When the history of Gen Z television is written (and what a fascinating work that will be…) the opening chapter must surely be dedicated to Stranger Things. The Duffer Brothers’ nostalgia-inflected sci-fi smash began in 2016 with a cast of unknown children, who, as the years have gone by, have grown up and into superstars. And as the show’s audience has matured, so too has its tone. Now, returning for the final instalment of its fourth season (or “chapter” as they insist on calling them) Stranger Things is a fusion of supernatural thriller and serial killer horror, but still the same youthful romp it’s been since day one.
Chapter Four has so far, in the seven episodes released in May, been a big return to form for Stranger Things, after a saggy third season and a lengthy hiatus. That’s despite its characters, the core gang, being scattered across the globe. As things pick up here in the last two episodes, Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and the Byers brothers (Noah Schnapp and Charlie Heaton) are in California, while Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Murray (Brett Gelman) are in Siberia, searching for Hopper (David Harbour). “Guess you got my message,” says Hopper, when they finally reunite. “Oh, no, I’ve just always wanted to visit the Soviet Union,” deadpans Joyce, their chemistry fizzing off the screen.
