The first thing viewers will notice about the new season of “Stranger Things” is that the show’s kid characters are no longer teens and try as they might, producers cannot hide this fact, especially when it comes to Will (Noah Schnapp), Lucas (Caleb MacLaughlin) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo).

Because of this, early scenes in “Stranger Things” season five feel bizarre, like you’re watching a “Saturday Night Live” parody of the show where adults are playing the kid characters. After a while, that feeling dissipates.

As the new season begins, several months have passed since the events of season four and the town of Hawkins is under military control. A giant metal band-aid covers the gash in the Earth that separates Hawkins from the Upside Down, but it’s clear villainous Vecna has taken to aping Pennywise’s proclivity for kidnapping children and holding them hostage in the Upside Down and/or in his mind.

Now streaming the first four episodes of season five (three more debut at 5 p.m. Christmas Day and the finale streams at 5 p.m. New Year’s Eve), “Stranger Things” lacks the wide-eyed, Spielbergian wonder of its early seasons, but even in its bloated, current form, there are still some charming character moments, bits of good humor and judicious use of ‘80s pop tunes (Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” gets a spooky workout).

In a virtual press conference earlier this month, “Stranger Things” creators/brothers Matt and Ross Duffer spoke about the end of the show’s 10-year journey.

“We wanted to reveal everything this season,” Ross Duffer said. “The Upside Down is one of the last big remaining mysteries. There are a few [others], like, why was Will taken? But the Upside Down’s a big one, and that one we have a full document from season one going into great detail about exactly what the Upside Down is.”

In season five, all the details will come out.

“We explain the vines, why it looks like Hawkins,” Ross continued.

But for all the supernatural elements and accompanying special effects, the Duffers said if the show wasn’t grounded in a sense of friendship and family among the characters, none of it would matter.

“When we’re talking about big sequences, we’re usually building [them] from the character,” Ross said. “If you can hit both the character emotional climax at the same time as you’re hitting a visual effects or spectacle climax … that’s our sweet spot.”

Even when “Stranger Things” ends, it won’t truly be over. Netflix already announced an animated spin-off set between seasons two and three, “Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85,” that will debut in 2026, and there are tentative plans for additional series set in the “Stranger Things” universe.

“But I do think it’s worth [saying] that [this season] is the end of the story of these characters and Hawkins and the Upside Down,” Matt Duffer said. “[Other than the cartoon] this is the end of their journey and we don’t want to explore anything beyond that — unless we’re all destitute in, like, 20 years.”

“And then this interview never happened,” Ross Duffer teased.

‘Prep & Landing’ redux

After three consecutive years of new “Prep & Landing” specials from 2009-11, the franchise took a 14-year break, which seemed to foreclose new adventures of Santa’s elves.

But lo and behold, world-weary Wayne (voice of Dave Foley) and cheery partner Lanny (Derek Richardson) are back on the case in “Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol.”

This new half-hour debuts at 7 p.m. Thanksgiving Day on Disney Channel, Nov. 28 on Disney+ and 9 p.m. Nov. 30 on ABC.

Unfortunately, this new story – a collection of vignettes, really – strays from the initial concept of elves who work to prepare the way for Santa, instead focusing more on the characters and their lives when not on the clock, which is not as magical or entertaining.

‘Heated Rivalry’

A mix of “Queer as Folk,” “Fellow Travelers” and the late, great ESPN 2003 drama “Playmakers,” anticipated Canadian import “Heated Rivalry,” streaming its first two episodes Nov. 28 on HBO Max, depicts the tortured, steamy relationship between Canadian hockey player Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian rival Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).

Created and written by Jacob Tierney (“Letterkenny,” “Shoresy”) and based on Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” book series, “Heated Rivalry” plays as a throwback that feels relevant again in the current political climate.

Set in 2008 at the outset, a time when even fewer gay athletes were out, tentative, cautious Shane and arrogant, careless Ilya embark on an affair they can only consummate every year or two.

Through two episodes (of six) made available for review, “Heated Rivalry” depicts their text exchanges and hook-ups in graphic, but believable detail.

The show’s emphasis is squarely on the characters. Shane is initially afraid to give in to Ilya’s advances; aloof Ilya is unwilling to let his guard down, allow love to bloom and confide in Shane.

It’s unclear where this is going – early episodes suggest a doomed affair a la “Fellow Travelers,” or maybe it will become more upbeat like “Heartstopper” – but through its first two episodes, the show definitely lives up to its title.

KDKA reunion

Former KDKA-TV news anchor/reporter Jim Lokay, now an evening/primetime anchor at the Fox affiliate in Washington, D.C., reunited with another Channel 2 veteran, news anchor Jennifer Antkowiak, on his “Final 5” show last week.

Lokay invited Antkowiak on to discuss National Home Caregiver Month and her choice to quit KDKA twice to serve as a caregiver for family members. The clip can be found online at fox5dc.com/video/1743291. Antkowiak created Take Care Tips, ways caregivers can help prioritize self-care for themselves.

WQED+ launches

On Thanksgiving, WQED-TV launches WQED+, a locally curated, redesigned streaming app (in addition to the existing PBS app) that offers limited free content and more with an annual donation of $60 (or $5 monthly), which also unlocks full access to PBS Passport.

WQED+ includes local collections (Rick Sebak’s shows, “The War That Made America” remastered, 20 episodes of “On Q,” “Black Horizons episodes) and five live HD streaming channels (WQED-TV, PBS Kids, Create, World and The 412).

Kept/canceled/revived

PBS’s “Masterpiece” ordered seasons seven and eight of “All Creatures Great and Small;” season six debuts at 9 p.m. Jan. 11.

Despite dismal reviews, Hulu renewed “All’s Fair” for a second season.

HBO ordered season four of “House of the Dragon” and second seasons of “Task,” “The Chair Company,” “I Love LA” and “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

Hallmark Channel’s “The Way Home” will end with its fourth season next year.

Lena Dunham’s “Too Much” won’t return to Netflix after a single season.

Amazon’s Prime Video ordered a new series in the “Stargate” franchise, but details on plot have not been shared.

Channel surfing

Pittsburgh native Joe Manganiello, who will appear in season two of Netflix’s “One Piece” (March 10) as Mr. 0, has been upped to a series regular for season three, which began filming in Cape Town, South Africa. … NBC’s revival of NBC Sports Network will arrive first on YouTube TV. … The final eight episodes of the failed 2004-06 “Friends” spin-off “Joey,” which never aired in the U.S., are now available on the “Friends” YouTube channel. … One wonders if the days are numbered for assistant district attorney Evelyn Foley (Necar Zadegan) on “Mayor of Kingstown,” especially now that the actress has been cast in a series regular role on CBS’s “FBI.”

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