Stranger Things S4 Volume 2 Review: Sets Things Up Perfectly for the Next Season!

It’s the Season finale we were all waiting for. Volume 2 of Stranger Things kicked off a couple of weeks ago, and honestly, I’m failing to understand why they didn’t give us the entire Season at once. Seriously Netflix, what was the point of making us wait for only two albeit long episodes? (Both were over two hours, I believe.) The way they try to milk this show for all it’s worth is worrying sometimes. Especially since it’s soo unnecessary.

Related: Netflix’s Stranger Things S4 Volume 1 Review
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Volume 2 picks up with Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyle trying to find and rescue El. Meanwhile, back at Hawkins, the gang gathers weapons and prepares to go to war to save their town. The pacing in the first episode could’ve been better as there were moments where it dragged. As you can probably tell, I think Volume 1 was better than Volume 2, and I don’t understand why they didn’t release the whole thing at once.

Season 4 seemed to be inspired by Wes Craven films with a Goosebumps/E.T crossover. Stranger Things makes me think of Friday Night video rentals, summers roaming the mall, pizza parties and babysitting. Aka, the pillars of 80s teenage socialisation. (No! I was not alive in the 1980s, but I’ve watched enough 80s teen movies and read enough of the Babysitter’s Club and Sweet Valley High to get the jist of American teens at the time.) As I mentioned in Volume 1, this Season is a lot scarier than any that came before, and I’m not so sure it’s appropriate for kids under thirteen.

As always, the cast never fails to strengthen our emotional investment into the characters. Sadie Sink’s acting has been incredible this whole Season, and this continues into Volume 2. Finally, what’s been bubbling under the surface with Will is addressed. He has finally accepted that Mike will never love him the way he wants, and it leads him to working out his resentment and animosity towards El.

I’m guessing next season he actually works up the courage to tell his friend’s he’s gay. The death of a certain character while expected, was no less well executed. The kids of Stranger Things are a family, and it just shows how far they’re willing to go in the name of loyalty and friendship. These D&D kids are definitely about that life.

Winona Ryder and David Harbour’s chemistry is electric, and I fully enjoy their scenes together. Their characters mirror those of Nancy and Steve, in my opinion. After a while, the jocks really become unnecessary to the plotline. I almost forgot they were a part of the story until Jason shows back up.

As we know, there will be some sort of time skip next Season. With the actors aging and the time in between seasons, its the only way continuity can work. I’m not exactly sure how this time skip will factor in, given how things ended this Season, but I’m definitely excited to see how they wrap up this unique story.

‘Stranger Things S4 Volume 2’ Rating – 4/5

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