A TV show reaching its conclusion is cause for celebration. However, it hits a lot different when the series has been running for the better part of a decade. HBO’s Game of Thrones came out of the gates swinging, bringing political intrigue to a fantasy world that wasn’t afraid to kill its main players. The good times rolled for six seasons, and if it weren’t for the show’s final two outings, it may have very well gone down as the greatest of all time. But at the end of the day, the journey was so much important than the destination. The same argument applies to Stranger Things, which just wrapped up its run on Netflix.
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The Duffer brothers’ series is obviously the biggest conversation-starter in the world right now. Everyone and their mother wants to debate the series’ final moments and what they mean for the future. Every moment deserves a chance to step into the spotlight one final time, though. Here’s every season of Stranger Things, ranked worst to best.
5) Season 2
The second season of the Netflix series takes the self-contained story from the first outing and flips it on its head. There’s so much to keep up with, including the introduction of the Mind Flayer, a villain that puts the Demogorgon to shame. But what really holds this season back is that it kills all of its momentum by shoehorning in a backdoor pilot that focuses on Eleven’s sister, Kali, and her merry band of misfits. After that comes and goes, the show struggles to find its footing again. Season 2 also takes a hit for killing Bob, the most wholesome character in the show’s history.
4) Season 5
If all of Season 5 were as good as Part I, it would be much higher on this list. Unfortunately, Part 2 also exists, and it does serious damage not just to the outing it’s part of but to the series as a whole. After Will gains his powers at the end of Episode 4, Stranger Things doesn’t deliver a moment as impactful in its final four episodes. Characters start making strange choices, and reunions that should be tear-jerkers get glossed over in favor of interactions that have no business taking place. The final makes up for some of Season 5’s transgressions with its emotional epilogue, but not all of them.
3) Season 3
Stranger Things 3 gets a bad rap for pulling itself into too many directions and delivering another fake-out death. However, people forget how perfect its vibe is, with it taking inspiration from summer blockbusters and having its primary setting be the coolest mall in television history. There’s also an argument to be made that Billy becomes the series’ best villain while he’s under the influence of the Mind Flayer. Sure, there are a few cringe-worthy moments, but they’re easy to forget about when the Battle of Starcourt begins. Grab a bowl of popcorn and accept this season for what it is: unmitigated fun.
2) Season 4
It’s important to embrace the fun of Stranger Things while it’s present because when it’s gone, it’s gone for good. Season 4 turns up the heat by introducing the show’s big bad, Vecna, who is ready to take off the gloves and wipe Hawkins off the map. New addition Eddie is also a highlight because his short stint on the show impacts so many characters and reveals the dangers of misinformation. Season 4 isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, dragging at a few points, but there’s so much more good than bad.
1) Season 1
Stranger Things‘ scale gets so massive by the end that the characters are literally fighting a giant monster in another dimension. However, the show is at its best when it reins itself in and keeps the focus on its core group of characters. By taking inspiration from classic films like E.T. and The Goonies, Season 1 creates something unique in the streaming space that may never find an equal. It also deserves some praise for being surprisingly emotional, making the audience care about a girl who can barely speak and a grumpy cop who would rather do anything else than his job.
Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.
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