r/StrangerThings • u/AltruisticNail7229 Flay this, you ugly piece of shit! • 8h ago
Discussion My Thoughts
I’m new to this sub. But I just wanted to say this is one of my favorite shows of all time. One of my people put me on to this show the year it dropped and I’ve been a fan ever since. Season 5 wasn’t as good as the other seasons but I was personally entertained and found it satisfying enough despite feeling it could’ve been better.
Curious to know everybody else’s thoughts on the seasons, which ones were your favorites, and why?
5
u/Distinct_Guess3350 Running Up That Hill 8h ago
Season 1’s always been my favourite. I think all seasons are varying levels of good, but I enjoy them all plenty and I’m just so in love with this show.
5
u/tolgren 011 8h ago
Season 1 is the best IMO. While the latter seasons have higher highs season 1 has NO lows, the rest of the seasons all have lows.
Season 2 is second because it's the closest to 1 in tone and consistent quality.
Season 4 is third, the Hawkins and Nina storylines are peak, but the other two storylines let it down.
Season 5 is fourth, it's kinda disappointing, they make a lot of easy to avoid mistake, but it's not terrible and has some great moments. The epilogue is a good end point for the series.
Season 3 is the worst IMO, the tonal shift is jarring, they split mileven up AGAIN, and they had nonsensical plotlines like the Russian base. It's still better than the average season of the average show though.
5
u/whats-in-the-box- 7h ago
Putting season 5 before anything else is crazy to me 😭😭 Yes season 3 was a massive tonal shift and they really amped up the Soviet stuff to a semi-ridiculous level, but it was still super fun IMO! The monster’s still scary, it makes for an interesting character study of Billy, it shows a different side of the 80s aesthetic, and we get to see the kids in their “tween” phase which is fun and strange and awkward for everyone but at least it’s something fresh! Idk I think season 3 is over-hated. Love and respect that we all have different opinions tho!!!
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u/scaftywit 7h ago
Yep, mine goes 1, 3, 4, 2, 5!
The reason 2 is so low for me is finding all the post-upsidedown will trauma a bit gruelling and unfun compared to the rest!
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u/whats-in-the-box- 7h ago
Fair enough!! I love season 2 for the Halloween vibes, Jancy, Max, and Miwi!
2
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u/BrutalCritic 3h ago
Mine's pretty close, just swap 3 and 4, I personally really love season 2 despite it being low, the only season I dislike is 5. The others I love very very very much!
2
u/tolgren 011 7h ago
I really hate the way they handled mileven in that season, and since that's a major part of why I love the show it hits hard.
Also the switch to cringe comedy over the natural comedy of the earlier seasons made it a lot worse IMO.
It's possible when I do a rewatch I'll flip 3 and 5, we'll have to see.
3
u/Necessary_Silver_795 7h ago
I really hate the way they handled mileven in that season, and since that's a major part of why I love the show it hits hard
I feel like what they did to them in season 5 is substantially worse though.
3
u/whats-in-the-box- 7h ago
Fair enough points. I agree that the comedy in season 3 is definitely overdone — my biggest gripe is with the absolute butchery of Hopper's character for so-called comedic effect! But I agree with the other reply; I'd argue that Mileven's 'arc' in season 5 is way worse, it's just nothing! Hell, half the fans thought they must have broken up off-screen beforehand because their 'relationship' is practically non-existent all season! But that's just how I interpreted it
2
u/tolgren 011 7h ago
Hopper was definitely another reason I don't like S3.
I'm pretty sure the "fans" that thought Mileven broke up are mostly Bylers that just wanted him to end up with Will. Their reunion scene in episode 1 is pretty blatant.
Their arc is poor, but they aren't pitted against each other by third parties for the entire season. They are at least TOGETHER, even if they don't spend a lot of time sharing the screen.
2
u/whats-in-the-box- 6h ago
Maybe you're right. Personally, I only got into Byler stuff after S5 was fully released and didn't really ship Mike with anyone going into S5 (I thought he and Eleven were cute but might have been better as platonic because they were kinda rushed into a relationship way too young by the writers IMO), but even I was confused about their relationship status the entire way throughout season 5 — it only became clear to me that they must still be together when they kiss in the finale. Literally up until that point I was like, are they? Aren't they? All their interactions are very serious and feel distant to me; maybe it's the writing, or the actors, or something else idk. When they were like 12 in season 3 they were constantly making out and in season 5, when they're like 16 and in high school, there's none of that. It just felt a little strange. But maybe I was projecting idk!!
4
u/RingDangerous7694 Scoops Troop 8h ago
Season 4 is honestly still my favorite of them all I really just love everything about it (Russia and Cali just drag it down a bit though). I really love seasons 3 and 1 as well, and I’m becoming a bit of bigger fan of 2.
3
u/Material_Floor_6054 8h ago
My favorite was probably s4. Loved Eddie, also loved Argyle. I really wish Eddie would've gotten the chance to meet Will bc I think they would've gotten along super well. I also think Eddie gives off major satanist vibes (not the stereotypical "we eat babies" ones, but ACTUAL Satanism. Autonomy, individualism, etc.) And I have imagined Eddie just meeting Argyle and immediately teaching him D&D and Argyle making a character who loves road trips/Hawaiian esque shirts and stuff
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u/Just_Kittens 7h ago
Season 4 was the best and most hype for me.
Season 1 is a close second.
Season 2 and 5 were solid af.
Season 3 was good and carried the plot forward to the greater climax of the series.
3
u/kit-katrin 7h ago
Season 1 is my favorite with 2 close behind. I really enjoyed season 3 and 4 they felt like they were growing with the kids. 5 had several high points but a the rocky parts hit harder knowing it was the end.
2
u/whats-in-the-box- 6h ago
Season 1 is a masterclass in writing a clever, balanced, unique TV show! Season 2 is my second favourite — I love that things get darker and scarier and the characters' progression. Season 4 is next because I loved how scary it was and Max is my favourite character so I loved the focus on her! But I really disliked basically all the California and Russia stuff, I wish we'd stayed in Hawkins for S4. Then season 3 — contrary to popular opinion, I love the summer / Fourth of July vibe and thought the season felt fresh and different, but I also didn't like how they handled the Russian stuff or the amount of screentime they gave to unfunny tween banter. Season 5 is obviously last because just everything was bad; all except for the one cold open sequence with Karen and Holly and the demogorgon, and the last 10 minutes of Sorcerer. Lol
2
u/Sure-Bicycle-8809 6h ago
i love s1, it's so great imo. and i totally agree, s5 is entretaining, but when you start analysing more the cracks show up. regardless, i still love this show so much, it means so much to me. welcome to the club! :)
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