After losing 200,00 viewers and over $50 billion of its market value, it is safe to admit that Netflix needs a win, and with a new season of Stranger Things, Netflix has successfully accomplished that. This series initially made me sceptical due to its evidently darker tones and clear horror elements. Especially following the bright, fun and yet tense season three, which I perceived to be my favourite.
This doubt was heightened by how season three left its protagonists, as they were scattered far away from one another. This left the relationships between characters under serious threat, consequently making another adventure a more complicated process. However, by the end of the first episode, I had laughed, cheered and was so uncomfortable from what I just witnessed. It was safe to say, I was hooked.
After season one, the main challenge for the Duffer brothers was not trying to fix Will’s hair (Noah Schnapp), an issue that I’m still begging them to fix, but instead to try and outdo their infamous villain the Demogorgon. A nine-foot, pale beast with no face, and four mouths. An impossible task, right? Well after having the mind flayer, Stranger Things finally has its first otherworldly villain with dialogue, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).
Vecna is a version of the king of horror, Freddy Kruger without the stripey jumper and jaunty hat, and he is downright terrifying from start to finish. It is a welcome threat that is consistent and really amplifies the horror of this series. Which is a long-awaited change to the format of the series.
Casting child actors is a difficult job and making the audience believe that this 20-year-old is about 15 is an even harder one. That said, these actors have not only grown in age but also in their acting abilities. Most of the actors deliver a performance that reminds me why this show is so special. Most notably I will say that Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery) once again steal the show for me. Anytime they are on-screen, laughter follows pretty quickly.
However, despite the characters of this show being one of its strongest elements, it is also one of its greatest downfalls. Whilst the show adds new and enjoyable characters, other characters are side-lined into less interesting plotlines which I found myself waiting to be over, in order for the more plot-driven stories to continue. But with two episodes left, I hope I am wrong, and we see real development going forward.
I will not talk about the plot, for spoiler reasons, but I will say that it is a brilliant addition to an already brilliant show. Although I am usually put off by long runtimes, the show never feels as if it is wasting time. And with two 150-minute episodes coming on the 1 July, I am nervous and excited to see what awaits in the gripping climax for the penultimate series of one of Netflix’s first original masterpieces.
4/5
Image Credits – The MovieDB