Stranger Things

:

Season 4
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 15, 2016
Season #: 5, 4.5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 175 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 133 out of 175
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 175
  3. Negative: 19 out of 175

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User Reviews

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  1. Dimocracy
    Jul 6, 2023
    9
    It is very interesting what will happen next! I quickly watched this season and am really looking forward to the final one.
  2. phoenix_prjct
    Apr 20, 2023
    10
    Final Thoughts:

    Stranger Things is a phenomenon that is going to be remembered for years to come. Season 4 sets an impeccable standard that final-outing 5 is going to have to work mighty hard to beat. The minds behind the show, the cast, the crew, and everyone involved, are irrefutably talented, and, if anyone can end things properly, we are most definitely in good hands. For the    Final Thoughts:

    Stranger Things is a phenomenon that is going to be remembered for years to come. Season 4 sets an impeccable standard that final-outing 5 is going to have to work mighty hard to beat. The minds behind the show, the cast, the crew, and everyone involved, are irrefutably talented, and, if anyone can end things properly, we are most definitely in good hands.

    For the full review and more posts like it, visit my site: https://thephoenixprjct.com    … Expand
  3. Fixer84
    Mar 16, 2023
    7
    The first seven episodes of the fourth season of Stranger Things contain both absolute masterpieces, such as the episode 4x04 "Dear Billy", and others that are only transient. An alternation that does not ruin the series, but which is inevitable to build the foundations of the epic finale that will then be reached in part 4.5 of Stranger Things.
  4. Juddee
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    Best season to date. Stranger Things Season 4 is the biggest, most action-packed, and most mysterious season. Also noticeably more focused on psychological horror than the other seasons. While not perfect, it would be hard to not enjoy watching this mystery unfold.
  5. CarlElmore
    Jan 23, 2023
    9
    Some of the best moments and episodes are here within most of the first part of Season 4. Really great stuff.
  6. Gts08
    Nov 25, 2022
    8
    Part I
    Stranger Things continues to shine at characters, style, atmosphere and now, even horror. I was very skeptical with it after seasons 2 & 3, but the series somehow managed to go back to its origins - as for the quality. I was thrilled all the way through. Finally we got to know a lot of things about the Upside Down (as expected), the origins of Eleven and that how the two crosses    Part I
    Stranger Things continues to shine at characters, style, atmosphere and now, even horror. I was very skeptical with it after seasons 2 & 3, but the series somehow managed to go back to its origins - as for the quality. I was thrilled all the way through. Finally we got to know a lot of things about the Upside Down (as expected), the origins of Eleven and that how the two crosses each other. It adds a decent mystery, some nostalgia as well (but not too much) and a surprising twist. It was sometimes predictable, though, but as an '80s fanboy, I loved every minute of it. Gonna give it an 8 / 10, before Part II arrives. Now, I have actual expectations for the ending. And they're very high, dangit!

    Part II
    I am satisfied.    … Expand
  7. Fatbob15
    Oct 21, 2022
    10
    ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE, this is the kind of season that can appeal to EVERYONE, and it's a complete shocking, wild ride
  8. doovid
    Aug 29, 2022
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The fact that this show was only meant to be one season gets more obvious every time they put out a new one. The first season was so good and sadly each successive season is just a little bit worse.

    Every character has devolved into something less than they were originally. The strong intelligent people who won our hearts have become boring and stupid. Which makes sense when you realize the plot hinges on the characters being as dumb as possible for it to progress.

    It's not awful, but it's not good either. You can easily find something better to watch.

