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The 5 best (and 3 worst) episodes of Stranger Things

By Natalie Zamora

STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, and Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, and Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022 /
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STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Jamie Campbell Bower as Peter Ballard and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022, Stranger Things season 4 /

“The Piggyback” (Season 4, Episode 9)

It’s been over a year since Stranger Things season 4 came to an end, and I’m still not over the finale. “The Piggyback” is a supersized episode, coming in at 2 hours and 30 minutes, and it does a great job keeping the viewer’s attention from start to finish. The stakes are so high and lives are on the line, and sadly, not everyone makes it out alive.

The season 4 finale is incredibly action-packed, seeing part of the group attempt to lure Vecna out of the Creel House, while others head to the Upside Down to attack. Eleven must enter Max’s mind in order to find and fight off Vecna, but when she does that, she discovers more than she had bargained for — Vecna has been controlling the Upside Down this entire time.

The episode sees the death of Eddie and leaves Max in a coma, and by the end, the remaining members of the group finally reunite in Hawkins. They’re going to need all the help they can get to fight off Vecna once more in season 5. The season 4 finale is an emotional rollercoaster that leaves you wanting more.

VERDICT: Best

Stranger Things
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Matthew Modine as Dr. Martin Brenner in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022 /

“Papa” (Season 4, Episode 8)

There are definitely good moments in the penultimate episode of Stranger Things season 4, but because it wastes a lot of time getting to where it needs to go, it’s disappointing. The fourth season is so action-packed that it just can’t slow down, especially this close to the end, yet episode 8 does. The group learns more about Vecna and starts to come up with a plan, while Eleven realizes Brenner has been using her this whole time.

It’s satisfying to finally see Brenner go (if he’s actually dead this time) but the episode could cut out some stuff to keep the momentum going. Elsewhere, Hopper, Joyce, Yuri, and Dmitri escape the Russian prison, which is great, but it’s not as suspenseful as it could be. Though things are resolved in the episode, it starts to feel a bit like a filler, which the show doesn’t deserve this far into the season.

Maybe that’s why the season 4 finale has to be so long.

VERDICT: Worst

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