Television Stranger Things (Netflix Original) | CONTAINS SPOILERS

Worst season for me but still a lot of enjoyable moments. Mostly I just think the finale was a huge letdown with way too many boring monologues that missed the mark, a rather disappointing "reveal" about the Mindflayer and no real reason why this season couldn't have just been the last.
 
I'm shocked some think it's the worst season
Won't argue as it's all opinions however
 
it is a bit of an overdone trope, sure, but it isn’t like it’s daft. Lots of real life horrible people want to make their victims suffer, and for purposes of tv it’s their weakness in that the hero gets the opportunity to rally while they’re wasting time. My guess if I were writing is that he will be more cut throat next season because he’s learned from his mistakes.

I think we all (I definitely do at times) forget what this show is and who it’s aimed at, primarily because it’s largely been very good. Personally for instance I didn’t enjoy season 3 (I wasn’t going to watch season 4 until I saw how well received it was in the large), but when I look at it again and remember that the target audience is more your Gen Z kids who in the large aren’t overtly aware of what we see as tropes having seen it hundreds of times.

I definitely expect that we’ll see a lot more of Vecna in the upside down next season while they try to work out how to stop him once and for all.

It's not daft per se but it doesn't make sense here, imo. 11 had already beaten 001, and his previous soldiers (mindflayer etc) were all vicious and tried to kill their preys immediately. But suddenly he decides to change his tactic. I just find it a boring cliche, and I m sure Gen Z has also seen it many times. Basically, 95% of villains in Hollywood do it.
 
I thought that was a terrible waste of 4 fecking hours personally - from a screenwriting POV. RIP the art of pacing.

It’s a shame, cos the first part of the season was really quite good… but this, wheeew… literally almost 3 hours of people giving massively overlong portentous and/or cheesy monologues to each other, then about 30 minutes worth of actual story, and then another full episode’s worth of cheesy wrap up epilogues before a perfunctory twist.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with slow character work, but this isn’t the kind of show where the dialogue is remotely good enough to warrant it. It exposes it, if anything.

There’s a reason things aren’t usually paced like this. Indulgence is too light a word.

Streaming shows in general have a real problem with pacing. Creators are given carte blanche in an admirable push for auteur purism, but inevitably you often just end up something ridiculously indulgent where half of it could’ve been cut. Anyone who thinks the best cut of the final episode was that length is a filthy filthy liar.
 
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I remember something, I don't know if you guys watch anime, but Stranger Things kinda reminds me of Elfen Lied. Coincidence?
 
Season 4 was mildly enjoyable cheesy TV, but it was waaay too long. I thought the first 3-4 episodes were pretty good but it was downhill from there.

I’d probably rank it as the worst season. Not a fan of the Vecna story/character at all.
 
Watched the second to last episode, it was very poor. Eleven is trapped, she's getting out, she's trapped again, she's getting out again...oh now she's got a collar.

All whilst everyone else is monologuing (is that a word?) and showing just how poor of an actor most of the kids are. The stuttering after every word was especially grating between Will and Mike in the van, but it was done by others too as if it was a direction choice.

But then there's usually a lull before the finale, so I'm hoping there's a good ending to the season.
 
Personally thought Millie Bobby Brown, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink had phenomenal acting performances.
 
The writing didn’t quite keep up with the idea. A little bit tooo much going on as well. Enjoyed it though. 7/10
 
Loved that, thought it was really enjoyable. As long as Steve and Dustin make it to the end I’ll be happy!
 
Really enjoy the finale. I wasn't at all prepared for Eddie dying or Max fake dying but Master of Puppets was awesome and there were some lovely moments especially between the brothers.
 
It's just a silly little error I think - did anyone else raise an eyebrow during this scene?.
At one point, when Eleven is in the pizza freezer, Will says "Vecna". How does Will know that the kids from Hawkins has named Henry / 001 "Vecna?"
 
Master of puppets scene was crazy badass
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Kinda feel like this show has reached its end and it should have ended here. Really don’t get why they felt the need to split the series. Not as if these final two episodes really added that much to what had been done previously. Just pointless fluff and rehashing the same old material.
 
