10 TV Moments That Were Almost WAY Darker
9. A Douchier (And Deader) Steve - Stranger Things
Stranger Things has switched up a lot of plot plans throughout
its run, most famously saving its central star El from definitive death at the
close of its first season—and thus guaranteeing a few more seasons from the
show’s premise in the process. But one of the darkest fates for an initially
minor character was rewritten because of the actor’s popularity onset and his onscreen
charm ensured the survival of what was originally meant to be a thankless
redshirt role.
Jock/ bad boyfriend/ eventual good babysitter Steve was intended to pressure teenage protagonist Nancy into sex, only to then fall victim to the show’s main monster the Demagorgon in classic eighties slasher style. The subplot would have played out as a pretty standard horror flick set up and Steve essentially existed solely so we’d be delighted to see him eaten in short order.
However, actor Joe Keery proved so popular with the showrunners that the part was rewritten in order for Steve to subvert horror boyfriend conventions and turn into a likeable, more mature presence, with the character eventually becoming a stellar comic relief by the show’s next season.
If only poor Barb had been so lucky…