The Reel Rejects - STRANGER THINGS Season 4, Episode 1 REVIEW!!

Episode Date: August 2, 2025

ONE SEASON LEFT BEFORE STRANGER THINGS 5!! Stranger Things Full Reaction Watch Along:   / thereelrejects   Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Aparrel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ With Stranger Things 5 on the way, Tara Erickson & Andrew Gordon CONTINUE their journey thru the Upside Down giving their Stranger Things Season 3 Episodes 7 & 8 Reaction, Breakdown, Analysis & Review! Tara Erickson & Andrew Gordon dive into the chilling and cinematic Stranger Things Season 4 Episode 1 in this YouTube Reaction & Review of the global Netflix phenomenon created by the Duffer Brothers. Set in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things follows a group of kids as they face off against terrifying supernatural forces emerging from the mysterious Upside Down. Season 4 picks up six months after the Battle of Starcourt, with the group now separated across different locations, still reeling from the trauma of past events. Episode 1, “Chapter One: The Hellfire Club,” reintroduces us to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown – Enola Holmes, Godzilla vs. Kong) as she struggles to adapt to life in California without her powers, while Mike (Finn Wolfhard – Ghostbusters: Afterlife, IT), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo – Prank Encounters), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin – Concrete Cowboy), and Max (Sadie Sink – The Whale, Fear Street) continue their lives in Hawkins. Meanwhile, the Hellfire Club D&D group becomes a central part of the high school social dynamic, led by the eccentric Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn – Game of Thrones). Joyce (Winona Ryder – Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands) receives a mysterious package from Russia, hinting that Hopper (David Harbour – Black Widow, Violent Night) may still be alive. One of the most haunting scenes involves cheerleader Chrissy (Grace Van Dien) encountering a monstrous new threat—Vecna—for the first time, setting the terrifying tone for the season. With darker horror influences, expanded locations, and cinematic scope, Stranger Things 4 kicks off with intense emotional stakes and ominous foreshadowing. From the ‘80s nostalgia to the Hellfire Club, and the first glimpse of Vecna’s psychic terror, this premiere episode is packed with Easter eggs, callbacks, and jaw-dropping moments that fans won’t want to miss. Follow Andrew Gordon on Socials:  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieSource Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/agor711/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Agor711 Follow Tara Erickson: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaraErickson Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/taraerickson/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thetaraerickson Follow Tara Erickson: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TaraErickson Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/taraerickson/ Twitter:  https://twitter.com/thetaraerickson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Let's Go Let's go. Let's go, let's do it. Alright, season four, episode one, commencing in a three, a two, and a one. Oh my God, Tara. Wow. Oh my God. oh my god, brava brava. Oh my god brava. We just got done watching stranger things season four the very first episode.

If you are listening to us on our Spotify give us five us a comment, like, subscribe when you do ring the bell, ring the bell. That way you're notified of all the things. Okay, so we're going to get straight into our patron questions. Let's do it. First one is from Logan Arnold. How do you feel about this season taking so much more of a horror direction just from the first episode?

As a Nightmare on Elm Street fan, I love how much inspiration Chrissy's death scene takes from Tina's in the OG Nightmare movie. Did I not just say that? You did say it. It was straight up, Tina, because you could see her up on the wall Yeah, just like a man Weiss is Amanda Weiss his character

Yeah, I mean as I pointed out and as we were reacting to it in Nightmare on Elm Street I'm not the biggest horror fan because I just get freaked out really easily and I'm not the biggest person when it comes to gore like I get just freaked out too from that Having said all that in Nightmare on Elm Street is my favorite horror franchise ever. I am obsessed with it. Robert England is a genius. I love him so much. By the way, before I continue, I really, really, really hope to get a Robert England cameo

at some point in one of these episodes. That'd be cool. I don't know if it happens, but I'm really hoping and praying. And I love that they gave us a foreshadowing of things to come for Nightmare on Elm Street with that post that cardboard poster Cut out rather a Freddy at the video store Oh, yeah Hey, just letting you know a lot of the season is gonna be inspired or at least this episode by Freddy with Freddy Krueger Nightmare on Elm Street There you go. That was cool. And it makes sense to if the Setting is 1986 as the first two movies that had already come

out in 84 and 85. Well, also the monster skin looks like Freddy Kruger. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I just mean from like, that was a cool like, you know, symbolic foreshadowing. I just like that. I get as someone who's obsessed with the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, I love it and I like that they are taking a more horror stylistic approach and while still balancing out all the character stuff.

