming services offer a fair few positives. They save a whole lot of space in your home rather than storing a bunch of physical discs, and give you access to a vast array of content at the touch of a button.

But one of their biggest issues comes in the shape of the ever-increasing costs – making their libraries of TV shows and movies ultimately less accessible.

Most recently, Amazon Prime Video's ad-free tier went up by $2 in the US and the platform has also removed 4K content from the package included with a Prime membership.

It is far from the only service hiking its costs, with the likes of Disney Plus, Apple TV, and Netflix all jumping on the price hike bandwagon.

That's why it is particularly exciting to see Netflix's most-watched TV show of all time finally get a physical 4K Blu-ray release, meaning I don't need to keep paying for Netflix just to rewatch my favourite show.

The Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things series was a cultural phenomenon as soon as the first episode hit the small screen back in 2016, and only grew in popularity until it concluded late last year after five seasons.

While some of the early Stranger Things series have had a physical release, this is the first time the whole series has been released in a definitive collector's edition complete with a whopping 25 discs.

That means Stranger Things fans don't have to hang onto their Netflix subscription to re-watch the entire season. This is especially tempting when you consider that you can only get the best picture quality with the more expensive streaming tiers.

The deluxe edition of the set is available for £220 / $270 on 4K Blu-ray or £200 / $250 on Blu-ray. The special edition, which is less comprehensive than the deluxe edition, comes in at £160 / $220 on 4K and £150 / $200 on Blu-ray.

With the deluxe package, there is a range of extra goodies included, plus beautiful artwork adorning every inch of the box. You will find five double-sided posters featuring original artwork by illustrator Kyle Lambert, an exclusive d20 die, and an art book including original design sketches, concept art, and storyboards. And that's just for starters.

Of course, the 4K Blu-rays should also offer the ultimate version of Stranger Things in terms of picture and sound quality, thanks to the removal of Netflix's streaming compression, but we'll need to watch them ourselves before confirming that.

It's also worth noting that Dolby Atmos sound is only available for series four and five, while the remaining seasons are limited to 5.1 surround sound. That's the same as the Netflix streams, but it's a bit of a shame that the opportunity hasn't been taken to upgrade the previous seasons to Atmos.

The initial cost, especially for the 4K Deluxe edition, feels quite hefty. But, with the landscape of streaming services becoming more and more inaccessible, it is certainly reassuring to be able to hold the series in your hands and know it is yours – and free to watch whenever you so choose.

As Netflix has an ever-rotating selection of movies and TV shows, it's great to see that some of its top series are getting physical releases, ensuring you don't have to increase your monthly outgoings in order to watch your favourite shows whenever you want.

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