Stranger Things (TV Series) Chapter One: The Hellfire Club (2022) User Reviews

"There is no shame in running!"

[bosporan · 8/10 · 27 May 2022]

Fabulous opening with a recollection of El, her powers and their origins in a dramatic first scene with shocking consequences. We move on to discover how each of the heroes has developed in the intervening time and where they have landed now. This could have been awkward and clunky, but it works extremely well, perhaps a reflection of my investment in these characters.

El struggles in highschool with her naïvete and social awkwardness becoming more exposed and her not being able to rely on her powers to help as her goto coping mechanism.

Overall a great scene setter, I was concerned about the format, but in this episode there is plenty to fill the extended time. The final scene is freaky and provides the usual ST tug towards the next episode.

It's turned into a gory slasher and I love it

[gedikreverdi · 8/10 · 29 May 2022]

It feels like a gory slasher from the 80, particularly A Nightmare on Elm Street and in fact, the cheerleader's kill at the end reminds me of one of the kills from the original film very much. I don't know what you guys are complaining but this was fun and yes, it could have been a bit shorter and yes, the kids are all adults now but still I enjoyed it. What I don't understand tho is that some of the characters are now in California which feels awkward.

Nice

[gianmarcoronconi · 9/10 · 4 July 2022]

As in the third season, this first episode is also full of teen drama but you can also clearly see the villain and you can also see the disturbing anxiety and the gory way in which this last season will be treated.

Still works

[guyberrick · 8/10 · 31 May 2022]

To be honest, the long break between seasons made me think I would feel disconnected watching the new season. But, they do a great job at bringing you back into the world and vibe of Stranger Things, and make you feel like it never left. It also seems like they are ramping up the horror this season, which intrigued me.

THAT is how you start a season

[lantheratherlargeman · 9/10 · 27 May 2022]

Jeeesus that was intense. Most of the episode focuses around the kids as they've grown up, like season 3's first episode, but that ending was insane! High hopes for the rest of the season.

A Good Start For Season Four!

[herzoggraceson · 8/10 · 1 June 2022]

This is a great start to a new season of this amazing show. We have been waiting for this season for almost four years now! This episode introduced some great special effects and added a great element to this show. Now there was a little bit of pointless filler, but it wasn't all the way useless. You have to have some annoying drama to start this seasons theme of eleven getting bullied. I liked the ominous style that set this seasons terrifying effect. As every group of characters faced there own problems all apart from each other, a batch of scariness stirs up around the world. I recommend watching this episode. A solid 8/10.

Welcome to 1986

[tristan_19 · 10/10 · 27 May 2022]

The Hellfire Club is a masterclass in editing and directing. It's filled with horror elements and it shines with style all the way through.

The first scene is already a classic. It was awesome to see the more caring side of 'Papa', before mayhem hits the fan. The characters are once again delightful. Max is fantastic. Sadie Sink portrays her in new somber ways. Chrissy is a star already. She was so interesting from the get go. Robin is a highlight too. I feel bad for Lucas at the end, as I feel bad for Dustin and Mike, because they were just trying to stay true to the party and their nerdy side. And can we stop bullying El already ? It's such a punch in the gut to see people act that way.

The direction is pitch perfect and the superposition between the basket game and the D&D game was something special. It's just so enthralling. The editing and cuts are exceptional. Just look at the Nancy and Jonathan scene.

The whole episode is great, but the last scene is truly wonderful. You get transported to Vecna's world so seemlessly, and the sheer terror on Eddie's face as he sees Chrissy's body falling apart is insane. The transitions are on point. So are the visuals.

What a haunting episode. Overall, it's probably one of the best episodes of the show.

New Year, New Problems

[ha77y73ad97 · 9/10 · 14 June 2022]

The excitement of this series to be returning cannot be understated here. I wasn't 100% sure there they were going to go with the series but starting off a year down the line helps all of our characters be able to grow after the battle of Star Court. Some still grieving and some that have accepted the fates of the characters around them.

Starting high school for any kid is a tough thing but having this as the point where the series starts i was thinking this was going to be some coming of age for the first half of the series but it really wasnt! This jumped 2 footed into the new story and not missing a beat. With the actors being older theres a lot more they can play with in terms of horror and story line which certainly shows through in the ending of the opening episode. This was dark, grewsome and whole heartily scary at points, Lets not forgot that there were some truly funny moments in the series which just proves this has not lost its charm.

