Stranger Things S4, Vol. 2
Stranger Things (S4, Vol. 2) is streaming on Netflix at time of writing.
This report card covers the final two episodes of Stranger Things S4, which were released as a separate “volume” from the season’s first five episodes.
MAJOR SPOILERS abound. You’ve been warned.
SCREENPLAY: A-
This season had a lot of long episodes. Most of that length felt unnecessary. We could have gotten to where we needed to go a lot more efficiently. I get the feeling that The Duffer Brothers had this epic finale in mind and felt they needed to justify it with lengthier episodes. They didn’t. The finale draws its emotional impact and power more from the events of prior seasons than anything that happens in this one. All of that being said, the lengthy run times in Volume Two (2:40 for the final episode itself!!!) totally work. It’s an epic battle fought on many fronts that rewards its long run time.
Stranger Things’ season finales are all pretty similar. The gang tries their best to destroy a supernatural creature, they fail, they fall into major peril, and then Eleven arrives to save the day. This finale accomplishes a rather impressive trick: despite having already seen this play out three times, it’s still gripping, intense, and a blast to watch. If the first episodes feel too spread out (Russia, California, Hawkins), here the expansive geographic scale boosts the final battle’s tension to spellbinding heights.
ACTING: B
Caleb McLaughlin and Sadie Sink are a class above. Every young actor’s ability to express intense emotion is tested during these two episodes. Each of them trips up at least once, except McLaughlin and Sink. Both utterly ace their tests. Finn Wolfhard doesn’t get a whole lot to do this season. It’s not perfect, but he steps up and genuinely expresses emotion here better than in anything I’ve ever seen him do.
The MVP continues to be Joe Keery. We should nickname him “The Elevator” because he lifts up everyone he’s next to. He’s been glued to Gaten Matarazzo and Maya Hawke for most of the last two seasons, but in the final half hour they go their own ways. Neither give us a poor performance by any means, but Matarazzo and Hawke both seem to lose a little shine. Conversely, Natalia Dyer delivers her best work in the series on her walk through the Upside Down woods with Keery.
CRAFT: B+
The editing is a strength in the first two episodes. It remains a strength in the final two, but for completely different reasons. As I’ve mentioned, the story lumbers slowly in the beginning of the season. The flashy editing injects some much needed energy into the show and keeps us from noticing how slowly it’s moving.
The finale doesn’t need any help keeping our attention. We bounce back and forth between Russia, a desolate Nevadan Surfer Boy Pizza joint, and Hawkins (both the upside down and the right side up versions). It could have been a disaster - a complete mess for us to keep track of. But we’re rarely confused. It flows so well that you barely notice how amazingly it’s all stitched together. There’s no flash or gimmicks. Just solid, invisible editing.
DEATHS (Elective Class): B+
We get two great deaths. First up is Jason Carver. We’re not only thrilled he’s dead (we would only say this about a made-up, pretend character!). His splitting in half above a hell filled fault line is spectacular. Papa’s death is also great. His final, selfless act is powerful to watch. Even more powerful is watching Eleven not give him the satisfaction of a sweet goodbye.
Eddie Munson’s death hurts us as much as it does him. I love this dude and his massive Robert Downey Jr. vibes. This death should have been great. He faces his fears. He sacrifices himself for the good of the group. He demands that Dustin watch over the Hellfire younglings. The only reason it doesn’t qualify as a great death is that there was so much going on that it was only after the show was over and I had a chance to breathe that I could figure out why he even had to make the sacrifice. Too much thinking. No bueno.
It’s often been pointed out that Stranger Things has a “killing characters” problem (The Ringer’s Claire McNear writes extremely thoughtfully on this idea here). The Duffers just can’t give it up. Max dies, then doesn’t … maybe? Veccna dies, then doesn’t … maybe? The ambiguity rips away too much of the emotional stakes.
FINAL COMMENTS:
Bigger isn’t always better, but it’s not always worse either. The first big episodes - worse. These final two big episodes - absolutely better. We’ve got one season left, and I hope The Duffers figure out how to use long episodes to their full advantage. It wasn’t the ten-ish hours of Season 4 that made the reunion at Hopper’s Cabin hit the heartstrings so sweetly. It was the first three seasons/five years of the show that did that.
I really needed that scene. The world feels overwhelming, icky, and gross for many of us right now. I’ve found myself leaning more into movies and shows that pop with joy. That scene made me so happy. I know Stranger Things isn’t ever going to allow Hopper and Nancy and Steve and Joyce and Mike and Murray and Max and Dustin and Lucas and Robin and Will and Eleven and everyone else to eat ice cream and snuggle golden retriever puppies for entire episodes. Nor do I want that. But I’m hoping they’re allowed more time in the next, final season to simply be happy.