Stranger Things (TV Series) Chapter Four: The Sauna Test (2019) User Reviews

OMG

[burntorange · 9/10 · 6 August 2021]

Just getting around to watching season 3, 1 episode per week. The acting in "The Sauna Test" is stupendous. Hopper and Joyce with the mayor LOL Those scenes were funny. Love Erica and her sassy mouth. Steve and Dustin are family now and it works.

MBB in the last scene what can I say incredible.

Development matters

[dano1330-970-266341 · 8/10 · 7 July 2019]

Other reviews of this episode mention how good it is due to "character development, music, etc..." but then say how much better it is than episodes 1 & 2. These episodes were used to set up the rest of the season! We all know these characters so well, but time has passed since we've seen them. The writers couldn't just jump into the next encounter with the Upside-Down world without giving us reasons to continue to care about these kids. I think they did an excellent job of creating some division among the group, all while setting up the pending danger. This is the first clear sign that "Stranger Things" continues to reach the bar that it has set so high for itself.

3x04

[formotog · 8/10 · 3 May 2020]

Very good episode. The pace is really picking up now and we finally get a real, proper look at the Mind Flayer, or what's left of it in the real world. The (almost) original gang are back together and doing what they do best. The scene with Billy was truly brilliant. This show really knows how to use flashing lights. Hopper is really into something now and it was great watching him beat the hell out of that slimy mayor. The last couple of episodes have balanced tension, plot progression, and set-up so well. We had some really nice character moments as well. I'm not really a fan of how the Starcourt plot at the moment seems to be kind of comic relief/fan-service. Especially Erica, really not a fan of her character. At least that side is still very relevant to the plot. The cliffhanger really showed just how much of a virus-like problem the Mind Flayer has become (appropriate). Looking forward to the rest

Low 8

Turning Up the Heat

[petereviews · 8/10 · 7 July 2019]

The Good: The final 15 minutes of this episode was gripping, excellent television. Through two seasons, Eleven has been shown to be very powerful and hasn't faced any real threats. To see Billy beat her and almost kill her was shocking and seemed like a terrible possibility in the moment. Earlier on in this scene, Billy pleading and then attacking Max was very suspenseful, while also giving us key information that Billy is not fully possessed.

Before this amazing scene, I appreciated seeing the kids coming together so quickly and not questioning if the Mind Flayer had come back. It makes sense after two seasons that the kids would be used to horrors happening and I was glad we didn't have to sit through scenes of them arguing.

Nancy and Jonathan's argument was heartbreaking, especially because you can see the point of view for each of them. Steve and crew finding the Russian elevator was an exciting development and I am curious to what they will find (and how it will help answer some questions).

The Bad: Hopper beating up Mayor Kline felt very unrealistic and out of character. In fact, Hopper and Joyce's storyline this episode felt off and over-exaggerated.

Erica is a very unrealistic character and feels very blatantly like a writer's idea of "precocious child" rather than how an actual kid would talk. Also, she is not as funny as the writers appear to think she is and I do not look forward to her joining the story as she is so bratty.

Highlight of the Episode: The final 15 minutes.

Conclusion: While this episode had some worrying spots, the final 15 minutes of this episode were so strong that I have to reflect it in my score. Action has finally exploded to Season 3, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Wow

[Joshumms · 10/10 · 30 March 2022]

This episode was very intense on all fronts and absolutely outstanding. Very enjoyable, huge developments in the story, season 3 is definitely getting even better now.

Aaaaand we're back!

[Trey_Trebuchet · 9/10 · 7 September 2021]

Legitimately enjoyed episode 3, but this was also very good. Seeing EL actually being in danger and getting her birthday handed to her was super unexpected and very intense. The whole fight against Billy was very well done and extremely well acted. This episode kept up the intensity while also keeping up some of the drama from the previous episode. It was a fine blend of both in my opinion.

I love Hopper and Joyce, and while that beat down in the office was pretty awesome, I do have to admit it felt just a bit out of character. Hopper is a tough dude willing to do whatever he can to make his friends and family feel safe, but that seemed a bit overly dramatic in my opinion. I did enjoy it though soooo

The mall plot has reached a point that's actually pretty interesting. The relationship between Dustin and Steve is one of my favorites of the show. Robin is a welcome addition, but I didn't think this plot line got 100% interesting until this episode.

All-in-all, super solid. Can't wait to finish the season!