And I think the thing with this episode, and Terry, I'd love to hear your thoughts as well, I think the biggest theme of this episode was not only the repercussions of the consequences of what happened at the end of last season, you know, seeing psychologically Max and, uh, and L, uh, dealing with the losses of possibly Hopper, which we know he's obviously alive, but obviously with Billy. But I think the biggest theme of this episode was fitting in and what we have to do to fit in. So So and I thought that was a fascinating thing because we've all I think everyone can resonate with fitting in. So and but I thought it was done in a very mature way and I thought it was executed like really well done in this episode.

And I like really especially when it comes to like Lucas with the basketball team like doing that and then feeling abandoned by Max and by his friends. Max then not feeling it from Lucas because of she feels abandoned too. Elle trying to fit in at school. And then at least she's got Will there, but still like the loss of her father. I mean, it's just, it's very fascinating to watch.

But I do, again, I do like the balance between the horror and the character stuff. I think it's fantastic. What about you? Yeah. So I do like the balance between the horror and the character stuff. I think it's fantastic. What about you? Yeah. So I think like the horror direction, like you're saying, just from the first episode, I really do like it. I think it's a lot of fun.

I think it's very Stranger Things-esque, which I really enjoy. And as you guys know, I watched Nightmare on Elm Street very recently, only like, well not recently to me, I don't remember all the things that I remember, like a couple years ago with Roxy on this channel. And I remember the first one, and so when she is taken up like in the corner of the room, that's pretty awesome. Cause I do remember I think rewatching one of, and I didn't like how they redid it.

I liked the OG one, because they use a lot of the practical effects, and it looked really, really awesome. Some of the other... It was either a reboot, or a three, or four, or five, or six, or something that I watched that I didn't enjoy, but they did this really, really well. I thought it looked great. I believed it, which is awesome. I love that, because I don't like it if I'm not like in it. When it looks real, it's like holy tamale, oh crap.

So yeah, I like that they took inspiration from that and that they're doing a lot of Easter eggs in this to give you sort of an insight like they have done throughout all of their seasons of Putting you know posters in the background that are very 80s obviously this you know nightmare and Elm Street very 80s seeing the Freddie cardboard cut out Stuff like that. They're really good at adding in those little Easter eggs throughout this environment, which is what I think,

and I've always said, that set deck and their design of this show just really, it sort of like surpasses most shows that I have watched. There's just so much detail that goes into it. And I think that's what makes it feel so good and so real and so believable. So I've really liked it. Was it the reboot or was it Nightmare on Elm Street 5?

I'm just kidding, because you guys mixed it up. I was just messing with you. I'm sorry, I had to say it one time, Tara. And by the way, I'm always wrong on predictions. Tara, I'm curious where that monster thing, the Freddy Krueger monster in this season comes from I'm wondering because they set up Maybe it's just setting up the the past of the backstory with L and it's just that and we have to like delve into that Which is great. I'm curious where this monster came from Is it the little boy that that she took out and he became this? I don't know.

Oh. I'm just curious like where this monster originated from and like what's going on. Like so many things are going off in my brain right now so I can't wait. I don't know. I guess we'll see. We shall. Alright from Kev B. Tara and Andrew for Stranger Things. Hope you're doing well. Thanks Kev. You too. What aspect of this episode's atmosphere or storytelling did you find most striking or different from previous seasons?

Most striking? The Nightmare on Elm Street portion. I mean, again, like, I mean, they always try to fit in and be, uh, I would say though, that was like, they really were, were hitting the nail on that one the most, like I said earlier. So, but I think like, that's what I was gravitating towards because I've been in a position where I felt that way, just like, you know, being, uh, not being judged or fitting in. So I think that was the part that I felt was the most striking. I don't know if it was different. I mean, would you say the night? Well, I think in regards to the atmosphere and story telling,

I was really trying to think about it. And I think when they get to Eddie with the Dungeons Dragons Hellfire Club, that is the most striking to me because it's brand new. Like we're still, but it's also fun to see Hawkins as like a high school. Like now it really feels like high school, whereas before, you know, it didn't, we weren't, I don't know, in the last season,

we weren't obviously as much at the school. So now we're back, which gives kind of a nostalgic feeling for both of them, both sets of people, right? We've got Eleven and Will and them on one side and Nancy and the rest of them and Lucas, yada, yada, yada in the other high school. So it's kind of nice to see those contrasting elements because there's bullies in both.

