Every Single Episode of Stranger Things, Ranked

I believe.

Wow. After ten years, five seasons, and forty-two fantastic episodes, Stranger Things has finally come to a close. I was ten years old when I started watching this show. I turn twenty this year. Like so many of you, this show ending feels like a chapter of my life coming to a close. This past year, and these past few months especially, I have been covering Stranger Things non-stop, but this is perhaps my most ambitious and epic post I’ve done yet. I rewatched the entire show earlier in 2025, and, during it, I prepared this ranking. And, finally, with the show being done, I can share it with all of you. So, that being said, here is my ranking of every single episode of Stranger Things. Click the links down below to go to a certain section, because this is a long one.

42-36 / 35-31 / 30-26 / 25-21 / 20-16 / 15-11 / 10-6 / 5-1

42. The Lost Sister

Season 2, Episode 7

It's nice to get this out of the way quickly, because this is my favorite show of all time and it just ended and I want to talk positively about it. This is the only episode of Stranger Things that is truly bad, and it's for a bunch of different reasons. I actually think that the episode could've been good with a few minor changes, but without those changes, it's a really bad entry in what is one of the most consistently great shows ever made. The Lost Sister finds itself smack dab in the middle of a great cliffhanger and a penultimate episode, and it is a slow, weird entry in the series. Everything is rushed: Eleven's relationship with Kali being the main thing. They knew each other when they were toddlers, but they are just accepting that they are "sisters". Kali acts like she knows everything Eleven has been through, but that's simply not possible. The supporting characters are cartoonish and cringe. This entire episode was a secret backdoor pilot for a spin-off TV show, and that just feels kind of dirty to me, so I really, really dislike this episode. It is the only bump in what is a fantastic road. I also do actually really like the foreshadowing of Brenner secretly being alive. That didn't pay off until season four, but it definitely makes this episode slightly more interesting.

11/10 Moment: I do actually kind of like what this episode does for El's character, and I think her final decision is actually a powerful moment. I don't love the arc that led her here, but I feel like the choice to return to Hawkins is earned and shows the power and impact that characters like Mike and Hopper have had on her. That montage of friendship that makes El realize she misses her friends in Hawkins pulls on the heartstrings, so it definitely has a few effective moments, but the episode as a whole is just a miss.

Best Easter Egg(o): There's not many to choose from here, but I'm actually going with a song choice. Runaway by Bon Jovi is a classic 80s song that has been used in many pieces of 80s media, and Millie Bobby Brown is actually married to Jon Bon Jovi's son, so I'm counting that as an easter egg.

41. Suzie, Do You Copy?

Season 3, Episode 1

The first episodes of any given Stranger Things season besides the first are usually some of the weakest in the season, and that is definitely the case with season three. Suzie, Do You Copy? picks up in the summer of 1985 and sees all of our characters really at their happiest. That's not a bad thing, but with them being happy for some reason comes them being unlikable and weird. The tonal shift from the dark end of season two to the bright, eye-popping beginning of season three is already jarring, but the characters just act annoying in this episode. Mike and Hopper especially act incredibly immature towards each other, but Dustin, Lucas, and even Steve are a bit ridiculous. I also am not a huge fan of the big Russian machine thing, and that receives a lot of attention in this episode. Look, I enjoy spending time with these characters and I think season three is still great, but this is definitely one of the series's weakest episodes.

11/10 Moment: This is kind of a non-traditional pick, but I really love the moment when Karen sees Ted and Holly sleeping in the chair. Ted is a complete goober throughout the entire show, so you kind of understand why Karen would consider cheating on him with Billy, but you can tell that her motherly, familial instincts kick in when she sees her husband cuddled up with her daughter. It's a really touching moment from some of the weaker Stranger Things characters.

Pride of the Party: Joyce Byers. There are very few times up to this point that we've seen a non-stressed out Joyce, so it's nice to get that here. We see her educating Hopper on how to be a dad, but we also see her dealing with her own problems and her loneliness without Bob. She feels like the only character in this episode that is acting normal and dealing with true issues that hit you in the feels.

Best Easter Egg(o): This is a pretty broad homage, but the Russians being villains is one of the biggest, most overused tropes in 80s movies, so I think it is actually very clever of Stranger Things to do that here even if I'm not crazy about the plot line as a whole.

40. The Flayed

Season 3, Episode 5

This feels like a necessary but frustrating episode. There were some dots that needed to be connected to get us into the final act of the season, but the way they connected those dots was kind of underwhelming. I think the entire Russian plot with the gang that is pictured above is very illogical and too 80s. The 80s aspects of Stranger Things is one of my favorite parts of the show, but this feels 80s in the wrong ways. I also feel like the whole Invasion of the Body Snatchers plot with the Mind Flayer infecting these people and then turning them into goop is just done in an uninteresting way. We turned Nancy's jerk boss from the Hawkins Post into an evil goop monster? I think we can do better, guys. It's still Stranger Things, so the group dynamics and characters are still tons of fun to hang out with, but this episode really encapsulates all the frustrations from season three. I also genuinely hate it when Hopper steals the car. That is so out of character and ridiculous from him, and it really, really pisses me off.

11/10 Moment: I love moments of Joyce going off on people because Winona Ryder is a great actress, so her screaming at Murray for being an immature brat is awesome. She has so much resilience and strength, and it all comes out in moments like these. I like Murray, but sometimes he needs to be humbled, and he gets a nice mouthful from Joyce that I think is just fantastic.

Pride of the Party: Alexei. The characters are not at their most likable in this episode, and the next few episodes have some great moments from some other characters, so I'm giving Alexei a shoutout here. He is so endearing and lovable, which is exactly the opposite of how most Russians are portrayed in the 80s. I really enjoy his character throughout the season, and this is our first real episode where we get to spend time with him.

Best Easter Egg(o): This is an easter egg throughout the whole season, but to me, it's most apparent in this episode. Grigori, the Russian assassin who is tracking down Hopper, is clearly inspired by the Terminator himself.

39. The Mall Rats

Season 3, Episode 2

The second episode of season three is a slight improvement on the first, but not by much. On the positive side, Billy being infected by the Mind Flayer is much scarier than Will, and Dacre Montgomery does a fantastic job of being really, really intimidating while also showing a more vulnerable side to his character. I also enjoy El and Max together. The montage of them in the mall is tons of fun. However, I still feel like this episode doesn't move the plot forward a ton and the characters still have really angsty moments where they are at their most unlikable. Like, Will's only character trait in these first two episodes are him begging his friends to play D&D. That's not great writing or characterization, and I feel that way about a lot of the kids especially. I think it does a good job of setting up where we're eventually going in this season, but as an individual episode, it's definitely still a weaker entry in the overall show.

11/10 Moment: I do love the moment when Steve figures out that the Russian signal is coming from the mall. It's was a nice, subtle setup when he recognized the music, and the payoff is really cool when he puts some quarters in the little horse thing and the music plays. Not crazy about the Russian plot as a whole, but that's a really cool and clever little moment.

Pride of the Party: Robin Buckley. Robin may have been introduced in the last episode, but this is the episode where she really takes the spotlight for the first time. Her sarcasm is really funny, but I love that she immediately just wants to help decode the Russian message with Dustin. She's in without asking any questions, and I kind of love that about her, so she definitely gets MVP for this episode.

Best Easter Egg(o): Cary Elwes makes his first appearance as Larry Kline, the sleazy mayor of Hawkins. Kline is worse than this character, but he is very reminiscent of Larry Vaughn, the mayor from Jaws, who cares more about the Fourth of July festivities than the well-being of the townspeople.

38. Will the Wise

Season 2, Episode 4

I feel like this episode encapsulates all of my problems with season two: the plot lines are a bit too disconnected and a bit too dragged out. I do love the Mind Flayer as a villain and I think it possessing Will is a great arc, but here, it begins to feel a bit derivative of season one. Joyce is freaked out. The boys realize something is wrong. Hawkins Lab is being suspicious. All of these are beats that we saw in the first season, so it's less interesting now. I also really don't like the Dart plot line all that much because it feels out of character for Dustin to not tell his friends, and this is where it's at its most prevalent and worst. This is still Stranger Things, so the episode is still good, but it's definitely one of the weaker episodes of the entire show.

11/10: Hopper and El's argument is a very frustrating moment because you want these two to get along, but I think it's a really good moment. You see Hopper still struggling to try and figure out how to be a father and you also see Eleven struggling with understanding that her actions have consequences. There is some powerful acting from David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown, so I have to give it to this one.

Pride of the Party: Will Byers. This is not the best episode for any of our characters, but Will has some standout moments here. He is dealing with being infected by the Mind Flayer, and we see him start to lose himself while also trying to fight it at the same time. Noah Schnapp really shines in this season, and the sheer terror that he is able to emit through his line delivery and facial expressions in this episode is really fantastic.

Best Easter Egg(o): When Hopper drops down into the Upside Down tunnels, it's very reminiscent of when Indiana Jones falls into the snake pit in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

37. Vecna's Curse

Season 4, Episode 2

The sophomore episode of season four feels like the garbage dump. That sounds really negative, but what I mean by that is that this feels like the episode most dedicated to the least interesting subplots of the season. I hate Eleven's bullying plot line, because the bullies are so cruel and neither Mike nor Will ever stands up for her and it really pisses me off. This is really the end of that plot, so I'm happy that it's over, but I really don't like it. Likewise, Jason is one of my least favorite aspects of the season, and this is where his somewhat over-the-top mob mentality thing starts. I do love what it does for Lucas's character, however, and I also love the other Hawkins main characters. The main Hawkins group begins to look for Eddie, which is super fun, and Nancy starts to investigate Chrissy's death. That is the real meat of this episode, and when it focuses on it, it really works. I also like the building mystery of Hopper and Russia. It takes a little while for the plot line to get going, but this episode does a good job of building intrigue. This episode still has some high points, but it feels like the lowest points in season four are here, which isn't bad, because this is still a pretty solid entry.

11/10 Moment: The Vecna attacks are just so awesome and terrifying, so Fred's death is my favorite moment here. It's pretty obvious that Chrissy is going to be Vecna's victim right from the start, but Fred seems like an unconventional choice, so it's pretty surprising when the cop starts turning into a demon in front of him. I love the chase through the woods with Wayne Munson's voiceover, and the terror and trauma of Fred watching his dead friend climb from the flaming car before dying is so horrific.

Pride of the Party: Dustin Henderson. Dustin is one of the MVP's of this season as a whole, and this is where it starts. After Max (who was a close runner-up for MVP) tells him what she saw the night before, he immediately goes to find Eddie. I love that he is immediately defensive of Eddie and wants to help him. He recognizes Eddie's terror when he finds him and allows him to join them in the fight against the Upside Down. He does a great job of keeping the peace between Steve and Eddie as well, which I just love.

