Over the course of its supercharged reign, Netflix’s fantasy phenomenon Stranger Things has become one of the most popular shows on the streaming platform — and according to star David Harbour, who notably portrays Chief of Hawkins Jim Hopper, the sci-fi mega-hit has surpassed initial expectations. The upcoming fourth season of the series marks the first time in over three years that fans have witnessed a new season, and it’s certainly safe to say that the hype is through the roof.
While speaking with Variety, Harbour touched upon the show’s massive success, while simultaneously explaining that the response he received in the aftermath of the first season was enormous. Probably not as enormous as the show’s confirmed mammoth runtime, but still pretty big.
“I have to say, like, literally, I’ve never seen anything like it. The first weekend ‘Stranger Things’ came out on July 15, 2016… I must have gotten like 100 texts from a driver, from a high school friend. And they were all like, ‘Stranger Things! Oh my god this show Stranger Things!’ I had a big career. I’ve done a lot of stuff. And I’m, like, 40 and that’s never happened before or since. I knew at that moment that we had touched a chord in the culture in some way that I’ve never done as an artist. So I knew from very early on that it was going to be a big thing.”
Considering the popularity surrounding Stranger Things, it’s certainly no surprise to folks that several spin-off ideas are being tossed around, which star Finn Wolfhard figured out before anybody else. As for Hopper and his fate, David Harbour has already claimed that he knows how the show is going to end for every character involved.
Vol. 1 of Stranger Things 4 arrives on Netflix this Friday, May 27.