Overall with 7 episodes being released i cannot wait to burn through these but al want to make sure that i enjoy these. Waiting this amount of time and finishing them in a weekend is not the one for me. Roll on episode 2!

Another excellent first episode

[nyxstrix · 9/10 · 27 May 2022]

This episode felt like a 4 hour movie. In a good way. Really, congrats to everyone on the production team. Fantastic work, really.

I feel like they've handled the grief max is feeling quite well. The whole episode felt a bit slow as a beginning episode but I suppose that's because there's a lot to come. It's good to see what's happened since we last saw them all.

It Was Decent

[MamadNobari97 · 7/10 · 28 May 2022]

It's not the best episode of the show or anything, but I still enjoyed watching it and it wasn't agonizing or boring to watch, because it has a good direction and knows how to keep the scenes not boring by good editing.

I was the biggest critic of season 3, because how it repeated what season 1 and 2 already did with the whole "one of them seeing a monster and trying to tell everyone, but no one believes him and everyone is fighting each other, until the last episode where they realize he was right and there was in fact a monster and they team up to defeat it" plot that was already done in the previous seasons and was just embarrassing to see, and also them butchering the character of Hopper for no reason whatsoever just to add some drama and conflict in the story.

But I'd lie if I say this is not a well-made show. The production is amazing and feels as authentic as it can be, the direction is really good and the editing helps the scene to be more interesting and not boring.

The only thing this show is lacking in, is the writing, and the clichés are really annoying.

Like how many times have we scene this bully cliché and every time it was so fake and uninteresting that makes you roll your eyes?

I really this particular cliché and I don't know why they can't other ways to do it or make it feel more authentic.

Other than that, it's the first episode of the season after a really really long hiatus between season 3 and 4, and I can't really blame them for spending time with the characters and introducing the new ones.

And I really commend them for taking their time and not cram everything in 40 minutes like Disney Plus shows, the only thing MCU shows are disappointing and don't reach their full potential is the weird 6-episode per season and under an hour episode limit they have. So it's a nice to see a show that takes its time for a change.

Although I hope next episodes pick up the pace and don't have as much as fluff this episode, and also, I really really hope they don't do the same plot from season 3 which was the same plot as the 2 before like I describes above, and give us a fresh and new experience and they stop butchering Hopper or any other character.

LEAVE EL ALONE

[Trey_Trebuchet · 8/10 · 13 July 2022]

A pretty well made season opener. The intro was really intense and gritty, followed by some catch-up with all of the characters that makes this feel like the opening episode it is. BUT, I love most of the characters and I hope the ones I don't quite love will grow on me this season, which may happen, seeing as all of the episodes are well over 75 minutes.

I love all of the horror vibes as well, that's something that keeps me coming back to this series. As per usual with Stranger Things, the sound design, VFX, acting and direction are all top quality!

Really solid.

Slow out of the gate

[izaak99 · 6/10 · 27 May 2022]

This episode could have been cut down to 20-30 mins without the need for so much uselessly slow filler. The first and last 10 minutes is it. Inbetween there is nothing of significance other than little moments and struggles with the old cast and watching what appears to be 20-30 year olds playing high school students littered with ridiculous 80s memento.

A rocky start

[itwperiod · 5/10 · 28 May 2022]

Inconsistency is the new most terrifying monster this season as the show makes you sit through an hour of cliché high school drama, and then at the end shocks you into interest!

Seriously though, I have mixed feelings about this episode.

The first few minutes are probably the best and most interesting part about this episode, with an intriguing flashback adding details to Eleven's past, done mysteriously but also boldly, and it's a successful hook because Eleven is an important character with a lot of mystery surrounding her already.

Most of the rest of the episode just builds character dynamics, and is pretty slow, even during the simultaneous sequences of the basketball and d&d games.

There are a few things that were pretty interesting, like the clock stuck inside the tree during one of the cheerleader's hallucinations. I would've preferred to see more of that because time as a concept hasn't been explored yet in the show, and the imagery tied to the clock is legitimately very interesting.

The end of the episode really killed the hype I had for the show honestly. It just seemed over the top and wasn't really mysterious or slick or anything, just meant to scare the viewer into investment. While a lot of motifs (like the demogorgon, the mind flayer, the upside down, the flayed, and the clock) are interesting throughout the show, for some reason watching someone get thrown against the ceiling and gruesomely mutilated just doesn't seem that interesting to me?

