I first sat down to watch Stranger Things during the summer of 2019. During that time, I remember my sister and I seeing how popular the show was through social media since the third season was released at that time. We sat down to binge watch it in full, and I remember being so invested in the storyline and couldn’t wait for a new season to come out. Little did I know how long I’d have to wait to watch the next two seasons of the series. However, after following the cast on different social media platforms and staying up to date on when production was happening, I’m still just as excited to watch Stranger Things 5 as I was when I first became a fan. In celebration of the first volume of the fifth season releasing in just a couple of days, I thought I’d give my personal ranking of the first four seasons of one of my favorite shows.
fourth place: Season 2
I’ve learned that this is a controversial take among Stranger Things fans, but I just enjoy the other seasons more. After rewatching the second season, I wish we had seen the four original kids together more throughout it. I know that Will being tortured by the creatures of the Upside Down is a huge aspect of the story, but I feel like the other characters didn’t understand the true weight of his pain due to them often being separated. However, I really like the scenes of El and Hopper acting as a father and daughter. I think it really humanizes El and shows that she’s not just a robot like the people at Hawkins Lab wanted her to be.
third place: season 4
Similarly to the second season, I wish we would’ve seen the characters together more throughout the fourth season. It seems like everyone is in different places doing different things, and some of the friendships between the characters seem to have slightly faded. Despite this, I think adding the impact that music has in defeating Vecna is really interesting, as it can be subjective to anyone. Seeing everyone grow up and develop into their own people with their own interests is also something I really liked about this season.
second place: season 1
The first season, in my opinion, stands out among the rest as it’s the foundation for the entire franchise. Rewatching this season was really interesting, since I already know the people they grow up to be. I love how in this season, everyone is adapting to their new supernatural environment, but you can also see everyone’s grief when they believe Will is dead. Since El has been held captive in a lab for so long, it’s also sort of comical to see her learn basic societal habits.
first place: season 3
Though the first season is amazing, the third season just raises the bar for me. In this season, I think the audience really begins to understand the intensity of the monsters they’re facing. I also really love the friendship that’s represented in this season. It seems to me that this is where the characters realize that El’s powers alone cannot defeat what they’re up against, so I think the teamwork that’s represented is really special and makes the season unique.
Obviously, I love this series as a whole, and it’s been one of my favorite television shows of all time. Though I wish I didn’t have to wait a couple of years for a new season to release, the graphics and artistry that the show portrays are unlike anything I’ve seen in a television show before, so it makes it feel like it’s worth the wait. I’m so excited for the fifth season to come out, but I know it’ll be bittersweet to see the show come to an end.