Stranger Things begins with the disappearance of Will Byers in 1983. Season one of this interdimensional, mind “flaying” thriller follows Will’s friends Mike, Dustin, Caleb and mysterious newcomer Eleven as they team up to rescue him from a monster known as the Demogorgon and the shadowy dimension the monster calls home.
Now two seasons, a Mind Flayer and one exorcism later, the question remains: what’s going on in Hawkins?
The show’s been recognized by countless academies and awarded 63 awards from MTV, the Screen Actors Guild, and more. Fans truly can’t get enough of this twisty sci-fi drama, and with good reason. The premise of Stranger Things harkens back to everything we loved about the eighties.
Dungeons and Dragons, punk rock and creepy monster flicks. There’s no “bad” acting in this show, and each character is embodied by actors who aren’t afraid to explore the full depths of their Stranger Things personas and deliver captivating performances. Most notably is Bettlejuice’s Winona Ryder, who shines in the show, delivering a heart-wrenching and determined performance as Will’s mom “Joyce.”
There’s a lot to love about this series. From its endearing characters to its menacing villains and creepy worlds, there’s really something for everyone to latch on to. Watching it if you don’t have a Netflix account may prove to be a challenge, as the show is a Netflix original. Meaning that you must have a Netflix subscription to watch it. Here’s where you can watch Stranger Things.
Best way to watch Stranger Things
The best way to watch Stranger Things, and catch up before the new season drops is with a Netflix subscription. Netflix currently offers three plans for subscribers (Basic, Standard, and Premium) to choose from. These plans range anywhere from $8.99/mo.-$17.99/mo. Netflix has offered Stranger Things for free for a limited time to new subscribers in the past, and could potentially do so again in the future.
Netflix discontinued its free trial in 2020, but the service has still managed to retain most of its nearly 205 million subscribers globally according to statista. This is due in part to its diverse content library and longstanding reputation among streaming services. Netflix’s “Standard” and “Premium” plans also allow you to stream simultaneously on more than one screen, meaning you could stream season one of the series, while someone else wraps up season three.
You can also buy or rent the series from Vudu. Keep in mind, the service doesn’t offer season three. So if you’re hoping to squeeze in a quick binge before season four premieres, you’ll have to jump over to Netflix after you finish season two to watch the rest.
While it’s not the top choice for watching Stranger Things, Vudu is a great service for cord-cutters looking to watch free movies and shows. The streaming service is ad-supported, meaning that the free titles you watch will feature advertisements. That’s a small price to pay for watching Mel Gibson’s Get the Gringo for free, but still something you should know.
All the ways to watch Stranger Things
Netflix is going to be your best bet for watching this series. A Netflix subscription comes with tons of other movies and shows that the service’s algorithm curates just for you. The streaming service is home to other Netflix originals you might enjoy as well. Currently, the service’s library has almost 6,000 titles; a number that grows daily.
| Streaming Service | Price |
| Netflix | Basic Plan: $8.99/mo. Standard Plan: $13.99/mo. Premium Plan: $17.99/mo. |
| Vudu | N/A |
Netflix Interface
Netflix is one of the most user-friendly streaming services out there. The service allows you to make user profiles that everyone in your household can use to keep tabs on their favorite content. Parents can also set locks on specific profiles to ensure that children are only allowed to watch age-appropriate movies and shows.
Netflix’s algorithm frequently updates the homepage viewers see, so you’ll see new recommendations populate frequently. The service will also keep track of what you’re currently watching as well. Finishing a show or movie means simply finding the continue watching section and clicking on the program you want to stream.
In June 2020, Netflix released an update to its user interface that allows you to remove shows from your continue watching section. This means you can effectively ignore content you’re no longer interested in and gives you more freedom to decide what you’ll watch next. The upgrade came from the outcry of many subscribers who wanted to exercise more control over what they watched and how long they watched it. If trends continue, you can expect more interface upgrades that simplify the way users interact with Netflix in the near future.
For more information on Netflix and its offerings, check out our Netflix review.
Renting vs. Buying Stranger Things
The show is available to rent or buy on Vudu, but the current price for either of these options is unknown. Vudu frequently changes its content lineup so this is to be expected. However, you can buy the DVD set of Stranger Things seasons 1-3 on Amazon for around $50.
Netflix is the only streaming service that won’t cost you additional money to watch the show. The Premium Netflix subscription comes with 4K capabilities, so that’s an option for you if you’re looking to watch the show in higher quality. You can head over to our article on 4K content for more information.
The final cut
Your best bet for keeping up with the gang in Hawkins is Netflix. The streaming service allows you to binge all seasons of the show, at no additional cost and gives you the option to check out some other related programs once you’re done. Season four is fast approaching so you’re going to want to make a decision about how you’ll watch the show soon. You definitely don’t want to miss anything that happens in “The Upside Down,” but fortunately, you’ve got options.