    PS: Seriously. Hopper was captured by The Russians and has been in a labor camp since last season because no one bothered to even GO AND SEE IF HE WAS DEAD BEFORE LEAVING HIM? So stupid...    … Expand
  9. glomman
    Aug 21, 2022
    7
    I think Season 4 is better than Season 3 in some aspects, given how chronically stupid the setup for S3 was. However, the whole thing feels like an overdone Scooby Doo adventure, with overly elongated episodes and actions and motivations that lie pretty flat. It's fun to watch, definitely, you just won't pull anything useful from it afterwards.
    Also the whole sub-plot with Hopper is kinda    I think Season 4 is better than Season 3 in some aspects, given how chronically stupid the setup for S3 was. However, the whole thing feels like an overdone Scooby Doo adventure, with overly elongated episodes and actions and motivations that lie pretty flat. It's fun to watch, definitely, you just won't pull anything useful from it afterwards.
    Also the whole sub-plot with Hopper is kinda useless.    … Expand
  10. Maxdom77
    Jul 26, 2022
    5
    Es la caricaturizacion completa de una serie que perdio su estilo original.
    ¿Recuerdan cuando esta serie tenia terror bien hecho? ahora es un slasher exagerrado. Ahora los poderes de Eleven y Vecna estan rotos y no tienen reglas. Tramas de poca importancia que bajo la importancia de la trama de Vecna. Hablando del villano sacado de qlo, es otro villano "LA SOCIedad me HiZO MALVado, vivimos    Es la caricaturizacion completa de una serie que perdio su estilo original.
    ¿Recuerdan cuando esta serie tenia terror bien hecho? ahora es un slasher exagerrado. Ahora los poderes de Eleven y Vecna estan rotos y no tienen reglas. Tramas de poca importancia que bajo la importancia de la trama de Vecna. Hablando del villano sacado de qlo, es otro villano "LA SOCIedad me HiZO MALVado, vivimos es una socieDAD" No, vecna no tiene razon, vecna es literalmente hitler. Esta lleno de agujeros de guion y muchas cosas mas, esta serie se convirtio en la serie de netflix mas promedio que te puedas imaginar.
    Pero bueno, al menos la musica sigue estando re buena    … Expand
  11. HannibalB
    Jul 25, 2022
    3
    Better than Season 3, not as good as Seasons 1 & 2. Season 4 is dragged out, overblown, confused, and filled with way too much sobbing and heart-to-hearts. Kids don't talk so openly or eloquently about their emotions then or now. But there were some good moments, especially with 11, and a nice surprise or two. So it wasn't all bad.
  12. DolphinReviews
    Jul 22, 2022
    7
    It's tied with season 1 as the best season. Episode 7 is extremally strong. It's a good season all around.
  13. SimboTheKing
    Jul 17, 2022
    8
    I think that season 4 of stranger things finds it on a strong return to form. I nver quite hated the show but I did feel that season 2 and 3 felt a little dragged out. I often complained that it felt as if the show had initially been designed for one season and then had continued on as it had found success. Season 4 finally led to the story feeling like a coherent whole and it was veryI think that season 4 of stranger things finds it on a strong return to form. I nver quite hated the show but I did feel that season 2 and 3 felt a little dragged out. I often complained that it felt as if the show had initially been designed for one season and then had continued on as it had found success. Season 4 finally led to the story feeling like a coherent whole and it was very appreciated. I enjoyed the acting of sadie sink and MBB a lot, especially as I wasn't expecting such a performance out of Sink. Finn Wolfhard was my least liked aspect though, his performance felt weak. I also enjoyed WIll's story this season. I'm glad next season is the last as it feels like it can finally wrap up the story without it becoming overly convoluted.… Expand
  14. lucyhoneychurch
    Jul 12, 2022
    1
    I couldn't agree more with the other negative reviews here. It's clear everyone involved with ST is under contract to produce more episodes/seasons of a show that has everyone hooked. They're attempting to make something out of nothing and it ain't working. Bloated beyond recognition of the fun, nostalgic first season. Every episode could be 75% shorter. The acting is god-awful atrocious,I couldn't agree more with the other negative reviews here. It's clear everyone involved with ST is under contract to produce more episodes/seasons of a show that has everyone hooked. They're attempting to make something out of nothing and it ain't working. Bloated beyond recognition of the fun, nostalgic first season. Every episode could be 75% shorter. The acting is god-awful atrocious, other than from a couple actors for whom I feel very sorry to see forced to deliver sappy, poorly written schlock. We were just moaning through every scene in the last episode. It takes itself so seriously. Enough already. We're done with this show. It has overstayed it's welcome.… Expand
  15. HotelCentral
    Jul 9, 2022
    6
    Well, here's the thing: Episode 9 is 2+hours long and probably rates as the longest finale ever filmed and ultimately the finale finalizes nothing because the bad guy is still out there and the good guys still need to deal with him "one final time"!!! I mean, this is comic book writing. And I'm really getting tired of watching people with psychic powers throw other people and creaturesWell, here's the thing: Episode 9 is 2+hours long and probably rates as the longest finale ever filmed and ultimately the finale finalizes nothing because the bad guy is still out there and the good guys still need to deal with him "one final time"!!! I mean, this is comic book writing. And I'm really getting tired of watching people with psychic powers throw other people and creatures against walls and sometimes through walls. I mean, the first 20 times it was pretty cool, but now it's getting really old.

