Stranger Things 3: 11 Best Chief Hopper Moments Of The Season

After Joyce and Hopper take Russian scientist Alexei (who Hopper lovingly refers to as Smirnoff for the entire season) from a secret Russian base, they take him to the closest person to Hawkins who speaks Russian for translating purposes: Murray Bauman.

It is here that Alexei reveals to them that the Gate has been re-opened by the Russians.

How does Hopper react to this news, that all the work he and the team did in the last two seasons is being undone and that El and the rest of the gang are in mortal danger? With a sprawling monologue? With a burst of sudden outrage?

Nope. He goes straight to the kitchen, looking for whiskey. He settles for Vodka and proceeds to take two full swigs of it straight with Murray, all captured in one shot in pure silence. It's a clever and subversive piece of writing made all-the-more effective by Harbour's performance. In one shot, he's able to convey more than any string of words ever could.