Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1 Review: Millie Bobby Brown & Sadie Sink shine in the series' scariest ride

Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1

Stranger Things Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard

Stranger Things Creators: Ross and Matt Duffer

Streaming Platform: Netflix

Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1 Stars: 3.5/5

If there's one Netflix show that has managed to continually boost the streaming hours for the platforms with each season, it's Stranger Things. After premiering its first season in 2016, the series is currently in its fourth season and it still remains a show that constantly raises the bar with every new part. After a long wait since the release of Season 3 in 2019, the first volume of the fourth season arrives with seven episodes that are packed with ample action and emotion. The show's creators, Ross and Matt Duffer deliver big when it comes to building up a season that could be called one of the series' most crucial ones as it deals with multiple threads that bring viewers closer to the answers they have been seeking since the show first began. 

Stranger Things has come a long way since we first met Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven in 2016. Not only has Brown matured as an actress over the course of the four seasons but also her character. In the fourth season, the show's creators finally showcase Eleven's back story, something that has been on everyone's mind since the first time we met her and it's probably the most compelling storyline of the season. Across seven episodes that run as long as an hour and even more, the new season show a great deal of ambition and on most occasions it successfully pulls off its attempt at achieving storytelling excellence. 

In Season 4, the Hawkins gang find themselves scattered across different locations. The season opens in 1986 with the Byers family as Joyce (Winona Ryder) moves to California with Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Will (Noah Schnapp) and newly adopted Eleven. The struggle is hard as Will and Eleven try to fit into their new school which consists of a Mean Girls vibe. Back in Hawkins, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) join their high school's Dungeons and Dragons collective which is headed up by Eddie (Joseph Quinn), who is a welcome addition to the mix.  In the meantime, Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) seems to be trying hard to wash off his freaks and geeks image in high school by trying to make the most of his benchwarmer position on the school's basketball team. Max (Sadie Sink) is taking it hard, dealing with the grief over the gory death of her brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery) and as for Hopper (David Harbour) who is presumed to be dead by Hawkins residents, he's being held up in a Russian prison. 

On paper, one would think that the show's creators may be trying to bite too much with this season's complicated storylines but it seems that their ambition to make it an extravagant affair succeeds for the most part. Despite being hour-long,  every episode in the fourth season comes across as a key to understanding what lies ahead for each of the characters and the detailing for the same rarely gets boring. While there's no denying that it's Eleven's storyline that remains the most crucial one, another show-stealer this season is also Max. Particularly the fourth episode of the show which is packed with some of the scariest moments of the season and also Sadie Sink's brilliant act.

In terms of the underwhelming bits of the season, unfortunately, it seems like Hopper doesn't get the best treatment. His character's Russian storyline packs action into the episodes but it's also these moments that form the weakest elements. Following the rollercoaster of emotions, we went through after the character's sacrifice at the end of Season 3, the re-introduction of Hopper in Season 4 seems like it's a new show altogether. There's also a realisation that hits you mid-season that despite its scattered storyline, the fourth season truly gets best when it sticks to Hawkins.

When you are four seasons, it's easy for showrunners to get overindulgent while trying to create a fan experience and while the Duffer Brothers may have called Season 4 of the show their "Game of Thrones" season, lucky for us, it's nothing like the HBO show that doomed under its own weight of ambition while trying to manage fan expectations in its disappointing finale. If anything, it's worth appreciating how self-aware the Stranger Things creators are as they continue to play with elements of 80s horror and nostalgia in the most amazing ways while constantly elevating the standards with every season. Season 4 also turns out to be a visual spectacle with carefully designed episodes that come across as standalone entities, with the finesse of being a TV movie. As the season adds a new villain (Vecna), it also dials up on its horror quotient and it's a sign that darker storylines lie ahead.

ALSO READ: Stranger Things S3 Precap: All you need to know about Hawkins kids' chaotic life ahead of season 4

In terms of performances, the cast of the show once again proves why they are best suited for their roles. Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven gets enough to explore this season with Eleven's past being a part of the story and it's visible how thrilled the actress is to add on more layers to her performance with it. Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo continue to bring their best to the show along with Noah Schnapp who particularly aces his character's discomfort in California. Sadie Sink brings out her best with Max this season. David Harbour and Winona Ryder also remain excellent all through. 

Stranger Things' fourth season's first volume seems like a great setup before the makers unleash the deadliest twists for the second part which drops in July with two episodes that could easily be over two hours. With Season 4's terrifying new villain, the show makes significant achievements in the special effects departments. It seems like the beginning of the end as the fourth season carefully begins to tie all the past loose ends, thus making sure that the fifth and final season of the show delivers on every count.