'Stranger Things 4' is 'biggest season yet.' Here's why
The countdown for Stranger Things 4 has begun! The much-awaited Netflix series will return after a three-year hiatus this week. And, judging by the glimpse of Volume 1's first episode that was shared recently, the fourth season is expected to be deadly! It will also be the meatiest season so far. We dissect the reasons behind the upcoming season's extra-long runtime.
The creators aka the Duffer Brothers weren't joking when they said season four is "the biggest season yet." In the third season, episodes were generally one-hour-long with the longest episode being 77-minute-long. However, in season four, the seventh episode has a runtime of 98 minutes, the eighth episode is 85-minute-long, and the last (ninth) episode is spread over around two and a half hours!
Matt and Ross Duffer had decided on eight episodes for season four, just like the first and third seasons. But "partway through outlining, we realized we needed another episode," Matt told Netflix. Thus, Stranger Things 4 was extended so the characters and their relationships could have their moments. The Duffer Brothers rightfully noted that the upcoming season has "almost two seasons' worth of material."
As the makers needed an extra episode to tell the story which could not fit into eight episodes, they went with it without worrying about the duration. "This is our Game of Thrones season because we have so many different locations," the brothers added. "The fact that we are as spread out as we are this year defines the season more than anything."
Stranger Things has seen immense growth, both in terms of its audience and execution, since it debuted on July 15, 2016. Seasons two and three continued to raise the bar, and now, after three years, fans will finally get to follow the aftermath of the season three finale. The long run-time also makes us wonder what the Upside Down has to unleash this time.
Season three was released in July 2019 and ended with the epic battle at Starcourt Mall. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) lost her powers and Jim Hopper (David Harbour) was presumed to be dead. The fourth season will take us to 1979 to explore the backstories of Eleven and Hopper. Stranger Things 4 Volume 1 premieres on Friday and Volume 2 on July 1.
mentally I'm already in the Upside Down. season 4 vol. 1 drops Friday. pic.twitter.com/SZaOociGbv
— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) May 23, 2022
