The Empty Stakes of Stranger Things 4

Plenty of excitement was found in the conclusion to season 4 of the hit Netflix series released this weekend, but nothing felt truly changed

It’s quite impressive how Stranger Things has mastered the art of being compulsively watchable. With most other shows, a 150-minute season finale could easily fall into the trap of being an overstuffed jumble of ideas that becomes a slog for over half the runtime. However, much like the sugary assembly line of the MCU, the regular dose of action and comedy allows the audience to be entertained by nearly every situation that this likable batch of leads is placed into. That praise doesn’t seem to be giving the show the credit it deserves, as the directing, writing, and acting frequently transcends this bar to provide a giddily energetic experience. When the Duffer brothers (as well as their team of talented directors like Shawn Levy and writers including Paul Dichter) commit to properly setting up the dominoes to earn their significant moments, they tumble down effectively with powerful moments such as Max’s escape from Vecna or Eddie shredding “Master of Puppets” on an electric guitar in the Upside Down. When done right, the best execution of Stranger Things can prove why it’s unlike anything else on television.

These high points featured throughout this season are often directly followed by its worst tendencies, which prevent it from rising to the top ranks of TV greatness. The series never fails to function as popcorn pleasure, but the efforts to transcend those ambitions is undercut by the constant cowardice to establish any consequences. At the end of every finale, something explodes and C-list characters are killed off so that social media can sob over them after seeing them do something sweet. The ultimate closure also needs to be neat, sanitized for a general audience that boxes them in from an outcome that can be truly revolutionary. This formula worked in the first two seasons, where the scale was more personal and there was a new villain. When the story doesn’t build upon itself after each installment, the significance of the thrills withers, encapsulated in the minor ramifications of season 4’s extravagant results. As the aspirations of the writers increase, their refusal to up the ante is more noticeable and frustrating.

Volume 2 exemplified how safe the Duffers had become when pleasing their audience. The explosive, extra long finale promised multiple major casualties and absolute carnage, yet remained committed to protect the dynamics of the main cast while also wanting the villains to appear as dangerous threats. Steve dying would’ve been a devastating loss, the fan-favorite whose demise had been speculated upon by fans and even Netflix themselves. With the sudden reintroduction of a romance with Nancy, the numerous sequences where he was forced into being a babysitter, and the debut of Eddie as a replacement mentor figure for Dustin, all the signs pointed to a finish for his character that would boldly subvert previous expectations. Likewise, the death of Max would be a crushing loss that could have completed her arc about guilt and regret, while crafting new tension by making the audience realize no one is safe. Instead, the Duffers were scared away and chose to kill off…Eddie.

Huh?

This only adds to the predictable trope of the charming new addition being violently killed for maximum emotional damage (Bob in season 2, Alexei in season 3) that’s consistently met with diminishing returns. But unlike those two, who fulfilled a mostly minor role without much particular importance, Eddie was a metal lovin’, Dungeons and Dragons playin’ slice of fun that was bolstered by a charismatic performance from Joseph Quinn. The main issue is that we simply didn’t know long enough to have a key impact on the group, signified by the nonexistent reaction to the loss from anyone besides Dustin. His death scene and the mourning from his uncle both resonated, though the deaths of Steve, Max, or any other significant player would be all the more painful. Adding insult to injury, the bloated cast already has too many members that have stuck around with nothing to do, in particular Joyce, Murray, Robin, and Erica (don’t kill Erica, please) that would’ve ignited twice as many tears. Eddie had more of a future than any of the above members, and his death merely shows that they’re scared of change.

A move such as this led to a rushed and fairly unsatisfying conclusion, which yet again capped off a season with a tidy little bow. In order to deliver a happy ending, nothing of significant consequence could happen and the actual endgame is pushed into the distant future for reunions and hugs. Suddenly, days after fighting for the world’s fate, everyone is smiling and flirting with their love interests instead of dealing with the gravity of their battle that this could’ve led to, making the audience feel like we keep moving in circles. Instead of an Empire Strikes Back stinger with serious stakes, it’s hard to take the weight of these situations seriously when the level of brutality and danger never actually progresses. This makes me even more concerned for the future, when I know the next episodes won’t actually have anything majorly harmful happen to our core group. A dispensable side character will be introduced, a classic ‘80s pop ballad will play, there will be many scenes of Eleven throwing Vecna around while screaming, and everyone will walk into the sunset at the end. As Stranger Things wants to give off the impression that the world is getting worse, it’s hard to believe that when the stakes are so empty, practically nonexistent.

Whoops, I’ve descended into complaining again. Look, I enjoyed this season’s revival of the horror and mystery that hearkened back to the glory days of season 1. The chemistry between the excellent cast assembled makes every scene interesting, and the costly production seamlessly creates standout sequences in many different episodes. Still, I’d be lying if I said volume 2 wasn’t a disappointment, mostly for reaffirming everything Stranger Things was currently missing. A sense of impending danger, actual chances that could be taken at any moment. For about 30 minutes in the finale, Steve, Robin, and Nancy were all being choked by vines while we cut between many other groups. By the time they were finally freed, I had become numb to that sense of danger for how ridiculously drawn out that “tension” was. It was that precise minute I realized they wouldn’t have the spirit to kill off Steve, and when I realized my desperation for risk-taking had led me to feel disappointment that Steve didn’t die. Shame on you, Stranger Things, for ever leading me to a point where I wished that Steve Harrington would die. Maybe that mental manipulation deserves its own sick, twisted praise.

Thanks for reading this analysis, and if you want more like it, subscribe to and share Almost A Critic for more content! My full review of Stranger Things 4 (Volume 1) can be found here, my ranking of all 4 seasons can be found here, and a ranking of all of the main characters will arrive tomorrow!