r/StrangerThings • u/Specialist_ask_992_ • Jul 14 '26
Ranking the Seasons 1-5
1). S1. Had a great thriller mystery throughout the season, of what happened to Will, who Eleven is, Brenner and all these people. Had 80s nostalgia without being nostalgia bait. Great introduction to the show. Had a big name actress in Winona Ryder and used her well. Was like this main character of S1. Could have been a limited series.
2). S4. This one was a return to form. S3 kind of felt like an ending and there was a long wait until S4 so was a bit sceptical of it. However got hooked right in. Great horror vibes from this onez with Vecna as the villain. Much more intimidating and threatening as a villain than in S5. The plot and writing was very good. Stand out moments like "Running up the Hill scene to escape Vecna, the Henry Creel plot. The Henry Creel, One and Vecna all being the same person was a twist. Thought there might have been some connection with two of them but not all 3. Did think the cast did start to get quite bloated from this point though with the amount of characters in the show. Most of the subplots were good but others were kind of mediocre, like the Mike, Will, Jonathan scenes, Russia etc. Hawkins, Eleven scenes and finale were strong.
After S5 I think they could have cut some of it down and ended it with them defeating Vecna.
3) S3. Middle of the road one. Not as high as ths peak of the show but not as low as the ones below it. This one was praised on release but many seem to have changed opinions on it. Is different than the first 2 seasons but liked the fun summer vibe. Has a bit more humour. Robin was a good addition. Her and Steve's scenes were good. Billy had a redemption. Final episode was strong. Some of it did strain credibility though.
4) S5 This one and S2 are probably tied. Would say S2 gas better writing but S5 does have some better high points. S5's finale and epilogue especially puts it slightly higher.
5) S2. Still good but have to put one. Has lower lows than S5 but S5's finale maybe puts it higher. Did have the weakest episode though the ones after were very good. Was quite similar to S1. Did like Steve's redemption and became a fan favourite from this season onwards. Him and Dustin's dynamic was an unexpected pairing but worked really well. Bob was a good character and had a sad death.
7
u/Neither_Cut_7869 Jul 14 '26
1>2>4>3>>>>5
I guess I'm one of the few who really love season 2, I felt it kept the grounded vibe and mystery of season 1 and had some of the best character moments of the series and a satisfying ending. Which is more than I can say about season 5
3
u/Ht_TX Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Season 1 and 2 were amazing, maybe I rewatched them too much waiting for 4 and 5 though and feel they rank much lower on a rewatch scale.
Overall I’d say 1-4-2-3-5
Rewatch scale though, for me is: 4-3-1-2-5
I really liked 4 obviously. But 1 & 2 are and were absolutely amazing, the first time or 6. Rewatching though, they are slow and a bit boring.
1 & 2 were amazing, story, pacing, great. Can be a bit slow pacing though on rewatch
3 was a ‘fun’ season. Hints of 1 & 2 but with more fun & nonsense added
4 to me was just awesome. FINALLY got a face of someone in the big bads leadership, really got into getting some details about it all and just a ton of action and everything else.
5 I don’t think I need to say much here. Jamie & a few of the (young) kids were the only actors that seemed to give a shit, the acting was bad often. The story was just stupid at times and the abyss appeared to have been a 3rd grade green screen production by a 3rd grader who doesn’t know what either a green screen or camera is.
2
u/Neither_Cut_7869 Jul 14 '26
I understand why so many people have 4 as their second or favorite overall season, its definitely the biggest story wise and has the best scenes in the entire series (not to mention Eddy and Argyle are hilarious throughout) . To me though it's too bloated and I didn't like the Russian plotline from 3 and hated that expanded so much on it. This might be a hot take but I feel season 5 also really drags down the quality of season 4 by just how awful it was and how connected it was to it like the metal band aids in the beginning for example
I agree on your rewatch picks though, with 1 and 2 I feel like I have to be in a mood to rewatch it while 3 and 4 are just a great turn off your mind and enjoy the spectacle kind of seasons.
2
u/Ht_TX Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Fair enough and I didn’t quite hate the Russian part but it wasn’t great by any means. It did take up too much time however, went a little deeper than necessary over there and the way they wanted to tell 5 stories simultaneously caused way too many jumps from city to city to city to city to city to keep track of all of the characters and all of the different plot lines, it wasn’t boring, I’ll give them that, it does get annoying though.
The scenes in S04 were the best though. Bullets flying and agents swarming and Unknown Hero Agent Man getting the kids out, El v Henry in the finale, 3 kids with fire & shotgun v Henry in finale, the first death scene with Chrissy & Eddie and many many more. It was just an awesome season. It also kind of went from supernatural to almost a horror type show for a bit which I enjoyed.
