4 most common Stranger Things complaints that don’t matter (and 3 that do)
By Bryce Olin
Stranger Things doesn’t kill the main characters
Over the course of four seasons, Stranger Things has developed a reputation for faking out fans with main character deaths only to bring those characters back from the dead later. The best example of this is Hopper in the season 3 finale, but it also applies to Max in the season 4 finale, or so we think.
The show has also been criticized for allowing all of its main cast to survive while more supporting characters routinely bite the dust in new seasons. I don’t think this is a problem, honestly.
Why it doesn’t matter: Call me a hypocrite, but I actually enjoy that Stranger Things doesn’t kill off its main cast. I’m not a big fan of the fake-out deaths we’ve seen with Hopper and now Max in season 4, but I do think character deaths for literal children reshape the story in a way that is simply not enjoyable to watch. Watching Nancy handle Barb’s death, Max handle Billy’s death, and even Joyce handle Bob’s death wasn’t exactly riveting TV. Character deaths from such a close-knit group force the writers’ hand. They basically write themselves into a corner because each character has to process that grief differently, which adds a lot of weight to the story. That’s not exactly where Stranger Things thrives, in my opinion. It lives right on the edge of fun and scary. The stakes are high, but I think the last thing anyone wants is a funeral episode for any of these characters.
Imagine killing off Scooby-Doo, Velma, Daphne, Freddy, or Shaggy? That wouldn’t be right! With Stranger Things, the group of untouchables is just a little bigger.