Can “Stranger Things” avoid becoming a never ending story?

To the delight of millions of fans all over the world, “Stranger Things” was just confirmed for a fourth season by Netflix. The “Stranger Things” stars took to their social media pages to post the promo video, which teased what’s to come with the phrase “we’re not in Hawkins anymore.” This leads viewers to ask, “where exactly are the characters now?” The end of season three revealed information about where some characters may end up but other endings were left fairly ambiguous. 

Season three was a smash hit for Netflix with 40.7 million households watching the series within its first four days. All eyes were on the highly anticipated season, and it delivered. The new season felt refreshing and undertook a more lighthearted tone compared to the heaviness of the previous seasons. Season three also played into the fact that the kids are growing up. We got to see Eleven and Mike be teenagers and deal with their angsty, hormonal feelings. We saw Erica, Lucas’s little sister, come into her own as a strong character. In some of the funniest scenes of the season, we watched Mike and Lucas do what teenage boys do best: be idiots.  

Unsurprisingly, this season showcased some of the best performances from the cast. Dacre Montgomery’s performance as Billy, Max’s older brother, was incredibly haunting and served as a stark contrast to the otherwise lighthearted stories of the other characters. However, this season’s crown jewel was none other than the newest character, Robin, portrayed by Maya Hawke. Robin is introduced to the audience as Steve’s co-worker, but she quickly dominates every scene she is in with her humor and quick wit. 

Despite all the incredible parts of season three, it failed to make use of its existing characters. Will Byers plays a fundamental role in the first two seasons and is the only character who directly experiences the horrors of the demogorgon. Yet, he is cast aside for most of season three and his only plot line revolves around his affinity for Dungeons and Dragons, a fantasy roleplaying game. This is especially frustrating considering that Noah Schnapp’s performance was the strongest of season two and, dare I say, the entire show. However, Will is not alone when it comes to being cast aside. Mike was the main kid in season one and in many ways, the face of the show. However, his character seems to have less and less to do. Seriously, try and name one substantial thing Mike does in season three.

Right now, there is not much information about season four. All we know is that the show will venture outside of Hawkins in some way. The Duffer Brothers have previously stated that they only plan to make four seasons of the show. However, considering the enormous success of season three, it is likely that Netflix will extend the series for a fifth season. This past season felt transitional, and it is important that the creators allow the show to progress and come to a natural conclusion. The enormous success of “Stranger Things” is contingent on the year-long hype between seasons. Viewers will only watch if they feel the waiting time is worth it. If the creators drag out the show, it’s possible that the audience will lose interest. I think everyone would rather see “Stranger Things” end as a great thing as opposed to an unnecessarily long, money hungry beast. And in all seriousness, how many times can the demogorgon come back?