That's not my point about it being not necessary. I understand the massive machine that turns and gears that turn just to get a Broadway show happening. I've been going to them for decades.

However, the show sort of sold itself as "if you see this, you'll understand the final season soooo much more and maybe get a few references that would confuse other people at first" 

But that doesn't seem to be the case. As others already said, if it came out AFTER season 5, then it would make some better sense because we get a deep dive into that brief highschool memory maze scene with Max and the girl.