SNL Stranger Things skit sparks backlash over Will Byers coming out joke

An SNL sketch parodying Stranger Things season 5 drew online backlash, with fans calling the joke insensitive

A Saturday Night Live sketch featuring Stranger Things has sparked online backlash, with some viewers criticizing the segment for being insensitive toward Will Byers’ coming out storyline. 

The controversy followed season 51, episode 10 of SNL, hosted by Finn Wolfhard, who played Mike Wheeler in Netflix’s hit series.

The sketch parodied a scene from Stranger Things season 5 in which Will, portrayed by Noah Schnapp in the series, comes out as gay. In the SNL version, cast member Jeremy Culhane played Will, joking that the coming out scene was “still going on.” The segment intercut footage from the original show with exaggerated dialogue, including a line that redirected Will’s emotional confession into a joke about liking Dungeons & Dragons.

Following the episode, reactions quickly spread across X (formerly Twitter). Several fans accused SNL of mocking a sensitive moment, particularly given the character’s age and the 1980s setting of the scene. Some users also referenced Schnapp’s past comments about how emotional the scene was to film, arguing that parodying it crossed a line.

finn inside snl building when they forced him to say a byler joke but the majority of the audience are bylers pic.twitter.com/5A19YgdBQ4

— david | st5 spoilers (@dancintilldead) January 17, 2026

Probably the actor from the show who hosted SNL https://t.co/EC8wVrvUF1

— Spartan5271 (@Spartan5271) January 18, 2026

Who thought this was okay after all the homophobia from this scene?? pic.twitter.com/jk7MP9Xn6C

— Stranger News (@StrangerNews11) January 18, 2026

at some point you guys need to get a job and go outside https://t.co/9Emj3HDQqe

— powie (@SM4LLT1TS) January 18, 2026

Getting upset at SNL..... https://t.co/KOgEbUgsOI pic.twitter.com/yLvlSRJjXr

— 🌹RoseMad09🌹 (@RoseMad009) January 18, 2026

they were on your side, loser. they’re making fun of the same scene y’all hated. https://t.co/wDcorNd7NH

— cor - #1 natalie bearzatto fan (@corthreadgoode) January 18, 2026

foahs and bylers getting all up in arms about a gay joke but are silent about how their little fave boy is an i*rael supporter https://t.co/Old4v577y7 pic.twitter.com/Xp9tbJwRjd

— des 🎈 (@yunjinslovebot) January 18, 2026

Others questioned why Will’s sexuality was singled out for humor, noting that other male Stranger Things characters were not treated similarly in the episode. The backlash also revived discussion around season 5, which previously divided fans, especially those who had hoped for a romantic resolution between Mike and Will.

The debate adds to broader criticism surrounding Stranger Things season 5, including episode 7, which became the lowest-rated episode of the series on IMDb. While SNL is known for satirical takes on pop culture, the reaction highlights ongoing tensions around representation, parody, and where audiences draw the line between comedy and insensitivity.