Stranger Things: what age is it for?
14YRS
Official US rating: TV-14. In France, zinema would say 15.
Watch the trailerthen where to watch it, in zinema
Alone, or with you
89101112131415161718
not yetwith an adult, or to talk about afteralone
The official US rating is TV-14, and we never go below it. Alone from 14, and not before, even with an adult. Our reading, episode by episode, refines that single number: season 1 reads at 11, seasons 2 to 5 at the top, 14.
What it's about
When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl.
Why 14
- The official rating, firstRated TV-14 in the US (parents strongly cautioned, may be unsuitable for children under 14). zinema never goes below the country's rating: it explains it.rule
- Monsters, darkness, and dreadThe series lives in the dark: long night scenes, basements, woods, and a creature that growls before it appears. The sound design does a lot of the work, with quiet stretches broken by a sudden blast, screams, and music built to make your chest tighten. Even confident kids tend to feel it in the body, and it repeats across all five seasons rather than peaking once.shown
- Children alone and in dangerA big part of the story is a child taken and other children left on their own, hunted, hidden, or locked away. Images of a kid alone in the dark come back again and again, and adults in the story sometimes cause the harm rather than stop it. That is the part younger viewers carry home with them at bedtime.shown
- Deaths that are shown, not just toldPeople die, including characters you have come to love, and the camera does not look away. There is blood held in frame for long stretches, wounds, fights, guns and knives handled by teens and adults alike, gunfire, fires and explosions. It is not gore for its own sake, but it is graphic and it accumulates over the seasons.shown
- Rough talk, including a slurThe dialogue is full of teen insults and swearing, and the bullying of the younger kids is nasty and sustained. Early on, two anti-gay slurs are thrown at a character. The show frames the bullies as cruel rather than cool, which makes it usable material for a conversation, but a younger child will mostly just absorb the words.shown
- Teen romance and older-teen lifeAs the kids grow up, the show follows kissing, first relationships, parties, drinking and smoking, and later storylines involving drugs. Nothing is explicit, but bedroom scenes and morning-after moments are clearly implied, and adult substance use is part of the ordinary background.shown
What the series brings
- A rare portrait of friendship that holds: kids who refuse to abandon one another, even when adults tell them to go home.
- It rewards curiosity and loyalty over strength, and it lets outsiders and misfits be the heroes.
- A warm, detailed trip through the 1980s that gives teens and parents a shared reference point.
Watching it together
Before
Before the first episode, you might say that the show is built to scare you on purpose, and that pausing it or stopping for the night is completely allowed.
After
at 14 and up
Which character would you actually want beside you if things went wrong, and what is it about them that makes you say that?
Season by season
the reading per season, episode by episode · expand
Season 1 · 8 episodes, 51 min on average · zinema reading 11, 10 with a parent · France 11 · the gentlest
no episode at the top of the series. What's in each episode, without telling the story:
| Episode | What's in it |
|---|---|
| 1 · Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers | Many dark scenes; the monster in plain sight; scary music and jump scares; lots of weapons; bullying; a lot of swearing. |
| 2 · Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street | Many dark scenes; deaths told; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; bullying; some swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 3 · Chapter Three: Holly, Jolly | Many dark scenes; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; a scene of cruelty; a child put in danger; some swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 4 · Chapter Four: The Body | Many dark scenes; deaths told; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; bullying; some swearing; alcohol. |
| 5 · Chapter Five: The Flea and the Acrobat | Many dark scenes; deaths shown; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; bullying; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 6 · Chapter Six: The Monster | Deaths told; frightening images; scary music; fights; a scene of cruelty; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 7 · Chapter Seven: The Bathtub | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; fights; a lot of swearing. |
| 8 · Chapter Eight: The Upside Down | More than half the episode in the dark; blood, for a long time on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; meanness; some swearing; drugs mentioned. |
Season 2 · 9 episodes, 53 min on average · zinema reading 14, 13 with a parent · France 15
1 episode out of 9 at the top of the series. What's in each episode, without telling the story:
| Episode | What's in it |
|---|---|
| 1 · Chapter One: MADMAX | Many dark scenes; deaths told; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 2 · Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak | Nearly half in the dark; deaths told; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; meanness; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 16% of the episode. |
| 3 · Chapter Three: The Pollywog | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths shown; frightening images; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 4 · Chapter Four: Will the Wise | Many dark scenes; deaths told; scary music; bullying; a lot of swearing. |
| 5 · Chapter Five: Dig Dug | Many dark scenes; deaths shown; frightening images; scary music; bullying; a lot of swearing; alcohol. |
| 6 · Chapter Six: The Spy | Many dark scenes; deaths told; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; alcohol. |
| 7 · Chapter Seven: The Lost Sister | More than half the episode in the dark; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing. |
