Stranger Things season 4 rewatch: classic horror vibes fit Netflix hit like a glove in episode 1 & 2
Our Stranger Things re-watch club has reached season 4! 🚨📺
- Stranger Things channels 80s classics in season 4 openers.
- The teenage-slasher vibes fit the show like a glove.
- But what did we make of the start overall?
Spring might have arrived in Hawkins, Indiana, but it is not a season of new life for our beleaguered mid-west town. Still recovering from the ‘mall fire’ that claimed plenty of lives, a new terror is stalking the high school halls.
The spectre of Freddie and Michael is looming over Stranger Things in season four. It might not be crystal lake, but something is killing kids in brutal fashion in the opening of the 2022 series.
But what is my verdict on the episodes overall? Here’s my latest Stranger Things re-watch:
Chapter One: The Hellfire Club
Synopsis: El is bullied at school. Joyce opens a mysterious package. A scrappy player shakes up D&D night.
Stranger Things has always been very strong when it comes to starting out a season. Even back in its very first episode it has been adept at coming out the gates strong.
Season four is no different. In fact it might just be the best premiere yet.
It is an episode that doesn’t manage to feel overstuffed despite its lengthy run time and huge scope. There is a deft balance as introduces new characters, settings, and threats.
The opening of season four is among some of the most effective horror the show has ever pulled off.
It leans into one of my favourite horror tropes, people walking into an already unfolded disaster scene. Seeing only the aftermath and not what actually went down.
Again the show manages to set that delightful balance of spooky, scary and funny. 11s opening monologue is a delight, especially when she’s describing Jonathan smoking pot.
But it cleverly subverts expectations as it quickly becomes clear that she’s lying to Mike about life in California.
We are quickly introduced to new characters like Eddy, Chrissy, Argyle, and head jock Jason. While an ominous new threat lurks in the background, haunting Chrissy.
It is a fun part of this rewatch project that we spotted that the ominous grandfather clock sound associated with Vecna was introduced before Season 4 and here it is now, more prominently.
The Russian stuff circles back around, but it is more restrained this time. At least in episode 1.
Side note, I think this is the first season where it is noticeable how much older the kids are. Suddenly everyone is tall and lanky and basically grown up.
Chapter Two: Vecna’s Curse
Synopsis: A plane brings Mike to California — and a dead body brings Hawkins to a halt. Nancy goes looking for leads. A shaken Eddie tells the gang what he saw.
Injecting a teenage slasher film into Hawkins is one of those ideas that is so simple, it is genius. Season 3 sort of dabbled in this with the Billy stuff but didn’t full commit to it.
Series 4 embraces it and it is delightfully chilling. The way Vecna haunts his victims is skin-crawlingly effective.
Despite being in the show for a handful of moments, like Chrissy the episode before, we get a brilliant short form haunting for Fred. It’s established quickly what is haunting him.
The show manages to mix in the satanic panic in a way that is well handled - at least in these early episodes. How that pans out, we shall see.
In my series 3 reviews I was hard on the Russian stuff, and Hopper surviving does push the bounds of believability. But at least having him in a prison in actual Russia makes way more sense than a secret lab under a mall in middle America.
The character work this early is among the show’s best thus far. Jane’s attempt to put up a happy front for Mike is so deeply human and tragic.
Plus, by identifying exactly who the villain is - instead of taking way too long in season two, for example - is a big improvement. The threat is real and it is here.
Despite the long run times actually don’t feel overly indulgent in this opening pair of episodes. It gives the show space to breathe and not rush, without feeling bloated.
Although bookmark that for later in the season!
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