Caroline Framke Chief TV CriticImmediately upon opening “Stranger Things” Season 4, Volume I, you might notice that the shortest episode runs 62 minutes, the longest a solid 98(!), and the average around 72.
Your reaction to this (not to mention the fact that the final Volume II chapter premiering in July will feature an astonishing run time of two and a half hours) will likely dictate how much you’ll enjoy this fourth season in general.
Either you’re psyched for more “Stranger Things” — the bigger, the better! — or you’re currently squinting at these words on your screen trying to parse out what, exactly, could necessitate this many more minutes for a show that was once a decently fun pastiche of ’80s adventure movies.
Watching the show’s grand return at the same time that Netflix has hit its first real roadblocks as a streaming service and tech company makes for a surreal experience, if at least a fitting one.
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