Anyone else watching Season 4 of "Stranger Things"?

[bif]

What do you think of it? I just watched E5 las night. When I saw the recap of what happened previously before Episode 1, I realized that somehow I missed Season 3! Fun catching up. And it's so fun to watch these young actors grow up on camera!

[SharonClark]

1. I am but I slept through at least episode 4 so I need to "rewind".

I'm a bit baffled by the whole Hopper in Russia story line, maybe I've drifting off more than I realize.

I do enjoy the articulate and creative characters, the humor, and the actors but I'm tired of demons and bullying. Love, love, love Eve, Dustin, Steve, and Robin who bring the energy.

That all said, I would recommend it to people who can tolerate horror shows and appreciate the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. Oh, and the music is good.

[2naSalit]

2. Last year...

I was staying at a friend's, several times over four months, and she put that on to watch (Season 1) and I couldn't get through the third episode, too stressful.

I applaud that it is popular and it certainly had all the elements of an ongoing saga that could endure several seasons, I just couldn't handle the suspense. I used to like that kind of thing.

[milestogo]

3. I watched seasons 1-3 and was looking forward to its return.

But I couldn't even make it through the first episode of Season 4. Its all high school, no monsters.

[bif]

4. Stick with it...

It gets way creepier!

[Harold Shea]

5. Yup.

Pretty compelling so far.

IMO, much better than S3. The longer episodes are very beneficial to telling the character's stories.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

9. Totally disagree and think S4 doesn't even touch S1-S3

I've finished ... I didn't hate it but I was disappointed.

I'd agree S3 was not as good as 1 and 2 (2 is my fave, esp. the last two episodes which were the apex of the show in my book) but it's smokes S4.

But to each their own

[Harold Shea]

10. S2 is my overall favorite as well.

IMO they could have wrapped at the end of S2 and moved on, but the show was incredibly popular at the time.

The end of S2E8 when El returns is amazing.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

11. That is a great scene!

And every time I watch the dance (which I've done like 4 times now after restarting the series) ... I tear up a bit. So friggin cute

[bif]

12. I agree!

I have one episode to go, and while I don't think it totally jumped the shark, they should have ended it after Season 2.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

13. You know what the biggest thing that lacks about 3 & 4 is in my book?

The characters are separated too much of the time. It's like it's obvious they're working around the actors busy schedules outside the show, so the characters you like to see together ... aren't. S3 everyone is only together for the Battle of Starcourt, the last episode (and even then they quickly split up). S4 is even worse in this regard.

[bif]

14. I noticed that as well.

It's almost like three separate movies occurring simultaneously. It was a bit distracting.

[eleny]

6. I only just started Season 3 last night - spoilers

I feel like I could have stopped at the end of Season 2. Probably because I see the evil one as fascism. So when the (maga) rats sacrificed themselves so that evil could feed again and become strong in S3Epi1, I was disappointed. Now they're stretching. We knew at the end of Season 2 that they didn't kill off evil but contained it. So just as we've got a "rolling coup" in the US, our own brand of "superior" evil is still planning to overtake our society - the battle only took a break in ST.

The early scenes of S3Epi1 made me sad. The actor who plays the chief of police looked personally uncomfortable acting out his fatherly role towards Jane while she was making out with Mike. And his practicing having a talk with her didn't cut the mustard at all, imo. I loved seasons 1&2.

So now we go to Russia where it looks like they're dealing with the same evil entity. I'll check in on the series maybe an episode every week or so. I do like the kids a whole lot in the first two series. But I'm even losing interest int them in S3.

For me, it's just not worthy of another marathon. I hope it picks up and I make it to S4.

[yellowdogintexas]

7. we went back to the beginning because neither of us remembered

enough to just jump into season 4

We just finished episode 1 of season 3

[oregonjen]

8. Shame on Netflix and AirBnB

https://movieweb.com/netflix-under-scrutiny-for-stranger-things-season-4-filming/

Jewish and Rromani communities are calling for Netflix to take accountability following its decision to film Stranger Things Season 4 in a former Nazi prison, Primetimer reported Tuesday. The streaming service filmed portions of the wildly popular science fiction series at the Lukiškės prison in Vilnius, Lithuania; the prison was notorious for its Nazi involvement during World War II and its proximity to the horrific Ponary Massacre in which 100,000 Jews, Rroma, and political prisoners were murdered.

In addition to the filming that took place in the Lithuanian prison, AirBnB began offering a Stranger Things-themed hotel experience inside Lukiškės, which began hosting visitors June 4.

[Auggie]

15. A good, satisfying Season 4 IMO (spoilers) ...

Last edited Sat Jul 16, 2022, 10:49 AM - Edit history (1)

I agree with upthread posts that Seasons 1 and 2 have been the best in the series. They were so good that topping them, much less matching them, would be a challenge for any production team.

New characters were welcomed additions except for the tired cliches that came with them (mean girl bullies, stoners, irrational townspeople). I thought the quick editing between multiple storylines worked well. Just accept that there's a reason The Duffer Brothers felt a need to do this.

Lot of fun Easter Eggs in the camera movements and sets that mimicked films from the past. Two I noticed: Silence of the Lambs (asylum sequence) and The Birds (trailer park sequence). Nice.

Why I think we like Seasons 1 and 2 over Seasons 3 of 4:

1 and 2 served up fresh stories and images we've never seen before. Like Goonies from decades ago, the pre-teen cast members allowed for more humor and greater drama. The kids are cuter and their relationship problems more trivial and endearing. The stakes higher and the challenges more insurmountable too. Will, Mike and Lucas as older teenagers just aren't as fun to watch as their younger selves. Is it the writing? Acting? Both? Thank goodness Gaten Matarazzo plays Dustin with the some lovable spirit as he did in the first seasons. He may have carried Season 4 ... along with David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown

[bif]

16. Finished the last episode last night. (Spoiler)

I'd rename it "The Monster Mash" Pretty intense and over the top. And at the end, there was about 2 minutes of happiness until it started to get dark and foreboding again.