Best Easter Egg(o): As much as I hate Eleven getting bullied, the scene of her getting chocolate milk (I think that's what it is) thrown on her while everyone laughs at her is a clear nod to Carrie, where a telekinetic girl gets humiliated in front of a crowd laughing at her by getting pig's blood dumped on her.

36. The Bridge

Season 5, Episode 7

The penultimate episode of the entire series has been the internet’s punching bag since it debuted, and it’s not that bad. In fact, I think it’s a pretty good episode, but let’s address the negatives first. This does not feel like the penultimate entry of Stranger Things. It does not really increase the tension or build to this epic showdown with Vecna. It has moments of telling us that the stakes are incredibly high and the danger is incredibly close, but we don’t really feel any of that. Where it does succeed, however, is in the character beats and emotional moments. I simply do not understand the hate that people are throwing at Will’s coming out scene. I thought it was a beautiful, cathartic payoff to five seasons of setting up this character’s sexuality, and I do think that launches us into the finale nicely. On top of that, Lucas and Max’s reunion was just perfect. Sadie Sink proves once again that she is one of this show’s best performers while Caleb McLaughlin proves that he is one of the show’s most underrated performers. Dustin and Steve’s exchange as they fully reconcile their problems is fantastic. Watching the group come together for one last battle, even if it doesn’t feel as epic as I’d like, is still very exciting. The Bridge might be far from the best episode of Stranger Things, but it is also far from the worst.

11/10 Moment: I am going with two moments here, because I can’t choose. And they are the two main ones I mentioned in my blurb. The first is Lucas and Max’s reunion. The episode opens with Max finally waking up and seeing Lucas’s tear-stroked face as the two have a truly powerful conversation. Sink and McLaughlin’s chemistry, both charismatically and emotionally, just makes this the best romantic pairing in the entire series. We’ve been waiting all of season five for this moment, and it was absolutely perfect. The other moment is, of course, Will coming out to all of his friends and family. Will Byers has been through the ringer in this series, and one of my favorite parts of season five is them finally giving him some agency and some important stuff to do. Vecna preys on the deepest fears and insecurities of our heroes, so it makes sense that Will would have this fear of abandonment. He combats that by revealing to the entire cast that he is gay, and the response from all of the characters just gets the tears flowing. Charlie Heaton’s teary-eyed promise of never abandoning Will kicks off all of the other people that care about him joining in, and it is just one of the show’s most cathartic and satisfying moments. I don’t care what people say. This was a fantastic way for Will to reveal that he is gay.

Pride of the Party: Dustin Henderson and Steve Harrington. The show’s best duo have been at each other’s throats all season, and, after Dustin broke down in Escape from Camazotz and told Steve he couldn’t lose him to, the two finally get it together and reconcile. Dustin admits that he’s been distancing himself because of how scarred he is from Eddie’s death, and Steve understands that. The two say that they missed each other and hug. On top of that, Steve comes up with the final plan to defeat Vecna, which is a pretty awesome moment. These two characters are one of the core elements of this show, so giving them one final great moment together before the finale makes them the episode’s MVPs.

Best Easter Egg(o): This is kind of a real-life easter egg (which was confirmed by Jamie Campbell Bower) but Vecna and his attitude in Camazotz is very reminiscent of Jim Jones and Jonestown.

35. The Flea and the Acrobat

Season 1, Episode 5

This is the closest thing to a "filler" episode we have in the first season of Stranger Things, but it's still a very good entry. Will's body has been discovered, but our characters know it's a fake. The boys continue their quest. Hopper actually searches Hawkins Lab. And Lonnie returns for Will's funeral and pretends to be a father and a husband. This episode still has some great moments: Lucas's frustration at Eleven reaches a peak and he breaks off from the group, Joyce kicks Lonnie out, Hop begins to realize something is very shady about Hawkins Lab...but it feels like this is the only episode in the first season without the "umph" factor. There's not that standout character moment or emotional scene to elevate this episode. There's a lot of exposition and characters walking around yelling at each other. I know I'm being slightly negative here, but season one is so great that I feel like I have to justify putting one of its episodes lower. This is still a good episode, but it is definitely the weakest in the opening season.

11/10 Moment: I absolutely love Mr. Clarke (and wish that he had been my middle school science teacher) and I think his explanation of alternate dimensions is so much fun. His dynamic with the boys is great in this first season, and his example of the flea and the acrobat actually makes a weird amount of sense. It's a really well-written exposition dump because the boys are always great and Mr. Clarke is just so likable.

Pride of the Party: Joyce Byers. Throughout the season, we've really seen her mostly be manic and crazy and emotional, but in this episode, we finally see her strength overtake that insanity. Lonnie Byers is a complete jerk, and he comes back after Will's "death", pretending to be a good parent, but really, he just wants to cash a check for a wrongful death lawsuit. When Joyce finds out, she goes ballistic. Winona Ryder nails her anger and her power as she kicks Lonnie out, so she was absolutely the best character in this episode.

Best Easter Egg(o): As they track down the gate to the Upside Down, the kids are walking along train tracks, a clear nod to Stand by Me.

34. Trick or Treat, Freak

Season 2, Episode 2

Up to this point in the show, Stranger Things has had pretty much great episode after great episode. There's rarely bad moments on the show, but I feel like season one lacks them at all, so this episode is a bit strange because there are actual moments I dislike. I do not like the party scene with Nancy and Steve. I don't like Billy going crazy and almost hitting the boys with his car. However...I do really like the continued development of our characters, which is very present in this episode. Max joins the group for real here, which is awesome. We see what happened to Eleven after she killed the Demogorgon. We got a glimpse of the Mind Flayer in episode one, but we get the full-on unfolding of it here, and it is terrifying. I think this episode has some very high highs but definitely more lows than the show is used to.

11/10 Moment: I love the scene when El sees Mike in her head. I think there was some great acting by both Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard, and it just hits you how much being separated is hurting both of these characters. There's a glimmer of hope as Mike almost sees Eleven, but that quickly vanishes when he closes the walkie-talkie and leaves the vision. It's a great, sad moment.

Pride of the Party: Max Mayfield. She is one of my favorite characters on the show, and, although she got introduced last episode, this is where we really start to get to know her. I love how cool she is and how cool the boys think she is. Sadie Sink's grumpy but also energetic personality is fun, and I just really enjoy her dynamic with the group.

Best Easter Egg(o): This is a Halloween episode, so, naturally, there's a bunch of Halloween references. The first of two is when El dresses up as a ghost, a clear nod to the ghost costume in that film. The second is when Max jumpscares the boys in the Michael Myers mask. I love Halloween, so I love allusions to it.

33. MADMAX

Season 2, Episode 1

Season two kicks off with a pretty good episode. It's always fun to spend time with the characters when they aren't dealing with the terror of the Upside Down, and this is that while also setting up where we're going in season two. The major thing here, however, is the introduction of a bunch of new characters. Max and Billy are the obvious highlights, but this is the first time that we meet Murray, Bob, and Dr. Owens. Stranger Things expands its world and its characters in one episode alone, and I love that. The plot and structure of the episode are the thing that holds it back from being a top tier hour, however. The episode is a bit all over the place, and I find some of the plot lines to be less compelling than others. The Barb plot is especially frustrating, because it just feels like they are going nowhere with it. She's dead and Nancy feels guilty...what else is there to it? Also, the introduction with 008 is cool, which is super disappointing, because, as you know, The Lost Sister is the show's weakest episode.

11/10 Moment: Definitely the ending. This is probably the episode of the show that Eleven is in the least, but it's a great final reveal when you see Hopper walk in and El is there. Their relationship is probably my favorite in the show, so watching it bud here is amazing. It also allows you to reinterpret Hopper's actions throughout the episode. He's playing the part of the downbeat, drunk chief that he was in the beginning of season one, but that's really just a facade to hide Eleven. It's an awesome moment, and it kicks off one of my favorite aspects of Stranger Things.

Pride of the Party: Will Byers. This is the first time that we've really spent time with Will, and we kind of see the episode play out from his point of view. We understand his struggles and his wanting to feel normal despite the terrible things that have happened to him. This sets up a really sympathetic character that we can immediately latch on to, and that's nice. I like that Will gets a more active role in season two despite still being the victim. It allows us to experience different emotions regarding the same character, and I think that's clever writing.

Best Easter Egg(o): When Will is in his house and flashes to the Upside Down, we get a great reference to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The shot of Will walking outside the doorway with flashing lights in the sky is pulled directly from that film, and it's very cool.

32. The Pollywog

Season 2, Episode 3

Much like the second episode of the second season, The Pollywog has some very high highs but also some low lows. I enjoy Dart initially - I think that the boys' curiosity and eventual realization of what he is is a lot of fun. I'll talk about this later, but I love Bob's speech about "Mr. Baldo". The final scene with the Mind Flayer is, in my opinion, one of the scariest moments in the show. Where this episode falters for me a bit is Eleven. I don't mind her leaving her isolation, but it felt like it wasn't set up very well. It felt like she was all of the sudden frustrated at Hop and decided to leave, ignoring all of the safety precautions. That aspect is so frustrating because I love the scenes of the two of them cleaning up the cabin and setting up the trip wire and stuff like that. This is, as most Stranger Things episodes are, still a very good hour of TV. I just think season two is a bit more flawed than the other seasons.

11/10 Moment: The final scene is awesome. The Mind Flayer is probably my favorite-looking monster on the show, and I think this is its scariest moment. I love the way its edited, too. Cutting between Will's conversation with Bob about confronting the nightmare and the Mind Flayer infecting Will is just so effective. Noah Schnapp's acting here is also fantastic. He is really underrated throughout this entire show, and he absolutely sells the standing up to this malevolent creature while also being terrified. The visual of the shadow tendrils engulfing all of the holes in Will's face is so unsettling and just makes me cringe in fear every time I see it.

Pride of the Party: The Mind Flayer. Unconventional pick, I know, but as I said, I think he is the coolest-looking monster on the show. I don't think Stranger Things is very scary, but the Mind Flayer actually manages to freak me out in this episode. For that, it gets the MVP. The shadow spider is just so unsettling. I don't have much else to say besides that.

Best Easter Egg(o): Bob's conversation with Will (which was a close runner-up for my favorite moment) is, in my opinion, the best easter egg in the show. He tells him about a clown that haunted him when he was a kid. Pair that with the fact that he mentioned earlier that he was from Maine and you've got one hell of a reference to It. Bob is very subtly but very clearly talking about Pennywise, and it is awesome.

