Stranger Things: Season 4 – Volume 1 Review

It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down

It has been three long years since the release of Stranger Things season three, which proved to be, without question, the most divisive entry in the series to date. When the show first aired on Netflix back in 2016, viewers quickly fell in love with the show’s dark, atmospheric tone, lovable characters, and creepy central storyline, making it a bonafide classic.

Season two followed suit with that same tone, but it seemed as if series creators The Duffer Brothers wanted to shake things up because season three was considerably more goofy and lighthearted in tone. It felt more like an awesome, 80s summer blockbuster than a season of the highly chilling Stranger Things.

But, you know what? I kind of love season three. Is it as rich thematically as the previous two seasons? No, but it’s still wildly entertaining. Just a week ago, I would have told you that season three was the best season of the whole show, but now, I can no longer say that.

SeaGatePauson four, volume one of Stranger Things is without a doubt the best season of the entire series, and one of the greatest seasons of television I have ever watched. Period. This season is incredibly grim, gloomy, deeply engrossing, and downright scary. Seriously.

If you have ever seen an interview with any of the cast of the show, you’ve probably noticed that they describe every single season as “scary,” but it’s almost never true. Season four is the first time the show has legitimately been scary to the point where I felt as though I was watching a far better horror show that most directors can only dream of making.

The Duffer Brothers are on top of the world with this season, which proves to be the most deeply rewarding as well. One thing I loved about this season is how there are four main groups. In Hawkins, you have Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Robin (Maya Hawke), Erica (Priah Ferguson), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Max (Sadie Sink).

In California, you have Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), and Argyle (Eduardo Franco). Then, last but not least, you have Hopper (David Harbour) in Russia. It’s a huge Avengers: Infinity War-style season in that A) it’s the most grandiose entry in the series and B) all of the group are split up and are located in different places.

This is fascinating, though, because we get to see what all of our characters are doing in order to solve this humongous mystery, all while being separated from one another. What’s also great is that all of the characters and their plight in this season are massively interesting, too. There’s not a single character in Stranger Things 4 that you won’t want to learn more about, and thankfully, the writers here do a phenomenal job of crafting a story that not only feels rich and rewarding, but non-cluttered.

Of course, since this is Stranger Things, fans can expect to see some sort of a monstrous villain – this time, it is in the form of Vecna, a strange creature seemingly from the Upside Down that has an extremely chilling past. As we learn more about Vecna, the more disturbing and downright unsettling the show gets.

Honestly, at this point, I don’t even think they should be making a season five because there is absolutely no way they are going to be able to top Vecna with a better villain. Not only is he creepy as hell in the way he stalks and kills his victims, but he’s also a villain that has a surprising huge amount of backstory given to him eventually. The things they do with his character are nothing short of utterly brilliant.

Volume one also ends in typical Stranger Things cliffhanger fashion, meaning that, if you’re a fan of this volume, you’re definitely going to want to tune in for volume two coming in July. I know I will be. Stranger Things is back after three long years, and it’s better than it ever has been and likely ever will be. This season is truly a masterpiece.