We're just days away from the Stranger Things 5 finale on Wednesday, Dec, 31 (New Year's Eve). As the series comes to a closer, I wanted to take a look back at some of the best episodes of the series for fans to watch ahead of the series finale.
For this ranking, I used IMDB's episode ratings to rank the 10 highest-rated Stranger Things episodes of all time.
Somehow, there are 10 Stranger Things episodes with ratings of 9.0 or higher on IMDB. That's incredible when you realize there are only 44 episodes in this series. Almost a quarter of the series is a 9/10 or higher? That just doesn't happen that often, and it's a testament to just how good of a TV series the Duffer brothers created.
Let's get the list started with the 10th-highest-rated Stranger Things episode, "Chapter Seven: The Bathtub."
10. "Chapter Seven: The Bathtub" (season 1 episode 7)
IMDB rating: 9.0/10
"The Bathtub" comes in 10th on the list of highest-rated Stranger Things episodes, but it's not hard to see why this is considered one of the show's best episodes.
The seventh episode of the first season is when this story all comes together. Instead of Hopper and Joyce, Nancy and Jonathan, and the kids on their side quests, we see them working together to actually find Will. They go to the school where they create their version of a sensory deprivation tank for Eleven to search for Will. It doesn't quite go as planned, but it sets up the biggest episode in the series to date (at that time), and we'll talk more about the season 1 finale shortly.
Ultimately, this episode created the blueprint that the Duffers kept going back to with their excellent penultimate episodes of each season.
"Chapter Six: The Spy" (season 2 episode 6)
IMDB rating: 9.1/10
"The Spy" is an absolutely iconic episode of Stranger Things. It's the sixth episode of season 2, and it's the first time in the show's history that fans get to truly understand what these characters are up against with the Mind Flayer.
We knew Will was infected by the Mind Flayer earlier in the season, but it's not until the burn begins in the tunnels that we realize just how "connected" Will actually is to everything.
In the episode, Will is at the Hawkins lab being seen by Dr. Owens and the other doctors when the Mind Flayer makes its big move. It lures the Hawkins lab men into the tunnels where they become dinner for the demodogs before they set their sights on the Hawkins Lab.
Elsewhere, we have Steve and Dustin's first big team-up as Dustin needs help tracking down Dart. We see them meet up with Max and Lucas later at the junkyard where they are nearly ambushed by a bunch of demogorgons. And, Nancy and Jonathan take a little trip to visit Murray, too.
It's just a great episode, overall, and worthy of its 9.0 rating. It might actually be a little underrated, but that's for another day.
"Chapter Nine: The Piggyback" (season 4 episode 9)
IMDB rating: 9.1/10
After fighting off Vecna all season, our Hawkins Heroes finally take the battle to him in the season 4 finale, "The Piggyback." And, it's easily one of the show's best episodes. I hated some parts of the episode, especially the death of Eddie Munson and Vecna's plan being fulfilled, but it's still such a good episode.
In the episode, Steve, Robin, and Nancy sneak into Vecna's lair to kill him while Max uses herself as bait. It doesn't go well, though, and Eddie sacrifices himself to buy more time. Eleven, who is in the desert and on her way to Hawkins, fights Vecna inside Max's mind, but she isn't able to stop him from "killing" Max and ripping Hawkins in two.
Our heroes suffer a big defeat in this episode, Nancy also gets a couple shots on Vecna before it's all over. It sets the hunt for Vecna in motion in the season 5 premiere.
"Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer" (season 2 episode 8)
IMDB rating: 9.2/10
"The Mind Flayer" just might be the best episode of a fantastic season. I didn't realize just how good this episode was, but then I rewatched it before season 5, and it's so good.
In the episode, the demogorgons are attacking the Hawkins Lab, which results in Dr. Owens, Bob, Hopper, Joyce, Mike, and Will getting trapped in the control room. Unfortunately, Bob is the only one who can override the system to let them out of the lab, which he does while making a great sacrifice. Bob dies saving the rest of the gang, and it's super sad.
That's not all that happens in this episode, though. We also have the big meet up back at the Byers house where they interrogate Will and try to find out if he's still in his body, which he is. Then, the phone rings, and the demogorgons come racing for the Byers house.
Most importantly, the episode ends with Eleven arriving at the Byers house to save the day.
Overall, this a fantastic episode, and it's probably too low on this list.
"Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt" (season 3 episode 8)
IMDB rating: 9.2/10
Stranger Things 3 is definitely a polarizing season, and I want to say that the finale, "The Battle of Starcourt," is anything but polarizing. Unfortunately, that's not quite true. There's basically only one real reason that "The Battle of Starcourt" isn't rated a few points higher, and that's probably because of Dustin's duet with Suzy in the middle of the biggest action sequence in the show's history to that point.
Honestly, I love this episode. It's one my favorites in the whole series, and I also love Dustin and Suzy's "Neverending Story" duet, too.
In "The Battle of Starcourt," we finally have the Griswald Family, Scoops Troop, and Bald Eagle coverging at the mall to stop the Russians, the Mind Flayer, and Billy. And, it takes everything they've got without Eleven at full strength. Eventually, our heroes win the battle against the Mind Flayer, but the Russians capture Hopper, which sets the stage for season 4.