    Series needs to get some real writing talent involved.    … Expand
  16. ITS_PEDRO
    Jun 9, 2022
    8
    La verdad es que no estaba nada hypeado por ver esta temporada. Las 2 ultimas eran bastante normales (tirando a malas) lo cual hizo que mi interes caiga. Pero la verdad es que esta temporada me sorprendio! Me encanto como la manejaron, la historia, las es escenas todo muy bien logrado. Tambien me encanto ver la evolucion de los distitnos personajes; una de las cosas que mas gusto fue comoLa verdad es que no estaba nada hypeado por ver esta temporada. Las 2 ultimas eran bastante normales (tirando a malas) lo cual hizo que mi interes caiga. Pero la verdad es que esta temporada me sorprendio! Me encanto como la manejaron, la historia, las es escenas todo muy bien logrado. Tambien me encanto ver la evolucion de los distitnos personajes; una de las cosas que mas gusto fue como se relaciono con anterirores temporadas.

    Lo unico que no me gusto fue el grupo de Will, las escenas se sentian aburridas e innecesarias. Algo parecido me paso con Hopper, algunas escenas eran demasiado relleno. Otra cosa, que no me gusto fue Vecna, no imponia nada de miedo por mas que el personaje era genial, el aspecto era bastante triste.

    Esta temporada fue de mis favoritas junto a la primera. Siento que son de las que podes ver muchas veces y difrutar, con uno que otro chiste bueno. A veces se sentia aburrida pero retomaba el ritmo.    … Expand
  17. zeroplus
    Jul 6, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Season 4 has some good moments, but eventually devolves into lazy predictability, many extended schmaltzy dialogues, and incoherence. Many unforgivable violations of their universe's own rules occur. Four demon bats will floor and (almost) eviscerate an intruder. Four *thousand* demon bats will merely fly at high speed past a character at convenient bin-lid-shield height. Smegma can torture and kill instantly, unless the story requires him to work himself up to it over a quarter-hour. Demagorgons are impervious to trained soldiers' automatic-weapon fire, but weak against swords.

    The show has nothing left to say or explore, but dang if they aren't going to keep saying it until someone cancels them. Season 5 teased!    … Expand
  18. Killswitch73
    Jul 5, 2022
    9
    BRILLIANT !! But . to finish it off in season 5 it has to be all out War with Vecna and the upside down with Hawkins. The not so kids anymore need to be written in a way that the whole world , not just Hawkins needs to know what these kids have gone through the past 4 seasons (5 by the time it ends) the writers need to put it in that Eddie did not Die for nothing and Hawkins thinking hes aBRILLIANT !! But . to finish it off in season 5 it has to be all out War with Vecna and the upside down with Hawkins. The not so kids anymore need to be written in a way that the whole world , not just Hawkins needs to know what these kids have gone through the past 4 seasons (5 by the time it ends) the writers need to put it in that Eddie did not Die for nothing and Hawkins thinking hes a killer when he was in fact a HERO !!! Please don't make Nancy out to be a slut as that was messed up her pulling her chin up off the floor with Steve. I like Steve but he needs to move on and Jonathan needs more screen time in season 5 and not a stoner !… Expand
  19. jmneeley06
    Jul 3, 2022
    10
    Fantastic season and performances by all around. I thought The antagonist was strong. The kid actors have aged into such beautiful actors
  20. Voodoo123
    Jul 3, 2022
    7
    Great plot and visual effects carry the show. A mixed bag of performances from the now bloated cast and the resultant strange mixture of tones switching inconsistently from comedy to action to mystery and back to horror can feel bumpy at times. Some great track choices and ost along with some very good direction and cinematography keep the pacing on track. Definitely worth watching if youGreat plot and visual effects carry the show. A mixed bag of performances from the now bloated cast and the resultant strange mixture of tones switching inconsistently from comedy to action to mystery and back to horror can feel bumpy at times. Some great track choices and ost along with some very good direction and cinematography keep the pacing on track. Definitely worth watching if you enjoyed the previous seasons.… Expand
  21. skookum
    Jul 3, 2022
    4
    There were some good ideas at the start. I liked Eleven as a bullied high school outcast ready to lash out at any moment, and the Satanic Panic stuff was a great overall premise for the season and a great use of the setting. Sadly, beyond the first few episodes, both of these ideas are completely wasted.

    The season quickly becomes a long, plodding, disjointed slog of cringe-worthy    There were some good ideas at the start. I liked Eleven as a bullied high school outcast ready to lash out at any moment, and the Satanic Panic stuff was a great overall premise for the season and a great use of the setting. Sadly, beyond the first few episodes, both of these ideas are completely wasted.

