Stranger Things season 4 volume 1 was an absolute thrill to watch. Well, it was a slow burn that absolutely paid off in the end, despite the very long episodes. I went back to watch that ending multiple times and had to pinch myself because it’s not even the end of the season.
In a twist fans did not see coming, Stranger Things season 4 was split into two parts with seven episodes that were released first, and the final two that are premiering on Netflix on July 1. I know fans such as myself are anxiously awaiting to see how this chapter closes out, especially after that wild cliffhanger.
Normally, we can just skip to the next episode, but given the structure of this season, in particular, that is not the case. Instead, we have to wait to learn what the cliffhanger will reveal about the Upside Down, Vecna and the history of Hawkins which are so shockingly intertwined. It’s such a treat to be able to anticipate two more episodes, even if we have to wait a month for them.
If you’re asking me, I don’t mind this episode split because it gives us something to look forward to that isn’t two years away, but rather just a month away. We waited entirely too long for Stranger Things Season 4, so I’m glad the creators decided to follow this release schedule to make the excitement last just a little bit longer.
Stranger Things season 4
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, series creator Shawn Levy shared that the decision to split up the season wasn’t exactly just for storytelling purposes.
“We didn’t think nine episodes were going to be ready in time, and we have made the world wait long enough,” Levy said. “We always knew that if we could deliver the first seven, it’s such a satisfying breaking point and pay-off moment, that it’ll keep people fed for enough weeks so we can finish up volume two.”
Even though the intention to split wasn’t always a part of the plan, I’d say it worked out gloriously. Fans didn’t have to wait even longer, and we got just enough to keep us happy until the final two episodes of the season come out.
“Every streamer is playing around with different models. We’ve seen full-season, binge-worthy streaming, aka Stranger Things 1, 2 and 3. We’ve seen Disney+ and Hulu try a weekly model, which didn’t feel quite right for this. So, we’re happy that we were able to give our audience a huge meal of story. But it also gives us time to stick the landing by finishing the last two episodes really strongly and, as you’ve already now seen, this season relies on next-level visual effects and world-building, and as you can imagine, volume 2 is very ambitious in its storytelling, and we need a little more time to finish strong,” shared Levy.
Recently, we learned that the season 4 finale would have a runtime of over two hours, which honestly, made me very nervous. There were definitely parts of volume 1 that could have been taken out and reduced to get to the point quicker, so I’m hoping that the finale lives up to all the hype we’ve been given.
According to Levy, fans have nothing to worry about as volume 2 is about to blow our minds away.
“I’ll just tell you that we are hard at work on volume 2,” Levy said. “There’s so much being written as far as the runtimes of these episodes, and the hefty runtime of Episode 9, in particular. Having seen both those finale episodes, they are as emotional as they are cinematic. Holy s***, they are definitely a treat for the eyes, but they punch you right in the heart. So, that’s what I’ll say about that.
Punch us right in the heart, huh? I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Please, no character deaths, please.
While we will know how Season 4 concludes in just about a month, Levy promises that he and the Duffer brothers are all about sticking the landing for Season 5, the show’s final season.
“Season 5, I’ll just say this, we talk a lot — the Duffers and I — about sticking the landing. We tried to stick the landing with the final five minutes of every episode, and we definitely tried to stick the landing with the end of every season. So, ending next season is all about finishing strong. We have phenomenal ideas for Season 5, and we don’t want to stick around past the point where we see our path with clarity and confidence,” said Levy. “So, Season 5 will no doubt be epic. It will be bittersweet for us to shoot and very bittersweet for audiences to watch. But hopefully, it’s also deeply satisfying because as we all know, as fans of many other shows, there’s few feelings as crummy as an unsatisfying ending — and there’s no chance in hell that we are going to give our passionate, loyal fans anything less than a deeply satisfying close in the final chapter.”
Hey Benioff and Weiss, you guys reading this? Just asking for a few million friends.
Check out Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 on July 1st—and until then, enjoy the trailer below to get yourselves hyped for what comes next!
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