‘Stranger Things’ prepares for its final phase with a quartet of new episodes | TV/Streaming

There’s a bit of irony in the fact that the first part of the fifth and final season of Netflix’s hit “Stranger Things” is at least in part about the power of youth. People like to point out fun facts about how long it took the Duffer brothers to tell this story. My favorites are that “The X-Files” produced over 200 episodes in less time and the simple fact that the first season was created. under Obama– but the truth is that millions of people around the world will quickly get over the fact that a show about kids now stars obvious adults. It’s surprising at first how much older some of the actors appear, but it’s pretty easy to dismiss them quickly. People just want to see how the people of Hawkins survive what is now a years-long attack on their well-being. While these four episodes stumble a bit in terms of pacing and urgency, especially at the beginning, they end on such a satisfying and anticipated note that fans who literally grew up watching this show probably won’t care. They will simply count the days until the next drop. (Spoiler: it’s 29 p.m.)

By the end of the fourth season, Vecna ​​(Jamie Campbell Bower) has essentially accomplished her mission, opening the breach between the Upside Down and the tormented town of Hawkins. The new season opens with an increased military presence, led by an officer played by Linda Hamilton (just one of this season’s many nods reminiscent of The Book of Cameron), both above and below ground. They try to find Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who they believe is the key to ending all this chaos. She’s finally reunited with her surrogate father Hopper (David Harbour) as the two search for the series’ Big Bad, who disappeared after being nearly defeated at the end of the last chapter. Vecna ​​is out there, somewhere, rebuilding her power while the rest of the familiar faces try to find it first. When one of their own disappears, they are forced to act even faster than expected.

As the first episode’s leaked prologue makes clear – the one that reveals that Vecna ​​was part of Will’s (Noah Schnapp) disappearance, the inciting incident for the entire series – this latest series will focus on young Mr. Byers’ connection with the Upside Down leader. Schnapp gets his most challenging material to date and, somewhat to the surprise of this reviewer who has never thought much of his acting skills when it comes to emotional material, nails some crucial scenes. Without spoiling anything, “Stranger Things” has long been a series about evil forces preying on the wrong child. At first, it was because Will had a fearless mother (Winona Ryder) and loyal friends to save the day; it makes sense that the final arc would be about the role Will himself will play in the final battles.

As Will leads the effort to find Vecna, other subplots surround his driving narrative. Max (Sadie Sink) remains in a coma while Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) faithfully impersonates Kate Bush in her hospital room in an effort to bring her back. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) carries the trauma of Eddie’s sacrifice last season, even wearing his Hellfire Club jersey as a tribute. Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) continue to form a strange love triangle of sorts. Brett Gelman returns as Murray, Priah Ferguson appears as Erica Sinclair, and Maya Hawke gets some great scenes to remind you that she’s probably the show’s most promising future star.

Of course, as with all shows preparing for their final chapters, the emphasis here will be on the writing. And, to start the season, it’s certainly clumsier than usual. In particular, the premiere is messy and unfocused in a way that none of the other seasons were meant to begin with. This is the product of such a direct continuation of season four. Past outings have allowed for a fresh reboot, but this one assumes that you not only remember everything that happened 2.5 years ago, but that you’re still emotionally invested in how it plays out.

For one of the few times in the show’s history, there are passages in the first two episodes that lack confidence and direction, as evidenced by how often the characters ramble on about what to do next. There is such scenes of “passionate planning” in just four episodes, which also adds to the feeling that it’s about 100 minutes of actual plot in 4.5 hours of big-budget television. (On that note, the special effects, especially in the fourth chapter, are truly spectacular.) It’s worth noting that just when the series felt like it was about to get lost in its own Upside Down, the name of the legendary Frank Darabont appeared on the third episode, centering everything again before the Duffers took over the director’s chair for the fourth, and by far the best, episode.

Even though everyone will be talking about these chapters over the holiday weekend, they will be nothing more than a memory by the turn of the calendar. There won’t be a single criticism that will matter if they stick the landing. And there is enough reason to believe that this will be the case. Again, we’re not allowed to say much about the fourth and final episode, so I’ll only attest that it works. It takes themes that have been bubbling beneath the surface for years and gives them a shape that will satisfy fans who literally came of age watching “Stranger Things.”

In the end, maybe this isn’t really a season about the power of youth but about the strength that comes from leaving childish things behind.

The entire season 5, volume 1, was screened for review. Now on Netflix.