Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Stranger Things
S4.E4
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Chapter Four: Dear Billy

  • Episode aired May 27, 2022
  • TV-14
  • 1h 18m
IMDb RATING
9.5/10
41K
YOUR RATING
Sadie Sink in Chapter Four: Dear Billy (2022)
DramaFantasyHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

Max is in grave danger - and running out of time. A patient at Pennhurst Asylum has visitors. Elsewhere, in Russia, Hopper is hard at work.Max is in grave danger - and running out of time. A patient at Pennhurst Asylum has visitors. Elsewhere, in Russia, Hopper is hard at work.Max is in grave danger - and running out of time. A patient at Pennhurst Asylum has visitors. Elsewhere, in Russia, Hopper is hard at work.

  • Director
    • Shawn Levy
  • Writers
    • Matt Duffer
    • Ross Duffer
    • Paul Dichter
  • Stars
    • Winona Ryder
    • David Harbour
    • Millie Bobby Brown
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    9.5/10
    41K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Shawn Levy
    • Writers
      • Matt Duffer
      • Ross Duffer
      • Paul Dichter
    • Stars
      • Winona Ryder
      • David Harbour
      • Millie Bobby Brown
    • 281User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Photos101

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 98
    View Poster

    Top cast56

    Edit
    Winona Ryder
    Winona Ryder
    • Joyce Byers
    David Harbour
    David Harbour
    • Jim Hopper
    Millie Bobby Brown
    Millie Bobby Brown
    • Eleven
    • (archive footage)
    • (credit only)
    • …
    Finn Wolfhard
    Finn Wolfhard
    • Mike Wheeler
    Gaten Matarazzo
    Gaten Matarazzo
    • Dustin Henderson
    Caleb McLaughlin
    Caleb McLaughlin
    • Lucas Sinclair
    Noah Schnapp
    Noah Schnapp
    • Will Byers
    Sadie Sink
    Sadie Sink
    • Max Mayfield
    Natalia Dyer
    Natalia Dyer
    • Nancy Wheeler
    Charlie Heaton
    Charlie Heaton
    • Jonathan Byers
    Joe Keery
    Joe Keery
    • Steve Harrington
    Maya Hawke
    Maya Hawke
    • Robin Buckley
    Brett Gelman
    Brett Gelman
    • Murray Bauman
    Priah Ferguson
    Priah Ferguson
    • Erica Sinclair
    Matthew Modine
    Matthew Modine
    • Dr. Martin Brenner
    • (credit only)
    Paul Reiser
    Paul Reiser
    • Dr. Sam Owens
    • (credit only)
    Robert Englund
    Robert Englund
    • Victor Creel
    Jamie Campbell Bower
    Jamie Campbell Bower
    • Friendly Orderly
    • Director
      • Shawn Levy
    • Writers
      • Matt Duffer
      • Ross Duffer
      • Paul Dichter
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews281

    9.540.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10harry-34518

    Top tier television

    This episode perfectly balances action, story and emotional beats culminating in one of the most thrilling scenes in the entire show. This might be the best episode of stranger things, it's just beautiful I was nearly crying at the end. This episode is very retrospective and forces max to look in on herself, it's so beautiful to see a character who has been constantly put to the side line step up and have an episode like this. Sadie sink prices in every way that she's a brilliant actress. We also get a brilliant sequence with robin and Nancy which feels right out of silence of the lambs, this episode really was phenomenal.
    10TRIDENT1745

    Possibly the Best Episode of the Show

    As someone who watches a lot of horror, S4E4 "Dear Billy" is quite literally a horror movie. Primarily focused on Max, the show's most underrated character, this episode is a true example of filmmaking being pushed to it's limits.

    Sadie Sink's full emotive potential is so captivating, and everything in this episode is so well balanced, with a strong emphasis to many horror elements that push this episode literally over the edge.

    This may well be the only season of television where each episode becomes magnitudes better than the last. Every time you finish an episode in season 4, you think "The Duffers can't pull off anything better than that", and they do. And they've done it again.