    The season quickly becomes a long, plodding, disjointed slog of cringe-worthy contrite dialog, overacting, and unimaginative plot development. There's too many characters with too little to do. So they endlessly drone on in cheesy monologues about their emotions and relationships with each other instead of allowing the audience figure it out through actions and subtext. So much of this season is spent trying to wring emotional reactions from the audience and failing miserably. I laughed at multiple scenes that were supposed to be big sad moments and that's not a good sign.

    It was a very bad decision to have basically three independent plots happening simultaneously, only finally coming together (sloppily) at the very end. They really wrote themselves into a corner and fixing this season fully would've required a total rewrite.

    One final complaint: the sound design and editing is often so over-the-top that it undermines otherwise good scenes. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that a trailer-house edited this season, because it's like they desperately tried to punch up every other scene with obnoxious sound effects and cuts.

    I liked the first season of Stranger Things a lot, and enjoyed the other two well enough. But after this season I don't even know if I'll watch the next one.    … Expand
  22. MetacriticOnur
    Jul 2, 2022
    8
    excellent
    [ ek-suh-luhnt ]

    adjective
    possessing outstanding quality or superior merit; remarkably good.
  23. manningn15
    Jul 2, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Stranger Things season 4 to me is the best season so far; I loved the much more mature and darker tone and the increased horror aspects. The writing was outstanding, loved the intense emotional weight. The performances were exceptional especially from Millie Bobby Brown, Sadie Sink, Jamie Campbell Bower, Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp, Joseph Quinn, Maya Hawke, Brett Gelman, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Priah Ferguson, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Eduardo Franco, Caleb McLaughlin, Tom Wlaschiha, and Mason Dye. The makeup was superb especially on Jamie Campbell Bower when scared as Henry and as Vecna. The visual effects were excellent. The action scenes were awesome especially Max's escape from Vecna's mindscape. The music and music selections are terrific. The episode runtimes did feel a bit lengthy and I felt killing Eddie was unnecessary. Overall this was a pretty perfect season and one of the best seasons of any show I've ever seen.… Expand
  24. stoneymahoney
    Jul 1, 2022
    5
    The show still suffers from many of the same problems that have been developing since Season 2. The cast has become even more bloated with many legacy characters becoming purposeless, existing out of pure habit like the writers just can't bear to throw anything away. The cinematography is still extremely basic and has all the narrative subtlety of a ten tonne weight, relying on theThe show still suffers from many of the same problems that have been developing since Season 2. The cast has become even more bloated with many legacy characters becoming purposeless, existing out of pure habit like the writers just can't bear to throw anything away. The cinematography is still extremely basic and has all the narrative subtlety of a ten tonne weight, relying on the enormous budget and computer graphics to make up for it's shortcomings in even the simplest fundamentals. The story itself has too many disparate threads and the runtime of each episode is approaching ridiculous at this point, often padded out quite obviously through characters making extremely questionable decisions.

    But the primary antagonist is a compelling villain, well presented and built around, grounding the series in a way that Season 3 lacked. If the show runners had been brave enough to strip out a third of the cast, cut the run time of each episode by 20-30mins and fire the idiot in charge of cinematography, this could have been an excellent return to form, expanding the world and lore in a logical way. Instead it's merely passable.    … Expand
  25. ElBilly
    Jul 1, 2022
    2
    Well, all good things come to an end. Sadly, it's Stranger Things turn. They went beyond season 3 with the "funny > drama" formula, and what we got is bloated mediocre season.

    They repeated over and over stuff like bullies, being saved from "certain death" situations with funny stuff, they totally ruined characters like Will and Lucas, they bloated the whole season with trite stuff.    Well, all good things come to an end. Sadly, it's Stranger Things turn. They went beyond season 3 with the "funny > drama" formula, and what we got is bloated mediocre season.

    They repeated over and over stuff like bullies, being saved from "certain death" situations with funny stuff, they totally ruined characters like Will and Lucas, they bloated the whole season with trite stuff.

