‘Stranger Things 4’ splitting in two ruins its chances of Emmy recognition

Despite a standout season for many of its cast members, only one member of the Stranger Things ensemble is eligible for the Emmy Awards this year. Variety reports that honor actually goes to Dacre Montgomery, who has been nominated in the Guest Actor category for his performance in season 4’s “The Piggyback”.

Back in June of 2022, the TV Academy eliminated the “hangover episode rule”, a provision which allowed for a series which premiered episodes following the May 31 deadline but before the start of nomination round-voting to submit for Emmy consideration. As Stranger Things season 4 was split into two volumes: volume 1, which consisted of seven episodes and which dropped on May 27, 2022, and volume 2, which consisted of just two episodes and which premiered on July 1, 2022.

Under the new guidelines, the final two episodes of the season are considered “orphan episodes”. Therefore, the series cannot be submitted under the drama series category (which features a requirement of six episodes), nor can it be submitted for any of the main acting awards. Montgomery is, however, eligible because the Guest Actor category only mandates that an actor cannot be present for more than half of all episodes.

Fans may recall Montgomery’s character, Billy Hargrove, actually died back in season 3. The actor made a cameo appearance during the final episode of the latest season as a hallucination during a sequence in which Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) is attempting to manipulate Max (Sadie Sink).

Unfortunately, several standout performances in the final two episodes will go unnoticed at the Emmys. Sink’s performance as Max arguably reached a crescendo in the season finale; her vulnerability was second-to-none, and she showcased a gamut of emotions during one of the darkest moments of the series.

Joseph Quinn’s Eddie Munson also became a fan favorite, so much so that fans are convinced the character must have survived his apparent demise. Quinn’s return is not a certainty, however, so it may have been his last and only chance to receive an Emmy Award for his Stranger Things performance. His charming turn as the character was laudable; it’s not everyday that a newcomer can steal the show in the way that he did.

Campbell-Bower’s performance as Vecna was also quite memorable; channeling elements of Pennywise, Norman Bates, and Freddy Kreuger, the actor held his own against the veteran cast members, becoming the series’ central and possibly final antagonist. A horror series is only as good as its villain, and Bower was terrific.

Although most of the cast of Stranger Things may not be eligible for this year’s Emmys, it still has a shot at bringing home several awards. Altogether, the series has been submitted for consideration in 12 categories, including Best Directing in a Drama Series for the Duffer Brothers’ work on “The Piggyback.”