Health

‘Stranger Things’ makes David Harbour’s dad bod a meme

After three seasons, it’s clear that Netflix’s hit ’80s show “Stranger Things” knows its audience. Season 3 of the nostalgic sci-fi show leans into the fact that the internet loves David Harbour and his “dad bod.”

It all but winks at the camera.

Now, to be clear, the Emmy- and Tony-nominated actor is talented, charming, and has perhaps single-handedly brought back the “trend” of the dad bod, which a new survey suggests is more attractive to women than six-pack abs.

The internet certainly has lots of thirst for both actor and character — “Hopper Dancing” became a popular meme when Season 2 was airing. But Season 3 goes a step further and basically uses every scene he’s in just to set up memes, whether or not it makes sense for the character.

In the second episode — spoiler alert! — he gets drunk and belligerent after Joyce (Winona Ryder) stands him up on a date. After all their bonding over the previous seasons, all the trauma he knows she’s been through, it doesn’t really make sense for him to have this reaction. But it sure will make fun memes, so the show is doing it.

Halfway through the season, he changes into a Vacation Dad-looking Hawaiian shirt. Joyce even comments on it, asking what he’s wearing, and he shrugs it off — because there really is no reason he’s wearing it. It’s just for the memes.

He sings in his car. He’s shirtless more than ever. None of these things are bad. But it’s also a shame his character development has been sidelined in favor of putting him in increasingly silly circumstances and outfits, just for the memes. Both actor and character are capable of more than that.

But hey, if you’re one of the people who agrees with that survey that dad bods are more appealing than rock-hard abs — you’re in luck this season.