The Best Episode So Far

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 26 October 2019]

El is talking to Max and tells that she is worried with Billy and Heather. Mrs. Driscoll is taken by the police to a hospital. The Mind Flayer attacks Tom and Janet in the empty factory and turns them into the Flayed. Hopper recovers at Joyce´s house and they head to meet Kline to know the identity of the man that attacked him. Will senses The Mind Flayer and the group of teenagers reunites to discuss the problem without Dustin that is with Steve and Robin spying the Russians. They plot a plan to lock Billy inside the sauna to force the Mind Flayer to leave him. Nancy and Jonathan are fired from The Hawkins Post by Tom Holloway. Robin buys blueprints of the Starcourt Mall to find an access to the restricted rooms. Erica makes a deal with Robin, Steve and Dustin to open the door of the restricted room.

"Chapter Four: The Sauna Test" is so far the best episode of the Third season of "Stranger Things". The episode is full of tension and action and has interesting subplots. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Chapter Four: The Sauna Test"

Maybe the best episode of the entire series!

[Splarke22 · 10/10 · 4 July 2019]

Wow, S3E4 is an incredible episode that turns up the dial on what started out as a slow burner of a season. With bits and pieces of the main story arc fed to us in the first 3 episodes, everything comes together for an absolute thriller of a ride in this episode! The ending gave me absolute chills, can't wait to see what happens next!

INTENSE 👌🏻

[sjstobo22 · 10/10 · 6 April 2021]

I've binged this show so many times and I'm also watching reaction videos on YouTube for Stranger Things The only thing I'll say is quite easily THE BEST episode of this season imho The scene between Eleven and Billy where they're screaming at each other OMG literally chills.

This whole season is superb.

Do this for America, Erica

[bosporan · 9/10 · 12 May 2022]

Things are hotting up now in each of the four main plot threads; El and the gang, the ice cream crew, Jim and Joyce, and Nancy. All of them pointing to the same events viewed from a different facet, providing some payoff for the build-up to-date.

Some great action pushing the story along apace and now, at the halfway mark, it is clear what we are facing. We get to see eleven using her powers in earnest in contrast to their frivolous use in the previous episode.

There are many fabulous individual performances, notably Priah Ferguson as the sassy, streetwise Erica who exploits helping to her advantage.

VERY INTENSE!

[lorivera · 10/10 · 18 July 2019]

I have to admit, this episode put in the middle of my seat with goosebumps.

Humor, action and terror

[elweoncriticolacago · 4 July 2019]

Amazing episode with a tremendous climax. The best episode of the first 4 of this season. Good direction in the fight of 11 vs Billy, so much that you come to think that eleven died

Better

[garabedian123 · 7/10 · 6 July 2019]

Starting to get good. But why did they even go through the trouble of finding a kid if the air ducts were going to magically double in size anyways...She had a backpack on for crying out loud. Other than this "MINOR" problem it was a much better episode

Some parts of the plot doesn't make sense

[enrikohamzaj · 4/10 · 2 October 2019]

The biggest problem here is when they locked Billy in the sauna. I mean I understand the idea of development but seriously El closed the big dark portal on the end of season 2 but suddenly now she didn't try to hold the door of the sauna room until the dark force was out of Billy? I think for me that's bad script story, i seriously think that this is one of the greatest shows, but they should have done better.

And Stranger Things is Back!!!

[kalibeans · 10/10 · 4 July 2019]

This reviewer was concerned after episodes 1-3. Very concerned. Then "The Sauna Test" brings the full fun of watching Stranger Things back Full Force!!

Just perfect

[ducyvk · 10/10 · 4 July 2019]

Intense, really great episode, I wasnt sure about 3 season but this is just insanely good! they pretty much nailed it!

Finally.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 8 July 2019]

It has taken its merry time to get there, but with episode four, season three of Stranger Things finally delivers the action and excitement I've been waiting for.

The standout scenes are the titular sauna test, in which El and her pals try to force the Mindflayer from Billy's body by trapping him in a sauna and turning up the heat, and the bit where Dustin, Robin, and Steve manage to get into the mall store-room with a little help from ice-cream fan Erica (a winning performance from Priah Ferguson). Neither scenario goes all that well for the youngsters, which is good news for those who have been patiently waiting for something decent to happen.

With great character interaction and well handled action, this is a marked improvement over parts one to three.

We're back on stable ground

[sloane-sean · 9/10 · 4 July 2019]

After a rocky start to the season it finally feels like we're back. This episode has the main cast split into 3 groups, with each group trying tackle a different aspect of whatever is menacingly haunting Hawkins.

While it still feels like Dustin and Steve are stumbling on solutions to their problems too easily thanks to Robin, Joyce and Hopper are getting their hands dirty and tracing clues with some gritty detective work which is great, and the rest of the kids are (in vintage Stranger Things style) cleverly coming up with plans to find out what exactly is going on and who's behind it.

