🥇Season 2: This is going to sound controversial but season 2 is personally my favourite season of the series. What I really like about this season is the introduction of the new characters like Max and Billy, the introduction of new monsters from the upside down such as the demo-dogs and mind flayer, the plots and plot lines, less drama between characters, more friendships and relationships were formed, and that everyone got a happy ending. The only thing that was off about season 2 was the lost sister episode that was cut in between two really great episodes but other than that it was an excellent season.
🥈Season 1: I really like how the story was introduced with the 80s nostalgia of kids playing D&D and riding bikes. Each of the characters were introduced very well and the show started off great with Will going missing since that was ultimately the reason why everyone has been involved in the whole upside down experiences. I also really like how Will’s disappearance impacted a lot of the characters such as his mom, his brother, and his friends; it gave them an interesting arc. The first season had very good plot lines such as Eleven being recruited to the team to find Will with the boys after revealing her superpowers and the answer to Will’s location (subtly), the adventure between Nancy and Jonathan after realising that they’re dealing with the same monster situation, Joyce with her lights, and then everyone coming together as a team the first time to solve the problem at the end. Ngl both mileven and jancy gave first love vibes during their first impression. The only reason why season 1 is below season 2 is because there were actually some things that I didn’t like such as the all of scenes with Steve and his jerk friends, Lucas and Mike fighting over el that nearly broke their friendship, and Eleven sacrificing herself that lead to her and Mike not having a happy ending.
🥉Season 4: Tbh I am not a big fan of season 4. The only things I liked were the introduction to Vecna’s character and his plot lines, Max’s storyline of her grief after Billy’s death and becoming Vecna’s target, and Hopper’s plot as it was revealed that he was still alive and was stuck in Russia the whole time. What sucks is that the duffer brothers screwed up with the California plot line since they barely gave anything extravagant for Jonathan, Will, and Mike. However, I am glad that they did give Mike a moment to shine with his monologue for El that helped her fight and bring Max back to life which concludes his arc for the whole season. Another thing that I don’t like is the duffers coming up with the idea of Will having a crush on Mike which caused fans to take it the wrong way and create a bunch of crap fanfics. It’s fine if they want to write a queer coded arc for Will but they could’ve at least come up with someone else like his classmate in California.
- Season 3 = season 5: Both seasons 3&5 are my least favourite seasons. First of all of I don’t even why so many people like season 3 and often rank it above season 2. The glaze for season 3 is insane, the whole season was just all about the stupid relationship dramas between characters that was just made for comic relief. The group started to fall apart and friendships were nearly broken, although I am glad it didn’t since they all made up with each other by the end of the day. Not to mention, the whole season felt like a filler especially with the Russian plot line which was just unnecessary. It’s like they completely ignored the core conflict of the show that was originally set up. So season 3 just didn’t feel like stranger things to me.
Season 5 on the other hand felt a bit rushed, although volume 1 was great ngl. After the first 4 episodes came out, I was really happy with what they delivered; I was like, “Oh this is gonna be my favourite season,” but then after vol 2 and the finale came out, I completely changed my mind. In vol 2 especially, the writers sidelined a lot of the main characters since they focused too much on Holly’s plot line that I genuinely don’t gaf about. Also, I did not like how the writers gave Karen another moment to shine. One time with the demogorgon at the wheeler house is enough; I mean she’s just a side character, wtf do the duffers think they’re doing?? This caused fans to glaze her and even Holly who is literally a scaredy cat tbh and act like they’re the most badass of them all when they did like only one or two in only season meanwhile everyone else has done way more throughout the whole series. Then in the finale, I didn’t like how the final battle was so short and that the writers killed off eleven but not even dr. Kay. Oh yeah that’s I forgot to mention, bring Kali back to season 5 is the biggest mistake. She was just there most of the time, all she did was convincing el to herself and destroy her hope for her possible happy ending with Mike. So neither she nor Mike got a happy ending which was disappointing. However, I wouldn’t care much about Eleven’s ambiguous fate whether she’s dead or alive because the she didn’t get a happy ending nor end up with Mike and the show is already over anyway.
Takeaways: If the show ended after season 2, it would’ve been a perfect show imo; season 3 really started to go downhill for me.