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What tends to really hook Stranger Things fans is the performances. Aside from the suspense, music, references, and general '80s feel, that is. Each of the actors absolutely dedicates themselves to their characters, even when there are plotholes or their dialogue isn't always as smooth as it could be. They make the show believable and resonate emotionally.
While Millie Bobby Brown has tended to be the standout performer on the Netflix show (although lately, Sadie Sink has stolen the show thanks to her epic and heartbreaking Season Four arc) every character gets their moment in the sun.
With the exception of Mike and Nancy's dad...
Ted Wheeler has been sidelined since the beginning of the show, despite having some of the best one-liners and facial expressions. Perhaps this is the point. He's supposed to be distant and disconnected. But fans online believe there's something more going on. And actor Joe Chrest seemed to back up this conspiracy theory during an interview with Devon Ivie at Vulture. Here's what he had to say...
Who Is Mike's Dad On Stranger Things?
On top of being an adjunct professor, Joe Chrest is a well-known character actor who has appeared in projects such as True Detective, One Tree Hill, Deadwood, Law & Order, Assassination Nation, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Oldboy, The Butler, and 21 and 22 Jump Street. But there's no doubt that he's best-known for playing Mike and Nancy's disinterested, lazy, and crusty father, Ted Wheeler.
Many viewers see Ted as the quintessential '80s father. Equally apathetic and clueless with less than a dime's worth of interest in his kids. But during his interview with Vulture, Joe explained that he sees Ted differently.
"It’s interesting because when we first started out — and I still contend this — I feel like … if you remember Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the vixen, Jessica Rabbit, is like, 'I’m not bad; I’m just drawn that way.' Ted is like that. Even though there wasn’t a lot there for Ted, he’s a loving dad," Joe said. "Like a lot of dads I saw while my kids were growing up, they focus on being providers. They think that’s more important than their time. When we see Ted, he’s wiped out from work. I never approach it like he doesn’t care."
Why Is Ted Wheeler's Role So Small?
The Duffer Brothers haven't said a lot about why they've seemingly underwritten Ted Wheeler, but Joe Chrest believes most of the adult characters are in a similar position.
"As the stories veered away from Hawkins and the kids growing up, it’s difficult to also incorporate the adults," Joe said to Vulture. "Karen, who was a lot more involved in the first few seasons, has tapered off. With season four, there are so many stories to tell. If you start veering toward the parent lanes, you get taken off the story. But in season one in particular, I got so many letters. I started doing Cameo for fun, and so many people have responded to Ted. Dads in particular. They gravitate toward that 'What did I doooo?' line. I’m told, 'That’s how I always feel: What the hell did I do?'".
The Inspiration For Ted Wheeler On Stranger Things
While some online believe that Ted was modeled after the Duffer Brothers' own father, Joe doesn't believe this is accurate.
"From what I understand, they had a really good father," Joe explained. "When you look at the Spielberg movies, like E.T., or Disney movies through the years, something always happens to the mother. Ted was more an homage to the ’80s movies where the dad isn’t there much for one reason or another. The Goonies, for instance — I think that was the Duffers’ inspiration more than anything else. They’re Ted fans. They love writing his lines. I’ll be asked for input a lot of times: 'What do you think Ted would say here?' That’s always fun."
Is Mike And Nancy's Dad Secretly Part Of The CIA?
The big online conspiracy theory is that Ted Wheeler is secretly part of the CIA, observing what's going on in Hawkins and with his kids. This is what Joe Chrest has said about the theory:
"A lot of the cast, pretty much from season two, have been encouraging the Duffers to get Ted more active in the show. The speculation is that he’s with the CIA — is he part of it? Will it merge with the story? I’m very curious about that. With season five, I’d like to see, as would a lot of us, more of Ted. But as the show has progressed, I’m starting to feel like we’re not going to see that. There’s so many stories to tell right now that need to be tied up. It doesn’t seem like there’s room for a Karen-and-Ted story."