| 8 · Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer | More than half the episode in the dark; deaths told; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; lots of weapons; meanness; some swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 9 · Chapter Nine: The Gate | More than half the episode in the dark; blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
Season 3 · 8 episodes, 57 min on average · zinema reading 14, 13 with a parent · France 15
1 episode out of 8 at the top of the series. What's in each episode, without telling the story:
| Episode | What's in it |
|---|---|
| 1 · Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy? | Many dark scenes; deaths told; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; lots of weapons; bullying; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 31% of the episode. |
| 2 · Chapter Two: The Mall Rats | Many dark scenes; deaths shown; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 15% of the episode. |
| 3 · Chapter Three: The Case of the Missing Lifeguard | Many dark scenes; deaths told; frightening images; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; some swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 29% of the episode. |
| 4 · Chapter Four: The Sauna Test | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 5 · Chapter Five: The Flayed | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 17% of the episode. |
| 6 · Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum | Blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 15% of the episode. |
| 7 · Chapter Seven: The Bite | Many dark scenes; blood, for a long time on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; bullying; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 29% of the episode. |
| 8 · Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
Season 4 · 9 episodes, 87 min on average · zinema reading 14, 13 with a parent · France 15 · the hardest
9 episodes out of 9 at the top of the series. What's in each episode, without telling the story:
| Episode | What's in it |
|---|---|
| 1 · Chapter One: The Hellfire Club | Blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 25% of the episode. |
| 2 · Chapter Two: Vecna's Curse | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths shown; frightening images; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 3 · Chapter Three: The Monster and the Superhero | Many dark scenes; blood, for a long time on screen; deaths shown; the monster in plain sight; fights; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 4 · Chapter Four: Dear Billy | Many dark scenes; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 5 · Chapter Five: The Nina Project | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music; lots of weapons; bullying; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 6 · Chapter Six: The Dive | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 7 · Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab | Many dark scenes; blood, for a long time on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 8 · Chapter Eight: Papa | Blood, for a long time on screen; deaths shown; frightening images; scary music and jump scares; fights; lots of weapons; bullying; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
| 9 · Chapter Nine: The Piggyback | Nearly half in the dark; blood on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
Season 5 · 8 episodes, 78 min on average · zinema reading 14, 13 with a parent · France 15
4 episodes out of 8 at the top of the series. What's in each episode, without telling the story:
| Episode | What's in it |
|---|---|
| 1 · Chapter One: The Crawl | Many dark scenes; deaths shown; the monster in plain sight; scary music and jump scares; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 2 · Chapter Two: The Vanishing of... | More than half the episode in the dark; blood on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; lots of weapons; a lot of swearing. |
| 3 · Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; fights; lots of weapons; bullying; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol; and a lot of laughs, 15% of the episode. |
| 4 · Chapter Four: Sorcerer | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths shown; the monster in plain sight; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a child put in danger; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 5 · Chapter Five: Shock Jock | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths shown; frightening images; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 6 · Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; scary music; lots of weapons; a scene of cruelty; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 7 · Chapter Seven: The Bridge | Blood on screen; deaths told; frightening images; fights; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned. |
| 8 · Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up | Many dark scenes; blood on screen; deaths told; the monster in plain sight; scary music; fights; lots of weapons; meanness; a lot of swearing; drugs mentioned; alcohol. |
See the facts
A weapon shown or used●●● · shownmeasured
Death of a character●●● · shownmeasured
Disaster, destruction, war●●● · shownmeasured
Drugs●●● · shownmeasured
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Tense music or sound●●● · shownmeasured
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Visible injury, blood●●● · shownmeasured
A character in danger●●○ · saidmeasured
Abandonment, separation, confinement●●○ · shownmeasured
Alcohol●●○ · shownmeasured
Creature, monster, strong villain●●○ · shownmeasured
Cruelty, torture, abuse●●○ · saidmeasured
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Discriminatory remarks or stereotypes●●○ · shownmeasured
Fighting, brawls●●○ · shownmeasured
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Mockery, humiliation, bullying●●○ · saidmeasured
Sexual innuendo, double meanings●●○ · shownmeasured
Smoking●●○ · shownmeasured
Brands, products, merchandising : Coca-Cola, Eggo, Sony, Burger King●○○ · shownmeasured
Suicide, suicidal thoughts●○○ · saidmeasured
A zinema reading from September 5, 2026 · the 42 episodes of 5 seasons, watched one by one · the age by zinema's rules for the US and France, and a human reading · report an error · how this guide is made