    Comparing this season with the first two makes one see how badly it is, how it forcefully tries to add situations that seem taken from Marvel movies, which don't even go along with the series.    … Expand
  26. tlrelement
    Jun 29, 2022
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really wanted to love it. However this the most disappointing season by far. The sheer amount of plot holes, ass pulls and macguffins is overwhelming. It's clear they had no vision this far into the show and are earning that dollar. The acting is phoned in or somehow inexplicably actually got much worse as adults.The characters in the show don't even seem interested in what they're doing, but how could they?… Expand
  27. Lookingforheart
    Jun 26, 2022
    2
    This is disappointing. Algorithm-generated or not, this is the most derivative Stranger Things yet, I don't think there is a single original idea here. Not a one. In all seriousness, other creators, especially Katsuhiro Otomo, could probably sue for infringement and win if they were so inclined. I enjoyed the original season even though it gave very obvious nods to the past; I thoughtThis is disappointing. Algorithm-generated or not, this is the most derivative Stranger Things yet, I don't think there is a single original idea here. Not a one. In all seriousness, other creators, especially Katsuhiro Otomo, could probably sue for infringement and win if they were so inclined. I enjoyed the original season even though it gave very obvious nods to the past; I thought season two was a derivative mess with very little point to it, and I felt the writers redeemed themselves somewhat with the very fun season three. Season four is just uninspired, even based on its own merits. Really, the only thing that saves it are the performances, which are still quite good. Can't fault the cast for the writers' shortcomings. It is also visually very impressive, for whatever that is worth.

    If a viewer is younger, or has no idea who someone like Otomo is, or has never read 'Carrie', this might very well seem like the coolest series since sliced bread, but for those steeped in the pop culture of the number of decades, well, there is fan service, and then there is whatever this melange of 'borrowing' is supposed to be. The current dearth of genuine imagination or originality (enough with remakes and reimagining, already) is a sad, ongoing trend in modern entertainment, and Stranger Things season four is a great poster child for it.    … Expand
  28. kirkender
    Jun 12, 2022
    4
    A marginally better experience than season 3, but there is no real reason for this show to exist. Initially a fun nostalgic adventure, now each episode strains the definition of entertainment with the absolute minimum of character and story every 60-90 minute episode. The streaming TV bloat is very strong with this one. A bunch of scenes with no stakes for the first 95% of the episode andA marginally better experience than season 3, but there is no real reason for this show to exist. Initially a fun nostalgic adventure, now each episode strains the definition of entertainment with the absolute minimum of character and story every 60-90 minute episode. The streaming TV bloat is very strong with this one. A bunch of scenes with no stakes for the first 95% of the episode and ending on a cliffhanger is so played out and exhausting. The productions values are good, and the visual effects aren't terrible. Oh and it's not "strange," it's barely to the level of bad X-files episodes.… Expand
  29. Tesseract
    May 28, 2022
    10
    Still don’t understand why this awful site lets subhuman filth like OlivierPiel post stuff. Is this cretin from the 30s? “Useless generation”? When were you “born?THIS IS THE 80s. Good Lord.

    Anyway, much better than parts of 2 and 3, it’s finally headed into the direction at least some of us predicted and wanted after season 1. Much better than parts of 2 and 3, it’s finally headed into    Still don’t understand why this awful site lets subhuman filth like OlivierPiel post stuff. Is this cretin from the 30s? “Useless generation”? When were you “born?THIS IS THE 80s. Good Lord.

    Anyway, much better than parts of 2 and 3, it’s finally headed into the direction at least some of us predicted and wanted after season 1. Much better than parts of 2 and 3, it’s finally headed into the direction at least some of us predicted and wanted after season 1.    … Expand
  30. RazorNivek
    Jun 9, 2022
    10
    Stranger Things ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Most Discussed TV Season of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
69

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: Shirley Li
    Jun 13, 2022
    79
    Amid the show’s ballooning scale and scope, Stranger Things finds an unexpected anchor not in its ensemble of fan favorites but in its latest villain: a supernatural serial killer dubbed Vecna after—what else?—a Dungeons and Dragons character. Vecna resides in the Upside Down, but unlike previous visitors, he’s humanlike, with a voice, a face, and, most chilling of all, a worldview.
    Read full review
  2. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Jen Chaney
    Jun 2, 2022
    80
    The visual effects are more sophisticated and so is the filmmaking; the transitions between scenes, which track four different running story lines, are more elegant and make a sprawling season feel relatively cohesive. Does it feel bloated given those longer run-times? At times, yes. But by episode three, I was again invested in what’s happening in Hawkins (as well as some new locations), and less concerned about the amount of minutes that investment required.
    Read full review
  3. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Lorraine Ali
    May 31, 2022
    80
    There is plenty of fun to be had in “Stranger Things 4,” which both celebrates and parodies a decade that pushed conformity, conservatism and questionable style.
    Read full review
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