All 9 Episodes of Stranger Things Season 4, Ranked

Run up that hill.

Oh. my. God. We are less than a week away from the release of season five. If you are reading this and haven't read my other Stranger Things posts, I don't think you can understand how truly excited I am for this final season. This is my favorite show of all time, and the fact that it is coming to an end is absolutely insane to me. I am so, so, so excited. It honestly still feels surreal that I will be watching season five exactly a week from today. Anyways, here's my final episode ranking before it comes out. Season four's epic runtime means some epic episodes, so check out where they rank down below.

9. Chapter Two: Vecna's Curse

An exposition-heavy setup episode that falters from the season's expansive scale

This is really the only time that I think you feel the weight of season four. This is a very dense season. Every single episode is over an hour long. We're in multiple states and countries. For the most part, the huge size and expansive storytelling works, but in this episode, it feels like all of the plot lines are a bit shortchanged due to that expansive scale. We need to check back in on Hopper and understand his storyline, but the Russia stuff takes away from the investigation into Chrissy's death. We spend a lot of time with Eleven getting bullied (which is really not fun to watch) because they need to set up her journey throughout the season. It feels like they stuffed a bunch of the setup and exposition into this episode just to get it out of the way, which makes it feel bogged down and easily secures it as the weakest entry.

8. Chapter Five: The Nina Project

A slower, slightly meandering entry after the explosive fourth episode

We will get to Dear Billy later, but one of the major things people forget about that episode is that Eleven is not in it. So, after the explosive, gorgeous mid-season finale that Dear Billy is, we have to check back in to Eleven and the rest of our plot lines. I think the NINA storyline is cool, but I'm not crazy about how long it goes on. It pays off beautifully with a masterful reveal and also gives a lot more nuance to Brenner, but I just don't think it needed to take place across four episodes. And nowhere do you feel that more than in this episode specifically. Beyond that, it just feels a little bit anti-climactic after the insanity that was Dear Billy. It's still a good episode, but it is far from one of season four's best.

7. Chapter Three: The Monster and the Superhero

The first third of the season ends with a sign of the awesomeness to come

As with many Stranger Things seasons, season four gets off to a bit of a slow start. However, I think the slow start is a lot more compelling because it allows us to understand where the characters are at and what has happened since season three. The Monster and the Superhero is the final episode of this slow start. It begins to move the pieces in place for the rest of the season. The Russia plot line picks up. We see Hopper's relationship with Enzo begin to pick up. Lucas's loyalty is questioned as he goes along with the basketball players who are trying to hunt Eddie. Of course, Eleven is arrested and then rescued by Dr. Owens. And it all caps off with a foreboding final image as we realize that Max has been cursed by Vecna. This might not be the most exciting episode in terms of action and payoff, but it does an excellent job of building tension and raising stakes for the episodes that follow it.

6. Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab

Vecna's big reveal highlights one of the most eventful episodes of Stranger Things

The final episode of volume one of season four is epic. I don't love it as much as everyone else, but this is an undeniably great episode. Of course, the major thing to talk about here is the reveal of Vecna's true identity. There were so many thought-out layers to this twist: The mysterious orderly is 001. 001 is Vecna. 001 is also Henry Creel. And he was the one who killed everyone in Hawkins Lab. It swiftly explains everything that the mystery of Vecna has been building up throughout the previous six episodes, and it is both perfectly shocking and satisfying.

5. Chapter Six: The Dive

An adrenaline-fueled, action-packed penultimate episode in volume one

The Dive segues us from the building intensity of the middle of the season to the action-packed, thrilling conclusion. Although this is the sixth episode, it really feels like it sets the stage for the finale in a huge way. This is the first time that our characters are actually in the Upside Down since season one (which is kind of crazy to say). Hopper learns that he has to fight the Demogorgon in Russia and must figure out how he is going to survive. Eleven keeps flashing back to her time at Hawkins Lab with the mysterious orderly. And, after Patrick's death at the hands of Vecna, the search for Eddie has been intensified. Everything is ramping up in this episode, and it is just so much fun. It's one of the fastest-paced, most entertaining episodes of the entire show while maybe not having a ton of specific standout moments.

