Kind of saw the ending happening - was the only real way to take the game to Vecna.

Really enjoyed the four eps, but with such a huge cast a lot of the screentime gets lost.

Spoiler warning for episodes 1-4 - don't read on if you haven't seen all four episodes!

Really strong start to the season, though I didn't doubt it for a second as it hasn't yet disappointed me. Episode 4 is a masterpiece, the tension just kept building and building, and that fight scene between the soldiers and the Demogorgons was superb - the direction and camerawork really stood out to me. Obviously, that cliffhanger was epic, Will having powers is a really exciting direction to take this in, and the many hints they're dropping about Will and Mike becoming a thing better not be leading to disappointment. Huge props to Noah Schnapp because the contrast he displayed in that final episode alone was phenomenal. Also really love his blossoming friendship with Robin!

My only real qualm with season 4 was how separated the cast felt - Hopper and Joyce entirely separate for the season, Will/Mike/Jonathan didn't really add much to the plot, and Eleven was on her own for a significant part of the season too - but it hasn't felt that way so far, I've loved all of the main characters being a part of the same mission even if they naturally have to be split up. I think everyone's had at least one moment to shine so far too, the only main character who feels a little background so far is Lucas and I expect he's got some good stuff to come when Max surely wakes up from her coma.

Speaking of Max, I really loved her comeback moment and the subsequent flashbacks! Definitely one of the most exciting narrative threads thus far. I really like Holly so far too, and Karen protecting her from the Demogorgon was Cara Buono's best moment so far. Ted being oblivious to most of it and then nobody really caring when he was in hospital other highlights have been Steve and Robin working at the radio station, Joyce becoming a mother figure to Dipshit Derek, and every scene Erica's in quite frankly.

Also why can't I have Steve and Jonathan fighting over me x

Derek the unexpected star of the season!

Erica is also still incredibly entertaining, what a queen

Okay so I was putting off watching this because honestly the breaks between seasons is far too long for me that I'd lost interest and couldn't really remember what happened in the previous seasons but also couldn't be bothered to rewatch 😅

That being said, I've done an episode each night this week just as something to put on and I'm surprised by how much I've enjoyed episodes 2-4 in particular. I think my love for Winona helps tbf 🤭 The plot seems more thought out this time, there's direction since we know this is how it's all coming to an end. I'm interested in Max's story in particular as it has the most question marks around it and of course the latest Will development. I don't really care about what El and Hopper are doing and I keep forgetting about the other group that's in the upside down (except Steve, he can stay). Having Joyce and Robin teaming up and integrating with Will, Mike and Lucas is great too, they're my two faves anyway so them having scenes together has won me over, basically. Robins character development has been really well done and I love how they're linking that to Will's story. It's nice to see Robin be her own character rather than a goofy side character to add to the plots of Steve and Nancy. I feel like they've kinda ruined Dustin's character in the first half but we'll see what happens with him going forward I guess, Nancy a little too.

Dustin I'm finding annoying though I know he's grieving so ill give him a pass. Steve and Jonathan, this is not the time to be fighting over Nancy.

The standouts are Joyce, Robin, Will, Derek and Erika.

Episode 4 was so great, from Derek going from I can't stand you to new fave character? The funny bathroom scene. The conversation between Robin and Will, then that epic battle. So looking forward to this season in a way I wasn't before it came out.

The wait for the next episodes is killing me, the first 4 so far have been perfect !

Finished the first four - great cliffhanger and nice to see Will finally have a clear role after being a bit sidelined last season. I really liked his developing friendship with Robin. It's a bit too fast-paced at points and I feel like Mike and Nancy's parents hasn't quite hit as really affecting them, but I have really enjoyed it and production-wise, it's an absolute treat and epic and grand as it's ever been.

Dustin has become even more annoying. I loved the little ABBA plug.

I have enjoyed the recent batch of episodes! Although I'd say the internet's general reaction to Volume 2 has leaned towards negative.

Spoiler

Personally I have appreciation for Will's coming out scene. I did find it touching, and it felt like an earned moment. Will facing his fears, fears that were being used against him by Vecna - to me, that's pretty powerful. If I was to have a nitpick... maybe there's some characters who were present for this coming out, who don't have much of a connection (if any) to Will, who I'd rather have not been involved in the scene, namely Murray and Kali. Maybe a slightly more intimate scene with Joyce, Jonathan and his closest friends would have been the approach I'd have preferred.

