The Upside Down! Stranger Things returns to Netflix on Friday, May 27, after a nearly three-year wait — and even some diehard fans may need a refresher on where season 3 left off.
The drama was an instant success when it premiered July 2016 and has since been a huge hit with its young cast. Season 1 introduced Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who escaped from a lab in Hawkins, Indiana, and has supernatural abilities. She meets MikeFinn Wolfhard) and his friends Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), who are searching for their missing pal Will (Noah Schnapp).
Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) attempts to help Will’s mom, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), find her son investigate a series of inexplicable events plaguing Hawkins. Joe Keery, Charlie Heaton, Natalia Dyer and Cara BuonoAlso starred in the debut series.
The Emmy-nominated series returned in 2017 and 2019 for seasons 2 and 3. They took their time to create the perfect plot for each season. Creators Matt Ross Duffer even hinted in August 2020 that they’re prepped to complete the Stranger Things saga.
“We know what the end is, and we know when it is,” Ross told The Hollywood Reporterat the time. “[The coronavirus pandemic]It gave us time for planning ahead and helped us to decide what was best for the show. Starting to fill that out gave us a better idea of how long we need to tell that story.”
When Eleven and her gang met again in season 3, they also met Robin (a few new characters).Maya Hawke), who gets wrapped up in the great Hawkins mysteries — and a messy battle with the Russians. Max (previously newcomers)Sadie Sink) and Billy Hargrove (Dacre MontgomeryAfter being introduced in season 2, ) became more involved. While Billy didn’t survive the end of season 3, there have been plenty of hints that he might return.
Season 4 Stranger Things won’t be the last, but the team has already put thought into how the series will wrap. “Honestly, I think that the Duffer brothers have and they have teased it for me over the past six and a half years. But they keep things very private amongst themselves until it is fully formed,” executive producer and director Shawn LevyOnly told Us Weeklyat the premiere of season 4 in May. “Then they bring it to me and then we take the next steps.”
Levy promised “no one is winging it” when it comes to the series’ conclusion. “We don’t want to be one of those shows that outstays its welcome and is flailing while it searches for a way to stick the landing,” he told Use. “We really want to stick the landing. I feel like we have been able to do that every season, and we also want to do it for the series.”
Scroll down to see a recap of season 3, before you binge-watch the new episodes.
