Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1 Review (SPOILERS)
Fixing plot-holes, weaving a mature narrative
A fantastic treat delivered to us by the Duffer brothers, the gang returns to their day-to-day high school affairs in the 80s. All’s well that ends well, right? Nah.
It’s packed with character reveals, bloody and brutal horror, and the grounded realism of angst within the human mind — which is the central theme of the Stranger Things story. Most villains created in the 21st century for television shows and movies don’t seem to have a reasonable backstory — they just pop out and go:
“Hey, you! Yes, I’m talking to you, a formidable foe and someone who happens to be the protagonist! I’ve been looking all over the earth, and supposedly, my destiny is to terminate your existence!”
This season has darker, more mature undertones and the teens have to battle against the evil within the Upside Down. With the runtime increased from the standard 30–40 minutes to a whole hour, the backstory of some characters make a lot of sense, particularly Eleven. The writers have some tricky moves up their sleeves (like fooling the viewers into believing she killed everyone)! The best villain reveal award goes to none other than Stranger Things’ first experiment, One. My mind was blown, but it was gonna happen sooner or later. Meh.
Movies like Nightmare on Elm’s Street and Freddy Kruger are prevalent sources of inspiration, and that’s a good thing, as some horror films try to follow a strict formula. A bunch of innocent people falls victim to a sadistic psychopath. How creative. The element that makes horror so beloved worldwide is its unpredictability. To swirl your brain to think and wonder. It feels like a dream-like state of shock. You wish to save some characters, but for the story to progress, you must cut off the weeds. Ingenuity is the key when it comes to the arts as a whole.
The last episode is an excellent example of this scenario. When Nancy is taken into Vecna’s consciousness (at the same time One converses with Eleven in NINA), it tempts you into thinking;
“She’s gonna die, she’s gonna die, NO! I love this character!”
This writing technique is employed in shows like The Walking Dead to cut off minor characters.
The villain’s abilities were also an intriguing observation. His power to manipulate those who have fears, anxieties, or a crippling burden within them — marvelous and unique. If Vecna was implemented by another scriptwriter, I wonder what he would be.
Most of the characters are also busy in the story, which makes for a compelling arc in the series. Steve Harrington is slowly becoming my favorite character (yes, I’m surprised). From scumbag to savior. How charming.
I can’t come to terms with the fact that this show is ending. This is how entertainment should be. The actors are growing up. I hope a spinoff continues similarly, so we get to see how the characters kids continue their legacy.
Volume Two (which drops on July 1st) consists of two episodes.
First off, Episode 8 clocks in at 1 hour and 25 minutes, while the grand finale, Episode 9, runs 2 hours and 30 minutes.
It’s practically a movie at this point.
I give this a 4.9/5.
