Stranger Things is full of clever callbacks and foreshadowing, but few viewers noticed the subtle season 1 origin of Hopper’s open-door policy in season 3. Specifically, that relates to the moment that Hopper demands that Eleven keep her bedroom door open a few inches whenever she’s alone with her boyfriend so the cop turned father-figure can keep an eye on them. It’s a reasonable rule (even if Hopper is out of line elsewhere in season 3), but not everyone caught its heartwarming origins.

A huge hit for streaming platform Netflix, Stranger Things is a unique fusion of sci-fi, horror, and coming-of-age dramedy that combines propulsive action with ’80s nostalgia. This has thus far proven a winning formula, with Stranger Things winning critical and audience acclaim alike. Although the show’s stars started as small kids in season 1, by Stranger Things’ season 3 the teen protagonists are old enough for heroine Eleven’s beleaguered guardian Detective Hopper to enforce the rule regarding her burgeoning romantic relationship with Mike.

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This stricter, more stern version of the detective is part of Hopper’s divisive season 3 character shift, which annoyed fans who felt the more belligerent and angry Hopper didn’t fit with his characterization in earlier seasons of Stranger Things. But despite the character’s changes, his open-door policy actually has its well-hidden anchors way back in the early days of Stranger Things season 1. In an early episode of season 1, it’s Eleven who asks her future boyfriend Mike to leave the bathroom door open a few inches, because she’s scared and needs the security. It’s a neat tie-in to Hopper’s eventual 3 inches rule, with season 3’s more mature Eleven always attempting to shut the door and get some privacy when she’s with Mike as she no longer feels the need for protection, even though season 3 proves there’s still plenty to fear in Hawkins, Indiana.

Stranger Things has lots of smart foreshadowing dotted throughout its 3 seasons, which provide necessary character continuity on a show whose seasons vary in tone and style. While the show’s treatment of Hopper may be rightly criticized for its inconsistency, El has been a reliably consistent character throughout the 3 seasons, and her tearful reaction to season 3’s heartwarming letter from Hopper during the season’s closing scenes proves that the scared little kid of season 1 is still at the heart of the tougher, more worldly season 3 El.

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Stranger Things season 1 may be a more small-scale series than the flashy and over-the-top season 3, but clever callbacks like the origin of the open door rule provide a much-needed bridge between the early years of Mike, El, and co and their more grown-up (and bigger budget) adventures in season 3. Despite the effects-heavy action, Stranger Things’ cast is what brings viewers back again and again, and ensuring this sort of consistency from their characters helps improve the chemistry between Mike, El, Hopper, and the rest of the multi-generation ensemble. Of course, not all of Stranger Things’ characters are as consistent as El, with Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship being ruined by season 3 (and needing a serious fix in the upcoming season 4) but with more to come in this universe, there has to be some hope that it’s all fixed before the end comes.

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About The Author


Cathal Gunning
(1448 Articles Published)

Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies and TV online since 2020. His obsessions include The Simpsons, Stephen King, the Scream series, and the horror genre in general. He has spent more time thinking about Stranger Things than the writers of Stranger Things, and he has never seen a Star War.

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