Fans of the mega-successful Netflix series Stranger Things have been waiting quite a long time to see Season 4 drop on the streamer. Season 3 of the throwback sci-fi / horror adventure actually released nearly two whole years ago (July 4, 2019), and while we've gotten a lot of teases about what the new set of episodes will bring, no date has been set for its debut just yet. However, a recent update from one of the stars, Finn Wolfhard, has seriously disappointed fans, but it's actually not all bad news.
Unfortunately, like every other series under the sun which was filming during the early months of 2020, Stranger Things had to postpone filming on Season 4, and pack up its bicycles, teen angst, D&D campaigns, and Demogorgon. Well, the Demogorgon probably didn't allow itself to be "packed" as such, but, you get my meaning.
Apparently, according to video which has recently surfaced and was shown on Stranger Things Spoilers Twitter account, star Finn Wolfhard did an interview where he was asked about when Season 4 would finally come out and he responded by saying that "it should be out sometime next year, hopefully." Obviously, this will mean that viewers will have several more months to wait, and, should the show continue with its fall or summer release schedule, we could have upwards of an additional 15 months before we have more Stranger Things to binge.
OK, before you start a petition for Netflix to just cancel Stranger Things if we can't see Season 4 this year, or lobby for the hit to be released as soon as possible, even if it means a weekly release schedule or having the season split into two chunks, I think we should all calm down and realize that this news isn't as bad as it seems.
TV lovers are an impatient people. None of us enjoy getting hooked on a show and having to wait for a new season. That difficulty is compounded when we have to sit back and endure life without our favorites for years. I can't lie; knowing that Mike, Lucas, Eleven, Will, Dustin, and the rest of the monster-fighting gang won't be back any time soon hurts all of our horror-loving hearts. But, what would you rather have? A full, totally awesome Stranger Things season ready to go for your viewing pleasure, or a possible season filled with missteps and / or less than impressive effects which was clearly not 100% ready for everyone's eager eyes?
It was just earlier this month that star Gaten Matarazzo admitted that, while they were actively filming Season 4, the cast and crew were doing it very slowly and carefully because of our current health crisis, and working in "little increments here and there" to get the new season in the can. It sounds like part of the consideration, aside from making sure everyone stays safe and healthy, is to also make sure they can pull off their plans for the season without veering too far off of the original course.
Isn't this a good thing? Not that the Duffer brothers and their team of writers couldn't come up with workarounds, but wouldn't you rather see their original ideas for Hopper in a Russian prison? What about the possibility that Dr. Brenner will return? Don't forget that Eleven lives with the Byers family now, they pulled up stakes and left town, and Eleven was completely powerless the last time we saw her. What's going on with all of that? Is Season 4 going to bring a lot of new monsters? And, most importantly, what will Erica be doing?!
Basically, this painfully slow production schedule should mean that everyone involved can stay healthy while also giving us the Stranger Things Season 4 that we both want and deserve. Even if it takes more than a full three years to get to us, that's a very good thing.