The formula is pretty similar to that which we've seen from Stranger Things in the previous 2 seasons, but the writers have thrown in a few curve balls to keep things fresh, and there's definitely a darker tone than we've seen before. The pacing in this episode is great and the acting, as per, is phenomenal. Hopefully the rest of the season is like this and not like the first 2 and a half episodes.

OHHH MY GOOD

[tomwarne-53094 · 10/10 · 5 July 2019]

That was one of this shows greatest episodes El versus Billy, damn that was intense. Loved it!!!

Sauna Test

[bpranavabala · 8/10 · 8 May 2022]

After the three episodes poor start, a good change to the season 3. Having good change in the series, awakened me right now. Actors acted as usual. Plot has some good connection.

Getting better

[ashutoshaswaleho · 9/10 · 11 July 2019]

Like both the previous seasons, First three were setting up the plot, now the cards are open we can gave the showdown. But the only complain remains still about non realistic interaction between the characters.

BANG ON STRANGER THINGS!!!!

[ad100000 · 10/10 · 9 August 2020]

Nowww that wass thee thinggg which makes stranger things an epic series. Just waited forr this thingg just far awaayyy better than episode 1 and 2. I'll just forget those episode ever existed in stranger thing and will believe it begun from episode 3

I'm holding the cup, but not drinking the Kool-Aid

[SureCommaNot · 6/10 · 7 July 2019]

At this point, I'm wondering how much longer I should keep trying with this show. Granted, the title sequence is freaking amazing, a couple of the cast members are quite beautiful, and ... well, I'm not sure I have anything else good to say. If the show is "giving homage" to the movies and TV programs it copies, why include movies and TV programs from after the '80s (such as 2013's "Under the Skin") to rip off? That doesn't work.

This episode really takes the cake. Shaky set pieces reminiscent of "Plan 9 From Outer Space," terrible acting, inconsistencies in the physics, contrived scripts where character motivation seems as random as a Family Guy cutaway, and plot holes just brushed away.

An example of sloppy writing: the Russians somehow overhear the spying trio's noisemaking over the sound of the pouring rain, but later in the very same episode, one of the spying characters makes little attempt to hide himself from being clearly visible to the Russians he's spying on. There's (supposedly) tension when it serves the story, but then no appropriate concern over much scarier situations.

My friends tell me it gets good, so... I'll press on. It's got potential. I just don't see how people get sucked into this, at this point.

This is getting stupid

[nsb68 · 4/10 · 23 July 2019]

Just one example of why I'm going off this series:

Flesh and bone tougher than brick apparently as a man is hurled through a solid wall and not only survives being smashed into meaty pulp but just gets up and walks away. I don't care what he's possessed by, it's still a human body vs brick and that's just dumb.

One frightening test

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 14 June 2022]

On the whole Season 3 was nowhere near as good as Seasons 1 and 2, both of which near consistently ranging between very good and brilliant (floundering only in one episode from Season 2). On the whole, the suspense and tension weren't as strong, the advancement of plotting and characters only came in spurts and some of the writing was surprisingly juvenile. Was honestly a bit apprehensive for "Chapter Four: The Sauna Test", due to being disappointed in the season's first two episodes and also thinking that while a big improvement that the previous episode wasn't to top standard too.

"Chapter Four: The Sauna Test" actually turned out to be 'Stranger Things' back on form after a slow, disappointing start to Season 3 and it was a brilliant episode in its own right. Whether it is one of the best 'Stranger Things' episodes is up for debate but it is a very strong contender for the best episode of Season 3 and one of the few truly great episodes from the season. It is the only episode up to this point of Season 3 to not have any problems and it improves on everything that went wrong in the previous three episodes.

Everything works here in "Chapter Four: The Sauna Test". The visuals are of outstanding quality. Very stylish and atmospheric, with some truly beautiful images that one can't believe such high quality comes from a Netflix show. Not to mention the highly impressive special effects that put a good deal of big budget films in recent years to shame. The music has a wonderful 80s nostalgic vibe while also being quite haunting, enhancing the atmosphere beautifully. Of the uniformly strong acting, the beyond her years work of Millie Bobby Brown is particularly note-worthy and absolutely loved Eleven's character development, which was investable and illuminating.

Writing has lost none of its brains and heart, while there is an ominous creepiness there is some genuinely funny and gentle humour, an affectionate nostalgia and poignancy without any cheese or melodrama. The story is darkly suspenseful with plenty going on (without being too crowded) and the ending leaves one excited for what's to come and unnerves. The mystery has grown a lot in depth and complexity since it first began and it is neither simplistic or convoluted, it's always absorbing too. The character writing is on point, especially for Eleven.

To conclude, brilliant. 10/10.