There are disappointments in both. And us living through that high school point of view through 11 and whether it be Lucas or Dustin or Mike or Eddie, we're getting a lot of high school thoughts and points of view here. And I like that they're, uh, that they're experiencing kind of the same thing, except I think 11 is obviously getting a lot more bullying. And that was like really freaking embarrassing. She does the thing and it doesn't work on my holy tamale.

So I really think that, um, that would probably be,, I mean both of those things would be the most striking thing to me in regards to the storytelling and the atmosphere. As much as I wanted her to do something to that girl, I'm glad because she would have been an extreme amount of trouble if she would have harmed that girl. So you know what I mean,

when she did that as embarrassing as that was. I would also say too, the thing that is most striking is how much older they all look. Yeah. And also too, you know, seeing, talking about fitting in, like it's fascinating to watch too, like seeing some of the distance between them

and seeing how they're growing apart. I would say that's kind of a theme as well as so far in this episode. And that does happen, like throughout time with friends. Well, as soon as you move. Yeah, well not only move. Well, how about like Lucas and Max and Lucas and and Mike and Dustin like they're they didn't move they're all right you know within striking distance of each other so but yes of course to your point agreed but I think that is a major theme as well that is definitely striking

and different from previous seasons just really watching them grow apart from each other, I would say. Yeah, I agree with that. Let's see if we have... Okay, so it's this one. Okay, next one is from Jay Rushton. Okay, Erica won the game rolling 17 there. I think she tried 20.

I thought it was a 20. Yeah. That's what I thought. RIP, Mr. Osborne, what is your favorite musical event or concert you attended? Mine was a Queen concert. Whoa. You went to a Queen concert?

That is awesome. We reacted to that movie. Go check it out if you haven't. What musical event or concert did we attend? Check it out if you haven't. What musical event or concert did we attend? You know, recently, okay, I will tell you this. My first concert was when I was like 10 and I saw Boston. I was like nine, I was really young.

But more recently, Noah Cahn at the freaking Hollywood Bowl. He is literally my favorite. He's been playing in my car for the past like two years straight. Love him to death. That's awesome. I love that. Literally the best. I was don't know him. Holy tamale. Was the event fun at the best concert? And one of the best concerts I've ever seen. That's amazing.

Well, speaking of the Hollywood Bowl, it's a movie with an orchestra. So I don't know if that counts as a musical event. Yes. Jaws. I got to see that. Of course. And the composer was David Newman. His brother, Thomas Newman, is one

of my all-time favorite composers. He did The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, and David Newman also did The Mighty Ducks in 1992. So he's a composer himself. His dad is one of the greatest composers of all time, Alfred Newman. So that was a lot of fun. I went to a rave once Audiotistic does that count as a musical event? I guess maybe I don't know. I would definitely say that's you I've

I've never felt so out of place. That was fun, but I've also never been offered so much acid in three hours So I was like, oh really I turned down so many people like 60 people. I'm like, I'm good, I don't want, I've got plans here. I am literally just audio-tistic and I don't need any help with it. I'm good, thank you, you're very kind. I'm good though. So that was an interesting event.

But yeah, that was cool. Love it. All right, this one down here. Gabriel, stranger things. How's that for a season opener? Right? Not to hype it up too much, but a large part of the fandom thinks that season four is the best one. Have you tried to play D&D? If not, would you be interested too? Oh my god, if so many people think season four is the best one. I can't wait. I mean again Siding I haven't seen

Obviously we haven't or I have not seen this show. So that makes me super excited And as I've already pointed out 20 times, I'll say it for a 21st time Nightmare on Elm Street is my favorite horror franchise ever. So this is going to be a prevalent thing where with the dream sequences, like I could probably see it being my favorite season. Again, that's just an early prediction, but that's awesome to hear. I love that because we have been obsessed with the first three seasons. I've loved literally, I've loved every episode even the sisters episode

Which I know is not one of the more popular ones, but that's great to hear and in regards to D&D I am a very open-minded person. So I am always like I would sure I would try that and I'm a nerd so Yeah, I'm totally down to play D&D. I just don't have any friends who would do it. I'll play with you, Tara. Let's do it. I do remember watching. Obviously, I've watched all the seasons, but I don't really remember the stuff as we've seen. But I do remember the Hellfire Club because they were selling those

those shirts in Target. And I do remember buying one because I'm just such a huge Stranger Things fan, even though I don't remember much But I don't rewatch stuff so I am very very excited about this season because everyone loves it and I'm like waiting to see like when what's what's gonna click in here to what I remember and So far I'm like I don't really know where this heads But I I would love to play And so far, I'm like, I don't really know where this heads. I have a feeling, yeah.

