Stranger things finally returned to Netflix this May, after a long period of COVID precautions and delays. The season sparked a variety of discussions regarding new and returning characters and their subsequent fate. The popularity of the show has led to widespread debates and even crashed the Netflix site at one point. 

Firstly, it’s important to understand the previous seasons and their impact. Stranger things first became widely known for its unique premise and rejection of typical television norms. Intense storytelling and detailed world-building are important not just in gaining an audience, but in maintaining a storyline long enough to keep that attention for future seasons. Stranger Things has done a great job at continuing its plot without unnecessary additions, characters, and plot holes. 

Knowing this context in what made the show popular, season four follows a similar storyline filled with worldbuilding that allows for character development and meaningful thematic guidelines that evolve to create a central message to the story. With a new main antagonist (Vecna), the characters of the show go through multiple character arcs. New locations of conflict in both Russia and the American continent can create some confusion, especially considering the length of the episodes and the more elaborate nature of the new season in comparison to the older episodes. However, the show does manage to capture the horrors of facing the dark realities of the Stranger Things world as young children. 

In terms of acting, the cast is pretty consistent in their portrayal of their characters and their interests, personality, and attitude towards their trials and tribulations. One of the defining factors of Stranger Things is the accurate casting of children in their appropriate roles, as opposed to many modern young adult movies. The casting provided a more realistic depiction of the storyline, which despite the fantastical nature of the shoe itself, adds an element of groundedness. 

Another point of interest is the sheer magnitude of the production of the show. Stranger Things has had a massive budget of over 30 million dollars per episode, an amount fit for a small film. With such a large amount of room for cinematography, it is naturally expected that the filming of the season follows the previous season in terms of quality. The special effects are extremely important in a show as focused on fantasy and science fiction as Stranger Things has been.

Ultimately, the newest season follows many of the norms that Stranger Things is known for while continuing to increase the level of elaboration and dark themes present in it.