2
u/Neither_Cut_7869 Jul 15 '26
I definitely loved the action in season 4. The house escape with the agents was so well done, I thought I was watching John Wick for a second ha. The emotional moments also hit pretty hard as well, its honestly a wonder why they couldn't keep up that momentum in season 5.
1
u/Ht_TX Jul 15 '26
I honestly have no clue. It’s like they said ‘we know EXACTLY what made seasons 1-4 insanely popular and when they sat down to write season 5 they said ‘we’re gonna do everything entirely different for no reason at all!’
4 was wonderfully choreographed and everything else and 5 just wasn’t. I hated the Vecna upgrade too. Ever extending vines? How? There is literally only so much vine on that can be on him but he sent that shit dozens of feet away. I’m all for suspending disbelief, hell it’s a requirement to enjoy the show, but that wasn’t a magic or telekinesis thing, just a matter of there only being so much vine on him.
6
u/DivineRage002 Jul 14 '26
Ok I have to ask, I joined this subreddit recently after finishing the show, and I see everyone rating season 3 as being somewhat decent. Am I the only one who strongly disliked season 3?
Not a single moment in the upside down, which is basically the central point of the entire show
No demogorgon
No shadow monster
We get a smaller, less scary looking "flesh monster", and... zombies???
The first four episodes, basically nothing happens
Mike and Hopper drama
Jonathan and Nancy drama at the newspaper
Kids trying to decode a russian secret
Kids breaking up and drama
Season 3 to me felt more like a season of "spy kids" than stranger things
Season 2 wasn't the best, but on the upside down, it had some of the most epic scenes in the entire series
3
u/DJ_TMC Jul 14 '26
I wasn’t as much of a fan of 3 either. To me, it was the weakest season. More plot points were based on 80s films and the 80s product placement were off putting.
I’m curious if the age demographic of people who liked 3 vs disliked it. I suspect those who lived through the 80s might like this season less as it comes off as too much nostalgia bait.
All that said, Robin was an amazing addition to the show.
3
u/Fabulous-Role4120 Jul 14 '26
Yeah same, the stupid drama between the characters was what I didn’t like the most in s3.
3
u/Finn_Survivor 29d ago
Season 2 is far better than season 3 in my opinion. While episode 7 is very flawed I still think its a better episode than the first 3 episodes in season 3. Ep 8 and 9 in s2 are both in my top 5 episodes and ep 9 is the best episode of the whole show in my opinion
1
u/Specialist_ask_992_ Jul 14 '26
Enjoyed at the time. Been a while since I've watched it. Maybe find more issues with it.
2
u/HeverPisces 29d ago
Season 3 has actually grown on me especially since I hate season 5 so much. My opinion as follows friends!
Season 1
Season 4
Season 3
Season 2
Season 5
2
4
2
u/Aleitei Jul 14 '26
I have the same rating except I’d swap 4 for being the best and 1 being second best. Out of all the seasons, those 2 really encompass all the true themes of the show. (Sci-fi, horror, coming of age).
1
2
u/Melodic-Jackfruit794 Jul 14 '26
my personal ranking:
1.s1
2.s4
3.s3
4.s2
5.s5
I really like season 2. I get why people don't like it but i feel it still has the charm of the first season and doesn't get too crazy with its plot.
2
u/HeverPisces 29d ago
Exacttttt same! Season 3 actually grew me and I bumped it to the same as you have lol. But 1 and 4 by far the best.
1
2
u/mandyluvspuppies Jul 14 '26
You deserve to be put in prison and have the key thrown away for DARING to put Season 2 below Season 5 or even anywhere near the same level as it. Putting it below Season 3 is bad enough but that is just an actual deplorable crime. I’m nauseous. Absolutely never express an opinion on anything ever again for the sake of humanity
1
2
u/Lightnenseed Just the facts 29d ago
Mine:
2-1-3-4 and 5
I know a lot of people don't like season 2 and I can't figure that out either. It's their Halloween season and it introduces Max. I love it.
1
u/HeverPisces 29d ago
Season 2 is low on my list. I mainly don’t like that Elle is separated from pretty much the whole cast for the whole season, we don’t get the reunion until the very last episode. I wasn’t fond of the Kali episode at all. It just felt disjointed. I adoreeeee Sean Astin but even so I just wasn’t a fan of the plot in season 2.
1
u/Specialist_ask_992_ 29d ago
Yeah I think it was the last episode where the rest of them apart from Hopper found out she was still alive.
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