I watched (binged) both season 1 and 2 of Stranger Things after the release of the second season. Even after the hype the show received after its initial release, I didn’t think it would be something I would enjoy. I’m not a huge fan of suspense so it wasn’t until my sister begged me to watch the first episode with her this year that I fell deep into the fandom of Stranger Things. There are so many aspects of the show to love, from the boy’s friendship to the bond they all share, to the 80’s nostalgia, to the supernatural concepts. But season 2 did something major that we can’t afford to not talk about. Two words: Steve Harrington.
“I hate Steve,” I told my sister, rolling my eyes at everything he did in season 1. I would groan when he breathed. I knew he was going to screw over Nancy and I knew he was going to be a jerk to Johnathan. I just wanted his character to never show up again.
“You’ll like him in Season 2,” She told me. I doubted her majorly. There was no possible way to like Steve. But then I got to season 2. And then I didn’t even like him; I loved him. Steve goes from a clueless douchebag to a caring friend, boyfriend and mentor. His character development was monumental, and in a show that exceeds the normal limitations of TV, it’s refreshing to have a male character grow from the popular teenage boy stereotype we so often see. Steve gained depth in this season, and took on a role as a mentor that no one else could fill. He also became Dustin’s “big-brother” so to say, which might’ve been my favorite thing to ever happen in a show.
Stranger Things caught audiences from the beginning, and season 2 was expected to do the same, which it did in terms of content. However, the character development of Steve was something that surprised almost everyone and was a major success. It redefined what a stereotyped character could accomplish and how they could change. I mean how could you not love him now?