Stranger Things Season 4 Review Roundup: What Did the Critics Think?

Kofi Outlaw

05/23/2022 01:27 pm EDT

Stranger Things Season 4 Reviews are rolling in today, and we have the round-up of what critics are saying, below! At the time of writing this, Stranger Things Season 4 is "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of over 90% after more than twenty reviews submitted. The general consensus is that Stranger Things Season 4 brings us back into the magic mix of mystery, horror, and genre mythology of geeky pulpy goodness – but it does take some time to re-acclimate to the appeal of Hawkins and its young defenders of the realm against the dreaded Upside Down.

Still, as this is just Stranger Things Season 4 vol. 1, the reviews do seem to indicate that there will be plenty of good stuff set up for the final episodes to come with vol. 2 later this summer.

Overcomes The Growing Pains

In ComicBook.com's official review, critic Patrick Cavanaugh admits that while Stranger Things 4 has some "growing pains" to overcome, it does so well:

Suffers from some growing pains early on, but once the series finds its grooves, it takes it horrors to new levels and deepens the complex history of Hawkins.

Bigger Is Better

EW feels that the expansion on the series mythos, characters, and locations serves Stranger Things well in Season 4:

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.

More of What You Like

TV Line says that Stranger Things 4 delivers everything fans have been waiting for:

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.

Trust The Formula

The Independent UK says to trust in the formula:

If you liked Stranger Things before, you'll like it again this time around. Formulaic TV works when the formula is this good.

Summer TV Blockbuster

Slashfilm makes it simple, calling Stranger Things 4: "A summer blockbuster in TV form." We'll take it!

Biggest, But Not Better

THR admits that the scale of Stranger Things 4 is certainly bigger, but that it ironically is the least charming season yet, as well:

The biggest, scariest, most ambitious Stranger Things season yet. It's also the least charming, least funny and least inventive season yet...

Hometown Advantage

Variety says that when Stranger Things 4 finally has its stories converge back in Hawkins, it really hits its stride:

Whenever "Stranger Things" does go back to Hawkins and what it does best... it's easier to forgive some detours.

Horror Throwback Greatness

AV Club says that Stranger Things 4 is a wonderful homage to '80s horror flicks:

The Duffer Brothers' own superpower is reveling in '80s horror nostalgia. And the duo is on top of their game here.