For the most fun season in the show's history, season 3 sure has it's toughest ending! But, it's so good.
"Chapter Eight: The Upside Down" (season 1 episode 8)
IMDB rating: 9.3/10
"The Upside Down" feels like the first big episode of Stranger Things, you know? Like, there were so many awesome episodes in the first season, but the season finale took this story to a whole new level.
In the episode, Joyce and Hopper head into the Upside Down to find Will after making a deal with Dr. Brenner. They basically trade Eleven for Will, but when Dr. Brenner and his team arrive at the school where Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Eleven are hiding, the demogorgon shows up. Eleven disappears after vanquishing the demogorgon.
Before that, we also see Nancy and Jonathan, with the help of Steve, distract the demogorgon so Joyce and Hopper save Will. It's such a great episode!
"Chapter Nine: The Gate" (season 2 episode 9)
IMDB rating: 9.3/10
"The Gate" is the Stranger Things season 2 finale, and it's the second finale in the series with a 9.3/10 on IMDB. Personally, I think this episode is rated a little bit too low, especially when you put it in context with everything we've seen since then.
In the previous episode, as mentioned, Eleven makes her return, but this is the episode where Eleven interacts with Mike and the rest of the gang after they thought she died in the first season's finale. It's such an awesome moment in the series, but the episode gets even better!
The big moment is when Eleven and Hopper head back into the Hawkins Lab to close the gate once and for all, and they do their part. For the first time, we understand the scope of Eleven's powers when she shuts the gate on the Mind Flayer.
Beyond that, we also have the great scenes with Steve, the babysitter, and the kids fighting off Billy. They also distract the demogorgons while Eleven and Hopper head into the lab.
After stopping the Mind Flayer, the kids get to celebrate at the Snow Ball! It doesn't get much better than this episode in Stranger Things.
"Chapter Four: Dear Billy" (season 4 episode 4)
IMDB rating: 9.5/10
"Dear Billy" is my favorite Stranger Things 4 episode. There's so much to love about Sadie Sink's performance in the episode. It's one of the best individual performances of the series, in my opinion, and it's so awesome that it brought "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush to the mainstream.
In the episode, Max finally reveals to the others that she's next. She knows Vecna is targeting her, and she's basically saying goodbye to her friends and family. She visits Billy's grave where she apologizes to him before Vecna hijacks her reality and takes her into his Mind Lair, where she escapes, thanks to her friends. I don't think anyone will forget the moment she rises 10 feet into the air. It's one of the most iconic moments in the show.
We also see Eleven try to get her powers back, the government attack the Byers' home in California only to be rescued by Argyle, and Nancy and Robin's first big team up when they interview Victor Creel.
"Chapter Four: Sorcerer" (season 5 episode 4)
IMDB rating: 9.5/10
"Chapter Four: Sorcerer" is an incredible episode of TV. It might be the biggest episode Netflix has ever produced. It feels like one of the biggest sequences in Netflix history, and it all revolves around Will Byers.
Finally, after four episodes of waiting, Vecna makes his big intro in season 5, kills a lot of military men, ensures his demogorgons get the eight kids he needs for his big plan, and taunts Will. Well, Will answers Vecna's taunts by showing that he love himself and has some powers, too, and he kills the demogorgons to save all of his friends. It's definitely Will's most badass moment of the series.
"Sorcerer" is the longest episode of season 5 so far, outside the finale, and there's so much going on. Most of the episode sees the main characters outside the Upside Down trying to thwart Vecna's plan to steal the other kids. Derek, the scene-stealer of the season, does some work to get the kids out of the MAC-Z, but it's not enough to stop Vecna.
In the episode, we also have the major reveal that Kali/Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) is actually still alive, and she was being held captive by Dr. Kay in the Upside Down. Max, who is stuck in Henry's memories, also reveals what she's been up to for the last year and a half.
"Sorcerer" is the only episode of season 5 to make the list. So far, only season 3 and 5 have one episode on the top-rated list, but I feel like that might change with the Stranger Things 5 finale. I also really liked episode 6, "Escape From Camazots."
"Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab" (season 4 episode 7)
IMDB rating: 9.6/10
It's so interesting to me that "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab" is such a beloved episode of the series. I think it's a great episode, and it ended an unbelievable episode drop. Remember, Netflix dropped all seven episodes of season 4 on May 27, 2022, and this was the final episode of the bunch. And, it's a really good one.
In the episode, we see Eleven remember what really happened at the lab. We also see how Eleven used her powers to vanquish Henry Creel and send him to another dimension. Finding him paved the way to all of these other events happening in season 5.
We also see Steve, Nancy, Robin, and Eddie make their way through the Upside Down after they venture in to save Steve. On the other side, Dustin, Max, and Lucas put together the pieces of the mystery and realized they can communicate with the others in the Upside Down. It's super cool!
And, in Russia, we have Joyce and Murray crashing the party at the prison camp to save Hopper, only to find out he's going toe-to-toe with the demogorgon. Eventually, the pair reunites.
This is also the episode where Vecna infiltrates Nancy's mind and reveals his big plan.
It's easy to see why this is the highest-rated episode of the series, but it is interesting because there are more iconic episodes. This one just features a lot of great moments and reveals.