What to Watch after binging Stranger Things season 4

It turns out that just because the episodes of Stranger Things season 4 have some bloated runtimes, that doesn't make Volume I any less bingeable. The longer episodes are packed to the brim with action, making it just as easy for Stranger Things fans to fly through them as it's always been. But once you've recovered from that huge Vecna reveal, have relished in that long-awaited Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce (Winona Ryder) reunion, and thought long enough about how the physics between our world and the Upside Down work (those visuals in episode 7 are stunners), it might occur to you that you now have to wait until July for the conclusion of this season. If you're looking for ways to pass the time and want to expand on and explore some of the major themes and influences of the season (so much classic horror!), might we suggest a few of the following movies and TV series (and one very special music video)?

A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise

Stranger Things is littered with references to '80s movies and homages to horror films — the nostalgia is one of its charms, right? — but season 4 is so heavily influenced by the Freddy Krueger films, it might as well be titled Stranger Things 4: Nightmare on Elm Street Edition. Wes Craven's original Elm Street from 1984, which was built upon in a handful of sequels, introduces us to the villainous Freddy Kreuger and his long, clawed hands (sound familiar?) who kills teens by entering their nightmares (also sound familiar??). Vecna and his ability to trap people in their worst nightmares before killing them has Freddy Kreuger vibes all over it. And in case you weren't sure of the relation, the Duffer Brothers went ahead and cast Freddy Kreuger himself, Robert Englund, in season 4 — as Victor Creel. To pick out more references in the Netflix series, spend some time making your way through the entire franchise.

Carrie

Watch this 1976 classic horror film if only to wonder why those Lenora Hills jerks weren't more afraid of mercilessly bullying Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). Carrie stars Sissy Spacek as a teenager who gets bullied at school, has an awful mother, develops telekinetic powers, and makes prom night one to truly remember. Everything that goes down between Eleven's bully Angela (Elodie Grace Orkin) and El at the roller rink smacks of Carrie, even though you'd think this movie, which teens in 1986 must have seen, would be a bigger deterrent to being so awful to the new girl in school.

The Fear Street Trilogy

If you think Hawkins is cursed, you should visit Shadyside. Based on scare-master himself R.L. Stine's books, these three Netflix movies take place in three different eras (1994, 1978, and 1666) and follow a group of teens trying to stop an evil presence that has cursed their town for centuries. It's always up to the kids to solve the big, scary problems, isn't it? If you do decide to watch these slasher film-inspired movies, you might just spot a few familiar faces from the Stranger Things crew — Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke both appear.

Dark

For more teens trying to figure out what the hell is going on in their small town, try Netflix's German series Dark. The tone is more serious and the evil stuff going on in Winden is less monster related and more men-becoming-monsters-as-they-try-to-harness-the-power-of-time related, but if you love unsettling mysteries with reveals that will melt your brain, you'll love this. The three-season sci-fi time-travel series kicks off in 2019 when a child goes missing, hops around in the 1980s, the 1950s, spends some time with an apocalypse in the 2050s, even heads back to the 1920s, and loops all the way around again. You will need a visual aid to keep all of the very connected family trees straight and it will be worth it. (We also recommended watching Dark after binging Stranger Things season 3 — if you didn't then, all the more reason to now!)

Evil

Stranger Things balances its scary moments with light-hearted ones. Paramount+'s Evil is another series adept at working between seemingly disparate tones. The series (which premieres its third season on June 12) follows the unlikely team of Kristen (Katja Herbers), a forensic psychologist, David (Mike Colter), a priest-in-training, and Ben (Aasif Mandvi), a contractor and tech whiz, as they investigate miracles and possessions for the Catholic Church. It's wacky and wild with genuine scares and also one of the sharpest shows on TV right now.

Doctor Zhivago

Steve Harrington (Joe Keery) may not want to watch Doctor Zhivago because he doesn't "do double VHS" but that means he'll be missing out on this award-winning epic romance. Based on Boris Pasternak's novel, this 1965 film stars Omar Sharif and Julie Christie as Yuri and Lara, and tells their tragic love story during the Russian Civil War and World War I. Lovers separated against a Russian backdrop? Maybe Hopper and Joyce should watch.

Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" music video

Don't watch it on a loop because you have a monster from another dimension trying to psychically trap you in your own trauma before killing you (although if that is happening to you, by all means), watch it on a loop because the song is an absolute jam and this video is, appropriately, so very '80s and so very Kate Bush. That is to say, enjoy it!

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