But I would love to play Dungeons and Dragons. That would be fun. I would freaking go. That's like totally up my alley. Yeah, no, I agree with you. And I just, what I was looking up right there, I was going to say during the reaction, but I was worried I was going to be wrong.

Hellfire Club was also an X-Men. We saw it in X-Men First Class with Kevin Bacon and all that. They were the Hellfire Club. Oh. I had a feeling that's what it was from. That's cool. I didn't know that. All right.

From Marissa Gamble. Hi, guys. Been loving your reactions to this series and just wanted to know your thoughts on Robin and Steve's friendship. Also, where would you guys like to see this series go going forward? Like, dream dream ending perhaps?

Much love. You guys are awesome. Thank you so much, Marissa. Thank you, Marissa. I appreciate you. Glad to hear you're enjoying the reactions. Robin and Steve's friendship, I of course, I shipped at first and I want to see her, well, in regards to her, I want her to date that girl that she's in the band with what's him and already forgetting her name you know who I'm talking about though the one that's play Tammy oh the redhead the redhead yeah next her I want her to go date her because they look so cute together I like the chemistry and

the interaction so far for Steve and Robin though I think they have like this brotherly sisterly friendship and it's so a relationship brother and I think they are so fun to watch and I love how they are dismissive but also very nurturing and caring towards each other. It's it's a lot of fun to watch. They are so damn good together. And yeah, and I think they're good for each other as well. Like they really elevate each other. So yeah. Yeah. I think what makes it fun about that relationship is that especially when we really see it is when he sits down and he's like,

I told you, she sounds like a muppet. Meaning like you don't need to have a crush on her, right? Like you can get over it. And I really like that because it's, it's, it, you know, it's two best friends who obviously know everything about each other because they've, they've gone through a lot together scoops away and I was a gift to high school. Um, and, uh, that all that setting that foundation for two best friends and being able to see that relation that relationship move But just as a friendship vibe, right? She's helping him with his relationships

He gets like unload on her and vice versa even though we haven't really gotten to see Robin We understand how it would be hard for her like her saying listen you hit on a girl and She says no not a big deal. I hit on a girl and she says no, not a big deal. I hit on a girl, she says no, it's like the world blows up. This is the late 80s, we're not like, and they're not in LA, so it's definitely not the culture that it would be now, obviously. So I'm glad that she has Steve there

to help her through all of that, because Steve is like the good looking, like popular kind of guy that I feel like if anything happened to her or that it was bad, that obviously Steve has her back. And I like that. Yeah. And then I agree with you. Where do we want to see the series go forward? I mean, for me personally, obviously I would like hopper to come back. Yeah I can't imagine. Yeah. It's going to happen. I want her and Joyce to get together, finally. Yeah. I want the team to get back together, stop the monster, but I think these are like obvious things that are going to happen. So, I mean, yeah, I don't know.

I mean, I just want to know, I just want to know where the hell this monster came from and like what's causing it. Is it the upside down world? Is it that kid from the beginning that L caused onto this thing? I'm curious. And also I want to see how L gets her powers back. Is it because now she's emotionally in control of things like now that Mike is back and Hopper is going to be back in her life. I'm just there's so many different things that I want to see going forward that I mean seem like obvious things, but this show is throwing so many curve balls at this point. I really don't know, but I'm excited. Like I've loved every single moment of this show.

I think that I would really like to see the gang get back together. I mean, we talked about, you know, Nancy and Jonathan don't get to see each other. And even though they're like, I love them and everything is like perfect. You're like, yeah, but you don't get to see each other. And even though they're like, I love him and everything is like perfect. You're like, yeah, but you don't get to see each other. That sucks.

It also sucks for Eleven and Mike, obviously. I would really like to see, obviously, Joyce and all of them come to meet everyone else or vice versa. I don't know if that's actually gonna be possible in this season or if they'll just stay separate. But I think the most fun thing would be to see the gang get back together and hang out because it's been a minute.

