After months and years of uncertainties from fans regarding the next release of “Stranger Things,” Netflix finally released Volume 1 of Season 4 of their hit show to eager audiences. With its incredible expansion on the “Stranger Things” story, the wait was absolutely worth it.

Season 4 of “Stranger Things” has multiple intertwining narrative threads. Eleven has moved with the Byers family to California and is attempting to integrate into society. Joyce Byers receives a package from Russia that indicates that there is more than meets the eye of Chief Hopper’s death. 

Mysterious deaths begin to crop up in Hawkins, and a previous case with eerie similarities calls into question everything they know about the Upside Down as a new big bad makes its debut.

Despite the multiple subplots and narrative threads of the newest season, the Duffer brothers masterfully handle each one — culminating in one of the most powerful reveals of the series yet, and arguably one of its best villains. 

The season is arguably one of the most gruesome so far and is one that leaves viewers at the edge of their seat. Whereas in the previous seasons the deaths were unexpected yet equally as horrifying, Season 4 builds up a sense of dread as viewers understand that the sequences do not reveal if the death will happen, but when.

One of the standout performances of this season is Sadie Sink’s portrayal of Max Mayfield. Recovering from the recent death of her brother Billy Hargrove and the complicated feelings she had about him and his death, Sink gives a heart-wrenching portrayal of grief and depression.

The grief, sadness and guilt that Max attempts to handle on her own leads to arguably one of the best episodes of the season and of the series as a whole — “Dear Billy.” Sink proves herself as an incredible actress this season, but she elevates her performance to another level in “Dear Billy.”

The only fault this season has is that with such a big cast, some are left behind. While characters like Eleven, Max and Joyce get their due diligence this season with incredible narratives driving their characters forward into the unknown, characters like Jonathan and Will who have given incredible performances in previous seasons are seemingly left behind.

With two episodes left in this season in Volume 2 which is releasing on July 1, one can only hope that the characters who have been left out of the spotlight will play a bigger role in the season finale. 

Regardless, the latest season of “Stranger Things” handles a massive cast with multiple subplots with great expertise and proves why “Stranger Things” is the breakout hit it is. Whether you’re someone who dropped the show, someone hesitant to dive into the expansive series or someone who has been eagerly awaiting the release of the newest season, Season 4 of “Stranger Things” is a marvelous addition to an already incredible series.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5