In From Season 4, Episode 7, titled “Best Laid Plans,” the MGM+ horror series unveils that the town’s seemingly supernatural nightmare is actually the result of a secret government project — a beat that closely mirrors Stranger Things’ revelation about Hawkins Lab and the Upside Down. The episode identifies Jade, a character haunted by visions, as a scientist who helped create the pocket dimension trapping the residents. Showrunner John Griffin has acknowledged the parallel but insists it was planned independently, as reported by the source article covering the twist.

The Hawkins Lab Echo: Government Experiments in From Season 4, Episode 7

According to the source, From replicates a key plot point from Stranger Things: the discovery that a seemingly supernatural horror is rooted in human experimentation. In Stranger Things, this was embodied by Hawkins Lab, where Eleven was part of a program that tore a rift to the Upside Down. In From,Episode 7 reveals that Jade’s unsettling visions are memories of his past as a scientist who engineered the town’s trapped dimension. The twist, which the article notes has sparked fan debates about originality, is a deliberate narrative choice that grounds the horror in human ambition gone wrong.

Showrunner John Griffin’s Claim: “Planned Long Before” the Stranger Things Finale

John Griffin, the series creator, told the source in an interview that the government-experiment twist was conceived well before Stranger Things season 5 aired . “We wanted to subvert expectations and show that the true monsters are not always the ones with fangs,” Griffin said. “The town’s curse is a reflection of humanity’s own capacity for destruction.” This assertion positions the parallel as convergent evolution rather than copying, but it also raises the question of whether audiences will accept the similarity — especially given the Stranger Things finale’s divisive reception, as noted in the source article.

From’s Gritty Psychological Horror vs. Stranger Things’ Nostalgic Action

While Stranger Things leaned into 1980s nostalgia and high-octane action, From takes a markedly different tonal approach, according to the source. The MGM+ series emphasizes atmospheric dread and the psychological toll on its trapped residents, with the article highlighting its slow-burn mystery. The ensemble cast,including Harold Perrineau and Elizabeth Saunders, drives this introspection. The source article points out that From “is carving its own identity by delving deeper into character trauma and existential horror,” even as it revisits familiar narrative ground. this distinction may help the show avoid the criticism of being a mere copy.

What Remains Unknown About the Town’s Government Experiment

The source leaves several gaps unfilled: the precise government agency behind the project, whether Jade is the only scientist involved, and how the experiment connects to other mysterious elements like the nightmarish creatures. The article reports that the revelation “sets up a new direction for the series, potentially tying the town’s origin to a broader conspiracy,” but offers no specifics. Viewers are also left wondering if any resident can ever escape — a quetion the episode does not answer. These unknowns are ripe for future episodes, but they also underscore how much of From’s mythology remains underdeveloped compared to Stranger Things’ extensive lore.