Last time we caught up with the residents of Hawkins, Indiana, in the mid-1980s, there was a shopping mall, a Soviet cover-up, a "Scoops Troop," and a malevolent beast hellbent on destruction. The latest installment of Netflix's genre-bending series, Stranger Things, takes place in 1986, a year of Family Videos and roller rinks.
From the get-go, it feels like everything that series creators Matt & Ross Duffer had been setting up in previous seasons is paying off, with unexpected character arcs and a few shocking revelations involving the Upside Down. In fact, that nightmarish dimension already makes this particular season horrifying by the end of the first episode.
Featuring flashbacks to Hawkins Lab in the late-1970s (Matthew Modine's ambiguous Dr. Brenner returns this season), a frightened cheerleader, grandfather clocks, and the theme of the past coming back to haunt you (or, as one character describes, "There are some things worse than ghosts"), this is the most ambitious season to date. Regarding the latter theme, there's a strong sense of "How much loss can one town take?" throughout. So we not only have characters here that are dealing with pain and trauma, but also struggling to move forward, looking past mere appearances and preconceived notions, and some who ultimately realize their need for each other.
I have to be honest, I was very impressed with Season 1 back in 2016. The second season, released the following year, was okay (although, it took a bold risk with one radical episode), but 2019's third season went overboard, replaying--or at least amping up--elements from the previous two seasons. Up until now, the show had arguably been losing momentum, despite star-making turns from its young, up-and-coming cast, not to mention a stellar soundtrack of nostalgic 1980s hits (Journey's "Separate Ways [Worlds Apart]" and Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill [A Deal With God]" are two standouts in this fourth installment). It's also been getting more violent and problematic, and its language more offensive, stepping this time into certified R-rated territory sans F-bombs.
Split into two parts (released on the streaming platform on May 27th and July 1, respectfully), this fourth season is easily the show's darkest by far, immediately out of bounds for younger and more discerning viewers. First and foremost, there's demonic imagery in the form of the central antagonist, the malevolent Vecna (named after a character from "Dungeons & Dragons," which features prominently in this series), recalling other supernatural horror figures like Freddy Kruger, Pennywise, and Candyman. (Original Nightmare on Elm Street actor Robert Englund even makes an appearance in one episode.) The violence and bloodshed this time around has more in common with Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy--and the works of H.P. Lovecraft--than ever before. Then there's the issue with the name of the school D&D club known as "Hellfire," which numerous town residents soon mistake for an evil cult. (To be fair, said members, including club head--and scene-stealing delinquent--Eddie Munson, never actually do anything occult-related.)
There are also marijuana references, scenes of torture, and even one particularly violent home invasion. Plus, one character from the last season, who came out as gay, further explores her sexuality, while another character's sexuality is only hinted at. On a separate note, the rescue mission subplot involving Winona Ryder's single mom, Joyce Byers, and Brent Garmen's humorous Murray Bauman finding and bringing back David Harbour's police chief Jim Hopper feels over-the-top and out-of-place (at least on first viewing). On the other hand, it's great to see Harbour at his most vulnerable and restrained--something his character had been losing over the course of two seasons.
Earlier this year, the Duffers confirmed that a fifth season will be the show's last. By the end of the season 4 finale, I was convinced there had to be more. And at this rate, it likely won't get any tamer.
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