The first reactions to the Stranger Things season 4 premiere have arrived. The retro sci-fi fantasy series, which is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s, began airing on Netflix in 2016 and quickly became one of the streaming platform's flagship programs. The series made stars of its young cast, including Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, and Sadie Sink, but it also features performances by veteran actors including Matthew Modine, Winona Ryder, Sean Astin, and David Harbour.
Although season 4 was delayed considerably by the pandemic following season 3's release in 2019, it is finally coming to screens in two parts starting later this month. Stranger Things season 4 Part 1 is releasing on Netflix on May 27, 2022, followed just a month and a half later by Part 2 on July 1, 2022. This season will be adding new cast members Joseph Quinn (as Hellfire Club leader Eddie Munson), Eduardo Franco (as pizza delivery driver Argyle), and Jamie Campbell Bower (as mental hospital orderly) Peter Ballard, as well as bumping up Brett Gelman, who has played Hopper's conspiracy theorist buddy Murray Bauman starting in Stranger Things season 2, to series regular.
Today, members of the press who had the opportunity to view the premiere of Stranger Things season 4 were allowed to release their first spoiler-free reactions. They report that the episode is an hour and 15 minutes long and more character-focused, setting the stage for what's to come this season. However, it is far from boring, and the cast, both new and returning, is being universally celebrated for their pitch-perfect performances. The press is also celebrating the show's turn to a darker, more mature, and scare-heavy vibe for the season. Check out selected early reactions below:
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Historically, the critical reception to Stranger Things has been cooling throughout the years, with each season receiving a slightly lower Rotten Tomatoes score than the last, though they have still managed to remain consistently Certified Fresh. While the darker, more mature tone of this season doesn't seem like it will work for every single viewer, the proportion of critics who are responding to it spells out very good things. It's possible that Stranger Things season 4 could be the highest-rated season yet, both among critics and fans.
The embargo for further reflections on Stranger Things season 4 will continue until Monday, May 23 at 12:01AM PT, four days before the Netflix premiere. That week, fans will be able to get even more insight into what they can expect from the series and its new tone. However, from what is being seen so far, this season appears to be at the very least a return to form, if not perhaps the best season yet.
Source: Various (see above)