The reason the shows mysteries are generally so interesting is that you watch the mysteries unravel with the progression and the intensity building, rather than the intensify being shoved down your throat without the mystery that made the show so intriguing. The hook that got audiences so invested in the show in the first place was the disappearing of Will in season one, which left all of the details up to the imagination of the viewer. It's much less interesting when it's revealed right away and you find out that it's extremely unpleasant to watch with no real payoff.

I get that it's setup for the rest of the season, so the boring parts are forgivable as the season is still bound to pick up a pace at one point, but the end is over the top just for the sake of shock value, and is a poorly executed hook.

Still interested in the show because of the motif with the clock and the partially revealed backstory of eleven. Interested, but not impressed.

5/10.

Good to be back

[harishnj · 8/10 · 5 August 2022]

Great start to the series and the way characters started off their roles are good. With the plot continuing and getting interesting, it's wonderful to see.

Great start of the season, the creepiness is back

[namob-43673 · 8/10 · 27 May 2022]

The first season had a great sort of creepy horror feel which was missing the later seasons, but here it is back again. We also get a perfect setup episode with updates us on all the players and and what is going on in everyones lives. Pretty brilliant start of the season.

The big negative, which has been the negative with this show since the start, is that there are too many characters and too many things going on in each characters life. It goes so far that one barely care about anyone since everything is sort of spread out.

But at least the acting has clearly improved. Even the most annoying characters seem to have gone through acting classes and come back with a higher level so it this was still very good.

Very good start. Lets see if they can keep it up or improve.

Great start

[tcecoleshaw · 8/10 · 16 June 2022]

This episode seems to have it all; suspense, humour, humility And gore. Wow it really sets up the anticipation for the season ahead.

One criticism: given the cliff hanger finish of season 3, it is disappointing that the opening credits of season 4 reveal something, or someone, they should have left out of the credits to avoid a potential spoiler. Of course, I'm referring to ××××× @%£#! In the opening credits. Whether the character actually appears in the episode I'll let you guess, and perhaps the off season speculation may have given it away though as yet I don't know. It's just a small detail, but perhaps the brothers aren't just Duffer by name if they can let these things creep in.

Slow at the beginning but ending had me shocked

[mfennessey-00886 · 9/10 · 27 May 2022]

I watched this right when the episodes were released and I thought this episode was good in setting up the season. The final scene with Eddie and Chrissie was something I was not expecting. It was a very god way to end the first episode and start the season. Also the call back to Tammy Thompson not being able ti hold a tune had me cracking up.

It's not filler

[pizzagoodgogo · 10/10 · 27 May 2022]

I personally don't think taking time to establish where the characters are is filler like many reviews suggest. The parts with Chrissy have me shook and how I've actually felt horrified from a show for once in my life.

Very strong start to Series 4

[snoozejonc · 9/10 · 2 July 2022]

Eleven has a tough time at her new California school, whilst the remaining crew are part of the Hellfire Club at Hawkins High School.

This is an incredibly entertaining episode with great 80s nostalgia and horror-genre filmmaking.

The plot's primary focus is to set the scene following the events of the previous season and establish the lives of certain characters split between different locations. It does this incredibly well with great cinematography, editing, colour grading, and use of music.

I love the scenes that bounce seamlessly between the two locations using audio transitions from similar conversations taking place between certain characters.

It does a solid job of generating intrigue and suspense in the plot with a new threat shown via the experiences of certain new characters. This involves some very effective horror sequences that combine imagery and sound to frightening effect. All of it is done in a very retro way of course.

As ever the nostalgia is done brilliantly and rather than being for the sake of it serves the plot and tone of the episode very well. All the songs, cultural references and movie homages are perfect. The intercut basketball/Dungeons and Dragons sequence is particularly entertaining and impossible not to enjoy, especially if you are an 80s child like me.

All performances are excellent.

For me it's an 8.5/10 but I round upwards.

