Plot and Structure
The fourth season of Stranger Things expands the story across multiple timelines and locations, including Hawkins, Indiana, and the Russian prison camp where Jim Hopper is held. The season introduces Vecna as the primary antagonist, a being with psychic powers who kills victims by exploiting their trauma. The narrative is divided into volumes, with Volume 1 released in May 2022 and Volume 2 in July 2022. The season consists of nine episodes, with the longest episode exceeding three hours. The plot connects the origins of Vecna to the experiments at Hawkins Lab and the Upside Down, revealing new lore about the Mind Flayer and the gate system. Read the Forbes review of Volume 1 for a detailed breakdown of the new story arcs.
The season introduces new characters such as Max Mayfield, Eddie Munson, and Vecna, while continuing the arcs of Mike Wheeler, Eleven, and the rest of the Party. The storyline explores the psychological effects of trauma through Max's storyline, which becomes central to the final confrontation. The showrunners, the Duffer Brothers, confirmed that the season was designed to be the longest in the series, with each volume functioning as a near-standalone miniseries. The production was split between Atlanta, Georgia, and soundstages in California, with filming wrapping in 2021. The season's runtime totals over 13 hours across all nine episodes, making it the most extensive season to date.
Critical Reception and Ratings
Stranger Things 4 received widespread critical acclaim, earning a 90% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes for Volume 1 and a 94% audience score. Volume 2 holds a 90% critics score on the same platform. The season was praised for its expanded scope, horror elements, and character development. On IMDb, the season holds a rating of 8.7 based on over 300,000 user votes, placing it among the highest-rated seasons of the series. The show's viewership surged, with Netflix reporting that Stranger Things 4 became the most-watched English-language series on the platform at the time of its release. Check the Rotten Tomatoes page for Stranger Things 4 for the latest critic and audience scores.
The season earned multiple award nominations, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and a win for Outstanding Main Title Design. Millie Bobby Brown and the ensemble cast received individual nominations for their performances. The show's marketing campaign, which included interactive websites and ARG-style promotions, set new benchmarks for streaming series engagement. Netflix's internal data showed that the season was viewed by millions of households within the first 28 days of release, reinforcing its position as a flagship title for the platform. The season also generated significant social media activity, with related hashtags trending globally during each volume's premiere week.
Production and Behind the Scenes
The Duffer Brothers served as showrunners and executive producers, with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen also producing. The season was filmed using a combination of practical effects and CGI, with the Upside Down sequences requiring extensive post-production work. The soundtrack, composed by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, continued the synth-heavy style that defined the series. The production budget for the season was reported to be the largest for any Netflix series at the time, reflecting the scale of the new sets and effects.