After a near three years of production and preparation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the much-anticipated sci-fi drama series “Stranger Things” made its return to Netflix for its fourth season May 27.

Airing in 2016, the show focuses on a group of kids in the 1980s who come face to face with supernatural complexities, among them a girl with transcendent abilities. The kids are perplexed when after one of them vanishes without a trace. From there,  we gradually see the plot develop and the story escalate as new characters, antagonists, and story lines are introduced in each season.

Season four of Stranger Things, however, delivered an intensity like never before. From the supernatural-esque gore to the ebb and flow of character relationships, this season proved itself to be worth the (long) wait. 

There are aspects to this season which I adored but also thought could’ve been executed better. In my opinion, the Russia plotline was an absolute drag. Eventually, I found myself skipping those scenes because they seemed to serve no substantial detail to the overall plot. While Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour) are lovely characters, they didn’t manage to keep me at the edge of my seat like they have in previous seasons. 

While the cast is composed of extraordinarily talented individuals, a few took the cake for a groundbreaking performance this season. As a result of her step-brother’s gruesome demise in the previous season, the emphasis on Max (Sadie Sink) calls for immense emotional labor, and Sink delivered more, if not just that. At 20, the actress has proven the potential her career holds in the future.

Another character who made the season was newcomer Eddie (Joseph Quinn). With this Hawkins High senior and leader of the Hellfire Club, what you see isn’t exactly what you get. As the season’s plot unfolds, we soon learn that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Eddie. For having a brief and subtle career so far, Quinn has proven himself worthy of more in this role. His character alone has drawn in a multitude of new fans to the series and sparked several viral trends on apps such as Tik Tok. 

As always, it wouldn’t be a “Stranger Things” season without an iconic eighties’ playlist, especially a plot-defining track. This season’s go-to track was none other than Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” 

No one can deny Stranger Things’ cultural impact on the world when thanks to its use of Bush’s hit, she has now made over $2 million in streaming royalties along with taking the spot for number one song around the world (for several weeks) for the first time since its initial release. 

All in all, the fourth season of Stranger Things easily trumps some previous seasons in terms of engagement. I really enjoyed reacquainting myself with the plot and the characters after an unprompted three-year hiatus, and I’m looking forward to the fifth and final season.

“Stranger Things” Season 4 is now available on Netflix.