Stranger Things Season 4 (Vol. 1) spoiler-free review – On horrored ground

It’s here: the penultimate season of sci-fi horror hit Stranger Things. One of Netflix’s most iconic shows returns with a nine-episode Season 4, split into two volumes. Volume 1, consisting of episodes 1 through 7 is out this Friday, 27 May, while Volume 2, consisting of the final 2 episodes (each with a feature film run time ranging from around 90 minutes to an epic 2 hours 30 minutes), dropping on 1 July.

First, as it’s been three years since audiences last spent time in the jinxed town of Hawkins, Indiana, here’s a brief recap of where all the series players are now (or you can watch this handy YouTube refresher).

The Byers family of mom Joyce (Winona Ryder), and teen sons Will (Noah Schnapp) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) have relocated to California, seeking a fresh start and new opportunities. Their move serves another function as well. They’re helping to protect the depowered Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) from sinister government attention now that foster dad, and Hawkins police chief, Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is apparently dead.

Everyone else is still back in Hawkins: Will’s best friend and Eleven’s boyfriend Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and his aspirant journalist sister Nancy (Natalia Dyer); Mike’s remaining dorky, Dungeons & Dragons-loving friends Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin); later entry to the friends’ circle, Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink); plus Nancy’s jock ex Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) and his colleague-turned-best-friend Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke). Phew.

Set in Spring 1986, Season 4 of Stranger Things picks up around 6 months after the events of S3. The teens (at least the guys) are a lot ganglier, and generally things aren’t going well for anyone. Eleven is being viciously bullied, with no way of fighting back. Jonathan is ghosting Nancy. Max has pulled away from her friends because of grief, guilt and troubles at home. And even the bond between Mike, Dustin and Lucas is fractured as Lucas strives to join the popular crowd courtesy of his game-winning basketball skills.

We don’t want to give too much away in terms of the plot, but as for this season’s major threat, it’s important to remember that The Upside Down is a vast and ancient place. The Mind Flayer, Demigorgons and other minions aren’t the only dangers to exist in that dark mirror dimension.

There’s a lot going on in Stranger Things S4, and with the characters and plot arcs geographically dispersed, there’s plenty of bouncing around – between Indiana, California, Nevada, Utah, Alaska and even the miserable icy periphery of the Soviet Union. With such a split focus, viewers may end up in a situation where they find some storylines less compelling than others. Even hardcore fans will likely feel frustrated at times when they’re yanked away from their favourite characters, and more interesting things going on, to follow one of the several other threads. Such is the risk with this type of storytelling approach.

The good news is that there’s still a great deal to keep you engaged. And often on the edge of your seat. Stranger Things has always embraced its Eighties setting in terms of aesthetic, pop culture references, and socio-political issues. Season 4 feels like it leans especially hard into Eighties mainstream cinema, particularly the horror genre. Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, The Amityville Horror, and Steven King’s It all receive nostalgic nods, while viewers may also recognise moments that pay tribute to Silence of the Lambs, and even slapstick family comedies like Home Alone, where kids outwit bumbling adults. Stranger Things Season 4 is intense, and in parts brutally graphic, but it also doesn’t skimp on comedy to relieve the tension. Stepping up in this regard, especially, are quirky fan-favourites Robin, and Brett Gelman’s conspiracy expert Murray.

In terms of real life reflections, Season 4 has moved past Season’s 3 exploration of how mall culture decimated small town “main street” economies. This time around, the notorious Eighties’ Satanic Panic, especially the fire-and-brimstone outrage centred on Dungeons and Dragons, takes the spotlight. And the morality-fuelled mob mentality ignited in Hawkins by the unexplainable phenomena this season is honestly as unsettling as the horrific events themselves.

Stranger Things Season 4 also benefits from new characters that are great additions to the mix. A particular standout is Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson, the founder and Dungeon Master of high school role playing society, the Hellfire Club. Eddie’s hard rock exterior and defiant manner hides a teddy bear. He’s not simply a reskinning of Billy from Season 2 and 3, despite first impressions.

Overall, it feels like Season 4 has brought back everything people love about Stranger Things – without resorting to wink-wink fan service, or retreading tired plot points… for the most part. Beloved characters in peril. A mix of thrills and comedy. Emotionally potent monologues. Loads of Eighties flavour. Season 4 doesn’t veer from the formula as much as Season 3 (we personally had no complaints back in 2019, to clarify), but it has the sense not to rinse-and-repeat like Season 2 either. Particularly memorable and intense from the latest episode batch, Chapter 4: Dear Billy may be one of the show’s standout episodes across all seasons.

In one of the Season 4 Volume 1 episodes, Mike refers to things feeling “more real, more adult,” and that applies to Things as well. Stranger Things Season 4 has found the sweet spot again, by growing up a bit with its stars, while not sacrificing their youthful drive to fix things. With our excitement and emotional investment reinvigorated, we can’t wait to continue sharing in their horror-tinged but heartfelt journey into adulthood.

This review is based on the first six episodes of Part 1’s seven episode haul.

Stranger Things 4 Vol. 1 premieres 27 May, only on Netflix. Vol. 2 is out 1 July.