Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Things End Badly For the Creel Family in ‘Stranger Things: Season 4’ Trailer

Matthew Denis
By
Season four's "Stranger Things" gang inside the abandoned Creel House.
Season four’s “Stranger Things” gang inside the abandoned Creel House. Netflix/YouTube

It may have been easy to dismiss the nostalgic Stranger Things in 2016 as a spooky tween series, but as the show has proven over the last three seasons, it’s actually scary. As the new Sept. 25 preview suggests, the upcoming fourth season will offer plenty more frights. In addition to a new compelling storyline that hints at expanding its massive narrative arc, there are already dead kids on the floor.

In this fourth iteration, the Byers family and Eleven are entirely absent, indicating how confident Netflix is about the rest of the cast. Screened first at Netflix’s “Tudum” event (named after the Netflix loading screen’s sound that plays at the beginning of each program), the teaser trailer centers around a new Hawkins, Indiana location called the Creel House, confirming that the haunted town’s story is far from over.

Recommended Videos

The first half begins with a bright 1950s atmosphere, complete with Ella Fitzgerald’s jazz standard, Dream a Little Dream of Me. Viewers know this portends bad things. Things quickly go south as lights flicker and the Creel daughter finds a dead rabbit in the yard. In Stranger Things, flickering lights are usually a sign of the Upside-Down’s influence on its reflected world, often accompanied by the appearance of the Demogorgon, which appears to have been hunting since the mid-twentieth century. Until now, Hawkins only became vulnerable to creatures from the Upside-Down when Eleven accidentally opened the Hawkins Lab portal, but this past setting suggests that the fabric between dimensions may have been thin all along. 

Things amp up quickly as tragedy strikes the Creel family, with Victor, the father hovering like a feral creature over the corpses of his children. This confirms Netflix’s 2020 Tweet announcing that Victor Creel “is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s.” Though he has committed filicide, perhaps it’s season two’s antagonist, the Mind Flayer, that was truly responsible as it’s been shown to be able to possess humans. 

Related Guides

Here the remaining Hawkins mystery solvers enter, breaking into the now-abandoned home in the 1980s. Ominous lights continue to flicker, Dustin quotes Sherlock Holmes (to the bafflement of his friends) and as they gather in front of the dancing chandelier, the camera cuts to a grandfather clock, still ticking some three decades after the Creel House has been abandoned. Could this be the key to home’s evil?

The fourth season has been a long time coming, but we’ll have to wait until at least early 2022 to find out.

Read More: Atlanta’s Stranger Things Tour

Editors' Recommendations

Matthew Denis
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
The Matrix 4 Trailer Is Unveiled During Warner Bros’ CinemaCon Reel
Keanu Reeves as Neo in a trailer screenshot.

Get your dark shades and leather trench coat ready for action. Over 20 years since it became a cultural touchstone, The Matrix is now back with an official title — The Matrix: Resurrections — and an exclusive trailer.

Though the hype is real, there’s been very little revealed about the film, leaving fans to argue for their particular narrative theory about The Matrix Revolutions for 18 years. Most of the cast and director Lana Wachowski to star Keanu Reeves is returning for the sequel. 

Read more
Apple just gave hikers, campers, skiers, and snowboarders a great reason to use Apple Maps and ditch Google Maps
Go anywhere and never get lost
Apple Maps update press release photo

Google Maps has long been a dominant player in navigation, known for its comprehensive data and ease of use. However, with the release of iOS 17, Apple has introduced a game-changing feature that's set to make Apple Maps the go-to choice for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers. Apple is finally introducing offline maps, and it's a feature that will revolutionize the way hikers, campers, skiers, and snowboarders navigate the great outdoors.
iOS 17 unveils offline maps for Apple Maps
Apple Maps has come a long way since its initial launch, and it's continually striving to offer users a more robust and feature-rich experience. With the launch of iOS 17 on September 18, 2023, Apple is introducing offline maps, a feature that will be a game-changer for those who love outdoor activities.

Offline maps allow users to select specific areas to download to their phones. Once downloaded, these maps can be accessed and used without an internet connection. This makes it possible to enjoy turn-by-turn navigation and conduct searches even in remote areas where internet connectivity may be unreliable or nonexistent. It works similarly to Google Maps in the sense that you do need a WiFi connection to download the maps, but after that, you're good to go off the grid.
The perfect companion for outdoor adventures
For outdoor enthusiasts, this feature is a dream come true. Whether you're hiking in the wilderness, camping in a remote location, skiing down the slopes, or snowboarding in the mountains, having access to offline maps can be a lifesaver. Here's how this feature can benefit different adventure seekers:

Read more
Ultimate relaxation: This massage chair is $3,700 off until tomorrow
A woman sitting in the Sharper Image Revival Zero Gravity Massage Chair.

Relaxing at home is a much-underrated activity for many of us. That's why we had to highlight one of Best Buy's deals of the day which has a Sharper Image Revival Zero Gravity Massage Chair down to $1,799. It usually costs $5,499 so you're saving a spectacular $3,700 off the regular price. Whether you've had a long day at work or you've just got back from a hectic session at the gym, you need a great massage chair to relax into. Here's what we know about it while you decide whether to hit the buy button or not. Remember -- you've only got until the end of today to do so.

Why you should buy the Sharper Image Revival Zero Gravity Massage Chair
Arriving with no assembly required, the Sharper Image Revival Zero Gravity Massage Chair is far better than any of the best massage guns you may have been considering for your post-workout recovery. It offers the most beneficial position for you to sit with the least amount of pressure on your spine.

Read more