Stranger Things season 4

"I suppose all evil must have a home." - Victor Creel

release year: 2022
genre: TV drama/sci-fi (9 episodes)
viewing setting: home streaming 1/2-4/23

synopsis: More trouble is brewing, thanks to the things that lurk in the Upside Down.

impressions: I feel sorry for the residents of Hawkins, Indiana. No matter what weird creatures they kill, no matter what mysteries they solve...the alternate dimension is still going to menace them. This time, the plot thickens, as a new and intelligent adversary appears and starts murdering people. There are parallel plots involving those who moved away, and those who are involved in a trip to Russia. There's also a subplot about bullying, which fortunately was resolved to my satisfaction (hint: there's really only one way to make a bully stop.) The three-year break after the last season means that most characters got taller and look older. Overall, this continues to be a very entertaining combination of drama, horror, and 1980s nostalgia. I'm a bit sad that there will only be one more season (and that I'll have to wait to watch it, as of the time of watching this season.)

acting: As always, I won't re-hash the returning actors. The notable new ones include Joseph Quinn as a willful outcast who is targeted for the murders he didn't commit, Eduardo Franco as a stoner kid, and Jamie Bower as a mysterious patient from the Hawkins facility's past. Robert Englund also has a small but significant guest role.

final word: Quirky, nostalgic, and fun.

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