{"id":16295,"date":"2022-05-31T14:00:23","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T12:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1653587"},"modified":"2022-05-31T14:28:17","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T12:28:17","slug":"how-stranger-things-tackles-depression-is-nothing-short-of-sublime","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/how-stranger-things-tackles-depression-is-nothing-short-of-sublime\/","title":{"rendered":"How Stranger Things tackles depression is nothing short of sublime"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Emma Clarke\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 31 May 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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**Warning: contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4 part 1**<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019d be forgiven for thinking that Stranger Things<\/a> <\/span>\u2013<\/span> a show chock full of creepy Demogorgons, Mind Flayers and ominous red clouds \u2013 is purely the stuff of fantasy. That while the Netflix hit is anchored by pop culture references and is steeped in \u201980s aesthetics, its subject matter is anything but realistic.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, things have shifted slightly in the newly-released season 4. Yes, it is still very much a sci-fi series about Dungeons and Dragons and weird membrane-like portals to the Upside Down. But its \u201cmonster\u201d, Vecna, adopts psychological warfare to target his prey <\/span>\u2013 <\/span>which, I would argue, very much serves as an allegory for trauma, depression and mental illness, which is all too real.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is suggested that Vecna\u2019s first victim, Chrissy Cunningham (Grace Van Dien), has an eating disorder and that Fred Benson (Logan Riley Bruner) is still haunted by the fact he accidentally killed someone in a car crash the year prior. <\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick McKinney (Myles Truitt), too, was targeted, although we have little detail (currently) about his psychological trauma and what led to Vecna\u2019s attack. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Front and centre of this storyline, however, is Max (Sadie Sink), who, after her brother Billy\u2019s (Dacre Montgomery) death in the previous season, is suffering from grief and guilt, and the trauma of witnessing his death. Believing that she stood by and watched him sacrifice his life to save everyone else, Max retreats from her friendship circle and becomes increasingly isolated.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is during one of her regular visits to the school counsellor that we learn of her headaches, trouble sleeping and nightmares\/flashbacks \u2013 symptoms of depression and PTSD. As the story moves on, we understand that these are mostly affections caused by Vecna\u2019s attack, but it doesn\u2019t make it any less poignant to those who identify with themes of mental illness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Episode 4, titled Dear Billy, is where the show really doubles down on this message. With Max at risk of attack, not only does she prepare letters for her friends and family, she visits Billy\u2019s graveside to explain to him how she\u2019s feeling and to apologise for not doing more \u2013 even though she was in no way to blame. This is often a technique used to treat those suffering with trauma, to help them put past events in order.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sadie Sink plays Max Mayfield as she visits the grave of her late brother, Billy<\/span><\/figcaption> Netflix<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

It\u2019s by his headstone that her mind and body are seized by Vecna, and she struggles to free herself from his overbearing, distorting presence. This whole scene really spoke to me, as someone who has clinical depression, as more often than not, those with mental illnesses feel as though they have to combat their thoughts, feelings and low mood alone. They think and believe things that other people cannot always understand or see themselves, and it can be all-consuming.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery) all rally around their friend in her hour of need, then, it is all the more striking. Beyond saving Max from the Upside Down and meeting her gory end, they remind her that she is not alone and that she does have people around her who care. They bring her back from the edge and let her know that no matter what demons she is facing, they are by her side.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a particularly touching moment, Lucas tells her: \u201cI see you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking about the storyline during a roundtable interview, actor Sadie Sink explained how she approached season 4. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things.<\/span><\/figcaption> Courtesy of Netflix<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

\u201cI mean, yeah, [Max] had some heavy stuff this year. It was kind of a nice challenge, figuring out what these types of colours looked like on Max and [to] find something that felt true to her,\u201d she said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was kind of a more careful process than I think I was used to in previous seasons. Because, I mean, we were always dealing with supernatural elements and heavy stuff like that. But season 4, it feels a little bit more human.\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She added: \u201cSo it required a little bit more attention and, and focus. I mean, we\u2019re always very focused. But season 4 was like\u2026 I don\u2019t know, it\u2019s kind of good to be delicate with it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And I would have to agree. The way the show \u2013 and Sadie herself \u2013 approached this topic was nothing short of sublime. It was powerful and moving, and really took the fantasy genre back to its roots of allegorical storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stranger Things might be about the supernatural, but that doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s hollow or without purpose \u2013 and the first half of season 4 proves it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n