Why is Stranger Things Season 4 Split?

Between Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hell” retroactively topping the charts, Eddie Munson’s brand spankin’ new remix, and all the Charlies with their theory boards running amok, pretty much everyone has been riding the Stranger Things hype for this past month. Thankfully, we’ll finally get to see this hype to fruition on Friday—even if it comes at a heavy price!

But if you’re a curmudgeon like me, you might be wondering why the season was even split in the first place. Why pull the Deathly Hallows stunt and make us wait?

Well, you’ll be happy to know that there was a good reason for it. For one thing, covid had delayed the production process, and the producers didn’t want to keep fans waiting any longer than was necessary. For another, executive producer Shawn Levy said that, quite simply, the episodes were too long, and that binging them in their entirety would not only drain viewers—it might make them view the season as yet another slog to get through. Moreover, the Duffer Bros. believed that the last two episodes had “enough meat on them” to constitute an entire season in their own right.

Perhaps it seems redundant, but in the end, I think they were on to something. YouTube essayist (and Spongebob philosopher) Karsten Runquist pointed out that, unlike the last two seasons, which went out with an unsatisfying sizzle, Season 4 has been constantly on our minds and tongues this past month. And this wouldn’t have been possible without the split.

Yes, Season 4 is markedly better than the last two, but without the split, it’d simply be too damn long for our tiny goblin brains to handle. Pacing it out gives us something to look forward to, and allows us to mellow out in-between the major plot points.

At the very least, I’m certainly feeling ready for this Friday, July 1st, when we head back to Hawkins. I’ve got my puppy in my arms and my meals already prepped. Let’s go, babes.

(Featured Image: Netflix)