It's just a silly little error I think - did anyone else raise an eyebrow during this scene?.
At one point, when Eleven is in the pizza freezer, Will says "Vecna". How does Will know that the kids from Hawkins has named Henry / 001 "Vecna?"
I noticed it but assumed I'd forgotten something.
 
It's just a silly little error I think - did anyone else raise an eyebrow during this scene?.
At one point, when Eleven is in the pizza freezer, Will says "Vecna". How does Will know that the kids from Hawkins has named Henry / 001 "Vecna?"
Mike was playing D&D with the gang the night of the first attack, in which Vecna was their foe. It’s not unthinkable that he’d jumped to the same naming structure as the Hawkins kids did in that way and we just didn’t see that scene

It could be his connection to the Upside Down or like you say, just simply a minor continuation error. Or I’m also forgetting something
 
In a shitshower of a season the worst were:
- Vecna. Doesn't fit the show at all, just a corny 80's rip off. Bring back demogorgon please. Actually would be incredible if demogorgon killed Vecna next season.
- Suzy's house scene. The worst and stupidest thing in the whole series.
- Argyle. Just why? Zero funny moments from a comic relief is actually laudable.
- The spacing / unnecessary dialogs and storylines
- Eddie and especially the Metallica scene.
- Robyn and Eleven downgrading. Cool bitchy and strong characters turned into goofy idiots.

The good:
- The Max episode, very cool stuff.
- El adjusting / aiming with her hand in the helicopter scene. That's the quality details missing completely this season
 
Mike was playing D&D with the gang the night of the first attack, in which Vecna was their foe. It’s not unthinkable that he’d jumped to the same naming structure as the Hawkins kids did in that way and we just didn’t see that scene

It could be his connection to the Upside Down or like you say, just simply a minor continuation error. Or I’m also forgetting something

No, it was an obvious error in the script. Hadn't picked up on it, good observation @1988
 
It's just a silly little error I think - did anyone else raise an eyebrow during this scene?.
At one point, when Eleven is in the pizza freezer, Will says "Vecna". How does Will know that the kids from Hawkins has named Henry / 001 "Vecna?"
Because when Eleven sees Max and the gang talking about killing him they say Henry/001/Vecna several times.
 
Kinda feel like this show has reached its end and it should have ended here. Really don’t get why they felt the need to split the series. Not as if these final two episodes really added that much to what had been done previously. Just pointless fluff and rehashing the same old material.

I quite enjoyed it for what it was. Regarding the split I wonder if Netflix are testing this to see if it could be viable moving forward to try and prevent subscriber losses. Imagine for example they release Squid Game Series 2 but with 9 episodes released 3 per month. I could be completely wrong but wouldn't be at all surprised if this was a test to see how it impacts retention
 
what an amazing season. Loved that finale, THAT'S how you do a finale. The desperation from everyones mission, risking there lives for eachother was beautifully done.
Vecna was a great villian. Nealry cried about 4 times in the end with Max and Eddies death. Feck man i liked him. That guitar scene was awesome. Genuinely cannot wait for the last season. Haven't been this hyped since GoT.
 
Waaaay too indulgent and the acting and writing doesn't support it one bit. But if I overlook that (long overlook), then it was certainly enjoyable.
 
In a shitshower of a season the worst were:
- Vecna. Doesn't fit the show at all, just a corny 80's rip off. Bring back demogorgon please. Actually would be incredible if demogorgon killed Vecna next season.
- Suzy's house scene. The worst and stupidest thing in the whole series.
- Argyle. Just why? Zero funny moments from a comic relief is actually laudable.
- The spacing / unnecessary dialogs and storylines
- Eddie and especially the Metallica scene.
- Robyn and Eleven downgrading. Cool bitchy and strong characters turned into goofy idiots.

The good:
- The Max episode, very cool stuff.
- El adjusting / aiming with her hand in the helicopter scene. That's the quality details missing completely this season

I disagree with all your cons especially the Metallica scene, that was the best bit.
 
Some very good moments, some frustrating moments and some moments that missed its mark.

