The Best Episodes of Stranger Things

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   9.0/10(218 votes)

   #1 - Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab

   S4:E75/27/2022

   As Hopper braces to battle a monster, Dustin dissects Vecna's motives — and decodes a message from beyond. El finds strength in a distant memory.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
2. 

   8.9/10(227 votes)

   #2 - Chapter Four: Dear Billy

   S4:E45/27/2022

   Max is in grave danger... and running out of time. A patient at Pennhurst asylum has visitors. Elsewhere, in Russia, Hopper is hard at work.

   Director:Shawn Levy

   Writer:Paul Dichter

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   Director:Shawn Levy

   Writer:Paul Dichter
3. 

   8.7/10(510 votes)

   #3 - Chapter One: The Hellfire Club

   S4:E15/27/2022

   El is bullied at school. Joyce opens a mysterious package. A scrappy player shakes up D&D night.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
4. 

   8.6/10(225 votes)

   #4 - Chapter Six: The Spy

   S2:E610/27/2017

   Will's connection to a shadowy evil grows stronger, but no one's quite sure how to stop it. Elsewhere, Dustin and Steve forge an unlikely bond.

   Director:Andrew Stanton

   Writer:Kate Trefry

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   Director:Andrew Stanton

   Writer:Kate Trefry
5. 

   8.6/10(238 votes)

   #5 - Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer

   S2:E810/27/2017

   An unlikely hero steps forward when a deadly development puts the Hawkins Lab on lockdown, trapping Will and several others inside.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
6. 

   8.6/10(226 votes)

   #6 - Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt

   S3:E87/4/2019

   Terror reigns in the food court when the Mind Flayer comes to collect. But down below, in the dark, the future of the world is at stake.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
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7. 

   8.6/10(258 votes)

   #7 - Chapter Eight: Papa

   S4:E87/1/2022

   Nancy has sobering visions, and El passes an important test. Back in Hawkins, the gang gathers supplies and prepares for battle.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
8. 

   8.6/10(263 votes)

   #8 - Chapter Nine: The Piggyback

   S4:E97/1/2022

   With selfless hearts and a clash of metal, heroes fight from every corner of the battlefield to save Hawkins — and the world itself.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
9. 

   8.6/10(370 votes)

   #9 - Chapter One: The Crawl

   S5:E111/26/2025

   November, 1987. The gang evades the military to scour the Upside Down for Vecna — but fails to notice a threat lurking closer to home.

   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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   Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

   Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
10. 

    8.5/10(1842 votes)

    #10 - Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers

    S1:E17/15/2016

    On his way home from a friend's house, young Will sees something terrifying. Nearby, a sinister secret lurks in the depths of a government lab.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
11. 

    8.5/10(355 votes)

    #11 - Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly

    S1:E37/15/2016

    An increasingly concerned Nancy looks for Barb and finds out what Jonathan's been up to. Joyce is convinced Will is trying to talk to her.

    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer, Jessica Mecklenburg

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    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer, Jessica Mecklenburg
12. 

    8.5/10(353 votes)

    #12 - Chapter Four: The Body

    S1:E47/15/2016

    Refusing to believe Will is dead, Joyce tries to connect with her son. The boys give Eleven a makeover. Nancy and Jonathan form an unlikely alliance.

    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
13. 

    8.5/10(279 votes)

    #13 - Chapter Seven: The Bathtub

    S1:E77/15/2016

    Eleven struggles to reach Will, while Lucas warns that "the bad men are coming." Nancy and Jonathan show the police what Jonathan caught on camera.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writer:Justin Doble

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writer:Justin Doble
14. 

    8.5/10(296 votes)

    #14 - Chapter Eight: The Upside Down

    S1:E87/15/2016

    Dr. Brenner holds Hopper and Joyce for questioning while the boys wait with Eleven in the gym. Back at Will's, Nancy and Jonathan prepare for battle.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writer:Unknown

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writer:Unknown
15. 

    8.5/10(244 votes)

    #15 - Chapter Nine: The Gate

    S2:E910/27/2017

    Eleven makes plans to finish what she started while the survivors turn up the heat on the monstrous force that's holding Will hostage.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
16. 

    8.4/10(363 votes)

    #16 - Chapter Five: The Flea and the Acrobat

    S1:E57/15/2016

    Hopper breaks into the lab while Nancy and Jonathan confront the force that took Will. The boys ask Mr. Clarke how to travel to another dimension.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer, Alison Tatlock

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer, Alison Tatlock
17. 

    8.4/10(276 votes)

    #17 - Chapter Six: The Monster

    S1:E67/15/2016

    A frantic Jonathan looks for Nancy in the darkness, but Steve's looking for her, too. Hopper and Joyce uncover the truth about the lab's experiments.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer, Jessie Nickson-Lopez

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer, Jessie Nickson-Lopez
18. 

    8.4/10(374 votes)

    #18 - Chapter One: MADMAX

    S2:E110/27/2017

    As the town preps for Halloween, a high-scoring rival shakes things up at the arcade, and a skeptical Hopper inspects a field of rotting pumpkins.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
19. 

    8.4/10(222 votes)

    #19 - Chapter Four: The Sauna Test

    S3:E47/4/2019

    A code red brings the gang back together to face a frighteningly familiar evil. Karen urges Nancy to keep digging, and Robin finds a useful map.

    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writer:Kate Trefry

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    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writer:Kate Trefry
20. 

    8.4/10(209 votes)

    #20 - Chapter Seven: The Bite

    S3:E77/4/2019

    With time running out -- and an assassin close behind -- Hopper's crew races back to Hawkins, where El and the kids are preparing for war.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
21. 

    8.3/10(231 votes)

    #21 - Chapter Four: Will the Wise

    S2:E410/27/2017

    An ailing Will opens up to Joyce -- with disturbing results. While Hopper digs for the truth, Eleven unearths a surprising discovery.

    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writer:Paul Dichter

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    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writer:Paul Dichter
22. 

    8.3/10(233 votes)

    #22 - Chapter Five: Dig Dug

    S2:E510/27/2017

    Nancy and Jonathan swap conspiracy theories with a new ally as Eleven searches for someone from her past. “Bob the Brain” tackles a difficult problem.

    Director:Andrew Stanton

    Writer:Jessie Nickson-Lopez

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    Director:Andrew Stanton

    Writer:Jessie Nickson-Lopez
23. 

    8.3/10(189 votes)

    #23 - Chapter Four: Sorcerer

    S5:E411/26/2025

    The military tightens its grip on the town. Mike, Lucas and Robin orchestrate a daring escape. El comes face-to-face with the enemy.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writer:Paul Dichter

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writer:Paul Dichter
24. 

    8.2/10(511 votes)

    #24 - Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street

    S1:E27/15/2016

    Lucas, Mike and Dustin try to talk to the girl they found in the woods. Hopper questions an anxious Joyce about an unsettling phone call.

    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer

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    Directors:Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer

    Writers:Ross Duffer, Matt Duffer
25. 

    8.2/10(240 votes)

    #25 - Chapter Three: The Pollywog

    S2:E310/27/2017

    Dustin adopts a strange new pet, and Eleven grows increasingly impatient. A well-meaning Bob urges Will to stand up to his fears.

    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writer:Justin Doble

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    Director:Shawn Levy

    Writer:Justin Doble