All 5 Stranger Things seasons ranked from worst to best — and it’s not even close at the top

Stranger Things has officially come to an end after five seasons on Netflix, but which season is the best? I ranked all five seasons of Stranger Things from worst to best, and I feel like my ranking might surprise some fans.

I've been covering Stranger Things on Netflix Life since the first season premiered on Netflix in the summer of 2016, and it's one of my favorite shows of all time. Honestly, this ranking is a little bit like trying to pick my favorite child or something. I love every season! There are no bad seasons of Stranger Things.

Are there things that should have been different or that I would add or take away? Yes, in every season, and some more than others. Overall, Stranger Things, to me, is as close we've come to a perfect show in a long time. There are other cleaner shows, but we've never seen a show like this, a show that went from a tiny production for its first season to become the biggest show in the world. That popularity comes with so much pressure, and the Duffer brothers, the creative team, cast, and crew have handled it all about as well as anyone could.

Let's get the ranking started with, unfortunately, the worst season of the series so far.

5. Stranger Things season 5

Stranger Things 5 follows the gang's final mission to stop Vecna and end this story once and for all. Ultimately, there are lots of ups and downs along the way, more mysteries to solve, and great sacrifices from these young heroes. Unfortunately, the fifth season is ranked last on my ranking.

Look, being the worst season of Stranger Things is not the worst thing in the world! As I mentioned, every season of this show is good, and there's nothing wrong with season 5! It's good! And, when the first four seasons set the bar so high, there was basically no way, given where the story left off with sesaon 4, that the Duffers would be able to top the best seasons with the final season. There was simply too much ground to cover.

With that said, season 5 is still iconic. There are so many epic, incredible moments in the final season. It was billed as "One Last Adventure," and it was! We got to be with these characters one time and watch them stop what Vecna started way back in season 1. While some fans were disappointed in the final season, I enjoyed it, overall, and I really liked the ending. They went out the best way they knew how, and I think that's pretty admirable. If it left something to be desired for you, I understand, but I got all the answers I needed to feel fulfilled after watching this show for a full decade, basically.

4. Stranger Things season 2

In Stranger Things season 2, Will has returned from the Upside Down, but his life has been changed forever. Everyone tries to move on, but they're pulled back into this mess when a monster possesses Will. Eleven also returns from the Upside Down, and after living with Hopper for a year, she decides it's time to branch out and figure out who she is and is meant to be.

It pains me to rank Stranger Things season 2 so low on this list. For a few moments when I was brainstorming this ranking, I had season 2 ranked as the second-best season of the series before moving up some of the other seasons.

There are some parts of Stranger Things season 2 that I absolutely love. The Mind Flayer becoming the central monster is a huge step up from the little demogorgon in the show's first season. We also get to see Will finally interact with his friends while battling the demon, basically, inside him. The second season also introduces incredible new characters, including Max, Billy, Bob, and Dr. Owens.

Overall, Stranger Things season 2 is a great season! Everyone agrees it's great, and I know it, too. There are even some moments in season 2 that are better than just about any other season of the series, including the Snow Ball, Eleven closing the gate, Dustin and Steve's relationship, and more.

For me, season 2 lets fans down by keeping Eleven away from the gang until the very last episode. We only see her interact with Hopper, her mother, and then Kali and her friends for 85% of the season. That feels like a shame after she was with Mike and the gang for 85% of the first season. Those seasons are basically the heart of Stranger Things, and they were taken away for too long in that season.

3. Stranger Things season 3

Stranger Things season 3, even more so than season 5, is the most polarizing season of the Netflix series. After the gate is closed and Eleven's given a new-ish lease on life in Hawkins, our heroes are ready to enjoy summer and the Fourth of July, but as they grow up, life is changing quickly. It's not just about D&D anymore. When mysterious things start happening again in Hawkins, Eleven and the gang are called into action once more.

In some ways, season 3 is better than any other season. It's fun! It feels fresh after the heavy, heavy, heavy parts of the first two seasons. With many new characters in bigger roles, season 3 utilizes its ensemble cast better than any season, even the first season. Splitting up the group into three groups that come together at the very end and work together to stop the Russians, Billy, and the Mind Flayer was perfect. It was flawless execution.

Tonally, Stranger Things season 3 does feel sillier than any other season. It's a tone shift that not everyone loved, but for me, it felt like the perfect move. It feels like summer break in a way that's refreshing.

I totally understand some of the criticism of season 3. It feels like a different show, and in a lot of ways, seasons 3-5 are a lot different than the first two, and that's okay with me. I just really loved all the great touches like the Spider Monster, the Starcourt Mall, The NeverEnding Story scene, and so much more.

2. Stranger Things season 4

Stranger Things season 4 is the season that changes everything. For the first time, the Byers family leaves Hawkins with Eleven for sunny California. Meanwhile, Hopper is stuck in a Russian prison camp. Back in Hawkins, the ultimate villain is murdering kids and our heroes have to get to the bottom of the mystery while keeping Max alive and Eddie Munson out of prison.

Season 4 is just another level in terms of storytelling. It's a huge season, and it's probably the most difficult thing the Duffers, the creative team, cast, and crew were able to pull off with the COVID-19 delays. The final season might have taken longer to film and put bring together in scope, but season 4 is massive.

While everything got bigger and bolder, season 4 didn't lose any of its heart and charm. Instead, we got to see all of these characters shine in new ways. We had Max and Eddie stealing the show in Hawkins. Nancy, Robin, and Steve were integral to stopping Vecna, while Dustin, Lucas, and Erica also had a great run. Then, out in California, we had the lovable stoners, Jonathan and Argyle, putting on a show while Mike and Will tried to get past some awkwardness to help Eleven. And, in Russia, we had Hopper going toe-to-toe with demorgorgons.

To me, season 4 has some flaws, too. I don't know how much I loved how spread out the season actually is. I'm taking some points away from keeping Eleven, Mike, and Will away from the rest of the crew. Keeping Hopper in Russia instead of bringing him back was also a choice that I don't love. Of course, it all comes together in the end. If they figured out how to do keep those stories more intertwined, I think this season might have been the best.

1. Stranger Things season 1

There's simply no debate: Stranger Things season 1 is the best season of the series. Despite it being the smallest season in terms of scope, budget, and more, the first season is the tightest story. It doesn't go nearly as big as the last three seasons, but there's so much to love about the first season.

The characters, the references, the aesthetic blend together to create this lovable masterpiece. From the second we meet these nerdy kids, we can't help but root for them as they try their hardest to find their missing friend. And, that's not even mentioning the other stories, like Eleven's origin story, Hopper and Joyce's investigation, Nancy and Jonathan teaming up to find out what really happened to Will and Barb, and more.

Even with such a small budget, the first season feels massive. There are scarier seasons and moments later in the series, but the world watched in awe as Joyce and Hopper walked through the Upside Down to find Will. We saw Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve hunt down and trap a monster from another dimension while the rest of the kids helped a little girl evade the clutches of a mad scientist with the full force of the US government at its back.

On top of all of that, the first season shapes the tone and overall story of Stranger Things. A few missteps in season 1, and none of this would be possible. The Duffers deserve so much credit for perfectly crafting this series and setting the story up for future seasons and building on the lore created back in that first season.

I just started reading all the scripts for Stranger Things season 1 after watching the finale, and it's amazing! I'd highly recommend fans order and read the scripts.

So, that's my ranking of all five Stranger Things seasons! I have a feeling most fans are not going to agree, specifically with how high I ranked the third season, but I really love it. It's such a fun season with so many iconic moments. Still, it doesn't touch season 1. None of them do.