This is sadly predictable but there's certainly been some homophobic responses to Episode 7. I'm wondering how there's so many people watching this show over the years who didn't detect that Will's character development across the seasons was leading up to him coming out! It's a shame to see the episode is getting review bombed. In part that's due to the Byler fans too.

Otherwise, I enjoyed the revelation of there being an Abyss and that the upside down is actually a bridge between the Abyss and Hawkins!

A weak second half for me. Splitting it into 3 was a bad move cuz considering volume 1 ending being so epic to this is such a downgrade.

It happened with Squid Game + Wednesday. Is happening with these volumes. Netflix need to stop splitting shows, just release all at once or weekly, in batches are not working out.

I enjoyed these 3 episodes but if I was gonna split it into 3 , they should of gone

3 episodes

3 episodes

Then the 2 part finale,

episode 7 isn't bad by any stretch of the Imagination. I just feel that the cliffhanger ending to episode 6 was so much stronger so would of been a better place to be left hanging

Spoiler warning for episodes 5-7 - don't read on if you haven't seen all three episodes!

I think these episodes were more plot-focused than the first four, and with so much to do, it felt quite fast paced. That wasn't always a bad thing by any means, I just would've liked the characters having a little more time to breathe so we can fully explore certain dynamics, such as Steve and Dustin, whose relationship is so interesting and I loved what we got, but I wanted more!

There were some good character moments along the way though, a particular highlight was Jonathan and Nancy's break-up scene - I kinda like that Nancy's ultimately chosen neither guy, it feels true to her character. Will's coming out was a fantastic scene and it's annoying me to see some of the terrible takes about it online. Homophobes will be homophobic, that's nothing new, but seeing others tear into it just because they're upset that "Byler" isn't happening is frustrating, and anyone claiming it didn't actually relate to the plot wasn't listening!!!

Stars of these episodes were absolutely Jamie Campbell Bower, Noah Schnapp, Charlie Heaton and Sadie Sink. Weirdly it feels a bit like Eleven's taken a backseat, but I guess that'll change in the finale. I'm excited, there's a lot to solve in 2 hours but I think they can do it!

This season has been sooooo good. Classic 80's horror/fantasy vibes. Like it was in previous seasons but more than ever in this season. I've watched Stranger Things from when it started so long ago and less well known, and as the show has progressed, the way they've kept the addition of characters like Steve, Max, Robin, it's great how they have so many likeable characters on this show.

Vecna/Henry is truly terrifying as the antagonist, most horror characters don't actually scare me but he would legit scare the hell out of me. That tension was so high for me when Max (along with Holly) was on her way to escaping back to the real world, I was getting so frustrated at Max taking so long, ahaha, just felt Vecna was going to appear at any moment.

Season 4 will always be the best season of Stranger Things for me, but this final season is right up there too. Can't wait for the final ep now for New Years Day.

The second batch of episodes was infinitely weaker. I think a problem is the cast is SO huge and clearly while all very likeabke, a lot of them have done very little this season and we've given a mass amount of screentime to Holly.

I feel there hasn't been a 'moment' yet - maybe we will get that in the finale, but you can kind of see where the plot is going based off whats been foreshadowed. It's srange as I dont think thr stakes have really bee that high this series either, which is mad considering the often kill off key supporting characters. I think they'll want to give everyone a happy ending in the end.

Honestly I didn’t give the latest batch of episodes an extra thought not even once after finishing them. At this point I’m just doing this to see how the story gets wrapped up. A few months ago I was genuinely convinced that this show actually ended a couple of years ago. They have been dragging this way too long.

The only plot line I enjoyed was Holly/Max. They were the only ones who had something at stake. The rest of the cast was moving around and talking but all I saw was shitty writing and 25 year olds playing teenagers.

Wow! I really loved the ending.

Yeah I really liked that. Netflix often struggles to end shows properly but The Duffer Brothers did a fab job

Couldn't have asked for a better finale I don't think!