31. The Nina Project

Season 4, Episode 5

I feel like The Nina Project struggles from being the episode that has to come after Dear Billy. You go from one of the greatest sequences in the history of television to what is basically a setup episode. That can make the episode feel underwhelming, but I still think it's pretty solid. The one major negative I have is actually the return of Brenner. I love that he comes back and I think his character is used incredibly in the rest of the season, but I do kind of feel as though the actual scene where he comes back feels anti-climactic. This guy is so important, and they don't really give appropriate weight to his return. I also feel like it lessens Owens as a character because he doesn't warn El about this. Besides that, I do think this episode feels like it does a good job of moving our characters towards their final spots for the season. El needs to get her powers back. The main Hawkins group investigates the Creel house. Jason and his basketball crew finally discover Eddie. I think this episode also has some of the season's funniest moments. Murray doing karate to defeat Yuri is so fun. And, of course, we get introduced to the friendly orderly in Eleven's flashbacks. Wonder who that could be.

11/10 Moment: This is a pretty small moment, but I really love it: Lucas and Max's small interactions in the Creel house. These two are some of the best characters across the whole season, and it's nice to see them re-ignite their romance after Max's near-death experience. Lucas turns on the goofy, dorky charm and Max finally responds to it with a laugh. There's a really touching moment where Lucas tells her that he missed her laugh, which just hits so much harder when you know where this story goes.

Pride of the Party: Although I'm annoyed at the actual scene where he returns, Martin Brenner has to be this episode's MVP. Since his "death" in the first season, there had always been speculation that he would return. They teased it throughout season two. And, finally, we get the reveal that he is alive. I love that they don't really change who he is as a character, but is now essentially a protagonist. Eleven needs him, even if she doesn't want to have to rely on him. Matthew Modine is so good at being charming and fatherly while also always looking like he has an ulterior motive. Brenner's arc in this season is just so interesting, so for that, I have to give him MVP.

Best Easter Egg(o): When Mike and Will call the number that Unknown Hero Agent Man left them, they reference WarGames, which is a forgotten classic of the 80s.

30. The Case of the Missing Lifeguard

Season 3, Episode 3

I feel like this episode is half the struggles of the first part of season three and half the awesomeness of the back half of season three. It's still a bit too bright and the characters are still really angsty, but as you get further into the episode, you start to get a bit more of an idea of where this season is headed. Lucas and Mike are really difficult to watch in this episode just because of how obsessed they are with Eleven and Max, but it leads to a really great moment as we see Will break down and struggle with growing up and his friends not wanting to be kids anymore. Likewise, Eleven and Max are really angsty here too, but it leads them to Billy, where they notice things are wrong pretty fast. Beyond just building tension for further down the line, this episode has some truly hilarious moments. I love the scene where Dustin and Steve think the Jazzercise instructor is an evil Russian. Season three definitely has the rockiest beginning of any season, but it really pays off when you get the building tension of this episode and then the big turning point of episode four.

11/10 Moment: Will destroying Castle Byers is one of my favorite moments on the show. Noah Schnapp is probably the best actor of the four boys, and he is really good at delivering on emotional moments. His anger and sadness really shines through as we flash back and watch the boys when they were kids right before he takes the bat to the the fort. It's a really emotional moment, because you understand that Will has missed out on a part of his childhood due to his Upside Down connection. I absolutely love it.

Pride of the Party: Jim Hopper. Season three is not Hop's best, but there are still shades of the best of him throughout, and they make a quick appearance here. Despite frustration of getting stood up by Joyce, Hopper continues to help her out when she believes that the Upside Down might be back. His loyalty and unwavering protection of her even when she's pissing him off is what makes him this episode's MVP.

Best Easter Egg(o): Deep-cut incoming...the episode title is a reference to Nancy Drew and the Mysterious Case of the Missing Fertilizer, which is pretty meta, because the jerks at the Hawkins Post mockingly call Nancy "Nancy Drew".

29. The Monster and the Superhero

Season 4, Episode 3

Season four, like most seasons of Stranger Things, takes a bit to get going, but the back half of this episode is where things start to ramp up. It starts off by focusing on some of the weaker plot lines of the season, specifically El getting bullied, but once we get past that, this is an awesome entry. I love the return of Sam Owens and his offer to Eleven. The mystery of Vecna in Hawkins starts to get more interesting as we learn about Victor Creel. Nancy and Robin are a fun duo that I enjoy spending time with. And, of course, this sets up Max's journey for the rest of the season as we learn that she is Vecna's next victim. The revelation feels both inevitable and shocking, and it leads into what is probably my favorite sequence in the show, which we will talk about much later in this list. This episode may start off a bit rocky, but once you get past Eleven reuniting with Owens, it gets pretty frickin' awesome.

11/10 Moment: I love Dr. Owens's taking of Eleven. El has had it rough in the beginning of this season, and her bad luck is capped off when she gets arrested. It seems like things are going worse when a bunch of cars pull up to the side of her transport truck and government agents appear to be taking her from the police. There is a collective sigh of relief when Owens steps out of the car and reveals himself to be saving Eleven from going to juvie. It's a very fun moment that sets the stage for the next steps of the season.

Pride of the Party: I'm going with two here: first off is Sam Owens. Dr. Owens is one of the most underrated characters in Stranger Things, and his return here is so much fun. I love how loyal he is to Eleven and how badly he truly wants to help her. The second MVP is Lucas Sinclair. Lucas has not gotten his flowers throughout this ranking, but season four really does some interesting things with his character. I love that they keep some intrigue as to whether or not he is betraying his friends for the basketball guys, and it's an awesome reveal when we discover that he's been tricking Jason and is, of course, loyal to Dustin and Eddie.

Best Easter Egg(o): The entire backstory of the Creel House seems like a reference to The Amityville Horror, in which there's a demon supposedly haunting a house and torturing this family in the 50s.

28. Shock Jock

Season 5, Episode 5

The fifth episode of season five does a really nice job of recovering from the insanity of episode four. I actually think that idea of being sort of a recovery episode both helps and hurts this one. After all the awesome action and payoffs, this episode slows down a bit and gives us a sense of where things are going in the second half of the season. We get a lot of Max and Holly. Steve and Dustin’s antagonism towards each other reaches a breaking point as Steve makes some cruel comments about Eddie and Dustin responds by fighting him. This episode really sets up the heavy emotions that we are going to feel in this back half of season five, and it caps off nicely with an incredible sequence as Will overtakes Vecna’s body and tells Max to run. Like much of volume two, this episode is completely over-hated. I think it’s really, really good.

11/10 Moment: Will taking over Vecna’s body was probably the most exciting moment of volume two of season five. I’m glad that we didn’t hold back on seeing Will with powers again. After Sorcerer, I was a bit worried that they’d wait until the finale to show us him harnessing the power of the hive mind, but they don’t. They shock a Demogorgon to life to get Will close and then he frickin’ takes over Vecna’s body and snaps his legs. Noah Schnapp is so good at this harsh, badass acting when Will is in powers mode, and his screams at Max to run are just chilling. This was a fantastic way to end episode five and it really solidifies Will as the season’s best character.

Pride of the Party: Unsurprisingly, the MVP of this episode is Will Byers. Anytime this guy uses those powers, it’s just so awesome. I love how he has suddenly become one of the biggest threats to Vecna alongside Eleven. Seeing him fight back against the monsters and the evil that has haunted him for so long is just one of the coolest and most satisfying things season five has given us. Alongside his already incredible moment with him taking over Vecna’s body, I love that he still interacts with Robin about his sexuality. You can see him slowly embracing himself as a person, which leads to his coming out party in The Bridge.

Best Easter Egg(o): Robin's not so subtle reference to Young Frankenstein comes when she says "It's pronounced Fronkensteen!", which perfectly fits her character.

27. The Weirdo on Maple Street

Season 1, Episode 2

The second episode of Stranger Things is almost as good as the first. The group is fully together, and it's very fun to see the boys interact with Eleven for the first time. And that's really the highlight of the episode. Other things, like Joyce's furthering paranoia and Jonathan confronting his dad, are nice little subplots, too. It's so interesting to watch all of these characters at the beginning of their journeys, and, in a way, it feels like this episode is the true kick-off to the show. Sure, the first episode has the inciting incident and establishes the world, but it feels like this is where the actual story begins. Not a huge fan of the Barb-Nancy stuff, but it works to set up Nancy's arc, so I give it a pass.

11/10 Moment: As I said, the boys' interactions with Eleven are absolutely incredible, and the best moment they have is when they discover El's telekinesis. The episode sets up Lucas being skeptical of Eleven, and he is about to run downstairs and tell Mike's parents about her, but El slams the door shut with a cold "No." The look of astonishment on all three of the boys' faces is priceless, and makes this scene the best in the episode.

Pride of the Party: Eleven. In episode one, we see El meet Benny and establish her powers, but we don't really see her interact with anyone besides Benny. This is the first time she's probably ever interacted with regular kids her age, and she is really endearing and scary at the same time. We get the soft, naive moments, but we also see her start to understand the world around her and how she can use her powers. Millie's best performance is in season one, and she kills it in this episode. This is how you can act with such little dialogue. Eleven is Stranger Things's most iconic character, and it all starts here.

Best Easter Egg(o): When Joyce sees the Demogorgon for the first time as it comes through her wall, it is a clear reference to Freddy Krueger's iconic push through Nancy Thompson's wallpaper in A Nightmare on Elm Street.

26. The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler

Season 5, Episode 2

The widely speculated episode did indeed end up being the kidnapping of Holly Wheeler. After the major cliffhanger of the first episode, we immediately kick into high gear with a terrifying Demogorgon attack. Ted and Karen get brutalized by the creature before it drags Holly into the Upside Down. That whole opening sequence was a tension-filled masterclass that really lets you feel the danger and stakes of the season off the bat. The ending was also really eerie and mysterious (despite being a bit predictable), but it left me super, super eager to see what happens next. The middle of the episode was a little bit slower, but continued the work of episode one by building out where each and every character is. I loved the pairing of Will and Robin. It brought out the best in both of them, and I think they're really doing a great job of allowing Will to come into his own. I think some of the character beats

11/10 Moment: Ross Duffer teased that this would be the craziest cold open they had ever done. I don't know if it's quite that, but it is definitely up there. Backed by ABBA's Fernando, the viciously scary Demogorgon attack on the Wheeler house really does make it feel like no one is safe in this season. We finally see Karen get to actively protect her children from the horrors of the Upside Down, even if she does not succeed. The scene has the same tension and eeriness as Will's disappearance in season one, but the horror is much more visceral and allows for a truly shocking open.

Pride of the Party: Nancy Wheeler. After her family gets mauled by the Demogorgon, we get to see a different side of this character than we've really seen before. Sure, Nancy gets protective of the people she loves, but we've never really seen any of her family in danger like this. Because of that, Nancy really embraces her strong side while also feeling vulnerable. She tells Mike that she feels responsible because they never told their family about the Upside Down, which is a really understandable sentiment. I love her determination to get to Karen and her resentment of being belittled by the doctor at the end of the episode. Nancy is always a great character, and she does really step up here.

Best Easter Egg(o): Holly's vanishing is a reference to Poltergeist, where Carol Anne Freeling is taken by the "TV people" in the very beginning.