And I'm excited because I mean, they're teasing it, saying like, well, it's spring break that we can look forward to, which I like. But I'll be really interested to see if Eleven actually tells the truth when she meets Mike, or if maybe Will has to, or if Mike can even tell that anything is wrong. Sort of like Lucas could tell something is wrong with Max without her saying anything, right? You know somebody well enough, you're like, yeah, I can tell. Something's up. And I'm curious that if 11 sees Mike,

if he's gonna be able to tell like the crap that she's been going through in high school. It has not been good for her. It's been really tough. And I would like to see, obviously, her get her freaking powers back. Her obviously being with Mike. And then I'd like to see where Nancy and Jonathan's

relationship go. For some reason, I thought she was already in college, but she's not. Well, I guess she's just prepping. It's already spring break. She knows what college she's going to, so she has that sweater ready. Yeah.

I thought she was, for some reason, I thought she was working because everyone had been killed at that newspaper that they were working at so for some reason I thought she had taken over there. But yeah, that's a good point. I think you raised just really quick because I know we got a few more questions to get to. I thought you raised a great point because L wrote that letter at the very beginning of the episode or after we got through that flashback monoth, you know scene at the beginning with El she wrote that letter to Mike Kind of explained like hey, everything's cool. I'm having a great time here Just I guess keep up appearances and not have Mike worried too much about her Fine, but like how well does Mike know her like when he sees her like if you really love someone like it's the unspoken thing Like when you see someone you should be able to identify

and know those type of things so it's gonna be interesting to see if like Mike recognizes that granted he is a much younger than an adult who would know like these deeply resonant things you know what I mean or these emotionally resonant things rather like picking up on stuff like that like everything is not good so I get very fascinated by this because these are very mature human beings, these children, or these teenagers. So I think that you raise a very interesting point that I'm looking forward to seeing as well.

But that's why this show is so damn good. The writing is so good and these characters are so mature and they're so emotionally resonant as I just pointed out. It's the best. All right, next is from Sophie Calligan. This season. Sorry, I think we're at,

obviously it doesn't matter, but I think we're at Tim. Okay, this is from Tim. Much love from Jersey. Just based on this episode, who are you most excited to see progress through this season? Also, Taryn Andrew in Hellfire shirts. When? Let's do it. Send them to us.

Send me money, Tim, and I'll go buy one. I was going to say, I don't have a lot of money in my bank account. Send me some moolah and then I get a shirt. But I'm down. That sounds good, Tim. I mean, I love those shirts. As I said, when they first came out back in the day, I forget when this season four premiered. I think I did get one, but I don't have it anymore. I do know I have a few Stranger Things shirts, but I do. I would love to get a Hellfire shirt. I'd be so down. That'd be fun. I mean, maybe even for season five, if we were for sure. Yeah. Oh, for who do we who am I most excited to see progress through the season? That's a great question. I'm going to go with Max.

You know, again, everyone's dealing with something so far this season for sure. I mean, L2 is another interesting character you could go with, you know, just with that backstory we already saw in that opening. But I'm going to go with Max just because again, seeing the isolation and just seeing the trauma that she is dealing with, it's going to be fascinating too, when this nightmarish Freddy Krueger-esque character gets into her and delves into her nightmares with already the grief that she is dealing with. So I'm going to be very fascinated

because this is a different type of Max that we've seen so far, at least through one episode. You know what I mean? I mean, yeah, she was being sarcastic in moments, but I think she's hiding her grief through that sarcasm. And I mean, she fascinated me by far the most. So I would say Max for me. What about you?

Yeah. I'm kind of between 11, because I want to see if she gets her powers back ever. I mean, if she doesn't, that's going to suck. She's got to. And then Lucas, I'm interested, because he's kind of in a very lone wolf position. Beginning of this episode, we see

that he still bides with him. He's like, please just come to my game. He's like, it's a championship game. I know I'm going to be on the bench, but don't we want to get popular? We already see a little bit of discord there, because're like we don't care about being popular just come play the freaking game And they have to find a substitute and you know that like we all know that feeling like that you want to be Included these are your friends and he sees them. They don't show up to the game

