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

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.

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.