Stranger Things producer says more Dad Steve coming in season 3

Making all our wishes come true, Stranger Things’ executive producer Shawn Levy promises more of our favorite babysitter Steve Harrington in season 3.

Since the very first season, Joe Keery continues to surprise audiences for his sensitive and nuanced portrayal of Steve Harrington in Stranger Things. Though he began the series as the arrogant boyfriend of Nancy, he quickly evolved into the apologetic and concerned boyfriend by season’s end.

In season 2, he continued to subvert so many of our expectations. Eventually, he became the breakout hit of the series as what the internet apparently refers to as “Dad Steve.” Of course, he earned the title. Moreover, many consider him one of the best parental figures right after Winona Ryder’s own Joyce Byers. Because, if you think about it, Steve did a lot in just a few short episodes.

Moving forward, we remain hopeful that this will continue in Stranger Things season 3. Specifically, we look forward to stronger character moments in the future just as much as we want to unlock the secrets of the Upside Down.

Thanks to a new interview with Vanity Fair, Stranger Things‘ executive producer Shawn Levy admitted that the show “stumbled onto a gold mine with Dad Steve.”

He also added, “We’ll definitely get to see some more of Steve Harrington in season 3, and I’ll just say we won’t be abandoning the Dad Steve magic.”

Part of what makes Steve so compelling is that he really has no reason to hang around the children.

Just out of compassion, he took Dustin under his wing and shared his secret hair routine. He threw a hand towel over his shoulder and took a nasty beating from Billy for all the kids. Plus, even afterward, he stayed with them and did his best to protect them from danger as they went underground.

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Admittedly, his “act like you don’t care” love advice is questionable. But it’s also a reminder that Steve is still a teenager himself, and further, doesn’t really need to be there. He simply chooses to be.

So, thank you, Stranger Things for recognizing how awesome he is and planning to give us more.