He sees them all walk out with his sister. They're all laughing, having a great time. He gets out of the game and we can just tell that it's like, oh crap, I think he's gonna fall into the basketball crowd because now there's gonna be a riff here, right? You didn't come to my game, you didn't support me. And then like he sees them and like you pulled my sister into it and like, is she going to just take my place? There's so many of those thoughts, especially

when you're in high school with all like the hormones and the crazy thoughts like you, it's you're not adult enough to go. It's not that big of a deal. It is that big of a deal in high school. So I'm wondering where that's headed. I'm very interested. So we'll see. They set up a lot of things in this first episode very nicely, so I'm totally with you. All right, from Igna, Tara and Andrew, you have witnessed how the seasons have been leading

up to everything that's about to happen in this one. And obviously in season five too. Do you have any theories about what's going to happen with the Demogorgon, the Demo dogs, the mind flayer and the seasons villain sending all my love to you guys from Chile. Thank you, I'm not appreciate it. Love back to you. I think they're all going to be in this. Yeah. No, I don't have any theory. I mean, I had I guess I have already had one earlier

that they all team up or something. Maybe that would be insane if that happened. I would be I just made a theory that I'm a prediction that I'm probably completely wrong on and it's going to be fun to watch me hit my face on the I'm probably completely wrong on and it's gonna be fun to watch me hitting my face on the cement and be completely wrong on when I said that that little boy that El took out and he's probably dead is probably this Freddy Krueger-esque monster. So that's my theory.

I'll just stick with it and I'll be wrong. Other than that, no, but this sounds crazy if they all team up together against that. I don't know, Do you have any if you don't? Like you guys already know when you ask a question if you ask me a theory and I actually know the plot or what's gonna happen I'm not gonna give you a theory, of course. I didn't remember much of this episode at all except the the rainbow and then on the floor and

then the song running out that hill. So I think it would be insane. This is not a theory, but it would be insane if the Demogorgon, the Demodogs, the Mind Flayer and this season's villain all got together. That would be insane. How do you defeat that? We don't, especially without Eleven having her powers. Like there's no freaking way, dude.

Well, she would have to have her powers and you'd probably have to get that sister as well, right? Yeah, totally. Like we're, yeah, who freaking knows, man? I don't know, but it would be, it would be a lot. So I'm excited to man? I don't know, but it would be a lot. So I'm excited to see and I don't think, I mean, I think with one theory is that obviously we have this season's villain

and he's getting in the minds of people, especially Chrissy specifically, but I'm wondering, and he does the Nightmare on Elm Street thing, meaning he's going back and using these awful characters from your life to put you in that mindset, make you miserable. And I wonder why he prayed specifically on Chrissy. And it may be it's because she was vulnerable enough

that he knew that if he played her mom who was so evil to her, cause she was like, I'm gonna gut you like the fat pig that you are. Which is obviously why we saw her throwing up in the toilet. She's obviously bulimic because she was raised in a crappy way with her mom.

So I'm curious why he preys upon the kids that he preys upon. And I'm intrigued to see when and where and why and who and what's the reason. Yeah. And that was one of the fun things in Nightmare on Elm Street was Freddie used people's fears against them. It was a psychological tactic. So being in a nightmare in itself. And that was her fear, right? Her mom's saying all that. She's obviously throwing up. So she doesn't become that way. But and also too, that was one of my favorite things in the series. Like, whether you liked a movie or not, like I love how creative and inventive a lot of those nightmare sequences got. So I think like I'm excited to see that as well in the future episodes here

All right. I think this is our last question Sophie Calligan this season is a lot darker What do you think of the shift in tone especially between three and four and what are your thoughts on the changes? We see in some of our characters Max Lucas L Jonathan see in some of our characters. Max, Lucas, L, Jonathan. Et cetera. I mean, thank you, Sophie, for being a Rojo reject in the question. We appreciate it. I think you said it, Sophie. It's getting darker and you're feeling that in the characters, especially Max is the best example. You can really, how isolated and how much grief she is really feeling from not only the group, but just what is happening from, uh, with, uh, with

what happened with Billy, but also too. Now she has to take care of her mother. Thank God her stepfather's gone. That guy was the worst piece of crap ever. But like now she's in a position where she has to take care of an adult because this person can't take care of herself. Like she's dealing with a lot of crap. Like this is an actual issue that occurs in real life and you really feel for this character and it's a dark issue. So it's

like, you know, so, but again, it makes the show feel grounded too. So it's definitely delving into darker, a darker tone, but it's also very mature as well. And I like it, because again, it makes the show feel real. So, what about you? I like the switch of tone, because from one, two, and three, even though it's kind of dark, we're like, wait, what's going on? We're learning what's happening.

