Stranger Things Season 3: On Hopper
Stranger Things. Chapter Five: The Flayed. © 2019 - Netflix
Spoilers ahead!
Netflix finally blessed the masses with the third season of Stranger Things this month. However, one of the controversies to arise pertains to Jim Hopper, everyone's favorite broody, Hawkins Chief of Police.
It all started when actress, Evan Rachel Wood tweeted to the masses, “You should never date a guy like the cop from #strangerthings Extreme jealousy and violent rages are not flattering or sexy like TV would have you believe. That is all.”
The single tweet sent the Twitterverse into a rage with part of the population praising Wood and the rest condemning her.
I agree that Hopper's portrayal this season is quite toxic and isn’t a man someone should dream of dating, but from a writer’s point of view, his character was also disappointing this season because of these hyper-macho tendencies that didn't feel like the Hopper we've grown to love.
We spent the last two seasons watching Hopper evolve. We're introduced to his past traumas and get to understand why he's so bitter and cold. However, his tough exterior slowly begins to soften as he helps Joyce and the kids save the town. During season three, it felt as though we watched the character regress.
Yes, Hopper is always going to be a little gruff and grumpy, but we didn’t get to see past that until the very end this season. (If you didn’t cry hearing his letter to El, you belong in the Upside Down.) Instead, Hopper spends the entire season angry, jealous, and threatening. Sure, some of his reactions are natural human reactions, and the series is set in the ‘80s, but that’s no excuse.
It’s evident that Hopper just wants to move on from the events of Hawkins past, but that’s easier said than done. Joyce is still mourning the loss of Bob, and she doesn’t feel safe. I don’t know anyone who would blame her for that. Nevertheless, Hopper persists for dinner.
Underneath it all, Hopper has proved to be a good guy with a heart of gold who will do anything to protect those he cares about, but let’s face it, he basically wears Joyce down. Based on how far Hopper has come, this seemed out of character. Hopper kept asking, but after a while, it would have felt more natural to the role if he would've backed off and found another way to be there for and grow closer to Joyce. He'd be hurt, but he'd put on a brave face for her. They’d get caught up in the mayhem that follows some other way. Some viewers will argue that he just wanted a friends dinner, but we all know that’s not true.
After Joyce stands him up, his reactions toward her from then on all attempted to play into the “lovers quarrel” as Murray so eloquently put it. The audience is just meant to accept this angry “will they, won’t they” vibe the entire season and it’s exhausting. Hopper and Joyce deserved better. Stranger Things does follow a huge ensemble cast, each character playing a pivotal role in the story, but it seemed like Hopper’s character may have gotten the short end of the stick this season focusing more on brute comedy than anything else.
This frustration doesn’t mean the ending doesn’t crush our souls. Losing Hopper hurts like Hell. He’s still a fan favorite. There’s hope that Hopper escaped through the Upside Down and landed in mother Russia, but many also speculate that he’s gone for good. If Hopper is truly gone, it wouldn't be a surprise. Like many of the other wonderful actors associated with the show, David Harbour’s career has skyrocketed since season one. It would make sense if he were ready to move on, although I hope this isn’t true. The show has yet to be officially renewed by Netflix, but season four could potentially begin filming in October according to Production Weekly with other sources speculating that it will be the series’ last, not including spin-offs.
If Hopper returns, hopefully, he gets a little more love character-wise. Despite season three’s portrayal, Hopper isn't just some toxic caveman from the ‘80s; there's more depth under that beard and badge.
About the Author
Deanna Gomez is a lecturer at California State University Fullerton and Editor in Chief of the WODC blog. She helms the Spooky Bitches horror column and is host of The Spooky Bitches Podcast.