4. Chapter Eight: Papa

A great showcase of how Eleven has grown while also setting the stage for the epic finale

This aptly titled episode focuses heavily on the relationship between Eleven and Brenner. As soon as he was reintroduced, it felt like only a matter of time before Brenner did something bad, and he does in this episode. But, unlike in season one, his attempting to help Eleven in his own twisted way actually feels genuine. It seems like he views her as a daughter figure in a strange, manipulative sense. I love how they make him more complex and nuanced rather than just being an evil, mad scientist. This episode also does a great job of slowing down when it needs to to remind you how much you love these characters. Small interactions between Dustin and Eddie or Lucas and Erica just allow you to be more invested in these people as they prepare for a fight that they might not win.

3. Chapter One: The Hellfire Club

A dark, emotional, and exciting re-entry into the world of Stranger Things

A lot of people were critical of seasons two and three for their departure from the feeling of season one. Well, in response, season four immediately gets back to that season one tone and vibe. The 80s nostalgia is toned down just a little bit, which allows you to be more invested in the characters and story without it feeling like they are forcing in homages. The episode gets you really invested in the new characters, especially Eddie and Chrissy. Eddie immediately captures our hearts with Joseph Quinn's magnetic charm, and his relationship with Chrissy really drives home the emotional core of this episode. Their two characters pay off with Chrissy's horrific death, which introduces us to Vecna in unforgettable fashion. This is one hell of a way to kickstart a season.

2. Chapter Nine: The Piggyback

A feature-length episode that earns every minute of its gargantuan runtime

The fact that we have a two and a half hour long episode of TV in a show this popular is still insane to me. The Piggyback is an incredible spectacle that pulls off its ridiculous runtime. Every single plot line gets its own time in the spotlight. Every single character gets something cool or exciting to do. For being two and a half hours long, this episode doesn't actually feel that long when you're watching it. It's essentially nonstop action from start to end, and that just makes it one of the most thrilling episodes of TV I have ever watched. Once all the action ends, you get five or six heartbreaking moments that will just rip your soul out. Eddie's death. Max's death. Dustin talking to Eddie's uncle. Eleven reuniting with Hopper. And so many more. This episode nails the action, the spectacle, the characters, and the emotions. It is genuinely one of the most impressive episodes of TV I have ever seen. And, somehow, it is not the best episode in the season.

1. Chapter Four: Dear Billy

One of the best episodes in TV history with arguably my favorite sequence in movies or TV

Since I rewatched Stranger Things back in February, I have probably rewatched Dear Billy seven or eight more times. And it truly never gets old. This is a great episode even if you eliminate the final twenty minutes. It is filled with thrilling sequences and exciting character moments. The shootout at the Byers house is the first real long take we've seen in Stranger Things, and it's awesome. Hopper's first escape attempt from Kamchatka is as exciting as you'd expect. Nancy and Robin visiting Victor Creel has an eerie, Silence of the Lambs-esc feel to it. Robert Englund's performance commands the screen for however short he's in it for.

But, of course, the real highlight of this episode is Max Mayfield and the entire Running Up That Hill sequence. It's become so iconic that it's almost hard to talk about because I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. But I remember watching this for the first time. I was sitting on my couch and was just in complete awe. I had to pause it before the next episode started playing to just process what I had witnessed. The Running Up That Hill sequence is a beautiful metaphor for the grief and trauma that Max has experienced, and she uses music and friendship and love to escape from it. Sadie Sink's Emmy-snubbed performance is the cherry on top of this incredible sequence and incredible episode. This is, in my opinion, the best episode of the show. If season five can top this, we are in for something truly special.