'Stranger Things': "The Hellfire Club" (2022)
Opening thoughts: While really enjoying Seasons 1 and 2, which had many exceptional episodes, Season 3 was a lot less consistent. It did have two episodes that were outstanding and a couple more that were close, but the others were uneven but good and at their worst barely average. Expectations were high for Season 4, though did worry about due to the longer break between Seasons 3 and 4 for obvious reasons whether it would forget what made 'Stranger Things' work so well at its best or remembers.
Mostly, Season 4 did remember what 'Stranger Things' is about. It was an uneven season that did try to do too much and the pacing wasn't always there, but there was a lot of great things about it. All of which is obvious in the promising Season 4 premiere that is "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club", while not up to the same level as the premiere for Seasons 1 it is a lot better than that of Season 3's and on par with Season 2's though for different reasons. 'Stranger Things' may not be as brilliant as it was, but it has not lost it.
Bad things: "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" is not perfect. Do agree that it does have too many characters and that the pace, which can feel too sluggish and over-stretched, could have been a lot tighter.
This could have been made possible if there was less of the scenes with the bullies, which were not very interesting or had enough tension and felt also like filler. There is a major revelation too that was really difficult to get the head round.
Good things: So much is good though. Absolutely loved the production values, which have a creepier horror film-like aesthetic which suited the darker tone that the season had very well indeed. The photography is cinema worthy and the effects very slick. The soundtrack is haunting, infectious and very nostalgic, the episode really does capture the spirit of the period with the soundtrack selection. On the most part, the writing has brains and heart with the teen drama having less cheese and melodrama generally.
Although the story is not perfect, the nostalgia vibe is really well done and even better are the darker and scarier than before horror elements. "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" starts off incredibly well, with an intriguing and unsettling opening. Also thought the ending freaky and suspenseful, not over the top to me. The characters are well written, with Eddie being one of the best additions that the show has had for some time. The acting from all the regulars is great, but the performance of the episode is that of Joseph Quinn in a very promising and refreshing debut, curiosity, concern, panic and complete horror has not been conveyed so believably on the show for a while.
Concluding thoughts: In summary, flawed but quite well done start.
7/10.
Opening thoughts: While really enjoying Seasons 1 and 2, which had many exceptional episodes, Season 3 was a lot less consistent. It did have two episodes that were outstanding and a couple more that were close, but the others were uneven but good and at their worst barely average. Expectations were high for Season 4, though did worry about due to the longer break between Seasons 3 and 4 for obvious reasons whether it would forget what made 'Stranger Things' work so well at its best or remembers.
Mostly, Season 4 did remember what 'Stranger Things' is about. It was an uneven season that did try to do too much and the pacing wasn't always there, but there was a lot of great things about it. All of which is obvious in the promising Season 4 premiere that is "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club", while not up to the same level as the premiere for Seasons 1 it is a lot better than that of Season 3's and on par with Season 2's though for different reasons. 'Stranger Things' may not be as brilliant as it was, but it has not lost it.
Bad things: "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" is not perfect. Do agree that it does have too many characters and that the pace, which can feel too sluggish and over-stretched, could have been a lot tighter.
This could have been made possible if there was less of the scenes with the bullies, which were not very interesting or had enough tension and felt also like filler. There is a major revelation too that was really difficult to get the head round.
Good things: So much is good though. Absolutely loved the production values, which have a creepier horror film-like aesthetic which suited the darker tone that the season had very well indeed. The photography is cinema worthy and the effects very slick. The soundtrack is haunting, infectious and very nostalgic, the episode really does capture the spirit of the period with the soundtrack selection. On the most part, the writing has brains and heart with the teen drama having less cheese and melodrama generally.
Although the story is not perfect, the nostalgia vibe is really well done and even better are the darker and scarier than before horror elements. "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" starts off incredibly well, with an intriguing and unsettling opening. Also thought the ending freaky and suspenseful, not over the top to me. The characters are well written, with Eddie being one of the best additions that the show has had for some time. The acting from all the regulars is great, but the performance of the episode is that of Joseph Quinn in a very promising and refreshing debut, curiosity, concern, panic and complete horror has not been conveyed so believably on the show for a while.
Concluding thoughts: In summary, flawed but quite well done start.
7/10.