Stranger Things may have ended, but its impact lives on. The iconic Netflix show closed the curtain with its final episode on 31st December 2025. To celebrate it in his own way, Brett Gelman gave his pick for the show’s best relationship, and it’s totally spot-on!
Stranger Things actor ranks the best relationship in the show
Gelman, who played the role of Murray Bauman in Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things, ranked the show’s relationships from worst to best. His ranking of the best relationship won fans’ hearts, and here’s what he had to say about it.
“Mike and Eleven, I’m going to say three. Actually, I’m going to change my mind. I’m going to say number one because without this connection, you really wouldn’t have this show.”
Both characters had an interesting buildup to their relationship. It started out with Mike protecting Eleven. The entire dynamic of these characters is endearing, and it brought back a classic trope of the slow burn.
It started with friendship, and then both of them became involved in a romantic relationship. This is also somewhat tied to Mike giving Eleven a safe space, all this while. He reintroduced the entire concept of togetherness and love to Eleven by including her in his family.
Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max provide a nurturing space for Eleven. It helps her heal from her past wounds and aids her growth as a character.
Gelman ranked Joyce and Hopper in the second spot. “Both of these characters are so lonely. They’ve been through so much. So not only do we see that love for each other from the beginning, but we knew how much they were going to provide for each other.”
Hopper lost his daughter Sara to cancer when she was merely 7 years old. Joyce almost lost Will because of the incidents in Upside Down. Together, they brave the events in the series and are able to face any threats.
All in all, Gelman’s ranking of these pairs from the show is quite apt!
You may also like:
Joe Keery finally addresses ‘Conformity Gate’ theory and fake Stranger Things ending
