Warning: Minor spoilers for Stranger Things season 4, volume 1!

The episode lengths for Stranger Things season 4 are outrageous, and the longest of them doesn't premiere until volume 2. After nearly three long years, including coronavirus pandemic-related delays, Netflix set a due date for the highly anticipated fourth season of the Duffer Brothers' beloved show. Rather than drop all episodes at once, a new plan emerged, with Netflix splitting the season into two volumes.

Instead of splitting Stranger Things season 4 into relatively equal halves, volume 1 consists of seven episodes while volume will hold the final two episodes, bringing the total to nine. To compare, seasons 1 and 3 had eight episodes, with season 2 at nine. Ahead of season 4, the longest Stranger Things episode to date was season 3's finale, "The Battle of Starcourt," coming in at 78 minutes. Before that, only two other episodes hit the hour mark or later. Stranger Things season 4 certainly changes that trend, considering every episode within the installment is beyond 60 minutes. The season 4 finale alone will clock in at around two and a half hours, bringing the season total to around 13 hours, and that's the one ridiculous aspect clouding the latest installment.

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Stranger Things season 4's episode lengths are just too long. Stranger Things EP Matthew Thunell explained the need for longer episodes, revealing that the cast size has necessitated the super-sized chapters. However, the lengths tend to convolute the plot by packing too much into one chapter. It's great that the show has received so much new content while giving intriguing characters like Max Mayfield, Robin Buckley, and newcomer Eddie Munson their due alongside the original cast, but it's more difficult for casual viewers to binge-watch. Rather than the traditional bite-sized chapters under an hour, subscribers must sit down for several mini-movies or risk falling behind those capable of rushing through the episodes. While the Stranger Things season 4 episode runtimes are the one major criticism, that's not to say content or storylines should have been cut. Instead, Netflix should have elected for a different release model.

How Netflix Could Have Fixed Stranger Things 4's Episode Runtimes

Steve, Dustin, Max, Robin, Nancy and Lucas explore old house in Stranger Things Season 4

One option for Stranger Things season 4 would have been to fully embrace the two-volume release, but with more episodes. By electing to spread across 12 episodes, the season could have had 11 one-hour episodes and a super-sized season 4 finale. This could have still allowed for six episodes in each volume, ending the first half around Joyce and Murray's Russian crash-landing, the revelation of the Creel house, and the introduction of "The Nina Project."

Another option would have been to extend the episode lengths but only use the content presented through episode 7, which already acts as a season finale before spilling the rest of the story into season 5. However, the issues with these options likely stem from Netflix's unwillingness to grant Stranger Things more than nine episodes. This could be due to budgetary concerns since each season 4 episode was granted $30 million each. More episodes means more budgetary needs, especially with the size of the Stranger Things season 4's cast, ultimately explaining Netflix's support for longer runtimes.

Granted, Netflix also bypassed a better release method with Stranger Things season 4 that would have had a chance to dominate the summer. Rather than split into two volumes with a five-week gap in between, requiring binge-watching considered overwhelming by many, the streamer could have elected a weekly episodic schedule, which has been working well for rivals like Disney+, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and Hulu. Considering the focus has quickly switched to Stranger Things season 4, volume 2, and its July 1st release, an episodic release may have slowed down and extended the conversations with the thrilling content spanning over two months. Instead, viewers are preparing for the season's end shortly after volume 1 debuted. Even with only two episodes left, viewers will need to set aside nearly four hours to watch how Stranger Things season 4 concludes come July.

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