Earlier this year, Netflix confirmed that Stranger Things season four would be split into two parts.
The decision was disappointing for fans who have already been waiting three years for the show to make its return.
However, there is plenty to chew on in the meantime as the latest season boasts some of the longest episode times in TV history.
Each episode is essentially a movie in its own right as the streaming platform splurged hundreds of millions of dollars on the latest season.
There is a reason for the decision to split this season into two, but as season five has already been confirmed, it isn’t because the series is coming to an end.
Why has Stranger Things season four been split?
On May 27, the first seven episodes of Stranger Things season four dropped on Netflix.
However, there are still two more episodes to come, once again leaving fans clawing for more from the Hawkins teens.
An explanation for the split came from the Duffer Brothers themselves, the creators of the smash-hit series.
In a letter confirming that season five would be the last one, they also addressed the length of season four.
They wrote: “Given the unprecedented length, and to get it to you as soon as possible, Season 4 will be released in two volumes.”
How long are the episodes in Stranger Things season four?
TV episodes typically range from 30 minutes to an hour, but season four of Stranger Things is boasting runtimes far longer than this.
Most episodes in volume one run for around 75 minutes, with episode seven clocking in at 98 minutes.
When the show returns, the two final episodes will be just as impressively long, with episode eight hitting 85 minutes.
This pales in comparison to the season finale though, as that will entertain you for a whopping two-and-a-half hours.
These episode times are essentially feature-length movies, making the long wait for season four all the more worth it for super-fans.
This is also reflected in the cost too, as each episode reportedly set Netflix back $30million, according to the Wall Street Journal.
What is the release date of Stranger Things season four part two?
The final two episodes are both set to drop on July 1, 2022.
This means there isn’t long to wait as Netflix is already in pre-production for the final season, too.
It has not been confirmed when season five will release, though it will most likely be late 2023 at the earliest.
Stranger Things is one of the most popular shows for Netflix, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this Upside Down universe.
