by: Chris Conkling

Let’s be clear. I am a scaredy-cat when it comes to the horror genre, however over six years and three seasons the Duffer Brothers, along with their creative team, have managed to ride this magical genre-defying line of adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, romance and horror to the point where there is something for everyone to love in Stranger Things. This genre mashup evokes this Spielberg-ian, Amblin-esque, sensibility of pairing dramatic tension, and sometimes horrific imagery, with strong character work; making Stranger Things digestible for anyone with less of a stomach for most of what the horror genre has to offer. Stranger Things 4 is no exception!

Stranger Things 4 pays homage to horror classics of the 70s and 80s, an era of film the Duffers brothers have referenced profusely over the course of seasons 1 through 3 as well. Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, IT, and Carrie are all inspirations for the penultimate season of the Netflix original. However, despite Stranger Things 4 leaning into its horror elements this go round, this season is ultimately a story about love versus fear. 

Volume 1 (Episodes 1 through 7) of this season takes our core cast and splits them into four seemingly disparate storylines. Joyce (Wynona Ryder) and Murray (Brett Gelman) are on a rescue mission to save Hopper (David Harbour) from a Russian prison. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and first series newcomer, Argyle (Eduardo Franco), are on a road trip from California to Nevada to rescue Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) from a secret government facility. Eleven is in said government facility training to restore her powers, and uncover the secrets of her past. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Hawkins crew, Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Max (Sadie Sink), Steve (Joe Kerry), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Robyn (Maya Hawke), and second series newcomer, Eddie (Joseph Quinn), are investigating a string of recent murders and attempting to discover a way to defeat this season’s “big bad”, Vecna. 

Each of these storylines are engaging in their own way, however, I find the time spent in Hawkins to be the most interesting of the bunch. In particular, Chapter 4: Dear Billy is where the larger thematic elements of the season really start to shine through. Sadie Sink (Max) is delivering her best performance of her entire run on the show. Joseph Quinn is also incredibly endearing as Eddie Munson, however longtime viewers of the series will know to be weary of getting too attached to any lovable characters introduced for the first time, especially when those characters are shouting about how “’86 is going to be their year” at the top of the season.

Volume 2 (Episodes 8 and 9) concludes Stranger Things 4 in a big way! Joyce, Hopper, and Murray make a huge discovery in the depths of the Russian Prison. Eleven completes her training and is reunited with the California Crew, and the Hawkins gang mounts a full-scale attack on Vecna. By volume’s end there have been several revelations concerning the lore of the Upside Down, multiple declarations of love, both romantic and platonic, and unfortunately, several character deaths. On top of that, Volume 2 ends on a massive cliffhanger worthy of The Empire Strikes Back or Avengers: Infinity War, setting the stage for Stranger Things 5.

Stranger Things 4 is genre storytelling at its finest. The Duffers elevate the three previous seasons by expounding on the origins of the Upside Down as well as Eleven’s past, and for the most part, the young actors cast in the first and second seasons have grown as performers. Millie Bobby Brown is a stand-out, as her portrayal of Eleven has only gotten better with time. Sadie Sink continues to deliver an emotionally charged performance in Volume 2, and Caleb McLaughlin finally gets an opportunity to show us his range as an actor in several incredibly heavy moments. The season’s themes are the strongest they have ever been over the series’s run and a poignant reminder that in our darkest moments it’s important to let our loved ones in. Regardless of your film-going proclivities, there is something for everyone to grab onto in Stranger Things 4. While the wait for the next season will be a long one, I cannot wait to see how this series concludes! I give Stranger Things 4 a 4.5/5.