After a nearly three-year absence since Season 3, and with the kids looking conspicuously older and thus evolving into a different set of subjects in a way consistent with the maturation in Harry Potter, the Netflix series is in some ways a victim of your own success. Burdened by expectations and clearly unhindered in terms of creative intervention, producers have responded with a dizzying new threat while scattering the characters around the globe in a case related to that cliffhanger with Hopper (David Harbour).

The most impactful aspect concerns Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who remains the emotional heart of the series. Flashbacks exploring her beginnings and origin story — as well as the debate over whether she’s a monster or, as her friends see her, a superhero — serve as the culmination of these episodes, although this story arc isn’t immune to the general misstep of progressing too slowly .

Lavishly produced, season four also seemingly ups the ante when it comes to cruelty and bullying, capitalizing on the vulnerability of its nerdy characters. At the same time, the soap opera elements of the relationships feel a little played out, or perhaps just overshadowed by the terrible dangers facing the children, and indeed the world.

In a bid to spread the hype (and subscriber happiness) over a longer period of time, Netflix has announced it will hold back the two highlights until July, creating another cliffhanger before viewers learn everyone’s ultimate fate. As they are, those seven chapters total nearly nine hours, so anyone planning a weekend binge should budget accordingly.

Almost six years after its premiere, “Stranger Things” has secured a place in the pop culture firmament that has helped elevate Netflix, so it’s understandable, even logical, that the service and filmmakers are in no hurry to say goodbye.

However, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt to speed up “Things” a bit. Because while there’s a fine line between Hawkins and The Upside Down, the portal that separates epic and overkill can be just as fine from a narrative perspective.

“Stranger Things” premiered the first part of its fourth and final season on May 27 on Netflix.