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Netflix knew how to pull the curtains with Stranger Things, and it knew where to keep secrets safe. You see, way back in Season 1, when everyone watched the Byers family fight for Will, their father, Lonnie, seemed to float around like a ghost from the past. He showed up not for love but for attention and a little money from his son’s disappearance. Jonathan hated him, Joyce had already kicked him out, and Will never really had a father to begin with. Then he walked away from Hawkins and never returned on screen.
The Kids Stole The Spotlight & The Adults Lost Their Storylines
Now, years later, Ross Partridge (the man behind Lonnie Byers) finally opened the door on what really happened. He said the early scripts gave more weight to the adult characters, where Lonnie, Joyce, and Hopper all had deeper layers. There were plans, nuance, and adult emotions waiting to be explored. However, something happened on the way to filming. The kids became magic and were like something born right out of a Spielberg painting. As a result, when the kids started owning the screen, the adults were gently pushed to the side.
Lonnie’s Character Had Unseen Depth That Was Never Explored
According to Netflix Junkie, Partridge explained that there was much more weight to Lonnie. He had his own history and thoughts, but the show never explored them. Meanwhile, Joyce started fighting the monsters, while Hopper became the grumpy hero with a soft heart, and as we now know, the kids became the pulse of the whole show.