In three, we knew what was the characters, and and kind of like oh, there's a monster somewhere But it was so bright and like we're in this mall Right and now skip to we're in high school and like to me on my high school dark as fuck Anyway, like it's like, you know bullies and stuff like that. So I really do like that it is a, do we have more? We got two more. Okay. What was the last thing that she asked? Anyway, I do actually like that it has gotten darker,

but I resonate with that, especially because of so much death that we have seen from even season one to two to three that it has to have an effect on these guys right on all of them and it's and with them moving away and Jonathan and Nancy being separated also Mike and L those are two of our strongest relationships and also also Lucas and Max, they're not separated. They're still in the same school, but they are separated. What made them all separate?

Death and the tragic, the tragedy that happened. They're all separated because of that. And also it's just good writing to separate the three strongest relationships for the next season, because if they were still like, it's all good, there's not that much intrigue there. We gotta add the drama to it. So I think it's good writing on their part to separate them. But not in a dumb way. They're doing it because tragedy and death has come their way.

And that's what makes this season such a dark thing. And then we get hit with it yet freaking again, dude, where I'm like, wait, what? Right? Cause these kids, they haven't had that much fricking time to recover. And now here we go. It's gonna be a story. She's on the roof of that guy. And what's her name?

Max saw her go in there. Oh, right. Max saw Chrissy go in there with Eddie. So where, and then if he can't keep it a secret, right? She's gonna be like, we're gonna be like, where's Chrissy? And now we're in a whole other tragedy. Yeah. I wonder if we're going to get into a store just again, projecting. I wonder if we're going to get into a storyline of you're dealing with paranoid delusions for max. Like I saw her go in there and like, no, you didn't. And people are like, you're crazy. You're dealing with the grief of your brother and you're having a traumatic effect. You didn't see her

actually go in there. I'm curious if they're going to go with that storyline. Also to one thing, and then we'll get to this, the last two questions here. I was thinking, you know how Murray was working on his karate. I wonder if he was also working on that. Granted, he is a black belt because he wasn't able to protect Alexi. So he wants to work on his self-defense. Yeah. Maybe. Well, he really got to work in if he's a black belt. Yeah.

Let's go. All right. From Bia, Stranger Things. Hi, Tara and Andrew. Hi, Bia. Sending a lot of love from Transylvania. Cool. I have been waiting of love from Transylvania. Cool. I have been waiting for you to start season four.

This is my favorite season so far. What do you guys think about Eddie and the Hellfire Club and their implications in the story? We ride a dog and we play metal! That's right. Yeah, I mean, they are definitely an interesting addition for sure. Yeah, I mean they are definitely an interesting addition for sure

I feel like Again this whole theme of fitting in like it just it's it's a very natural addition and I think like Dustin and Mike and Erica just really gel perfectly with them. Although there is a major contrast to them as well. And I don't know, like Eddie kind of comes off like as he used to be them. And then he transitioned into like this heavy metal type of guy too. So it's fascinating to see what their, what his implications are in the story. I mean, we just saw that he was there for what just happened. So he's obviously really involved. And he doesn't know what happened,

but he saw what happened in terms of like a girl. Or Chrissy was just like slashed to death on him. Her bones were like, you know, replacing the other direction. So like, he's clearly going to be a focal point in this season. But like, I don't know what his implications are, but maybe he's gonna join the crew, I don't know, we'll see. But I do like the addition, it's fun.

I think this show always does a good, you know, from season two, season three, season four, they always do a good job of inserting characters very naturally and never feels forced. Yeah, I think that, you know, that when we see them show up, Dustin, Mike, they both have on Hellfire Club shirts and they're so scared to go and talk to

when we reveal Eddie, that he's obviously the leader of the group and it's this big D&D thing, that we're already placing them without saying it. That this might be our new crew. Like obviously he's gonna be become it, especially as we see in the writing. Eddie's in a lot of this episode, right? Almost as another lead, like we always have our group. And he's added in which I really like because it's sort of fresh meat here.

We're like, all right, he's different. He's like 20. He's failed high school two or three times. And I like that he was a nerd alert before and he brought these guys in and was like, how high school used to suck for you, but now you're hanging with us and it doesn't suck anymore. I like, but there is still that, I was still trying to figure it out in the beginning

because of the way he grabbed them and then he's like, and go get, go get them. Then I was like, wait, is he like mean, or like, is he like so much of a leader that they're like, we have to follow his rules? But then you see them play the game and you're like, oh, they had a lot of fun together, right? So now I'm not really getting that vibe from Eddie.

