Stranger Things: Every Season 3 Episode Ranked Worst To Best
1. The Sauna Test
Stranger Things had sort of a Village of the Damned (or maybe Invasion of the Body Snatchers) vibe going for it at times in season three. That was once again on display in Chapter 4., entitled "The Sauna Test."
This is the episode where Heather presents her parents to The Mind Flayer, and in the opening scene they wind up converted into pod people... or more accurately, The Flayed. That's not really what makes this episode stand out, though it is a nice nod to horror and sci-fi properties that came before.
The standout moment from this episode is the titular Sauna Test, and the fight that ensues. Recognizing that Billy Hargrove is under the control of The Mind Flayer, and knowing the creature's feelings about heat from the previous season, the gang opts to trap him in a sauna — and force a little confrontation.
Perhaps to their chagrin, it works. Worse, Billy breaks free of the sauna, and a battle ensues, with Eleven using her telekinetic powers to fight Billy, and Billy/The Mind Flayer showing otherworldly strength. Mike gets a moment in the spotlight when he cracks the baddy over the back with a pipe, and Eleven literally throws him through a wall.
It's that fight that stands out even more than the climactic battle to end the season. Everything about it was well done: the claustrophobic feeling, sense of real danger, and the gang acting as a cohesive unit. Plus you got to marvel at Eleven's powers once again.