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Jul 10, 2019 · “The Sauna Test” Review. Like season one’s “The Body” and season two’s “Will the Wise,” “The Sauna Test” follows the now-established Fourth Episode rules of Stranger Things: a pair of important discoveries pull the season’s many plot threads closer together, unifying the larger narrative as it reaches its halfway point.
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By David Griffin
Updated: Jul 6, 2019 1:24 pm
Posted: Jul 4, 2019 6:00 pm
Warning! Full SPOILERS follow for our review of Stranger Things: Season 3, episode 4, titled "The Sauna Test." For a refresher, be sure to check out our review of "The Case of the Missing Lifeguard."
Now that we're halfway through Stranger Things Season 3, it feels like the action, suspense, and overall fun factor has been given a shot of adrenalin. Our first big battle involving the Hawkins crew and Billy doesn't disappoint (even if it's stressful to see a fully grown dude throwing kids around like rag dolls). The teamwork between kids has always been one of the series' strengths - no matter how powerful Eleven is, she really can't do it alone, and the episode does a great job of reinforcing how much better things are when the gang is back together. The epic conflict also features some stellar visuals and brutal beatdowns on both sides, with Billy being thrown through the air, and Eleven getting knocked around a bit.
Kick-ass fights aside, the human element regarding Max and Billy is another highlight; Dacre Montgomery keeps delivering the acting goods this season. There are moments when Billy's plea for Max to let him out of the sauna are genuinely heartbreaking. Is Billy being honest about not wanting to hurt people or has the Mind Flayer completely turned him? Either way, Montgomery is convincing as hell.
Poor Nancy "Drew" Wheeler isn't the most dynamic of characters in Season 3, but Nancy and her mom's heart-to-heart about having the courage to stand up for what you believe in is surprisingly touching. There's a lot of nuance in this particular exchange, with Karen not just giving her daughter a pep talk, but also telling us a little bit more about her story. It appears that Karen doesn't have the life she envisioned for herself, which is probably why she almost met Billy at the Motel 6. In the grand scheme of the Mind Flayer and its minions, this exchange might seem insignificant, but it does say a lot about how passionately the Duffer Brothers and their respective teams care about character development.
Hopper and Joyce's choice to beat some sense into Mayor Kline raises a few questions: Did Hopper go too far? Should we be worried about his mental state? The good sheriff has been on an emotional roller coaster this season and there are times when it feels like he's about to cross a dangerous line. Don't get me wrong, watching Hopper threaten to cut off one of Kline's fingers with a cigar cutter is great, sadistic fun, but will it come back to haunt him? And speaking of Hawkins' favorite mayor, there needs to be more time devoted to his character. The way he's introduced makes it seem like we're supposed to hate him from the get-go, but hopefully, there's more to him than being a punching bag for Hopper. Otherwise, the creators are wasting Cary Elwes' talents.
Hands down, the most quotable lines this season have all come from Dustin, Robin, Steve, and their newest associate, Erica - Lucas's scene-stealing little sister. This episode's best laugh-out-loud moment happens when Dustin yells, "Touch my butt, I don't care!" at Steve. Those two should really get their own Stranger Things spinoff. Priah Ferguson's Erica might be the coolest little kid ever, as she single-handedly infiltrates the Russian's secret storage area. Her "I don't have phobias" line is everything.
After Erica opens the door, the revelation of what's inside gives us more questions than answers - like what's the green stuff, and where is that elevator actually going? The "Starcourt Mall Four" - that's what we're calling them, you're welcome - feel like they're in a different show entirely from the rest of the Hawkins crew. It's not a bad thing, per se, but there are a lot of different storylines to juggle and we're curious to see if the creators can stick the landing.
Stranger Things Season 3 delivers its most action-packed episode yet, featuring a sensational battle between Billy and Eleven. The Starcourt Mall crew also has some engaging moments of their own, with Erica making a great addition to their team. Nancy's heart-to-heart talk with her mom is compelling, and Hopper's anger-fueled beatdown of Mayor Klin...
Review scoring
amazing
Stranger Things delivers its most action-packed episode yet, featuring a sensational battle between Billy and Eleven.
David Griffin
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).
Jul 4, 2019 · The talking points. Corruption is rife in Hawkins – on the newspaper and in City Hall. Nancy and Jonathan are sacked by editor Tom, Heather’s dad, who is now sweaty and bloody and showing all the...
- Dan Stubbs
Jul 2, 1985 · Chapter Four: The Sauna Test: Directed by Shawn Levy. With Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown. A code red brings the gang back together to face a frighteningly familiar evil. Karen urges Nancy to keep digging, and Robin finds a useful map.
- (22K)
- Drama, Fantasy, Horror
- Shawn Levy
- 2019-07-04
Jul 4, 2019 · A recap of ‘Chapter 4: The Sauna Test,’ episode 4 of season 3 of Netflix’s Stranger Things. As several simultaneous investigations edge into dangerous territory, it becomes clear the Upside...
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Oct 22, 2021 · The kids look Billy in a sauna to drive out the Mind Flayer, while Joyce and Hopper confront the mayor, and the Scoop Troop recruit Erica on Stranger Things 3's Chapter Four: The Sauna Test.