25. The Crawl

Season 5, Episode 1

Sure, it’s a bit exposition-heavy and takes a bit to get going, but The Crawl is a very fun re-introduction into this dystopian version of Hawkins. After the excruciating three-year wait, it’s always fun to catch back up with our characters. The biggest breath of fresh air is honestly having the whole group in Hawkins together. It’s really been six years since we’ve seen some of these characters share the screen together, so I really, really enjoyed that aspect of it. The other thing that I love about this episode is this just eerie, impending sense of doom. You feel like something terrible is going to happen throughout, and, at the end, it does. Usually, the first episode of a given season of Stranger Things will feel slow and meandering, but The Crawl gets off to a fast-paced, thrilling start to the epic final season.

11/10 Moment: Robin announcing the crawl was so much fun. I loved the way that the entire party is operating as this sort of underground spy network, and the way they are operating is through the Squawk. Robin seems like the type of character that would work as a DJ, and the way she signals these codes to give information about the crawl is so fun. I’m also from Detroit, so using Diana Ross (or any Motown artist) will get me excited, and Upside Down is a perfect song to signal that a crawl is about to occur.

Pride of the Party: Mike Wheeler. For three seasons, they have not known what to do with Mike Wheeler. He is one of the standouts of season one, but he quickly became unlikable and frustrating because the Duffers made his whole personality about his relationship with Eleven. Here, they revert him back to season one Mike, and it is great to see. He is the loyal, caring person that we saw in season one. I love his conversation with Holly as we actually see him be a good big brother. We are reminded that he is best friends with Will and does care for him a ton. It was just so great to see the Mike we all know and love return. 

Best Easter Egg(o): Dustin visiting Eddie's grave is, to me, a subtle reference to Sue Snell visiting Carrie White's grave in Carrie.

24. Dig Dug

Season 2, Episode 5

Season two starts off on a slower note, but this is where it really gets going. Dig Dug is a thrilling episode that starts to answer some questions about the Upside Down and Eleven while also presenting an exciting, urgent conflict. Hopper is stuck in the tunnels and it's up to Will to find him through his mental link with the Mind Flayer. I love the drawing of the Upside Down tunnels and the slow realization that the tunnels are a map of Hawkins. I also love some other character moments, most notably when Lucas tells Max the truth about Will's disappearance. This is also the episode that sets up the back half of the season. Eleven discovers the truth about her mother, Will begins having a seizure when they set the vines on fire, Nancy and Jonathan team up with Murray...but the best and most notable set up is, of course, Steve and Dustin finally coming together. The best duo on the show begins in this episode right here, and it gets automatic points just for that. This is everything you want in a mid-season finale: some questions answered but great setup for the rest of the season. It still has the Stranger Things 2 problem of being a bit too spread out, but this is definitely one of the strongest episodes of the second season.

11/10 Moment: I want to say Bob figuring out that the drawings are a map of Hawkins, but I'm actually going to go with Lucas telling Max about season one. I love her denial and disbelief, because it's very annoying at first, but Lucas's insistence and his eventual genuine fear gets her convinced. This feels like the way a kid would act if she heard this crazy story, but I love the serious transition it takes when Lucas covers Max's mouth and becomes scared. Great acting by both Caleb McLaughlin and Sadie Sink, and just a really great moment that will fly under the radar.

Pride of the Party: Bob Newby. Sean Astin's Bob is a weirdo in the first half of season two, but this is where he starts to become a good character. I love how he doesn't press Joyce that hard for questions and mostly just trusts her when trying to figure out the tunnels of Hawkins. I also love that he does figure out that Will's drawings are a map of Hawkins. He is funny, endearing, and really, really smart in this episode, so he is the definite MVP (although Lucas was a close second).

Best Easter Egg(o): When Joyce marks an X at the spot where Hopper is, Bob asks "What's at the X, pirate treasure?" This is an awesome meta reference to The Goonies, because Sean Astin starred in that film, which is all about a bunch of kids looking for a pirate treasure.

23. The Monster

Season 1, Episode 6

This is an interesting episode, because it feels like we divert from the main plot almost entirely to resolve some subplots. This is the episode least focused on Will, and I don't mind that, because it feels like a break from the rest of the season. Nancy and Jonathan's relationship really starts to blossom here, and it's a pretty well-developed romance. It starts off with the trauma of Nancy in the Upside Down, and the two of them just bond over that experience. This is where Steve is the worst version of himself, and the confrontation between him, Jonathan, and Nancy is really good, especially when you know where his character goes. And, of course, this episode caps off with Eleven warding off the bullies and returning to Mike, which is just the sweetest of moments. I think this episode is inherently going to be lower because it is more of a side-quest episode (and I don't love the Terry Ives stuff, even if it is interesting backstory on Eleven), but it's still a very good entry in a great season.

11/10 Moment: These frickin' bullies have been harassing Mike, Dustin, and Lucas all season, so it was time for them to get their comeuppance. They turn into true psychos here by threatening to cut out Dustin's teeth if Mike doesn't jump from the deadly height of the quarry...and El comes in just in time to save the day. This is the first real sign of her being a complete badass, and it is awesome. It's capped off by a great threat from Dustin as the bullies run away and the iconic shot of Mike, Dustin, and El hugging in front of the quarry.

Pride of the Party: Dustin Henderson. Throughout the show thus far, Dustin has very much been the fourth friend. Mike is clearly the main kid, Eleven is second, and Lucas is a close third. Dustin has often been in the background, making jokes and saying nerdy things. In this episode, however, he is the frickin' best. He convinces Mike to reconcile with Lucas and calls out both of his friends for being immature. He defends Lucas to Mike and defends Mike to Lucas. He is the one who advocates for going to find Eleven. As I said before, he has an awesome threat after Eleven breaks Troy's arm and the bullies run away. He is on the back burner for much of season one, but he really, really shines in this episode.

Best Easter Egg(o): I feel like this is the first real look we get at the Upside Down, and much of the Upside Down is designed to look like Xenomorph-esc things from Alien with all the stickiness and gooeyness of the production design.

22. E Pluribus Unum

Season 3, Episode 6

Season three definitely has its ups and downs, but, as with most Stranger Things seasons, it really ramps up near the end. E Pluribus Unum is the true beginning of that ramp up. All three of our main plot lines develop significantly here, and we start to get an idea of where this final stretch may be heading. Steve and Robin's relationship really develops here, and we get some great setup for the ultimate reveal about Robin's sexuality. The scenes with the Russians are a little bit cartoonish, but it serves their dynamic well enough. Eleven begins to investigate where the Mind Flayer might be hiding by tracking where Billy has been, and this gives us some insight into Billy's past, which is just devastating. Millie Bobby Brown and Dacre Montgomery are the MVPs of season three, and they kill it again here. You sense that Billy was once happy, and you see how heart-breaking it is that he has become who he is now. The Mind Flayer's threat in the final scene is just incredible. I cannot rave about Dacre Montgomery enough. He is being threatening and scary because he's talking as the Mind Flayer, but he's also crying because on the inside, he's Billy. That is some acting right there. He single-handedly elevates this episode, and I really wish people would talk about his performance as Billy more.

11/10 Moment: The final scene is just fantastic. Dacre and Millie just knock it out of the park, and their performances combined with the intercutting of the flayed become a part of the Spider Monster Mind Flayer just injects this uneasy feeling of dread into your stomach. It is a haunting, spooky moment that really sets the stage for an incredible finish to the third season of Stranger Things.

Pride of the Party: I'm cheating here (I do that a few times throughout this ranking) because I am picking both Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley. Their dynamic is, as I've said, one of the highlights of the third season, and this is where you really get the first true emotional connection between the two of them. Up to this point, you get the feeling that they are going to end up together, and they have a really heartfelt experience together in this episode, but it's made even better when you know that they just end up as really good friends.

Best Easter Egg(o): The very beginning sees the monster from the hospital get super close to Nancy's face (before getting wrecked by Eleven). The way its shot is a direct homage to Alien3.

21. Papa

Season 4, Episode 8

The penultimate episode of the penultimate season does a good job of wrapping up a lot of subplots. The thing that this episode executes the best is the complexity of Eleven's relationship with Brenner. Brenner is a twisted, demented scientist, but in his own odd way, he does love Eleven. And, in her own way, Eleven views her as a father figure. She still calls him "Papa" despite all of the horrible things he has done to her. Beyond the Brenner-El dynamic, I think that this episode does a good of being the calm before the storm. Our main group in Hawkins prepares for battle against Vecna, and they all get some really great character moments. Max and Lucas prove that their relationship is the beating heart of this season with a touching moment between them. Steve and Nancy continue to tease us with them possibly having feelings for each other again. Robin gets a few nice moments. Eddie and Dustin have a playful scene together that makes it even more heart-breaking when you watch the finale. Even Erica gets a sweet line when she jokingly makes fun of Lucas and then reminds him that he's her brother. I don't think this episode has some of the heights of season four, but it's a really great exploration of these characters that make this incredible show what it is.

11/10 Moment: Brenner's death is incredible. I love that the Duffers didn't really try to redeem him: they just kind of showed him to us in a different context. He's still a bad person, but he truly believes that what he's doing is to help Eleven. We see this in his final moments as he releases her from the collar and tells her that he needs her to understand that everything he did was for her. He begs her to tell him that she understands, and she does not give him the satisfaction. She does not brush him off entirely either, but she gives him a cold "Goodbye, Papa" as she drives off with the California gang. This is the perfect way to send off Brenner and the perfect way to cap his relationship with Eleven.

Pride of the Party: Eleven. After not really seeing her with her powers for nearly an entire season's length, we finally get her taking on an entire military. As Jack Sullivan's soldiers are attempting to shoot her down, El begins to take control of the helicopter they are in, crashing it in an epic, explosive spectacle. On top of that awesome moment, her turning down Brenner is just an incredible way to show how much she has grown.

Best Easter Egg(o): Vickie, Robin's crush, appears in this episode, and her outfit is very much inspired by Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles.

20. The Massacre at Hawkins Lab

Season 4, Episode 7

I think this episode gets a lot of credit for what it did when it came out. The Vecna reveal is undeniably awesome and left everyone hanging in the balance for the month-long break between the two volumes of season four. I also think that the stuff in the Upside Down is super cool. Eddie and Steve's budding friendship is fun to watch. Them bonding over mutual love / annoyance towards Dustin is so entertaining. I do feel like this episode is a little bit overrated. I think people were so awe-struck by the Vecna reveal that they forget a few things: A) although it's an awesome reveal, it's written to be this literal twenty-minute exposition dump. I will never really understand why Vecna showed Nancy all of this, and that really pulls me out of the twist as a whole. And B) the episode as a whole answers a lot of mysteries while not really moving the plot forward. Maybe this episode does not hold up as well upon rewatch because I already knew all the answers to the questions raised throughout, but I do think that this entry just serves to answer all of the questions we've had throughout the season. Still, obviously an iconic episode of Stranger Things that gave us huge reveals and helped us understand the Upside Down more in fantastic fashion.

