It’s time to go back to Hawkins, Indiana, the freakiest town in America, and reconnect with all our pals — as well as the Stranger Things characters who’re having their own freaky times out West and in Russia. With the first volume of season four episodes now on Netflix, let’s talk spoilers!
Obviously, if you haven’t watched episodes one through seven, tread carefully. Gizmodo will have one of our “things we liked/didn’t like” review coming next week; think of this post as the place to come as soon as you finish watching and have things you need to discuss with the rest of the class.
Seriously!
We are talking spoilers here!
Turn back before it’s too late!
OK, let’s break it down. Here are just a few discussion points to get you going. Did you think the different threads of the story (Hawkins; California/road trip/the NINA project lab; Alaska/Russia) were equally satisfying, or were you wishing Joyce, Murray, and Hopper had a few less peanut butter-related tangents gumming up the works? What did you think of Eleven’s arc, a rather harrowing journey that stretched from being bullied in the present day by a high school Mean Girl, to re-living her experiences being bullied in the past by the cruelest kid in the lab? Did you figure out Vecna’s true identity before that last-second reveal that came with the cliffhanger? What did you think of the new characters (Argyle, Eddie, Yuri, and Dmitri, the terrifying jocks of Hawkins High), and what did you make of the strange pathways your old favourites took this season (poor Max, seriously)? Did you like the longer episodes or did you think the season was too damn long? What were your favourite homages (Victor Creel’s Hannibal Lecter prison situation was excellent, and so was Susie’s very Ally-Sheedy-in-The-Breakfast-Club sister)? Are Steve and Nancy going to get back together or what? And what was on that poster Will was keeping secret?
Also: Have you been able to get “Running Up That Hill” out of your head since you stopped watching? The answer to that last one is no. We all know that. But let’s dive full-on spoiler time into the rest!
Want more Gizmodo news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.