Blog Entry: 06/04/22

» Stranger Things Season 4 Vol. 1 Thoughts
by Proxy 🧲

June 04, 2022 12:20 am

Heyo! A few days ago (maybe even a week ago? Idk, time isn't real :P) my partner and I finished Stranger Things S4 Vol. 1!
I have to say, I liked it a lot more than season 3, since it focused more on the actual mystery and horror this season. Season 3 felt like it put TOO much focus on the kids' relationship drama, and I just wasn't here for that. SOME of that is okay, but it really came off to me as if that was the main conflict and not the horror of the Upside Down and it's inhabitants, and what was happening with Billy (though I gotta say, that finale was good, and "I dump your ass", as well as other el and max scenes, were iconic. I wish her and Mike stayed apart longer, ngl).

ANYWAYS THIS POST IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT SEASON 4 LOL.
It starts off a bit chaotic, and the fact they're juggling pretty much 3? 4? storylines at once that are all happening around the same time can be a bit jarring at first, but I think the rhythm starts to make sense/feel okay as the season goes on. I definitely recommend giving it a shot, especially if the last season kind of felt like a let down, because this season feels more like s1 and s2 in tone, at least to me.

!!!! CLICK FOR SPOILERS!! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETED S4 VOL1 !!!!!

OKAY so. I tried to theorize about what was going to happen this season and I was so so wrong for the most part, at least when I was theorizing off of the trailers. I thought Max was a lost Hawkins Lab kid, and I was SUPER wrong about that. I was also scared that Lucas trying to be a jock was going to cause a rift in the party--which it did!! But it was a short rift that was resolved once Lucas realized how unhinged the jocks were being about Eddie being a murder suspect (which he genuinely didn't deserve, he's just a weirdass blorbo I care about a bunch).

Once we started watching, and we got to the man who helps El out in the flashbacks was talking about One, I KNEW he was One. I just didn't know what his true motive was/if he was truly someone to trust. I DIDN'T even guess he was Vecna OR Henry Creel, nor did I guess the child of the suspected murder from the 50's WAS Vecna/One. That was a big, and very good, surprise for me!
I honestly thought Vecna was using the remains of Billy's body as a host briefly, but then I realized that made no sense from the previous season.

Theories aside, I think I just really liked how everything was structured this season?? Idk why it just felt. Right.
Also when those stupid pop kids were bullying El, I couldn't help but say "YOU'RE LUCKY SHE CAN'T GO CARRIE WHITE ON YOUR ASS!!!" because it really did remind of of Carrie for a bit. I wonder if the parallels were intentional? I've also kind of headcanoned her as neurodivergent for a while now, and this season just kind of solidified that a bit more. I really feel for her, and I think Millie did a great job with her portrayal of Eleven.

The best scenes from this season were:

  1. Running Up That Hill saving Max from being crumpled by Vecna. I legit couldn't tell if she was going to make it or not, and I'm really glad she did. I love Max so much, and I'm so glad she's okay (for now).
  2. The Adult Squad (not parent/older adult squad jsyk) jumping out of the upside down through a portal on the ceiling of Eddie's Uncle's House. Made me think of Portal, the video game, because y'know, Physics. Tied with the D&D + Basketball parallel scene from episode 1 of this season. That Nat 20 roll was SO. OOGH.
  3. Tbh a lot of scenes in Eleven's flashbacks were really good so I'm just going to say all of them go here, too. Esp. the finale scene where One was revealed to be Vecna, and the cause of the Lab Massacre.
  4. Every Scene With Eddie. I Swear To God He's Such A Creature. Also Every Scene with Robin here too, tied. They're queer nerds, both of them.
!!!! SPOILERS OVER !!!!!!

I am trying to think of things I didn't like this season and right now I'm having a hard time figuring them. I think one of my problems, at least in a more general sense, is the fandom. Why did some of yall get number tattoos like the kids from Hawkins Lab?????? How can you be so dense?????? Don't do that!!!!!!!!!! FFS!!!!!!

Maybe I'll make a part 2 post with things I disliked in the actual season if/when I rewatch it, or when I remember it (I may also talk more about other story parts, I'm just getting down the story parts on my mind right now). For now I'm leaving it at this.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Hyperpop

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