11/10 Moment: Maybe I did just spend a bunch of time criticizing Vecna's reveal, but that's only because I feel I have to defend this episode's lower placement. The reveal is fantastic and Jamie Campbell Bower really gets to flex some scary, intimidating acting. This really ties together the whole season and honestly the whole show: everything connects to the Creel House and Hawkins Lab. It's an awesome, beautifully edited sequence that tells us (almost) everything we need to know about the show's big bad.

Pride of the Party: Vecna. Up to this point, Vecna is a very intimidating and scary antagonist, but we don't really understand who he is or what he is doing. Here, we finally get that information. We see that he was this psychopathic kid who harnessed his abilities for evil. Beyond that, though, he was Brenner's first experiment, which creates some sympathy for him no matter what. I love that it's a twist on multiple levels: Vecna is Henry Creel, he's One, he's the friendly orderly, he killed everyone in Hawkins Lab, and he was banished to the Upside Down by Eleven. This is how to make a villain incredible.

Best Easter Egg(o): When Eleven goes down to the boiler room to meet with One, it is a clear homage to Freddy Krueger's boiler room in A Nightmare on Elm Street, which should've tipped everyone off immediately that One is Vecna, because Vecna is heavily inspired by Krueger.

19. The Bite

Season 3, Episode 7

I feel like this episode encapsulates the magic of Stranger Things. Season two and season three are neck-and-neck for the "worst" season of the show, and they are still incredible. The Bite swiftly moves us into the final act of season three while also providing some of the most touching and heartfelt character moments on the show. Robin and Steve, as I've said countless times, are the best relationship in season three, and this episode is why. Stranger Things is so good at setting up a cliche and then subverting it in a smart way. This entire season, Steve is looking for a relationship, and they setup the trope where he is blind to what's right in front of him. When he makes a move on Robin, however, she softly tells him the truth about her sexuality, and it makes for one of the best character interactions on the show. Beyond that, we get Alexei and Murray's bromance. They really make you fall in love with Alexei right before he gets shot in the chest by Grigori, and it is heart-breaking. This episode really does a good job of wrapping up our subplots so that we can focus on the main conflict for the final episode, and I really, really appreciate that.

11/10 Moment: I know I just raved about it in that mini-review blurb, but Robin's reveal to Steve is one of my favorite moments on the show. The interaction is written so well, Maya Hawke and Joe Keery are so good, and it just works as a beautiful moment between these two characters. I love that they sit on the tension of Steve's reaction before showing us that he is incredibly supportive and just willing to be her friend. It is a really touching, incredible moment, and it exemplifies everything great about these characters and this show.

Pride of the Party: Steve Harrington. This really shows his growth from season one to season three. He has spent this entire season trying to get his life together after high school, and part of that is finding a girlfriend. When he feels presented with that opportunity, he is shot down because Robin is gay. Instead of reacting badly and being a jerk, he just continues to act like her friend and pokes fun at the girl that Robin had a crush on. This episode is one of the many strides that he takes that has made him a fan-favorite since his redemption.

Best Easter Egg(o): This entire episode is filled with Back to the Future easter eggs, and I especially love the moment when the score plays in the background of Dustin and Mike finally coming into contact with each other.

18. Holly, Jolly

Season 1, Episode 3

This feels like the point at which the show kicked into full gear. We've got the setup out of the way, we've seen our characters interact; now it's time for the story to get going. The first half of this episode is relatively slow, but things pick up in the back half. So many great moments; Nancy's slow realization that something bad happened to Barb, Joyce's discovery that Will can communicate through the lights, and, of course, the discovery of Will's body. Again, it is impressive how emotional Stranger Things is right off the bat, and the last ten minutes of this episode hit you hard in the heartstrings. Hopper's devastation when Will's body is pulled out of the water is sad enough, but Mike running home and crying in Karen's arms is a true tearjerking moment. Thank God that that wasn't actually Will's body, otherwise Stranger Things would've been a very sad, very short three episodes rather than the show we know and love today.

11/10 Moment: I'm cheating a bit here and putting the entire final sequence. I love the scene where Joyce puts up the Christmas lights with the letters and Will tells her to R-U-N right before giving us the first full look at the Demogorgon. So pair that with the entire montage we get after Will's fake body is found and you've got a great, heart-breaking ending to another incredible episode of this show.

Pride of the Party: Mike Wheeler. Mike is arguably season one's main protagonist, and here, he gets a lot to do. He spent most of last episode dealing with Eleven and getting to know her, and in this episode, we see him as the loyal friend who will stop at nothing to find Will. His belief in Eleven and faith that Will is still alive makes it all the more devastating when he sees Will's body pulled out of the water. Stranger Things has always had strong emotional moments, and Mike's entire character in this episode is very emotional, which makes him the clear MVP here.

Best Easter Egg(o): Joyce being able to communicate with Will through the lights is a direct homage to Poltergeist, where the parents of their kidnapped child communicate with her through the TV.

17. The Bathtub

Season 1, Episode 7

The Bathtub is a major episode for Stranger Things. Our entire team finally comes together for the first time. Hopper, Joyce, Nancy, and Jonathan all get together with the boys and El and we start to piece together the Upside Down. This episode has it all: a thrilling car/bike chase through the Hawkins suburb, some great character moments, and an intense climax that sets the stage for the season one finale. One of the major strengths of this episode besides the action are the character interactions. Nancy and Mike don't get a lot of screen time together throughout the show, but here, we see them banter back and forth a little bit, and it's really entertaining. I also love it when the rest of our main characters meet Eleven. Joyce's maternal instincts kick in and she really immediately takes care of her, which I just really enjoyed. This is, like the rest of season one, a pretty incredible episode.

11/10 Moment: The chase at the beginning, for sure. This is one of my favorite scenes in the first season, because it's absolutely electrifying and it resolves one of the main tensions between Mike and Lucas. Plus, Eleven flipping a van will never not be awesome. We've seen El use her powers throughout the season, but this might be the biggest, coolest moment of her telekinesis in the entire show.

Pride of the Party: Going along with my favorite moment, Eleven is this episode's MVP. This is her time to shine: she helps the boys escape the chase and then she locates Will and Barb's body in the Upside Down. We start to see her as truly a good person who wants to help Joyce find Will. Her relationship with Mike starts to blossom for real. I feel like this episode and the next are the ones where she transforms into the character we know and love today.

Best Easter Egg(o): A lot of season one is E.T. and Stand by Me, so I'm going with another E.T. reference here: the entire car chase feels very reminiscent of the car chase in that film. The vans look pretty similar to the ones in E.T., and, although the Stranger Things bikes don't fly, they have their own awe-inducing moment as El causes the van to flip.

16. The Turnbow Trap

Season 5, Episode 3

The third episode of season five continues its early ramp-up towards the final showdown with Vecna. With Holly missing and Eleven and Hopper trapped in the Upside Down, the party in the Rightside Up needs some sort of plan to strike back at Vecna. Will finally gets to have some agency and organizes (with Mike) a plot to kidnap Derek Turnbow, who he sensed was Vecna's next target. Will being involved in this plan feels so good. For four seasons, we've seen this character sit back and cry instead of being involved and trying to take down these monsters, so it is a breath of fresh air for him to be helping out, even if Joyce isn't a fan of it. Once the plan is in motion, the episode just becomes a non-stop thrill ride of fun, exciting moments. Erica Sinclair makes her glorious return to the show (alongside Mr. Clarke!) and gets some of the best moments of the season. And, of course, the final sequence is a Home Alone booby trap set piece starring a Demogorgon. Awesome. Cap it off with the reveal of Max finding Holly and you have got a fantastic episode of Stranger Things 5.

11/10 Moment: The actual Turnbow trap, the namesake of the episode, is just one of the most fun sequences in the entire series. This is where you can really see that the budget for this season is massive, because they are not skimping out on epic Demogorgon action. Everyone gets involved in this incredible trap as they attempt to attach a telemetry tag to the Demogorgon so it can lead them to Holly. Watching Nancy and Jonathan set a Demogorgon on fire and then shoot it and then have Mike beat it up with a shovel is just awesome. There's no other words to describe it.

Pride of the Party: Erica Sinclair. I believe this is Erica's first (and only) MVP on this list, but she absolutely deserves it. Throughout the show, this character gets a ton of iconic, memorable one-liners, but perhaps none are better than "I told you to eat your damn pie!"Her blatant refusal to help the group out because her and Tina and now archenemies is so funny, and it's made even better when she agrees to do it after learning that the job is drugging the entire Turnbow family. That fits perfectly for this character, and Priah Ferguson nails the hilarious, dry humor that is needed for every one of Erica's moments in this episode.

Best Easter Egg(o): This might be a stretch, but I view Steve choosing to use the chainsaw as a small reference to Ash Williams and his iconic chainsaw look in the Evil Dead movies.

15. Escape from Camazotz

Season 5, Episode 6

You want to talk about emotion? Escape from Camazotz delivers on that. This is the biggest episode of volume two, and it really hits on every character beat and heartbreaking moment that it is going for. We actually kick off the episode with the revelation that the Upside Down is a wormhole connecting the Abyss to Hawkins, which is a huge, fun reveal. That really sets up a cool final showdown as Vecna attempts to have the Abyss crash into Hawkins. But the real meat of this episode is in its handling of the character dynamics that we’ve come to love throughout this show. Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton deliver some of their best acting of the show in Nancy and Jonathan’s tear-jerking breakup scene. At the brink of death, the two of them are finally honest with each other. Gaten Matarazzo rips our hearts out with one singular line as Steve tries to be a hero: “You’re going to die and I can’t let it happen again.” And, of course, Max and Holly do escape Camazotz with an emotional swell of Holly accepting the fact that she is heroic with Max’s encouragement. I get some frustrations that volume two does not build to the finale, but so many of these incredible moments made me tear up and cemented how much I love these characters. 

11/10 Moment: There are plenty of scenes to choose from here, but I am going with Nancy and Jonathan’s breakup. This couple has felt a little bit off ever since the beginning of season four, so it was nice to finally see them have a great moment together. There have been a lot of lies and secrets between the two of them, so seeing them finally be honest with each other when they are at the brink of death is just so poignant. Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton absolutely crushed it here. You can feel the love they have for each other as it’s strained but still there. I love that Jonathan revealed he was going to propose thinking it would fix everything, but realized that their relationship problems are too deep to just put a ring on it. The payoff of them finally talking about college is so satisfying and so real. It’s just such a well-written and powerful scene that really gives these two characters a beautiful, albeit unclear, end to their relationship. 

