Why Steve Harrington is the real MVP in Stranger Things 2
spoilers ahead
By now [hopefully] we’ve all binged Stranger Things 2. And if you haven’t… well, what are you doing with your life?!
As excited as I was for season 2, I was honestly also a little worried about how the next installment of 9 episodes would pan out. With a show as good as Stranger Things, it’s hard to one up the pilot season no matter how hard you try. I actually really appreciate miniseries because of how succinct they are in that the writers want to tell a specific story in a set amount of episodes; no more no less. There is no added fluff and no need to keep the show going simply because of the hype (cue: The Night Of and Big Little Lies; both two amazing miniseries’ which blew me out of the water in every regard). End tangent.
That being said, Stranger Things ended things a little open-ended (ok, very open-ended). And while I definitely could have done with season 1 being the entire series, I was ecstatic when I heard it was coming back for another installment.
I dressed up as Eleven for Halloween last year; the same day it was announced that season 2 was coming out on Halloween 2017, so it made for an epic day in my world. It’s been so amazing to see the hype surrounding the release last week and how much the fan base for this show has grown in the past year.
As I binged season 2, I was immediately grinning from ear to ear with the epic 80’s references, perfect music choices, captivating color grading of the camera edits, and of course, Sean Astin (MIKEY’S BACK!). Overall, the new additions to the cast were phenomenal. At first I was a little overprotective over Eleven and felt like adding Max to the “party” was in part trying to replace her; but then grew to appreciate her. And of course… Billy. WOW. I’ll be 100% honest and admit, that first shot of him pulling up in his car with Max initially drew me in because he’s obviously gorgeous. I thought he’d suffice as some new eye candy for the season for those of us who love the bad boy with a vulnerable side. But then seeing his demeanor solidified as our clear-cut villain in the season took me to a whole new level of appreciating Dacre Montgomery as an actor. In press interviews, Dacre says he drew a lot of his inspiration for the character of Billy from Jack Nicholson, particularly in The Shining. This totally makes sense. I thought he did a phenomenal job acting as a character with whom you really never knew what you were gonna get next. I kept thinking, “ok is he a good guy or bad guy?!” [fun fact: did you know that scene where he grabs Max’s wrist in the car was completely improv?!]]
But that brings me to my main point in writing this which is something I think the Duffer Brothers do in a GENIUS manner. Which is their ability to showcase a main cast of 13 characters, each of whom have so much depth to them. It’s HARD to get viewers to care in depth for a lead ensemble of that many characters, but I think this is precisely why they won that specific Emmy Award last year — is because we become so invested in each of these characters as the show has progressed. You really don’t know if you should like Billy or not, which reminded me so much of Steve in season 1. Do we like him or is he the one-sided 80’s stereotype that’s just there?
As I finished “The Gate” and sat back in fulfillment at how great this show really is, I was honestly left in awe at one thing: how Steve truly is the real MVP of season 2.
Steve’s evolution from the beginning of Stranger Things has really captivated me. He went from being a pretty selfish stereotype to one of the most selfless characters on the show. When I think back to Season 1, I really didn’t even think about him much. I felt like even the other minor characters overrode him (like Joyce or even Mr. Clarke lol). I was eager to see what the Duffers would do with him come Season 2 and I am left floored at how dynamic his character has proven to be. We go from someone who took joy in being a bully and really not knowing at all who he was to someone who is finally figuring out his role in all this. We all know Steve doesn’t embody the brave superhero that we might find in someone even like Nancy’s character who is fearless; but he’s coming into his own. He’s protecting the “party” — and doing a darn good job at it.
This is a true testament to Joe Keery’s acting ability of course, but I think some of the most touching scenes in the whole series for me were his exchanges with Dustin’s character. Their duo MADE season 2 for me. So unlikely, yet so perfect. Anyone else get some serious “Stand By Me” vibes from their dialogue in that train track scene? ;)
Even though he referred to himself as just the “babysitter” I felt like his role went so much deeper than that; he shed a few layers of his fake persona and gave us insight to the type of person he is; protective, kind, and a true leader. I loved watching him take the lead when it came to that junkyard scene in the abandoned bus. His banter with all the boys, particularly Dustin, was so satisfying. And of course ending the finale with that scene between the two of them in the car outside the Snow Ball. I think in some ways, Steve is to be credited with the confidence bump and empowerment we see in Dustin as he approaches the popular girls (looking so suave with that new ‘do I might add).
All in all, I think every single actor in this ensemble should win an award for their talent and drive. But I’ve got to hand it to Joe Keery and his performance throughout season 2. Steve went from being the douce bag boyfriend who didn’t really matter, to overprotective big brother/role model on a mission who we genuinely were rooting for the entire time. So thank you, Steve for being you — and for being “stealthy; like a ninja.” Cheers to next season!