I'm actually getting that he just, he's a different type of character and I like it. And I'm excited to see what happens. It represents a little bit of a free spirit and to not care about being judged and just be yourself. Yeah, I agree. All right. Last question, Jessica Hauser. So what do you think about our new villain?

How do you think our core group can stand against him or if they even care? I oh, if they even can. Oh, if they even care. Yeah, they even can. Yes, like I think they care. I hope they care. Otherwise, they're not going to survive. Yeah. I mean, so far, I'm loving it just as because I'm obsessed with, you know, what series I won't say it again, but I just did. I, again, I just, I want to know more about the history and the, well, you

don't have to get into a backstory, but I'm just curious to know more about the, the villain for sure. But in regards to how do I think our core is going to stand against him? I didn't obviously at the end of the day, we know they're going to stand against them and probably win else. You can't have a series, right? But it's like what happened? It's like when you're in the moment, you don't feel like they stand a chance. That's like the stakes are always high. That's the most important thing. And right now it's like, holy crap,

how are they gonna do that? And I know I felt that way in season three with the mind flayer and so far they're doing a good job of making us feel like this is gonna be like mission impossible. They're gonna have to John McClane this. It's like an impossible task for them. And I like that.

I like them setting the stakes really high. So I don't know how they're gonna do that that, but it's going to be fun to see the execution and that because we saw from the first three seasons, they are so damn good at giving us a big amount of stakes and then the this crew finding a way to work together the camaraderie throughout all these people all having parts to play to get the job done. Yeah, I agree.

I like the new villain. I think he looks disgusting and very scary. It's weird that he has the human eyes and looks like that. It freaks me out. It's weird that I don't remember, but I think I blocked it out of my memory because I'm like, that's terrifying. For good reason.

I don't like it. And I think that when you asked me about the core group that can stand against him, I was thinking that in the last seasons, what they have always done is gone like, remember when they were like, well, it's a Demogorgon and like, how do we fight it? How do they even know that it's a Demogorgon? And they're like, oh, because Dungeons and Dragons. So there has to be, what I am thinking, is some sort of callback that they're going to use that same type of language or phrasing of like, if they see the villain, they might go like, well,

what can we do in Dungeons and Dragons? What would we do to fight it and win? Maybe what they just did in with Erica, maybe whatever that V name was. They called it something. And we all know that they're so deep in it. And now that we know that Erica's like, she's like, I'm a 17 and I'll go behind the monsters back and stab it.

And you're like, oh, okay. So you're advanced, which is great for us. If we need to go back to that D&D lore, which has helped us with those other monsters in the past. Which is a plus, which is, it seems surreal and not realistic, but in this environment, in this world, in the Stranger Things show, It is. It legitimately helped us. So I'm looking forward to seeing how, because we're starting off really hot.

Hellfire Club is the new D&D and it's taken over the group. So it's gotta go somewhere. Tara and I are calling it, Lady Applejack is going to slay the beast. Ooh, that's fun. All right, well, let's see. We love you guys. Thank you so much for joining us. Oh, that's fun. All right. Well, let's see. We love you guys.

Thank you so much for joining us. Do all the right things. Go to reject nation shop dot com. Leave us comments. Tell us how cool we are. We love you. We'll see you on the next one. You know who would kill it in the upside down?

Oh, is it the rogue? It would be the rogue. And so because JT, I'm assuming that's you is Someone who knows how to be incredibly still just true incredibly quiet calm the crisis is someone who lives in Hawaii but doesn't like to leave his bedroom and When you're someone like that with a cop or a dad

Makes it easy to know how to navigate the lands of the upside down to avoid trouble. You don't want someone who's curious. You don't want someone who's an explorer. Those people have too much emotions. They're going to die. You want someone who struggles with their emotions and showing them. And I think Rogue 808 would be the perfect person to be there because you need someone

who can be completely neutral. So once I venture the upside down Rogue 808, I'm bringing you with me on top of that too. You wouldn't notice when I'm about to use you as a human geel. And up till that point, you would just be chilling and you would be providing a really good morale boost to everybody, keeping us calm. I agree with everything you just said, John. Posey content is on the rise, you know, Stranger Things 5's whole subplot, just you chilling in the upside down. So Rogue808, I hope you keep supporting us and what can I say? I like you more than you'll ever realize. Obsession.