    This may well be my favourite episode of Stranger Things - ever.

    (Until the next one hits that is)
    10colinsomething

    Don't skip the credits

    Came here just to say, the orchestral Kate Bush cover overplayed after the end scene is just a beautiful moment to enjoy and absorb a phenomenal episode. Don't let the Netflix auto play ruin it.
    10bgaiv

    Quite epic episode and the whole season is a return to form

    I'm definitely digging this season. Season 3 had far far too much often forced comedy. This season feels like there are stakes!

    The governments here are frightening, just as they were in the first two seasons. There are no kids accidentally breaching a massive Soviet base in the middle of the US under a mall. The existence of that base requires the US federal government be keystone kops, and the Soviet base staff are depicted as keystone kops.

    It just removes any feeling of danger if your enemies are silly.

    To me, this feels much like season one. A possible, if fantastic, world that these kids could stumble into, and solve with actions that kids could plausibly do. And I would say I've been on edge this entire season, far more than any earlier season.

    There IS some good humor here but unlike Season 3 it feels organic. Nancy and Robin fleeing the asylum could well have come out of an "I Love Lucy" episode, yet it all flows naturally. They had to wear Nancy's ridiculous Sunday dresses to fool the staff and ultimately the guise collapsed and they had to run.

    Both Robert Englund and especially Sadie Sink give heart breaking performances.

    There's also a harrowing background here-- all the victims are suffering clinical depression. I like that the show keeps this honest for the period. Max is suffering a severe episode as the result of the loss of her bother. But she doesn't really understand that, Lucas is completely baffled, and even the counselor doesn't really understand Max's situation.
    9estathena2

    Running up that Hill

    An incredible episode that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat from start to finish. The acting is stellar, the storyline haunting, & the music powerful and fitting. As a fan of Kate Bush for close to forty years, I'm hoping a new generation will discover her genius and bountiful catalogue.

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The song "Running Up That Hill" is featured regularly in season 4. This is the first time a song is featured regularly since season 1's "Should I Stay or Should I Go". It should be noted that the Duffers have only done this when the song holds a special significance to a character. In this case "Running Up That Hill" plays a similar role for Max as "Should I Stay or Should I Go" did for Will back in season 1.
    • Goofs
      When Max tries to run away & gets pulled back along the floor by Vecna, her hair changes from pony tail with scrunchy to without.
    • Quotes

      Max Mayfield: Dear Billy, I don't know if you can even hear this. Two years ago, I would have said, "That's ridiculous, impossible." But that was before I found out about alternate dimensions and monsters, so... I'm just going to stop assuming that I know anything. So much has happened since you left. Your dad was a total mess. He and my mom started getting into fights. Bad fights. I don't think he could stand being here without you. So he left. And he didn't leave Mom much. She's taken an extra job, and we moved to that lovely trailer park off Kerley. Basically, ever since you left, everything's been... a total disaster. And the worst part is, I can't tell anyone why you're gone. I can't tell them that you saved El's life. That you saved my life. I play that moment back in my head all the time. And sometimes I imagine myself running to you, pulling you away. I imagine that if I had, that you would still be here. And everything would be... everything would be right again. I imagine that we... that we could've become friends. Good friends, like... like a real brother and sister. And I know that's stupid. You hated me. I hated you. But I thought that maybe... maybe we could try again. But that's not what happened. I just... I stood there and I watched. For a while, I tried to be happy. Normal. But I... I think that maybe a part of me died that day too. And I haven't told anyone this. I... I just can't. But I had to tell you. Before it's too late. If you can even hear this. I really hope that you can. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, Billy. Love, your shitty little sister, Max.

    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 30 Most Rewatched TV Scenes (2025)
    • Soundtracks
      Legless
      (uncredited)

      Written by Sir Bald Diddley

      Performed by Hipbone Slim

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 27, 2022 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
    • Filming locations
      • Vilnius, Lithuania
    • Production companies
      • 21 Laps Entertainment
      • Monkey Massacre
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 18 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.00 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.