Stranger Things' Surfer Boy Pizza Story Failed To Repeat 3’s Best Subplot

Stranger Things season 4's Surfer Boy Pizza subplot failed to repeat the engaging dynamics and story significance of season 3's Scoops Troop.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 4!

Surfer Boy Pizza was set up as the replacement for Stranger Things season 3’s Scoops Ahoy, but the story failed to repeat the magic of the Hawkins subplot. One of the most iconic details from Stranger Things season 3 was the nautical-themed uniform for Steve Harrington’s summer job at Scoops Ahoy, where he would sling ice cream in Starcourt Mall with Robin Buckley. Since Scoops Ahoy burned down, Stranger Things season 4 required a new themed job in the fight against the Upside Down, which was found through the new California character Argyle and his employment at Surfer Boy Pizza.

Stranger Things season 3’s “Scoops Troop” subplot is considered one of the series’ best storylines, which offered new layers to the character of Steve Harrington, his iconic dynamic with Dustin Henderson, and the introduction of Robin. The story involved an unlikely grouping of Steve, Robin, Dustin, and Erica Sinclair after they intercepted Russian communications and discovered a secret underground base beneath Starcourt Mall. While the Scoops Troop was largely separated from the rest of the Hawkins characters during Stranger Things season 3, their subplot was crucial in destroying the gate to the Upside Down.

The Stranger Things season 4 Surfer Boy Pizza group, which included Jonathan, Argyle, Mike, Will, and occasionally Eleven, was certainly attempting to recreate the material excitement of season 3’s Scoops Ahoy. From the van to the visors and t-shirts, Stranger Things‘ fictional pizza place became a character of its own in the installment’s conflicts, much like Scoops Ahoy. However, Stranger Things season 4’s California storyline failed to recreate the same engagement and importance that was associated with the Scoops Troop. Although both storylines were separated from the other characters’ conflicts, heavily featured a teen job, and saw a primarily four-person mix of two teens and two kids, the Surfer Boy Pizza subplot managed to be the least interesting grouping of Stranger Things season 4.

Why Stranger Things’ Scoops Ahoy Was So Much Better Than Surfer Boy Pizza

While Stranger Things seasons 1 and 2 largely featured the same character groupings, season 3 split up the teens and kids for interesting new dynamics. One of the most compelling subplots during season 3 was Scoops Troop, which was largely due to the friendship between Steve and Dustin, whose interactions in season 2 proved to be incredibly popular. Alongside continuing this dynamic, Stranger Things season 3 introduced new character Robin Buckley into the mix, whose story not only added a new layer to Stranger Things’ emotional depth, but also continued to give Steve the greatest character development in the series. Erica, who became popular for her one-liners in Stranger Things season 2, was also given a significant role in the subplot as a source of comic relief, with all four characters exhibiting one of the most charmingly unexpected groupings of the show.

The Scoops Ahoy subplot played to the show’s many strengths, whereas the Stranger Things season 4 Surfer Boy Pizza felt largely unimportant to and separated from the tonal changes of the series. Rather than giving them an integral role in the plot like Scoops Ahoy, the California storyline simply saw Will upset about Mike, Mike upset about Eleven, and Jonathan and Argyle getting stoned, with their conflict overwhelmingly one-note. While it was important in exploring Will’s personal development, the subplot overplayed its hand in the comedic aspects of the Surfer Boy Pizza business, which ultimately played no role other than providing a pizza dough freezer for Eleven to “piggyback” from.

If any of the subplots from Stranger Things season 4 were removable, it was the Surfer Boy Pizza story, which failed to properly utilize its character dynamics that had proved interesting in the past. While Mike and Jonathan hadn’t been paired together often, they were finally grouped during season 4, yet hardly had one conversation. Even Will and Jonathan Byers, who have always been important to one another’s journeys, only shared one significant interaction during Stranger Things season 4, leaving the engaging relationship untouched until the finale. The California subplot also approached the development of Will being gay in a far less compelling manner than Scoops Troop did with Robin, proving the story’s failure in recreating the well-written arc of season 3’s best subplot.

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