This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
Steve Harrington's Evolution in Stranger Things ¶
Published on July 10, 2019
Steve Harrington's character in Stranger Things has evolved significantly since season one, making him a standout character in the series. His transformation from a popular high school jock to a surrogate babysitter and a reformed jerk has been a consistent highlight for two seasons running.
Actor Joe Keery has tapped into something special in his portrayal of Steve, and the Duffer Brothers have clearly understood what's happened. Steve's entrance in the first episode of Stranger Things 3 is a perfect example of this, where he emerges from a sliding door to the Scoops Ahoy ice cream parlor, feeling earned.
The mere presence of the Stranger Things kids makes the passage of time clear, and Steve's relationship with them continues to be a strong aspect of his character. Since the second season's debut, Steve has become a major meme in the Stranger Things community, with a video titled 'Steve Harrington being a mom for 5 minutes straight' having over 2 million views on YouTube.
Embracing the whole 'Steve is a mom/dad/high-school-graduate-who-has-befriended-children' thing is a dangerous game for Stranger Things, but the self-awareness here fades as the season goes along. The scene where Steve tells Robin about his feelings for her is a great feat from the Duffers, who clearly know the perfect way to make this ever-evolving character tick.
From their first scene together, it's clear that Robin and Steve have an obvious chemistry between Keery and Hawke, and a clearly romantic intertwining destined to come. However, Robin reveals that she wasn't looking at Steve because she had a crush on him, but because her crush, Tami Thompson, was looking at him. Steve's reaction is priceless, and he doesn't treat Robin any differently.
