The season was dark and ambitious, but sometimes overly so – episodes seemed longer because they were, and it wasn’t always a good thing. Jumping between California, Russia, Hawkins, and the Upside Down led to a sense of overstuffing and occasional disjointedness, and the visual effects sometimes drowned out the story and characters, leaving some episodes lacking substance and straying into music-video territory. Overall, it felt more like a setup for the final season than a standalone story, but it certainly had some good stuff to offer along the way.
2. Season 3
Season 3 seemed like a partial reset for the show, which was well reflected in its story. Everything felt colorful and vibrant as the kids hung out in the new Starcourt Mall, worked summer jobs, and the dating drama kicked off in earnest. The story was still grounded in Hawkins, despite the whole “secret Russian base” scenario. There was also a solid monster for the gang to team up against, and its possession and control of Billy dialed up the terror on a very human level.
The mall was a relatable place that brought in genuine 80s nostalgia, while the costume design stepped up with a new vision for the characters’ looks. Those Scoops Ahoy outfits, the jazzy casual wear, and a glowing neon aesthetic really elevated the show to a new level in season 3, while Robin and Steve’s friendship was a solid, thoughtful highlight instead of what could have been a lacklustre subplot.
Though this season was perhaps a little goofier than the others, its lack of seriousness in some areas helped balance the show’s tone after the previous two seasons, when everything tended to get a little too glum.
1. Season 1
A boy named Will Byers mysteriously vanishes after riding his bike home from a friend’s house, and a TV sensation is born. Yep, we reckon the first season of Stranger Things is still the best, almost six years after it debuted on Netflix and became a phenomenon that, in the end, perhaps ended up a little too big for its small-town roots.
Everything about Stranger Things felt fresh and interesting back in 2016, despite its rose-tinted nostalgia for the 80s. The Duffers created this new series with tight, compelling storytelling. It was well-paced and culminated in a satisfying finale. It had everything, really! A small-town America with period-accurate visuals, well-rounded characters (kids that weren’t annoying!), and at the heart of the story, the intriguing mystery of Will’s disappearance used classic sci-fi and horror tropes expertly to draw us in. Season 1 was simply a slam dunk.
