I Don’t Think Stranger Things Queerbaited Me.
With that being said. This is why I didn’t like certain decisions that were made in the writing room, and during production that I find both tone deaf and disappointing. Organized by character.
Robin. I think the decisions they made for Robin this season were okay. I like Vickie. I don’t think the only queer joy we should have gotten from Robin’s perspective should have been through the lens of Vickie complaining about her BOYFRIEND. And I don’t think that scene should have been nearly the only scene of queer joy fans got to see. - I think that’s a 6/10 on the tone deaf scale.
Eddie. Eddie is not queer. I think that’s a mistake but also that’s just my opinion. The real problem here is that Eddie IS an OUTSIDER. And his entire story ends with being punished for that. People hunt Eddie for nearly the entire season. Vecna’s murders to open the gates are called the Munson Murders. The message of his entire character is: Don’t be different. Don’t be an outsider. You will die hated and be remembered not for your heart but for every voice that was louder than the truth. It was cheap. And it wasn’t as impactful as they wanted it to be. An 8/10 on the tone deaf scale.
Will. This one pisses me off. Will’s big gay crush on Mike is fine. It should have been revealed in Season 3, and he should be getting over it now. And he should have been given the opportunity to find queer joy. Also, making Will the queer kid out of the original cast makes sense, yes. But, it retroactively makes the entire first season and subsequent other seasons’ constant Will pain with very little Will happiness taste extremely sour in my mouth. Especially since the first season is now about a queer child being terrorized by monsters in what could be representative of a closet, and most of the town doesn’t miss him, or even continues to bully him in his absence. His “confession” to mike in season 4 is used as a tool to bolster and further the main heterosexual relationship between his CRUSH and SISTER figures. It inspires Mike to tell El that he loves her in the big old grand gesture style. His feelings are not used to develop his character but a relationship he is not in. And that is very uncomfortable for me as a queer person to watch. I know it wasn’t written in any mean spirited way, or with any type of malice, but it did not feel good. 10/10 on the tone deaf scale.
Did I have a good time watching? Yes.
Was I uncomfortable at every one of these instances and feel invalidated and icky? Also Yes.
It can be and IS both of those things.