Still no main characters dying and we all know that Max will be ok, they wouldn't fake out her dying twice only to kill her in the final season, thus making it all a bit shallow ultimately. Killing off Eddie seemed like a move of "we have to kill someone to make it dramatic". I get why they had to do it because they didnt want to attempt to explain to the viewers how they explained his innocence to the town but his death wasn't really necessary. Personally I don't think that worked. Enjoyed the majority of it though and putting aside the stupidity of thinking that the Government wouldnt have intervened immediately after the 'earthquake' occurred it's setup well for the final season. Glad they didnt kill Vecna, he's a very good villain.

I dunno about anyone else but if I was Dustin I don't think i'd be able to go back to normal after watching a friend die like that. Kids made of titanium.

Yeah, Dustin is immense. I think reelworld nailed why they killed Eddie - there'd be a lot of emotion with him becoming tight with Dustin but at the same time he wasn't quite at the Steve stage where he's practically unkillable.

After that ending I don't really get how they can do a time jump for season five with them presenting the threat as imminent but we'll see. I'm glad they didn't kill off Vecna either.

Fair bit of English influence in the cast - Eleven, Vecna, Eddie, Jonathan (video of the actor watching the end of an England game on Finn Wolfhard's instagram).
 
Great season. Very fun but quite intense too. The show is all about the fun cheese so don’t get any complaints about that at all.

Nancy being a total badass was great. As were El’s big moments. And of course the guitar solo. Loved the cheesy military outfits they wore to the upside down too. Peak Stranger Things.

For me, one more season is perfect. Then a Dustin and Steve spin off please.
 
Vecna is a super powerful villain
and all the deaths he has to show for it at the end are a couple of random kids and Eddie? Also, honestly, Max being unkillable is getting a bit tiring now. It may be a kids show but they really need to start killing more major characters.
 
In a shitshower of a season the worst were:
- Vecna. Doesn't fit the show at all, just a corny 80's rip off. Bring back demogorgon please. Actually would be incredible if demogorgon killed Vecna next season.
- Suzy's house scene. The worst and stupidest thing in the whole series.
- Argyle. Just why? Zero funny moments from a comic relief is actually laudable.
- The spacing / unnecessary dialogs and storylines
- Eddie and especially the Metallica scene.
- Robyn and Eleven downgrading. Cool bitchy and strong characters turned into goofy idiots.

The good:
- The Max episode, very cool stuff.
- El adjusting / aiming with her hand in the helicopter scene. That's the quality details missing completely this season

Jaysus you hate the Master of Puppets scene and enjoyed the helicopter bit? Do yourself a favour and don't bother watching the next season.
 
In a shitshower of a season the worst were:
- Vecna. Doesn't fit the show at all, just a corny 80's rip off. Bring back demogorgon please. Actually would be incredible if demogorgon killed Vecna next season.
- Suzy's house scene. The worst and stupidest thing in the whole series.
- Argyle. Just why? Zero funny moments from a comic relief is actually laudable.
- The spacing / unnecessary dialogs and storylines
- Eddie and especially the Metallica scene.
- Robyn and Eleven downgrading. Cool bitchy and strong characters turned into goofy idiots.

The good:
- The Max episode, very cool stuff.
- El adjusting / aiming with her hand in the helicopter scene. That's the quality details missing completely this season
:lol:
 
I thought that was a terrible waste of 4 fecking hours personally - from a screenwriting POV. RIP the art of pacing.

It’s a shame, cos the first part of the season was really quite good… but this, wheeew… literally almost 3 hours of people giving massively overlong portentous and/or cheesy monologues to each other, then about 30 minutes worth of actual story, and then another full episode’s worth of cheesy wrap up epilogues before a perfunctory twist.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with slow character work, but this isn’t the kind of show where the dialogue is remotely good enough to warrant it. It exposes it, if anything.

There’s a reason things aren’t usually paced like this. Indulgence is too light a word.

Streaming shows in general have a real problem with pacing. Creators are given carte blanche in an admirable push for auteur purism, but inevitably you often just end up something ridiculously indulgent where half of it could’ve been cut. Anyone who thinks the best cut of the final episode was that length is a filthy filthy liar.


Aye, t'was a long goodbye alright.