The review embargo for Stranger Things season 4: Volume 1 lifted few hours ago. The volume 1 of Stranger Things 4 releases on May 27, 2022, consisting of 7 episodes, while the final two episodes were set to release on July 1, 2022. This season of Stranger Things is also reportedly twice as bigger than season 3 with huge runtime of episodes. Episode 7 of Volume 1, clocks around 98 minutes, giving a feature length Stranger Things movie experience to the viewers. The shortest episode this season is around 62 minutes, while barring the finale all other 5 episodes have a runtime of around 70 minutes. You can read more about the Stranger Things 4 runtime and episode count in our previous article.
What Critics are Saying about Stranger Things 4 Vol. 1?
The reviews so far for Stranger Things 4 Vol.1 were positive-to-mixed. The show currently holds a 89% Fresh score based on 18 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Many critics agree that this season is bigger and longer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. The main criticisms of the season seems to be California storyline with Eleven and the Byers family, and Hopper’s storyline in Russia, which most reviewers are stating it feels like an entirely different show. The forced comedy and excessive runtime were some of the shortcomings pointed out by other critics who watched Volume 1. The cast, particularly Sadie Sink received praise for her performance and the new antagonist, Vecna, which resembles Freddy Kreuger from Nightmare On Elm Street in appearance is considered to be terrifying than all the previous monsters of the show. Most critics were positive on the show’s elevation of horror and scares this season.
Below we rounded up some of the reviews for Stranger Things 4: Vol. 1 available online.
“Fresh locales, appealing new characters, and a rewarding expansion of the mythology give the new season of Stranger Things a jolt of joyful energy, just when the series needed it most.”
– Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly – B+
“Season 4 feels like it’s been designed to produce good data rather than quality entertainment.”
– Ben Travers, IndieWire – C-
“The Duffer Brothers’ own superpower is reveling in ’80s horror nostalgia. And the duo is on top of their game here.”
– Saloni Gajjar, AV Club – B+
“If you liked Stranger Things before, you’ll like it again this time around. Formulaic TV works when the formula is this good.”
– Amanda Whiting, Independent – 4/5
“Stranger Things Season 4 Part 1 is the show at its most ambitious in every way, and that ambition works far more than it doesn’t.”
– Alex Stedman, IGN Movies – 8/10
“The biggest, scariest, most ambitious Stranger Things season yet. It’s also the least charming, least funny and least inventive season yet.”
– Dan Fienberg, Hollywood Reporter
“Even with every episode having a run time of over an hour, the episodes feel packed, but it is more or less the same thing over and over again.”
– Petrana Radulovic, Polygon
“It’s fair to say there are entire storylines this season I don’t care about at all. But it’s also fair to say that, even if bloated, there are still a lot of things about “Stranger Things” I like.”
– Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
“Unless you’re for some reason dying for a reinvention of the wheel, you’re gonna love this. It’s suspenseful, exciting, funny and scary as hell.”
– Charlie Manson, TV Line
“Whenever “Stranger Things” does go back to Hawkins and what it does best… it’s easier to forgive some detours.”
– Caroline Framke, Variety
On the whole, it seems like Stranger Things 4 Vol.1 would satisfy the fans who were waiting for the return of the series since a long time.
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