My brother said Stranger Things season 4 was better than season 1 and I don't know if I agree anymore

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2 Comments

Three years ago I had this exact same fight with my college roommate over Breaking Bad, and it made me realize something weird about how we judge shows now. People get so caught up in the spectacle of bigger set pieces and crazier episodes (like that roller rink massacre in season 4) that they forget the simple, tight storytelling of season 1. It's like when a movie makes a billion dollars and everyone suddenly thinks it's the greatest thing ever, even if the writing was a mess. That first season of Stranger Things had this raw charm and mystery that later seasons can't quite match because they're too busy trying to top themselves. Honestly, I think it's a pattern with any long running show - the first good thing we see becomes our benchmark, and everything after that feels like it's trying too hard.

williams.amy1mo ago

Exactly what you're getting at with the "benchmark" thing - it's like our brains lock onto that first impression and everything after has to fight uphill. The roller rink massacre is a perfect example, it was so over the top that people forgot how that season had whole episodes that dragged. Breaking Bad season 1 had that episode where Walter just sits in his car for like 10 minutes and it's still gripping because the tension was built on small moments, not explosions. That raw charm you mentioned is real, it's like the showrunners are still figuring things out so they lean harder on character and atmosphere instead of just throwing money at the screen. Once a show becomes a hit, the studio pressure kicks in and suddenly every season needs a bigger villain, a more shocking death, a more complicated plot that buries what made people care in the first place.