Dark hellfire

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 20 October 2023]

'Stranger Things': "The Hellfire Club" (2022)

Opening thoughts: While really enjoying Seasons 1 and 2, which had many exceptional episodes, Season 3 was a lot less consistent. It did have two episodes that were outstanding and a couple more that were close, but the others were uneven but good and at their worst barely average. Expectations were high for Season 4, though did worry about due to the longer break between Seasons 3 and 4 for obvious reasons whether it would forget what made 'Stranger Things' work so well at its best or remembers.

Mostly, Season 4 did remember what 'Stranger Things' is about. It was an uneven season that did try to do too much and the pacing wasn't always there, but there was a lot of great things about it. All of which is obvious in the promising Season 4 premiere that is "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club", while not up to the same level as the premiere for Seasons 1 it is a lot better than that of Season 3's and on par with Season 2's though for different reasons. 'Stranger Things' may not be as brilliant as it was, but it has not lost it.

Bad things: "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" is not perfect. Do agree that it does have too many characters and that the pace, which can feel too sluggish and over-stretched, could have been a lot tighter.

This could have been made possible if there was less of the scenes with the bullies, which were not very interesting or had enough tension and felt also like filler. There is a major revelation too that was really difficult to get the head round.

Good things: So much is good though. Absolutely loved the production values, which have a creepier horror film-like aesthetic which suited the darker tone that the season had very well indeed. The photography is cinema worthy and the effects very slick. The soundtrack is haunting, infectious and very nostalgic, the episode really does capture the spirit of the period with the soundtrack selection. On the most part, the writing has brains and heart with the teen drama having less cheese and melodrama generally.

Although the story is not perfect, the nostalgia vibe is really well done and even better are the darker and scarier than before horror elements. "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" starts off incredibly well, with an intriguing and unsettling opening. Also thought the ending freaky and suspenseful, not over the top to me. The characters are well written, with Eddie being one of the best additions that the show has had for some time. The acting from all the regulars is great, but the performance of the episode is that of Joseph Quinn in a very promising and refreshing debut, curiosity, concern, panic and complete horror has not been conveyed so believably on the show for a while.

Concluding thoughts: In summary, flawed but quite well done start.

7/10.

I Need to Be Filled In

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 28 May 2022]

I'm very patient when it comes to transitional episodes. The third season ended so dramatically with such intensity, that we need to be reminded of this great cast of characters. This episode brings in a bunch of horror show staples and special effects. We now can evaluate things when the focus is narrowed. I have to say, I never got what happened in the D & D section, other than their obvious victory.

Solid Start

[Mesina02 · 7/10 · 4 July 2022]

Besides the first episode from season 1, this doesn't differentiate from the other first episodes. It re-introduces these characters, shows us what has happened to them since the past season and what's there situation now.

The only takeaways I had were the new stuff. The Hawkins Lab sequence in the beginning was good and the scenes involving Chrissy were quite interesting. It kept me hooked and excited for what's gonna come next.

What a disappointment

[Dancertw13 · 2/10 · 28 May 2022]

It feels nothing like the original. I don't understand the high scores. I feel like I'm watching nightmare on elm street not stranger things. Just because it's Freddy's voice doesn't mean it also needs to look like it. I hope they turn this around.

Love of the craft.

[safods · 9/10 · 6 June 2022]

The pre credit scene alone just made me relax and give a sigh of relief because I knew I was in good hands with regards to the craftmanship of making good tv. The scene was scary and creepy and anything but relaxing, as intended.

But relaxing because the technical aspect was so good, camerawork, editing, sound, lighting. Everything just felt like it was made with love, passion and freedom to be creative. Which makes ALL the difference.

Add to that a wellwritten script, directing and acting, everything gets elevated to another level.

I was nothing but glued to the screen and hooked. People giving this episode a low score because they were disappointed at a personal level should be ashamed. The love of the craftmanship that is movie and tv production alone merrits a higher score.

Cant wait for whats to come.

Disney Could Learn a Few Things From This

[just_pat_quinn · 9/10 · 1 June 2022]

After feeling a bit bored by most of Season 3 I went into this episode without a lot of interest but it successfully got me excited for the rest of the season! I have been feeling the burnout with most of the Disney+ shows like Moon Knight, Book of Boba Fett and now Obi Wan. They're stale and seem to be following a very tired model. I know that Stranger Things has the same nostalgia, throwback, homage thing going for it but these show runners have figured out a way to do it that doesn't feel as forced IMO. Happy that Netflix hasn't been shut out of the sci-fi genre!