Evan Rachel Wood Sparks Debate Whether or Not Hopper in 'Stranger Things' Season 3 is Problematic

Stranger Things Season 3 premiered last week to mostly positive reviews, with critics and fans praising the new developments in the series’ plot and characters. The changes in the character of Jim Hopper (David Harbour), however, have attracted some notable criticism--namely from actress Evan Rachel Wood, who generated a debate over whether or not the character acted in a problematic manner.

According to IndieWire, Wood tweeted this week urging her followers to "never date a guy" like him. In subsequent tweets, she criticized the character’s behavior in relation to potential romantic interest Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), saying that the Hopper “yelled and got in her face about while policing every guy she spoke to.”

Though some users responded negatively to Wood’s assessment of Hopper, the Westworld actress shot back that the character’s behavior would have been unacceptable even during the 1980s, the period in which Stranger Things is set, and that fans should not think that such behavior is acceptable in the real world. “This is a gentle reminder not to fall for this crap in real life,” she said. “Red flags galore.”

Hopper’s behavior has been criticized by a number of other sources beyond Wood. IndieWire’s review, for example, expressed frustration with the character’s conduct in Season 3, saying that “His behavior calls to mind sexist double standards, if not overtly reinforcing them.”

If you ask us, there’s plenty of truth to what Wood is saying--regardless of whether or not you think the show was endorsing Hopper’s actions, it’s always important to remember that his behavior isn’t acceptable in real-life relationships. We’ll continue contemplating it as we rewatch Stranger Things, which is currently streaming on Netflix now.