Stranger Things Season 5 is just around the corner, and to mark the occasion, we’ve compiled a list of the best episodes of the Netflix series – and the one that takes first place may surprise you.
Can you believe it’s been nearly 10 years since the world was introduced to Hawkins? There have been ups(ide downs), nostalgic vibes, monsters, romances, and bromances, but the thing tying it all together is the power of friendship.
The Duffer brothers have truly created a cultural touchstone, but as they say, even the most bitchin’ things must come to an end, with Season 5 also serving as the final chapter of the flagship Netflix show.
Part 1 drops on November 26, 2025, and until then, take a look at our ranking of the best Stranger Things episodes, with #1 being our absolute favorite.
10. Chapter Six: The Spy
- Which episode is it? Season 2 Episode 6
- Release date: October 27, 2017
- Runtime: 51 minutes
What it’s about: As Will’s connection to the Upside Down deepens, the group scramble for answers. Meanwhile, Dustin and Steve form an unlikely alliance.
Why it’s good: ‘The Spy’ bridges the emotional and supernatural threads of Season 2 perfectly. It’s the episode that turns Will’s possession from creepy to downright terrifying, but the peak element is the bromance between Steve and Dustin, leading to the junkyard showdown against the Demodogs (yes, the nail bat makes its triumphant return).
9. Chapter Four: The Sauna Test
- Which episode is it? Season 3 Episode 4
- Release date: July 4, 2019
- Runtime: 52 minutes
What it’s about: Suspecting the Mind Flayer’s return, the kids trap Billy in a sauna to test their theory, while Joyce and Hopper investigate the Russians beneath Hawkins.
Why it’s good: A horror movie episode disguised as a teen comedy adventure, ‘The Sauna Test’ plays like The Faculty if it were set in a Hawkins gym. Dacre Montgomery gives the performance of his life as Billy, Maya Hawke’s Robin comes into her own, and Priah Ferguson’s Erica solidifies herself as a true Stranger Things icon. It’s the episode that reminded us the show could still make your palms sweat without a single Demogorgon in sight.
8. Chapter Eight: The Upside Down
- Which episode is it? Season 1 Episode 8
- Release date: July 15, 2016
- Runtime: 54 minutes
What it’s about: Joyce and Hopper venture into the Upside Down to find Will, while Eleven makes a devastating sacrifice to save her friends.
Why it’s good: If we were making a list of quintessential Stranger Things episodes, this one would rank first place. Monsters, Christmas lights, Steve’s nail bat, Lucas with his catapult, El’s stare – it has it all, but it’s the emotional beats that will really get you. ‘The Upside Down’ is the finale that took a weird little Netflix experiment and turned it into a global phenomenon.
7. Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer
- Which episode is it? Season 2 Episode 8
- Release date: October 27, 2017
- Runtime: 47 minutes
What it’s about: As the Mind Flayer tightens its grip on Will, the gang face off against the creatures invading Hawkins Lab in a desperate bid for survival.
Why it’s good: Poor Bob. The man just wanted to fix electrical devices and instead got mauled by interdimensional hellhounds. His death is still one of the show’s cruelest gut-punches, but it’s also where Stranger Things proves it’s not afraid to take risks. Speaking of which, this episode goes full horror with Will’s possession, which is once again expertly balanced with heartfelt moments of comradery, not to mention a truly bitchin’ ending.
6. Chapter Nine: The Piggyback
- Which episode is it? Season 4 Episode 9
- Release date: July 1, 2022
- Runtime: 2 hours 19 minutes
What it’s about: In the sprawling Season 4 finale, Eleven enters Max’s mind to fight Vecna, while the Hawkins crew, Hopper, and Joyce take on evil across continents.
Why it’s good: If ‘The Battle of Starcourt’ is Stranger Things’ blockbuster moment, ‘The Piggyback’ is its anticipated sequel finale. It juggles about 47 subplots and still lands every emotional punch, and as is the case with every episode on this list, the cinematography, sound design, acting, and pacing are simply chef’s kiss.
5. Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt
- Which episode is it? Season 3 Episode 8
- Release date: July 4, 2019
- Runtime: 1 hour 16 minutes
What it’s about: As the Mind Flayer attacks the mall, the kids and adults unite for a fiery showdown that changes Hawkins – and their lives – forever.
Why it’s good: This episode is pure chaos and heart: neon lights, fireworks, emotional gut punches, and that letter from Hopper that left everyone sobbing. It was the closest Stranger Things has come to a full-blown summer blockbuster, soundtrack and all. Who can forget Suzie-poo and Dusty-bun’s rendition of ‘Never Ending Story’ (and everyone’s faces as they were forced to listen).
4. Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab
- Which episode is it? Season 4 Episode 7
- Release date: May 27, 2022
- Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
What it’s about: Eleven revisits her past and uncovers the shocking origin of Vecna in a nightmarish sequence that reframes everything we thought we knew about Hawkins Lab.
Why it’s good: The guts of the show, proverbially speaking, are presented in this meticulously crafted Stranger Things episode with a twist that will go down in TV history as one of the all-time greats. The truth is nastier than anyone expected; it’s the show’s “oh, so this is what we’ve been building to” moment – goosebumps guaranteed.
3. Chapter Six: The Monster
- Which episode is it? Season 1 Episode 6
- Release date: July 15, 2016
- Runtime: 46 minutes
What it’s about: After a clash with the bullies at the quarry, Eleven reveals the true extent of her powers. Meanwhile, Hopper and Joyce’s investigation begins to close in on Hawkins Lab’s darkest secrets.
Why it’s good: The scene where Eleven stops Mike mid-air is the first time Stranger Things truly defined its core message of love and loyalty being the antidote for evil, and it’s been running through the veins of the show ever since. The episode blends small-town tenderness with full-blown supernatural spectacle, and the result is pure Spielbergian electricity. Putting it in the top three feels right, because this is where Stranger Things found its soul.
2. Chapter Nine: The Gate
- Which episode is it? Season 2 Episode 9
- Release date: October 27, 2017
- Runtime: 1 hour 2 minutes
What it’s about: Eleven returns to Hawkins to close the gate to the Upside Down once and for all, while the rest of the gang battle the Mind Flayer’s army.
Why it’s good: ‘The Gate’ delivers everything you want in a season finale. Eleven’s return is a payoff worth waiting for, Max finds her strength with the backing of the gang, and the monstrous climax is impeccably executed. And that’s before we get to Snow Ball ‘84 epilogue: Nancy dancing with Dustin is still the cutest thing Stranger Things has ever produced.
1. Chapter Four: Dear Billy
- Which episode is it? Season 4 Episode 4
- Release date: May 27, 2022
- Runtime: 1 hour 18 minutes
What it’s about: With Vecna closing in, Max confronts her grief by writing a letter to her late brother Billy – but the monster has other plans.
Why it’s good: Why is it surprising that this takes first place? Because most people would expect a Season 1 pick to top the list. That’s the era of bikes, walkie-talkies, and Demogorgons in the walls – the DNA of Stranger Things itself. But ‘Dear Billy’ proves the show’s ability to continually evolve.
No single episode has hit harder than this. Sadie Sink delivers an Emmy-worthy performance, the ‘Running Up That Hill’ sequence became an instant pop-culture moment, and it’s as emotional as it is terrifying.
Plus, it drives home the core message that makes Stranger Things such an enduring hit: the power of friendship. The list is officially going to end here, because even thinking about that final sequence is getting the tear ducts working overtime.
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