Every Season of Stranger Things (So Far), Ranked

After almost a decade on air, Stranger Things is still one of Netflix’s biggest hits, and one of the few shows that really nailed both popularity and audience connection. Even people who’ve never watched it know how much it’s influenced pop culture. Since it first dropped in 2016, the show has gotten bigger in scale, budget, and ambition. However, let’s be honest, it’s also had its highs and lows when it comes to storytelling. Some seasons were pretty much fan favorites without exception, while others split opinions. Still, every chapter has its own vibe. And with the final season coming, the big question is: which one’s the best so far?

Here are all 4 seasons of Stranger Things ranked. Some delivered everything the show promised, while others just reminded us how much better it could have been.

4) Season 2

The second season isn’t exactly bad, but the truth is it’s the one that feels like it goes in circles the most. The show tried to expand its universe here, but ended up tripping over subplots and a structure that feels a bit stretched out. The episode with Kali/Eight (Linnea Berthelsen), Eleven’s (Millie Bobby Brown) “sister,” for example, perfectly sums up what didn’t work: an attempt to broaden the story’s scope without actually tying it into the main plot (fans waited for this arc to come back and make more sense, but nothing so far). Plus, the Mind Flayer is supposed to be the villain, but he stays in the background most of the time, which weakens the overall sense of danger. Stranger Things has never lacked good ideas (like Will (Noah Schnapp) being haunted by the Upside Down), but here they feel more like filler than real story progression.

The saving grace, and what kept this season from completely falling flat with fans, was Steve (Joe Keery). This is when his character really starts to shine, especially as he becomes the “gang’s official babysitter”. It’s also when his fan-favorite dynamic with Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) first kicks off. But beyond that, season 2 is the least satisfying overall when it comes to tension, emotional payoff, and pacing. Honestly, it’s the least memorable season – and that says a lot for a show built on unforgettable moments.

3) Season 1

The first season is an excellent starting point. It does a great job setting up the characters, the mystery, and especially the nostalgic vibe that’s become the show’s trademark. But looking back, and considering the bolder seasons that followed, season 1 feels more safe than spectacular. It gets the basics right but is still figuring out how far the story can go. Eleven’s journey, Will’s disappearance, and the building tension all work well, but the threat feels smaller, and the show hasn’t fully embraced the horror that would later define it.

That said, simplicity has its own appeal. The characters are well established from the get-go, making it easy to connect with and care about them. Plus, the dynamic between Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Dustin, works because the writing doesn’t try to do too much. What keeps this season from ranking higher isn’t a lack of quality, but that later seasons clearly outpaced it in ambition and execution. It’s a solid introduction with a consistent tone and a well-crafted mystery, but it doesn’t deliver the big narrative or visual moments that fans fell in love with later on.

2) Season 3

Not everyone loved the third season, mainly because it’s where Stranger Things really seems to lean into the absurd. But for the most part, it worked. The ’80s vibe is at its fullest here, with the shopping mall as the main setting and a kind of B-movie action feel. The pace speeds up, and the show clearly leans on twists and turns. It’s not subtle at all, but it knows that and relies on the characters and their interactions to keep things engaging. The Mind Flayer gets a bigger spotlight, and Billy’s (Dacre Montgomery) arc is a big surprise, adding depth to a character who could’ve been thrown away before (plus the subtle hints of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) through him).

However, it’s not perfect. The Russian subplot can get a bit ridiculous, and the over-the-top humor sometimes kills the tension built in earlier seasons. But the arrival of Robin (Maya Hawke), Steve’s evolution as the go-to comic relief, and the growth of characters like Erica (Priah Ferguson) and Max (Sadie Sink) show the series was reinventing itself pretty well. Season 3 might not be the most tightly written, but it’s definitely one of the most fun. And its finale? Absolutely impactful, leaving fans hyped for what’s next.

1) Season 4

Ambition is the word that comes to mind when we talk about the fourth season of Stranger Things. It’s also the best executed season so far. This time, the show fully embraces psychological horror, with Vecna as the most threatening villain yet. The tone hits hard right from the start with Chrissy’s (Grace Van Dien) death. The season has a more fragmented structure, with separate plots and longer episodes – and surprisingly, it works. Each storyline carries real weight, and most episodes have strong moments that make the screen time worth it. Overall, this is where the show moves beyond nostalgia to something more intense and gripping (a real setup for season 5).

This is also when the characters get deeper layers. Max, for example, has one of the series’ most unforgettable arcs, and that famous scene with “Running Up That Hill” became iconic for its storytelling, not just nostalgia. Even with episodes running over an hour, the season keeps its pace and delivers shocking twists, stunning visuals, and much more complex emotional conflicts. And Eddie’s (Joseph Quinn) introduction is a highlight too. Season 4 was a massive hit with fans, dominated pop culture for weeks, and most importantly, brought back the intensity that made the show stand out from the start. No other season has been this epic and intimate at the same time.

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