6 characters Stranger Things did dirty over the years

Stranger Things has given some characters amazing arcs and character development, but these six characters deserved so much better than the show gave them.

When it comes to character development and arcs, Stranger Things has a pretty solid overall track record thus far. The show has always done an amazing job of delivering character-focus storylines which have been part of the show’s perfectly crafted narrative.

From Eleven’s journey of self-discovery to Hopper growing from a gruff sheriff to a father figure and true hero, the Duffer Brothers have masterfully excelled in creating character arcs, and that character-driven focus has always set the show aside from others.  At least for the most part.

It’s more than fair to say that the show hasn’t exactly always treated all of its characters with the same equal care and attention over the years. There are a handful of characters who received the short end of the stick with their stories being mishandled and oftentimes cut short.

From unnecessary casualties to storylines that fizzled out, the characters on this list were done dirty by the show and deserved better than they received.

Barb Holland

It seems only fitting to kick off our list of characters who Stranger Things did dirty with Barb. Poor Barb was never really even given a fair shake. We barely even got to know her before her untimely demise, and then that untimely demise was followed up by the show dismissing her death so quickly that we almost got whiplash. Barb deserved better and so did we.

Bob Newby

Poor Bob, we knew you were a goner from the moment we met you and were so sorry when our fears came to fruition. Like many characters in the show introduced after the first season, Bob became an immediate fan favorite only to be killed off to help further other character’s storylines. Bob had so much more potential as a character and the decision to kill him off was abrupt and unnecessary.

Nancy Wheeler

To say the writers have done Nancy dirty over the years might be an understatement. Nancy initially was introduced as a strong-willed investigator; however, as the years have gone by, it seems that Nancy’s storyline has become more about romantic entanglements than furthering the exploration of her journalistic skills. Nancy is an absolute badass and we want to see her happy, but we also want to see her not be used just for romantic plotlines.

STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in STRANGER THINGS. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

Eddie Munson

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. A new character gets introduced, becomes a key part of the inner circle, and then meets an untimely demise to further the other character’s storylines. Sound familiar? Yep, that’s because Eddie was done dirty like the many characters before him who were introduced only to be killed off. Eddie had so much more to give and the decision to kill him off prevented the character from living up to his full potential.

Eight/Kali Prasad

Remember Eight? Don’t feel bad if you answered no, because most of us struggle to. Kali was introduced only to never be seen again which is a true shame. Yes, we get that her storyline and inclusion in season 2 was divisive but to never bring the character back into the fold again or even really mention her sans the occasional throwaway reference is such a disservice. With Eleven prepared to do battle with One in the final showdown, it seems only right to bring Eight back into the mix and make the final season a true family affair.

Will Byers

Let’s be real, for basically the entirety of the show, Will has spent his time in distress and as a victim. As a result, it feels like he’s lacked the same character growth that others have gotten over the years and he never gets to be the hero of his own story, with others always swooping in to save the day. Not only has the show made Will its constant punching bag, but there are so many times when he’s shoved into the background and overlooked. I mean, the writers even forgot Will’s birthday when crafting the story for season 4 with no mention at all of Will’s birthday.