As a huge Stranger Things fan, I’m getting seriously excited – the final season is almost here! The first four episodes drop on Netflix on November 26, 2025. Everything I’ve seen suggests things are really escalating, with the Upside Down starting to bleed into our world, and it looks like the Wheeler house is right in the danger zone. It’s funny, Ted Wheeler has somehow remained pretty clueless about all the supernatural stuff his kids are involved in. I recently read an interview with Joe Chrest, who plays Ted, and he actually makes a good case for Ted being a better dad than a lot of people think!
Throughout much of the show, Ted hasn’t seemed very involved as a father – except for a few scenes with Holly. While this has actually benefited Nancy and Mike in their adventures, like dealing with monsters and hiding a fugitive, it’s led many fans to criticize his parenting. When I pointed out to actor Joe Chrest that Ted isn’t often seen as ‘father of the year’ in the first four seasons, he responded:
It’s surprising how many people see Ted as a bad father, because I don’t quite agree. I think he’d probably have some things he wished he’d done differently, but he reminds me of a lot of fathers I know personally. My own dad was always there for everything, but he easily could have ended up like Ted – working incredibly hard, which I think is why Ted is so often exhausted.
Many of Joe Chrest’s scenes in Stranger Things feature his character, Ted Wheeler, sleeping in his recliner—so much so that Mike even refers to it as his dad’s usual sleeping spot when showing Eleven around in season one. Chrest explains that the demanding work schedule behind the scenes might be the reason Ted is often napping, and not because he’s an uninvolved father. He added that…
He takes good care of his family. We live in a good neighborhood here in Hawkins, and they have plenty of money for things like Karen’s Jazzercise classes – they seem really comfortable.
Regardless of how Karen felt about being a stay-at-home mom in the 80s, Ted always provided for his family. Seeing things from his perspective, Mike wouldn’t have been able to hide Eleven years ago without the Wheelers’ spacious basement. And Nancy likely wouldn’t have had her own phone or the resources to buy all those guns.
Even in the fourth season, Mike’s California trip and Nancy’s plans for college likely depended on their father being financially stable. It’s important to remember there are always multiple perspectives, and I have to say Joe Chrest made some valid points about Ted’s side of things. He went on to explain:
I believe Ted is a positive role model for fathers, and I often receive messages saying that watching the show helps families bond. People genuinely like Ted, and it often gets fathers interested in spending time with their kids. They see him as a relatable figure. There’s a moment from the first season where my character asks, ‘What did I do?’ and everyone leaves me at the table. A lot of fathers have told me that scene perfectly captures how they feel, like they’re constantly being overlooked.
Ted’s clueless question, “What’d I do?” during the dinner scene is one of the show’s most memorable moments, especially with his family members angrily leaving him while he calmly eats his chicken. Actor Joe Chrest also noted that it’s important not to be overly involved in your children’s lives, and Ted isn’t to blame for Mike and Nancy keeping secrets about what happened in the Upside Down. Chrest also mentioned that Ted is more engaged with his daughter Holly, who will have a bigger part in Season 5, played by Nell Fisher from Evil Dead Rise.
Joe Chrest hasn’t revealed any spoilers about what will happen to Ted in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. However, a key part of the story seems to revolve around a frightening situation at the Wheeler house, where Karen and Holly are seen hiding in a bathtub in the trailer. You can find out what happens when Volume 1 of Season 5 premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, November 26th at 8 p.m. ET. Volume 2 will be released on Christmas Day, and the series will conclude with the finale on New Year’s Eve.
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2025-11-20 08:08