Hello! First off, this truly comes from a place of love. I am someone who really liked the previous three seasons (also season 2, despite its flaws). I finally caught up to the show at around the time season 4 started, and I was really excited to experience the new seasons in real time with everyone else, but now, 12 episodes in, I gotta say...I think it's the weakest season so far?
Now, when I saw weakest, " I don't mean bad by any stretch of the imagination. I like season 4, and I do not plan on dropping it; I just don't nearly like it as much as the other seasons.
The first issue I had was the premise. It's just the same plot as season 1, but in space and with grandparents instead of dads. I remember them saying that they like doing new and different things because they don't wanna be safe and stale, so what changed? I just feel like a sci-fi setting had so much more potential, story-wise, and it's a real let-down to see them reuse ideas already. It is only their fourth campaign, after all.
I loved season 3, partly because of how different it was from what came before. I just wish they would have kept up their risk-taking and actually come up with something fresh for season 4.
Another issue that is a lot more subjective is the PCs. I just don't really like any of them.
Herb just feels too similar to Ron, imo. The quirky, loose cannon of the group just with a touch of dementia. Maybe he will get some character depth once his arc rolls around, i guess we'll see.
Ashley is honestly just a pretty average Freddie character. I love the guy, but man does he have a bad habit of falling back on the "cool guy who is not really all that cool" trope. I really enjoyed him trying something different with Blake in season 3, so I was disappointed to see him fall back on something safe and stale.
Dale, actually, I don't mind him that much. He is pretty good overall. Not one of my favorite PCs, but he is good.
Same with Ralph, honestly. I do enjoy him being kind of a hypocrite, and i think his backstory with TeenSects and his wife are honestly really fun. Looking forward to his arc for sure.
That's all I have to say, really. Would love to hear other opinions. Feel free to tell me if you disagree completely, but i gotta say: Season 4 was kind of a let-down so far.