Sorry, I also saw the Hopper video and the guy isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. He doesn’t take into account the context of his relationship with Joyce: they know each other very well, Joyce isn’t going to be pushed around and Hopper knows it. He probably admires her for that and knows he can’t force her to do anything. As for the date, Joyce didn’t have to apologize but she knew what Hopper had in mind and that she hurt him.
I don't accept that framing.
If you care about someone's feelings (like Hopper in season 1 and 2) and knows they might be sensitive to being called crazy or feeling invalidated, why would you repeatedly call them crazy? Hopper tried so hard in the first 2 seasons not to make Joyce feel like she was crazy. Even when all the evidence was against her and she was acting crazy, Hopper still tried to assure her she wasn't. Now all the sudden he spits out "pot calling the kettle black" when Joyce is uncomfortable with Murray's eccentism? He just held them all at gun point of course she's concerned and Hopper then implies she's as crazy as he is?
Why couldnt they write Hopper with more complex feelings? Surely he still feels bad about Bob too, right? We could've had an interesting dynamic of Hopper wanting to flirt with Joyce or ask her out, but he always stops himself and excuses himself not knowing if she's ready to move on and he pouts about it to himself. We could've had Joyce anticipating mutliple times that Hopper would ask her out and she's preparing herself to let him down easy, but then he never asks her and she starts getting a little frustrated because she realizes she does kinda want him to ask her out and is sitting on the edge waiting for him to just spit it out. Then, all their bickering would just be hits on each other like,
"Well, maybe if you spoke a little bit cleared I wouldn't be so confused right now."
"If I spoke a little clearer huh? Is that all it takes?"
"Yeah. Maybe you should just spit it out already. how about that?"
"Nah. I don't think you really want to hear what I have to say."
"Well maybe I do???"
That's actual sexual tension right there.
Do you really think Hopper believes Mike, a 14 year old boy, can hold his own against a grown man threatening him in a locked car? What reason was there for Hopper to be so upset with Mike in the first place? I was fine with the "overprotective dad" trope, but not the "I'm going to kill my daughter's boyfriend" shit. Why take it that far?
Why couldn't they simply write Hopper feeling lonely and complaining that El won't play board games with him anymore because she's hanging out with Mike too much? That's so childish, but also kinda sweet and doesn't play into this... Weird ... Macho "I PROTECT DAUGHTER WITH VIOLENCE" crap.
Why couldn't they have let Mike actually ness up with El without Hopper's interference? Hopper could be just as happy about it and not come off as a jackass and Mike would have something he actually needed to apologize for from the getgo.
The guy is right. Hopper's character was supposed to be nostalgic and that's fine and all, but it was a little TOO nostalgic. They modernized the "tough bickering guy" much better in season 1 and season 2.
And I don't get it because I kind of like Hopper. Season 1 and 2 Hopper isn't perfect, but you can so clearly see he's trying to return to a kinder open person and support and protect all the people who rely on him. He's gruff, buts he's never been... Like this. All the development from season 1 and 2 is gone.
