Stranger Things season 4 has, invariably, dominated the pop culture conversation in the weeks since its release. But what if new episodes were released every single week, in line with other hit shows such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Boys? A Netflix executive has now addressed the idea – and is holding firm on its ‘all at once’ release model.
"To not give them exactly what they’ve been expecting – which is Stranger Things is a seasonal experience, they go through that with them – I think that it would be an abrupt change for the member," Peter Friedlander, head of Netflix’s scripted series in the US and Canada, said during a recent panel (via Variety).
Friedlander continued, "We fundamentally believe that we want to give our members the choice in how they view. And so giving them that option on these scripted series to watch as much as they want to watch when they watch it, is still fundamental to what we want to provide. And so when you see something like a batched season with Stranger Things, this is our attempt at making sure we can get shows out quicker to the members."
Netflix, it seems, is sticking to its guns. While some shows on the streaming service are being released weekly – such as reality series The Circle and Too Hot to Handle – it continues to sidestep any chatter for the likes of Stranger Things to join that clutch of shows.
Having said that, Stranger Things is experimenting with how it releases its episodes. The most reason season has been split into two volumes. Volume 2, which includes a feature-length finale, is set to arrive on July 1. Stranger Things season 5, set to be the show’s last, could very well follow suit – but you’ll still need to park yourself on the sofa at release day for another marathon session in the Upside Down.
