One of the undeniable TV hits of last summer was Netflix's sci-fi adventure Stranger Things. The 80's set ensemble piece quickly garnered the attention and admiration of large audiences, cementing itself as viral pop culture worthy of tons of Halloween costumes. And due to its quick renewal by the streaming service, fans have been eagerly awaiting any new information about Stranger Things' sophomore season. And luckily for us, one actor got a little chatty about his character's arc during Season 2.
The Newsroom actor David Harbour plays Hawkins Police Chief Jim Hopper on Stranger Things. He recently did an AMA on OnMogul, where he revealed how Hop will be very different than what we saw at the start of Season 1. Harbour said,
Hop starts Season 2 in a completely different place than season 1. He saved Will and has found a renewed interest in life. So his arc for season 2 in my mind becomes more about butting up against the places where his hero fantasy can't take him. The places where that hero complex may force him to make the wrong decisions. It's a satisfying, completely different journey in season 2.
Is it October yet?
David Harbour's sneak peek into Hopper's psyche truly is fascinating. Hopper is certainly one of the characters that had the biggest arc through Season 1, as he went from skeptic, to believer, to hero. But it looked like he was in some serious shit by the finale.
Because the shady folks at Hawkins Lab seem to have Hopper's hands tied. In order to get he and Joyce out of custody within the facility (and venture into the Upside Down to save Will), he gave up Eleven and the boys' location at the middle school. This judgement call got a ton of Hawkins Lab folks killed, and ultimately led to Eleven's disappearance after confronting the demogorgon.
And by the end of Season 1's finale, Hopper seems to be doing the bidding of the Lab. He brings food to that shady wooden box in the woods, as well as some Eggo's, leading to speculation about Eleven's fate. It seems like Hopper might be working off some sort of debt or blackmail, meaning the hero of Hawkins may be out of commission in the beginning of Season 2. Joyce and company are surely against the shady organization, but now their champion has been compromised.
Any speculation on my part is due to how few concrete details have been released about Stranger Things Season 2. Set a few months after the events of the first season, Season 2 will likely focus on how the residents of Hawkins are adjusting to "normal" life. Additionally, they're keeping quite a secret from the authorities (and Nancy and Mike's mom), which is probably difficult with four preteens in the mix.
Stranger Things Season 2 won't be released on Netflix until October 31st, but be sure to check our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