Pride of the Party: Max Mayfield and Holly Wheeler. Holly has been one of the unsung heroes of season five, while Max has been one of the consistently best characters on the show since season two. The two of them get some of their best moments here. I love that Max is jaded and is having trouble continuing to look for an escape from Henry’s mind prison, but Holly is determined to find a way out and help her get back to Lucas. The two of them bounce off each other so well. It feels like this big sister-little sister relationship that really, really works. Their final goodbye is, like so many moments in this episode, incredibly emotional. I love Holly’s initial fear as she realizes she can’t go through Max’s portal. Max shows her belief in the youngest Wheeler and shows her that she is Holly the Heroic, prompting her portal to open up. Cap it off with a paralleled Running Up That Hill sequence and you’ve got one hell of an escape from Camazotz. Max and Holly join the upper echelon of iconic duos from this show, and I am all here for it.

Best Easter Egg(o): The Demodog attack in the hospital is very clearly an homage to the raptor attack in Jurassic Park.

14. The Hellfire Club

Season 4, Episode 1

The introduction to season four does a great job of expanding the scope of Stranger Things for the epic-ness that takes place from here on out. We get updates on basically every character and get introduced to a bunch of new cast members as well. This episode does a fantastic job of establishing how all of our characters are in incredibly different situations from where we saw them last. We see Eleven struggling at school. We see how Lucas has integrated with a more popular crowd which distances him from Mike and Dustin. Max is dealing with depression and a tough situation at home that stems from Billy's death. Throughout the episode, we follow cheerleader Chrissy as she is plagued by terrifying visions. The episode uses it's shockingly long runtime to really give us an idea of where everyone is at, and that works really well to setup all the journeys that our characters take this season. And, of course, the final scene is probably the scariest scene in the entire show that gives us an idea of the threat that Vecna poses.

11/10 Moment: I said earlier that Stranger Things doesn't really scare me, but when it's able to, I'm impressed. Chrissy's death is frickin' terrifying. The building sense of dread throughout the episode pays off with this nightmare hallucination of Chrissy's abusive mother and traumatic home life. Vecna trudges through her house, toying with her before finally cornering the poor cheerleader and murdering her in a horrific, brutal fashion. The first time I saw her bones snap and watched her eyes get sucked back into her skull, I think I made an audible noise of terror. It's such an effectively scary scene that really sets the mood for a dark turn in the story.

Pride of the Party: Eddie Munson. This is our introduction to Joseph Quinn's fan-favorite dungeon master, and he is immediately lovable. They do a good job of eliciting some suspicious behavior that makes you not fully trust him off the bat, but as soon as he connects with Chrissy, you fall in love with him. He is so energetic and fun, and it is so sad where his character ends up going. I love that he is the only real person who seems to make Chrissy happy in this episode. He is so much fun as soon as we meet him, but he's also really endearing, so he is definitely the episode's MVP.

Best Easter Egg(o): There's a lot of them in here, actually, so I'm picking two. The Duffer Brothers said that Vecna is a mix of Pennywise, Pinhead, and Freddy Krueger, and the clearest to me is Mr. Krueger himself. The nightmare hallucination combined with his enormous hand is a clear homage to A Nightmare on Elm Street, and it's awesome. The second is Chrissy herself. She is Vecna's first victim, and her namesake comes from Chrissie Watkins, the first victim of the shark in Jaws.

13. The Body

Season 1, Episode 4

This episode feels like the saddest point on Stranger Things thus far. Episode three ends with the discovery of Will's "body", so this episode is the fallout of the characters discovering his apparent death. Everyone is kind of at their lowest here: Joyce's insistence that Will is alive feels like a manic manifestation of her grief, Jonathan's anger is at an all-time high, and the boys are broken because they just saw the death of their friend. It's kind of a tough episode to watch, even knowing that Will is actually alive, because it's just so sad. This is also, however, where the mysteries start to pick up. Hopper's investigation into the truth about Will's body is a great little masterclass in slow-building tension and intrigue. Nancy and Jonathan discover the Demogorgon in a picture. There's some suspicious things afoot in the fourth episode of season 1, and it's all capped off when Hopper cuts open Will's body to discover it is stuffed full of cotton. This is a great midpoint for the first season...and it only goes up from here.

11/10 Moment: Hopper cutting open Will's body is one of my favorite moments on the show...but an even better moment is when Joyce sees Will in the wall and El makes contact with him through the boys' radio at school. Noah Schnapp's acting there is just incredible; you don't even really see his face, but you hear him yell "It's like home, but it's so dark and empty!" and the terror in his voice is just spine-tingling. It is a horrific, tense moment that fills you with emotion, but also some hope, because we know Will is alive.

Pride of the Party: Jim Hopper. This is where Hopper's arc really starts to get into full swing. He's set up as the checked-out police chief who doesn't really pay attention to all of the craziness going on around him, but that's not who he is. After Will's body was discovered, he is clearly upset, but he starts to sense something suspicious going on after finding out that the autopsy was not done normally. One of the many things I love about Hop is that he is actually a really good cop, and, in this episode, he does a lot of very cool and very clever detective work that I was a huge fan of. Of course, it concludes with him carefully cutting into Will's cotton body, which is just a beautiful capper on a great episode with him.

Best Easter Egg(o): The title itself is a reference. In his collection Different Seasons, Stephen King has a short story called The Body, which was later adapted into Rob Reiner's 1986 classic, Stand by Me.

12. The Gate

Season 2, Episode 9

The Gate is a great finale that caps off a fantastic second half of season two. This is the first truly epic Stranger Things finale: we've got multiple characters doing multiple things that all connect and need to happen at the same time for Eleven to close the gate. Basically everyone gets an awesome moment here. Whether it's Steve being a babysitter, Max standing up to Billy, or, of course, El's awesome display of power as she closes the gate, this episode has something for everyone. It's probably the weakest of the season finales only because it isn't as emotional as the other four. But I do love the entire gate closing sequence and the Snow Ball. I felt like that was the perfect capper to a great episode, because it delivered some payoffs of things that were set up in episode one. Overall, a great finale that gives you everything you want in a Stranger Things episode.

11/10 Moment: There are so many to choose from, but I think I have to go with Eleven closing the gate. I love the gate set piece in and of itself: I think the gargantuan, intimidating hole with the silhouette of the Mind Flayer floating behind it is super cool. Pair that with Hopper protecting El from the Demodogs and her coolest display of her powers yet and you've got one of the most iconic moments in Stranger Things.

Pride of the Party: Nancy Wheeler. I haven't given Nancy the love she deserves throughout this ranking, because she is one of my favorite characters on the show. She doesn't even really have the biggest moments in this episode, but her two major contributions are awesome. I love that she is the one to finally push the Mind Flayer out of Will. It demonstrates her quick thinking and shows how much she's grown that she's willing to poke him with a fire poker knowing it will hurt him greatly to get the Mind Flayer out of there. But the second moment is one of my favorite moments on the entire show. Her dancing with Dustin almost makes me cry, because it's such a relatable and adorable moment. This is a payoff from the first episode where Dustin flirted with Nancy and she rejected him, and now we see her dancing with him to make all the middle school girls who rejected him jealous. It is awesome.

Best Easter Egg(o): This entire season feels like a bit of an homage to The Exorcist what with Will being possessed and all, but this episode seems like the most overt as the Mind Flayer has fully taken him over.

11. The Dive

Season 4, Episode 6

Throughout this ranking, I've discussed all of the crescendos of all of the various seasons. Season four might just have the best crescendo because its the one that has the most going on (at this point in life, season five has not come out, so I may not actually mean this). The Dive is the beginning of the crescendo, and it is awesome. There are so many just fantastic moments in here. First of all, I don't think the character dynamics have been this good since season one. Our main Hawkins group is so fun together. You can tell they all care about each other, but they also are really funny. The actors have worked together for multiple seasons now, so you can tell their chemistry is at an all-time high. Hopper continues to be awesome in Russia. He gets a few great moments as they prepare to fight the Demogorgon. And, of course, spending time with Suzie and her insane family is also hilarious. Season four is pretty dark and bleak, but this episode feels like the most fun. It ends with a fantastic cliffhanger as the group discovers a gate in the Upside Down and Steve gets pulled in. The first time I watched that, I was terrified for his life (again, I haven't seen season five yet so I don't know how this comment is going to age).

11/10 Moment: I love Hopper's fight with Dmitri and the reveal that he stole the alcohol and the lighter from the guard to beat the Demogorgon. There was a moment there where it really seems like Hopper is attacking Dmitri and is going to lose his only friend in the prison, but we see that that's not the case and he had a plan up his sleeve. Hopper is a quiet genius throughout the entire show, and we see that on display here.

Pride of the Party: I'm taking two here: Jim Hopper and Steve Harrington. Arguably my two favorite characters on the show. Hopper is my first MVP for the reasons I just talked about: he is so smart and never fails to lose hope even if things seem dire. Steve is the other MVP because of course he is the one to immediately jump down and investigate the gate. It just shows his continuous character growth from season one as he has gone from a selfish brat to a selfless GOAT.

Easter Egg(o): Steve getting pulled into the gate by a mysterious force underwater is pretty reminiscent of Chrissie's death in Jaws.

10. The Spy

Season 2, Episode 6

This episode continues the crescendo of season two. With the exception of The Lost Sister, each episode in the back half of this season just gets better and better. The Spy gives us some massive payoff as well as an absolutely pulse-pounding final twenty minutes. Nancy and Jonathan finally get together, and, although we actually don't see much of them this episode, it's still satisfying. Will is basically fully possessed by the Mind Flayer at this point, and Noah Schnapp continues to be the star of season two with a perfect mix of being creepy and terrified at the same time. And, of course, Steve and Dustin's relationship begins in this episode. Steve giving girl advice to Dustin is one of the funniest and most endearing scenes in the show, and it kicks off a very unexpected but very awesome relationship that is one of the core things I love about Stranger Things. The second half of the episode gives us two incredible action sequences: Steve, Dustin, Lucas, and Max discover the Demodog army in the junkyard and fight them off, and then Mind Flayer Will tricks a bunch of Hawkins scientists into getting attacked and killed by the Demodog army. It ends with a great cliffhanger as we see a Demodog climb out of the Upside Down and into Hawkins Lab, and it sets the stage for an awesome final act of the season (with a bump in the road because of The Lost Sister).

11/10 Moment: It's between the junkyard sequence and that ending moment with Will revealing that he tricked the Hawkins soldiers into a trap that will get them killed, and I think I'm going with the latter. This is where you truly understand the danger that everyone is in with the Mind Flayer being in control of Will, and it is super terrifying. It's an awesome little twist that turns the stakes up a full level while also giving us a very cool and pretty scary sequence to cap off the episode.

