Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 Spin-Off Finally Solves the Steve Harrington Problem

Let’s be honest—Steve Harrington started out as the quintessential high school jerk in 'Stranger Things.' If you remember season one, you probably spent the first few episodes wondering what exactly Nancy Wheeler saw in this guy, while also secretly hoping he’d catch a demogorgon to the face.

Plot twist: Steve wasn’t even supposed to make it past season one. The Duffer brothers apparently wanted him out, figuring that a self-centered, bat-wielding pretty boy was the perfect expendable villain. But then Joe Keery happened. The guy’s an absolute charisma machine, and apparently he charmed the writers into giving Steve a shot at redemption instead of an early death.

The Steve Redemption Timeline

• Season 1: Steve starts out as the high school bully with virtually no redeeming qualities.
• Season 2: Redemption arc kicks in hard. Steve loses his cool-kid status, gets knocked down a peg, and stumbles into being Dustin’s awkwardly lovable babysitter/monster fighter. Let’s face it, their unlikely duo made both characters instantly more interesting.
• Seasons 3 & 4: Steve’s story starts losing steam. He keeps hanging around Hawkins, working retail, and still pining over Nancy. His character growth sort of flatlines—at this point, the show seems to run out of new ideas for him, and watching him regress is a little frustrating.
• Season 5: The writers finally give Steve a believable exit—he grows up, becomes a teacher and a baseball coach, and basically settles into a normal-ish life. Great ending, but it still feels like we lost the best parts of his journey along the way.

If that wasn’t rollercoaster enough, Netflix’s new animated spin-off, 'Stranger Things: Tales from '85,' finally remembers why everyone was obsessed with Steve in the first place. This show is set smack in the middle of his redemption era, right after season two and before things got weird (and kind of stale) for his character.

A Quick Look at 'Tales from '85': Fixing Past Mistakes

This animated series jumps back to the winter of 1985, only a few months after the season two finale. Steve has just finished battling the latest Hawkins horror alongside Dustin and is still riding high on the rediscovered joy of not being a jerk. They even nod to the infamous pre-dance pep talk Steve gave Dustin, which—let’s be real—was top-tier TV bromance.

When Steve shows up in 'Tales from '85,' he instantly clicks back into the sidekick role next to Dustin. Their team-up takes center stage in Chapter 4, called 'The Confession.' If you were worried about their chemistry, don’t. The episode packs in everything that made their dynamic work—laughs, danger, a gnarly monster attack, and yes, the return of Steve’s beloved spiked bat.

Not Enough Steve (Again)

Here’s the downside: Steve’s screen time is criminally short in 'Tales from '85.' The story mainly follows the younger crew—Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, Eleven, Max, plus a new character named Nikki. Big names like Hopper and Joyce are barely around. Steve does get his moment in Chapter 4, but that’s it. After that, he basically vanishes from the season, and for fans who had been longing for classic Steve, it’s kind of a letdown.

Once again, the writers seem to get what makes Steve tick, showcase it for an episode, and then set him aside. The good news? If there’s a season two of 'Tales from '85,' it’s clear Steve deserves a bigger role. His team-up with Dustin is still TV gold, and frankly, it’s something the franchise could use a lot more of.