Stranger Things 4 is finally available to stream on Netflix, with each of the seven episodes clocking in at an epic 1 hour 20 minutes. However, there's more to come, as this makes up only Volume 1 of the fourth season of the hit sci-fi horror series. Nevertheless, is series 4 of Stranger Things the last season?
Stranger Things 4 is comprised of two volumes, with the first now available to watch. Part two will be available to stream on July 1, and will consist of only two episodes - "Chapter Eight: Papa" and "Chapter Nine: The Piggyback".
This might seem a little odd, though, especially considering that the first volume has seven episodes. But then it isn't unusual for a popular TV series to be split into two different parts, to create more anticipation for the finale.
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What is unusual is how it's split, although it's likely that both the final episodes combined will serve as an epic culmination to the show, because so far, Stranger Things 4 has been a lot more ambitious than previous seasons.
In total, Stranger Things 4 will have nine episodes. While it has more episodes than Stranger Things 3, it has far less than each of the first two seasons. With that said, the episodes in the fourth season are surprisingly a lot longer.
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And fans certainly aren't complaining, largely because the story in Stranger Things 4 is absolutely rivetting, while the production design and quality is second to none. In fact, the show looks better than a lot of big budget movies.
As per the Netflix website, here's the official synopsis for the fourth season of Stranger Things:
It's been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier.
In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.
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Stranger Things 4 is a lot more spread out geographically than all the previous seasons, and has a lot of moving parts. There are a number of different threads to follow as our heroes are here, there, and everywhere.
Jim Hopper is stuck in a Russian prison, Joyce Byers is en route to rescue him, Eleven has wound up back in the Hawkins lab, while Jonathan, Mike and Will make attempts to rescue her.
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Meanwhile, Steve, Nancy, Robin, Caleb, Dustin and Max investigate a series of supernatural murders in Hawkins, which ultimately leads them back into the terrifying world of the Upside Down.
These many threads explain why each episode is so long, but by the time you reach the explosive finale of the seventh episode, you'll agree that there is never a dull moment in Stranger Things 4.
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So, is series 4 of Stranger Things the last season? Sadly, it has been confirmed as the final season in the series, which will likely come as a blow to many fans. But with that said, it seems things are reaching a natural conclusion.
Not only that, but the Duffer brothers have given fans something truly epic as a parting gift, and deep down, it's more than likely that fans of the show don't want it to continue and like many others, became a shadow of its former self.
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The fourth and final season takes inspiration from iconic '80s movie franchises such as A Nightmare On Elm Street, with the main villain and his supernatural abilities not dissimilar to those of horror icon Freddy Krueger.
Even Robert Englund himself appears in the show in a small role. But will the children of Hawkins wind up as unlucky as the young residents of Elm Street? We'll just have to wait and see when the final two episodes stream on July 1.
Stranger Things 4 Volume 1 stars Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven/Jane Hopper), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), and Noah Schnapp (Will Byers).
Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 is currently streaming on Netflix
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