Pride of the Party: Steve Harrington. There are a few cornerstone moments for Steve, and this episode is one of them. This is where he goes from redeemed bully to one of the best and most beloved characters on the show. As I said earlier, his girl advice to Dustin and their bromance is amazing, but he really steps forward in the junkyard. You see his courage and his protective nature as the oldest one of the group. Him offering himself up as bait to Dart is just an all-time Steve moment, and I absolutely love it.

Best Easter Egg(o): The final sequence with the Demodogs attacking the scientists is a direct homage to a scene from Aliens in which the marines are attacked by the Xenomorphs but cannot figure out where they are coming from. Throw Paul Reiser (who was in Aliens) and you've got a great 80s reference that is both fun and original in its own right.

9. The Mind Flayer

Season 2, Episode 8

The crescendo of season two is, as I've said throughout this ranking, awesome. The Mind Flayer is everything you want in a penultimate episode. The first half is an absolute thrill ride as we watch our group stuck in Hawkins Lab try to escape. Bob gets his time to shine in an incredibly tense sequence as he sneaks through the lab under Dr. Owens's guidance. His death is an absolute heartbreaker, and it automatically gives this episode weight. From there, our entire group reunites and we start to understand the Mind Flayer and how it works. I love the scenes of tied-up Will and how Joyce, Jonathan, and Mike all try to get him to come through. The episode caps off with the Mind Flayer locating the group and sending the Demodogs after them...only for Eleven to show up and rejoin all of our characters. This episode has emotion, action, highly intense moments, and a final moment that sets the stage for an epic season finale.

11/10 Moment: There are so many to choose from, but Eleven's entrance is frickin' incredible. I was rewatching this episode, so I knew that she comes in, but as the group was being surrounded by Demodogs, I completely forgot that she is the cavalry. It is the payoff that we as viewers had been waiting for all season, and it comes in at the absolute perfect time. I also love that we see nothing besides her walking in the door and Mike's reaction to seeing her for the first time in a year before the credits roll. What a way to end the episode.

Pride of the Party: Bob Newby. The lovable nerd's swan song is a great sequence with great character moments from him. I love that he puts his foot down and tells Hopper that he is going to turn the power back on and open the doors. The fear in his face as he races through Hawkins Lab to get back to Joyce makes it all the more heartbreaking when the Demodogs do pounce on him. Bob went out like an absolute champ (or, in his case, superhero), so he absolutely deserves MVP.

Best Easter Egg(o): It's a quick one, but when Will is flashing the Mind Flayer's thoughts after discovering that the group is hiding at the Byers' house, the camera flies in a first-person perspective much like it does when embodying the spirit in The Evil Dead.

8. The Sauna Test

Season 3, Episode 4

The Sauna Test has, in my opinion, one of the best sequences in all of Stranger Things. The episode immediately kicks into high gear as Will tells Lucas and Mike that the Mind Flayer is back, and we soon get our kids teaming up to try and confirm that it has infected Billy. The ensuing eponymous sauna test is one of the most intense and exciting scenes in the entire show. Dacre Montgomery's switch from being terrified to being terrifying is some amazing acting. Pair that with Eleven's sheer display of power and you've got just an electrifying sequence. The rest of the episode is not as good as the actual sauna test, but it's still better than most of the third season. Hopper beating up Kline to try and figure out how his corruption is helping the Russians is very fun. Although I'm not crazy about the Russian plot line, Steve, Dustin, Erica, and Robin's dynamic is very, very entertaining. And, of course, the haunting final shot paired with Vera Lynn's eerie We'll Meet Again as we reveal the flayed is just an incredible, dread-inducing way to conclude an epic episode.

11/10 Moment: If you can't tell, I'm going with the sauna test itself. I think both Dacre Montgomery and Millie Bobby Brown give it their all in that scene, and it is incredible. It's so intense and so awesome. Stranger Things has been relatively light on actual human vs. human action scenes before now, so this honestly feels like the first major fight sequence of the entire series, and it does not disappoint.

Pride of the Party: Eleven. After having a relatively unlikable first few episodes, El pauses her teenage angst and resumes being awesome. She protects her friends and takes Mind Flayer Billy on headfirst. She is a complete badass in this episode, and anytime we get Eleven being badass, she is going to get the episode MVP.

Best Easter Egg(o): To get to the Russian elevator, Erica climbs through air ducts. Anytime someone climbs through air ducts, it feels like a very intentional Die Hard reference.

7. The Vanishing of Will Byers

Season 1, Episode 1

The one that started it all is still as great as it was in 2016. What this episode does so well is establishing the characters. Every time we meet a new character, we understand who they are off the bat. The boys are all introduced playing Dungeons & Dragons, and there is no better way to show us who these guys are. Wolfhard, Schnapp, McLaughlin, and Matarazzo are lovable immediately. Eleven's introduction is mysterious and intriguing. We get a very subtle sense that Hopper has more going on than just the drunk, depressed cop. This episode nails everything that Stranger Things is known for: the tone, the characters, the beautiful feel of the old Amblin films combined with Stephen King...all of it works excellently in the first hour of this epic, incredible story.

11/10 Moment: There are a lot of moments to pick here, and Will's kidnapping would be the obvious one, but I actually have to go with Joyce's apology to Jonathan. Joyce is shown to be very anxious and snappy towards Jonathan throughout the episode, and, as they are making posters for Will, she apologizes and the two have a moment of shared grief over Will. It's impressive to get the feels going in the first episode, but this scene does it really effectively, partly because of great, emotional performances from Winona Ryder and Charlie Heaton.

Pride of the Party: Jim Hopper. The first episode is tough, because we get introduced to all of our main characters, so I had to go with my favorite character on the show. I love Hopper's set up as the deadbeat police chief that is cynical and fed up with life, but this episode sets into motion his redemption and the beginnings of his emotional journey. Little moments, like when he lies to Mr. Clarke about his daughter being alive, just show you how great of a character he is. This episode could really have anyone in the MVP slot, but I think Hopper earns it just by being the best character on the show.

Best Easter Egg(o): When Will runs into the shed while the Demogorgon is chasing him, it's basically the exact same shot as Elliot cautiously approaching the shed where E.T. is hidden in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

6. Sorcerer

Season 5, Episode 4

Ahhh, the glorious mid-season finale of season five. We knew that volume one of season five would end with a bang, but man oh man, was this some sort of bang. The episode opens with Joyce seemingly scaring away a Demogorgon while Will watches it through the monster's eyes, a perfect plant that hints at what is coming. In the Upside Down, Eleven and Hopper finally run into Dr. Kay, which was fun to finally see. Of course, that whole plot line leads to Kali's return, which was a super fun surprise. Robin gives Will the best pep talk in Stranger Things as she recounts the story of Tammy Thompson and tries to help Will embrace his identity. Derek Turnbow has one of the best single-episode turnarounds as he goes from complete dipshit to truly delightful. And, of course, the entire MAC-Z showdown is one of the coolest things Stranger Things has ever done. A massive battle with the military and multiple Demogorgons keeps getting crazier and more intense throughout. There is a fantastic long take as we follow Mike and the kids trying to navigate the chaos of the battle. Vecna shows up and just wreaks havoc before taunting Will...leading to one of the most satisfying payoffs ever. After remembering his carefree self and taking Robin's words to heart, William Jacob Byers harnesses the hive mind and uses his newly found powers to snap the limbs and necks of the Demogorgons that were about to kill his friends. I mean...it's just perfect. Not to sound like Homelander, but everything about this moment, down to the last minute detail, is just a beautiful, badass, and emotionally rich full circle payoff.

11/10 Moment: You'll never guess what I'm putting here. Will harnesses his powers is actually not my favorite moment in the show. My favorite moment in the show is my favorite TV moment of all time, so it's nearly impossible to top that...but this gets really, really close. I love it when shows or movies are able to pull off these incredible moments of victory for our heroes that feel earned, and Will, the character who has been tortured and kidnapped and rejected for this entire show, finally embraces who he is and fights back. It's just such a great moment both story-wise and thematically. Accepting one's identity is one of the most troubling things we face as humans, so for it to payoff in such a rich, powerful way here is just amazing. I will never stop raving about how perfect this show is.

Pride of the Party: I am actually having two MVPs for this episode, because there's a really obvious one but then there's another one that deserves the award as well. Of course, Will Byers gets an MVP for this episode. The poor kid has known nothing but trauma and rejection and bullying for his entire life, so when he finally accepts who he is and fights back, it is just so satisfying and makes you want to jump off your couch and cheer. The other MVP is Robin Buckley. Robin and Will are the best duo in Stranger Things 5, and their relationship pays off as Robin gives a beautiful speech that later motivates Will to unlock his powers. Maya Hawke's delivery of this speech had so much emotion and passion behind it that makes me tear up every single time I watch it. So, while Will is really the standout of the episode, Robin deserves a shoutout too, because none of the awesome stuff with Will happens without her.

Best Easter Egg(o): When the Demogorgons arrive at the MAC-Z, Will says to Joyce "They're here", a pretty direct nod to one of the most famous horror lines of all time in Poltergeist.

5. The Battle of Starcourt

Season 3, Episode 8

The Battle of Starcourt is the episode that single-handedly elevates season three to a truly great season of TV. This epic, nearly hour and twenty minute long season finale (which, as it turns out, is one of the shorter season finals in the show) has so many incredible moments. Everyone reunites. Billy shows up and threatens them. The Spider Monster comes into the mall. Of course, the NeverEnding story. Steve shows up just in time to stop Billy from hitting Nancy with his car. Lucas uses the fireworks to distract the Spider Monster. Billy's sacrifice is a powerful, horrifying end to his character. Hopper's "death" is gut-wrenching. It all caps off with an incredibly emotional scene as Eleven reads Hopper's speech over a montage of the Byers family leaving Hawkins. This episode is so fun, so emotional, so exciting. It is, in my opinion, one of the best episodes of TV ever made. And it goes to show how great this entire show is that it is barely in the top five.

11/10 Moment: I'm picking two, because I cannot decide. The first is Hopper's speech. Probably one of the most emotional moments on the show, honestly. David Harbour's voiceover is heartfelt, and the speech itself is just incredibly well-written. If it doesn't get you teary-eyed, I don't know what will. The second moment is the reveal of Suzie being real and their gorgeous rendition of The NeverEnding Story. It is so funny while also being an incredible moment of payoff as we finally learn that Suzie is real and she comes in super clutch. No other show can pull off something as ridiculous as that scene and have it be one of the best moments on the entire series.

Pride of the Party: Billy Hargrove. I've never understood people who are critical of Billy's sacrifice, because I think it is an incredible moment. Since season two, we've seen that this is a broken character who is the product of an abusive father. After learning his backstory, we see that his mom left because of this abuse. Throughout the season, we see Billy trying to break through and stop the Mind Flayer from using him as its puppet. Dacre Montgomery communicates all of Billy's emotions through his eyes, and, in Billy's final moments, he remembers his mother and is able to break free of the Mind Flayer's possession. It is an awesome, heart-breaking end for a very tragic character, and I think he deserves the MVP for that moment.

