I never watched much past Season 1 and am just wrapping up Season 4, end of 4 is like 2hr long episodes.
Season 2 was trash, Season 3 was better / good, Season 4 has been a mixture. The whole 1st part of the season seemed like a waste. Mike and Will are reduced to inconsequential and their side quest is stupid. Sassy Black 7 year old Dustin is annoying as all hell. Max turned from annoying somewhat in Season 2 to pretty much out shining everyone. Including Millie Bobby Brown or whatever 11s name is, don’t know if it is her as an actress or the way they’re handling 11 but holy cardboard. Zero presence or personality from Season 1. Nancy and Steve are really the high points of the entire thing for me. They actually feel like characters that have developed and grown, and not just become caricatures and paint-by-numbers slot-ins.
Also, not sure about the design choice of Vecna. He reminds me of Thrawn from Ahsoka. Instead of menacing he looks like a frumpy 45 year old dad.