We are getting so close to the release of the premiere of Stranger Things season 2. We all have tons of questions about what is to come, but Stranger Things producer and director Shawn Levy has promised that season 2 may a new fan fave.
In an interview with Screen Rant, Levy called Sean Astin’s character, Bob Newby, the “Barb of season 2”. Bob will appear in several more episodes than Barb did (#JusticeForBarb), and will have a more involved role in the season’s main plot as the nerdy Radio Shack employee who is also dating Joyce Byers. Still, Levy called Astin’s performance magnificent, and he expects fans to latch on pretty quickly to the character.
Levy told Screen Rant, “When they [the Duffers] see what an actor is capable of, they write to that. They don’t make the actor play what’s on the page. They often change what’s on the page to exploit everything that’s unique about that actor. They did it with Steve Harrington last season and this season again and they did it big time with Sean Astin who as Bob I think is going to be a Barb level fan favorite.”
It’s good to hear Levy calling Bob a Barb-level fan fave rather than just “the new Barb”. After all, the show doesn’t really need a new Barb. We fell in love with Shannon Purser’s brilliant portrayal of Barb last season because she was so relatable, so unique, so authentic, and for a lot of us, it was like seeing ourselves onscreen. Because let’s be honest, a lot of us were (and still are) the Barbs of our friend group. So to create a character that is only meant to pander to fans would do them (and Barb) a disservice.
However, Sean Astin is a great actor, and he has no trouble playing likable characters. And with Levy’s comment on the Duffers re-writing a character to match up to what a character can do, it sounds like Bob’s character arc will be as fun to watch and as interesting as Steve’s was last season. It’s not clear if Bob will have the cult following that Barb did, but it does sound like the Duffers have created another great and exciting character that will be super fun to root for.
Season 2 doesn’t premiere until October 27, but the Stranger Things crew is doing a season 1 weekly rewatch, starting today. So you can join in on the fun and spend some time with the original Barb as we get ready for the season 2 premiere!
What do you think of the claim that we’ll love Sean Astin’s character as much as Barb? What did you find most endearing about Barb that you hope to see in Bob? Did you connect with another character more than Barb? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Feature Image: FX
Gif credit: Giphy