Best Easter Egg(o): The NeverEnding Story itself is an easter egg, because that was an 80s film and a very 80s song.

4. The Rightside Up

Season 5, Episode 8

The series finale of Stranger Things was pretty much everything I wanted from the epic conclusion to this incredible show. I was listening to a podcast right before this that made a good point: if we took away the Upside Down and the magic and sci-fi and all of that, we would still watch this show for one simple reason - the characters. The Rightside Up understands that and sends every one of its iconic cast members in an emotionally satisfying way. The final battle with Vecna and the Mind Flayer is tons of fun. It’s a bit short, but we get some incredible moments of fan service and payoff. Watching Joyce Byers chop off Vecna’s head and drop an f-bomb in the process had me standing up in my basement, applauding. But the real power of this episode lies in its forty-minute epilogue. Eighteen months after the Upside Down is destroyed and Eleven (maybe) sacrifices herself to prevent Dr. Kay’s plan from coming to fruition, we see these characters that we’ve grown up with graduate high school. The final moments with the party and the older kids and Joyce and Hopper were just special. What an epic, ten-year journey this has been with this story and these characters. And it all culminates with a final game of Dungeons & Dragons where we get to see the party being kids one last time.

11/10 Moment: There are so many moments to choose from, because it's the frickin’ series finale. But I have to go with the final scene. The Duffer brothers have said that they have had the final scene planned for multiple years at this point, and you can tell. This is the perfect way to close out Stranger Things. The entire show started with a Dungeons & Dragons game, so it is such a beautiful full circle moment to close it out with one. Finn Wolfhard delivers his best performance in this episode but this scene specifically as he, the storyteller, delivers these final moments with these characters. You can tell that the actors were not acting in this scene. The scene closes out with each of the actors putting their character booklets on the bookshelf, saying one last goodbye to this incredible show and these incredible characters. An absolutely perfect way to close out my favorite show of all time.

Pride of the Party: Part of me wants to say every single character, because almost every character has some standout moment. But there’s one character who stands above everyone else. And that is, of course, Eleven. After feeling sidelined for much of season five, the main protagonist of the show gets to be the main focus of the finale. She gets so many great moments, whether you are talking about her massacring the military or finally getting to pay off her training by hopping into the Mind Flayer and taking Vecna on one-on-one. I love how many emotional moments she got as well. Telling Hopper that she is making a choice that Sarah didn’t have is just a devastating but beautiful way to end her character. And, while I was initially hesitant about it, I really do love the ambiguity of her being alive. I think it works as Mike’s own theory to make himself and the rest of the party believe that she might still be out there, living the peaceful life she deserves. And, after some thought…I believe, too.

Best Easter Egg(o): Hopper telling Joyce they are moving to Montauk is a great little nod at the original title of the show, which was Montauk.

3. The Upside Down

Season 1, Episode 8

This is a perfect episode of television. The season one finale encapsulates everything great about the show: incredible characters, exciting action, and heavy, heavy emotions. The final twenty minutes of this finale delivers, like, ten straight moments that will make you cry. There are so many great things about this finale. Finally finding Will, Eleven's sacrifice, Steve's redemption...all of it is just done perfectly. The first season of Stranger Things is one of the greatest TV seasons of all time, and this finale is the biggest reason why. It is just an absolutely incredible hour of this show that truly, truly delivers on every level. If you are looking to make a perfect season finale, this is how to do it.

11/10 Moment: There are so many options here that it is almost impossible to choose, but I am going with Joyce and Hopper finding Will and giving him CPR. Eleven's sacrifice is an extremely close second, but the main story of this season is all about finding Will, and the final payoff is incredible. Winona Ryder's acting is phenomenal, but David Harbour's heart-wrenching desperation to save Will as we flashback and watch his daughter die at the same time gets me teary-eyed every time. It is a beautiful sigh of relief when Will finally takes a breath and we know he is going to be okay.

Pride of the Party: I'm cheating here, because this episode has two MVPs (and it could really have more). Eleven is MVP #1 for obvious reasons. Her arc in this episode is devastating as she is so close to escaping Brenner and the Hawkins Lab scientists and living with Mike...only to sacrifice herself to defeat the Demogorgon. As I said before, her killing the Demogorgon is a very close runner-up for my favorite moment in this show, and, by extension, this season, so she gets a shoutout here. The other MVP is Steve Harrington. Steve has one of my favorite arcs on the show, and the payoff of it is right here. He transcends the 80s jock bully and goes back in the Byers house to help Jonathan and Nancy fight the Demogorgon, kicking off one of my favorite characters in the entire show.

Best Easter Egg(o): As Hopper and Joyce walk through the Upside Down, we see two major Alien references. The first is a gross-looking egg which is highly reminiscent of the Xenomorph egg and the second is the horrifying and disgusting tendril which Hop pulls out of Will's mouth when they discover him.

2. The Piggyback

Season 4, Episode 9

These top episodes are so difficult to rank, because they are truly some of my favorite episodes of TV ever. This epic, two-and-a-half hour episode delivers on all fronts: action, emotion, character moments, surprises...it earns its mammoth runtime and gives the audience one of the most exciting, heart-breaking chapters of this entire show. It does a great job of setting up this deeply clever, interconnected plan that involves literally every single character in the show. Everyone, and I mean everyone, gets a moment to shine. Picking my episode MVP is going to be basically impossible, because it genuinely feels like it could be anyone. This episode nails the tension, because all of the various action sequences are all interconnected. When something goes wrong in one part of the plan, it affects all the others. That means this entire episode is just non-stop, edge-of-your-seat excitement. And, as you move into the final hour, this thing gets emotional. I cried, like, six times when I watched this again - and I knew everything that was going to happen. This feels like an episode of TV that pushes the medium forward, giving us epic storytelling on a level we have never seen in anything else on the small screen.

11/10 Moment: This and my MVP are going to be nearly impossible to pick, but I'm going with Eddie's guitar solo. When I first saw the trailer for season four, I was so confused as to how they were going to pull off someone going ham on an electric guitar in the Upside Down, but they absolutely nailed it. Eddie distracts the Demobats by playing Master of Puppets in a truly epic, unforgettable moment. It leads directly into his devastating death as he decides not to run away for the first time this season. What a powerful, epic moment.

Pride of the Party: I genuinely think I could pick anyone here. Everyone is frickin' awesome in this episode, and I cannot decide on a singular MVP. Yes, I'm doing a mega-cheat here, but I'm picking four MVPs, because I truly cannot decide. My first is Eddie Munson. His guitar solo and completion of his arc as he stands up and fights the Demobats for Chrissy instead of running is so powerful, and his death is one of the saddest moments on the show. My second is Max Mayfield. My favorite character of season four is once again faced with insurmountable odds as she has to act as bait for Vecna. Her confession of suicidal thoughts to draw Vecna to her is truly devastating, but it also shows her bravery as she is being vulnerable and willing to risk a horrific death to save the world. Her almost-death is also completely heart-breaking. MVP three is Lucas Sinclair. Lucas is another one of the best characters in season four, and he stands up to Jason and fights back against what he thought he wanted to be at the beginning of the season. His reaction to Max's near-death is what makes that scene so horrifying and sad. Caleb McLaughlin absolutely kills it, and so he gets a spot here. My fourth and final MVP is Nancy Wheeler. If you shoot flaming Vecna with a sawed-off shotgun, you are getting an episode MVP. Nancy is a complete badass and has so many awesome moments throughout the show, but this might be her best one.

Best Easter Egg(o): It's a relatively simple one, but when the balloons start exploding with spurts of blood in the Snow Ball memory, that is a direct homage to the 1990 IT miniseries, wherein Pennywise haunts Richie Tozier by creating exploding balloons full of blood.

1. Dear Billy

Season 4, Episode 4

I don't really know if I can put into words how much I love this episode. Other great episodes encapsulate why Stranger Things is great. Dear Billy encapsulates why Stranger Things is special. Before we get to the obvious standout elements, it's easy to forget how good the other parts of this episode are. Mike and Will reconcile. Hopper's escape from the Russian prison is a complete thrill ride that is elevated by some incredible acting from David Harbour. Robert Englund's cameo as Victor Creel is so intense and cool, and the Creel family backstory does a great job of setting up the mystery of Vecna. All of those elements would make this at least a top ten (maybe top five) episode of the series. What makes it the best episode, however, is, of course, the entire Max storyline. This is Stranger Things at its most intense, its most emotional, and its most poignant. Sadie Sink's Emmy-snubbed performance is fantastic. Every scene with her carries so much weight. We see how Vecna is preying on her depression and guilt over Billy's death, and it all leads into one of the best sequences to ever grace the small screen. Max's escape from Vecna is a heart-wrenching allegory for depression and trauma. Kate Bush's pulse-pounding Running Up That Hill backs one of the most memorable and incredible scenes I have ever watched. I feel like I'm not giving proper praise to the rest of this fantastic episode because the entire finale is just one of my favorite scenes in any movie or TV show ever. I honest to God was tempted to write an entire review for this episode because I have so much to praise it for. It is such a breathtaking hour of storytelling. Stranger Things has multiple peaks, but this is the highest of them all.

11/10 Moment: I just spent half of that mini-blurb talking about it, but I'll talk about it some more. The Running Up That Hill sequence is my favorite scene in all of TV. It is the perfect combination of acting, visuals, and music. Sadie Sink gives it her absolute all, and the desperation to escape from Vecna is so apparent in her facial expressions. Pair that with Dustin, Steve, and Lucas's panic as Max's body floats into the air, and you've got true, heart-pounding tension. The emotional power that Running Up That Hill emits as Max slow-motion runs from Vecna to return to her friends is so incredible. Just thinking about it makes me a bit emotional. I love this sequence so much, and it just shows why Stranger Things is my favorite show ever.

Pride of the Party: Again, I've spent most of this blurb talking about her, but this episode's MVP is obviously Max Mayfield. Honestly, if you took her storyline out of it, I would have a lot of trouble deciding on who would be the MVP because all of the characters have standout moments. But Max's journey in this season is one of the most powerful and emotional arcs throughout all of Stranger Things, and this is her at her strongest. We see her struggling with the trauma and depression of Billy's death, and we see her trying to fight it alone. Through almost being killed by Vecna, however, she realizes that she needs her friends and they are there for her, even if it feels like the whole world is collapsing. The reason this episode hits so hard is because of the allegory for the very real problem of mental health, and Max is the character that we see that allegory through. The cherry on top is, of course, Sadie Sink's stunning performance. The fact that she was not Emmy-nominated is a crime.

Best Easter Egg(o): Robert Englund, the actor who plays older Victor Creel, is the original Freddy Krueger, so his presence is enough of an easter egg, but the entire sequence leading up to Nancy and Robin talking to him is one big homage to The Silence of the Lambs.