The June 10, 2022 installment of Jake Schoeneberger’s random observations
The stakes are getting high in this season of Stranger Things. Ok, something you need to know about me: Jacob Schoeneberger hates seeing beloved characters die. Right, no one likes to see that, obviously. But it definitely feels like one or more members of the gang might not survive this ordeal. Jacob Schoeneberger is freaking out a little here!
With that in mind, here are some random observations I have on the show.
The Jake Schoeneberger Random Thoughts about Stranger Things (Season 4, Episode 4)
This will contain spoilers for anyone who hasn’t watched the show yet.
The fourth episode begins with Sam’s associates telling Mike, Will, and Jonathan about what’s going on in Hawkins and how Sam is training El. They deliver a letter to Mike from El that read, “I have gone to become a superhero again. From, El.” Significant that she didn’t sign it “Love, El.” That’s exactly what she complained to Mike last episode that he never signed his letters with the word “Love.” He only ever used the word “From.” Kind of heartbreaking moment right there.
The gang finds Max and she was in a trance just like Chrissy and Fred. And Max knows from their files that she is having the same symptoms as Chrissy and Fred. Max knows she’s doomed just like they were. It seems like she has about 24 hours before Vecna comes for her.
And finally Lucas catches up to the gang at the school. It’s so awesome to finally have Lucas back with the gang. Jake Schoeneberger hates it when the gang is broken up!
Nancy and Robin are going to talk to the asylum director to try to persuade him to let them talk to Creel. Meanwhile, Hopper is planning his escape from prison and Murray and Joyce are in Alaska with the money to exchange for Hopper.
Jonathan has a plan to help Mike and Will get back to Hawkins. This is great news, the town needs them and the gang needs them!
Robin puts on an amazing display as she tries to convince the asylum director to let them interview Creel. She weaves quite the tale on the spot about being fascinated by the Creel case her entire life and that she wants to be taken seriously as a female psychologist. Her performance gets them ten minutes with Creel.
Joyce and Murray meet with Yuri and he seems a bit out of his mind. Trustworthy? Hmmm, not so sure.
In the prison Hopper makes his break for it. He intentionally breaks his hammer and goes to get a new one. He then knocks the one guard out and wins a fight with another and blows the supply shack up, He steals a snowmobile and narrowly escapes being fired at by like a dozen AK-47s. Ok, Jacob Schoeneberger can suspend his disbelief as well as anyone for this one, but this is stretching it.
The cell Victor is being held in is very reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs. I was expecting to see Hannibal Lechter in his cell. Was not expecting to see Creel had no eyes when he turned around, however. Jump scare much?
Total surprise moment when the military shows up to capture Jonathan, Mike, and Will instead of the pizza they were expecting. Then Argyle shows up (love how his name is a nod to the limo driver in Die Hard, by the way) and he drives the escape vehicle.
Wow, Hopper ran barefoot through snow with a mangled ankle all the way through town to get to the abandoned church. He’s… uhhhhh… mighty tough. Love how absolutely blissful and euphoric he is to get a taste of American peanut butter in the church. You can really identify with that moment.
Turns out Yuri sold Enzo and Joyce and Murray out. Now Hopper is recaptured, Enzo has been apprehended, and Yuri is turning Joyce and Murray over to the KGB. Not sure how they’re getting out of this one.
Now that Jacob Schoeneberger gets a better look at Creel, he sure looks like Robert Englund, our original Freddy Krueger. Nice touch, love that casting. Freddy is definitely Jake Schoeneberger’s favorite horror baddie.
After they interview Creel, the asylum director calls the police on Nancy and Robin. He knows they aren’t who they said they were. Now I’m wondering how the heck they’ll get out of their situation. The holes are being dug deeper for all the characters we root for. Nancy and Robin narrowly escape the asylum and rush back to help Max.
Max is under Vecna’s spell and she is wandering through the Upside Down. It’s just a matter of moments before Vecna kills her like he did Chrissy and Fred. Once again Robin pulls a trick out of her hat realizing from Creel’s story that music might just be the key to pulling people out of the dark wizard’s trance. In a rush, the gang plays Max’s favorite Kate Bush song, “Running Up That Hill.” It starts to break the trance just as Vecna closes his grip on her. It works as Max sees scenes of all the good times she’s had with her friends, and she narrowly escapes Vecna’s clutches. Perfect song, perfect moment. This is Stranger Things at its very best.
More Thoughts from Jacob Schoeneberger