In its first two seasons, Stranger Things was the opposite of brazenly vague with its biggest pop culture influences, to the point where Hawkins' youngest heroes actually dressed up as the Ghostbusters in Season 2. But while we can definitely expect to see the '80s horror vibes in full effect for Season 3, fan-friendly star David Harbour revealed creators Matt and Ross Duffer found new inspiration in an unexpected place: Chevy Chase's 1985 comedy Fletch. Sayeth Harbour:
The Duffers are so specific each year with the movies. And Fletch is one movie we get to play around and have some fun with this season, which you wouldn't expect from Stranger Things and you wouldn't expect from the Spielberg universe, and you certainly wouldn't expect from a darker season.
Even though David Harbour is now supposed to be keeping a tight lip on Stranger Things' upcoming seasons, the actor can't help but give the show's fanbase a random new morsel or two almost every time he gives an interview. In this case, it's not so much a particular plot point that he's giving away as it is a sense of tone, and one that should possibly get used in small reserves, considering Fletch and Stranger Things aren't the most complementary projects.
The theory-avoiding Duffer brothers bringing Fletch into the mix hopefully means we'll get to see David Harbour's Sheriff Hopper getting a new case that involves him dressing up and pretending to be a bunch of different people to make progress. Or maybe his new romance could have some of those farcical elements going for it. But considering it would be hard for Hopper to go undercover with that mustache, and since Chevy Chase's Irwin Fletcher was a reporter and not a cop, the Fletch angle probably lies in the introduction of the Hawkins Post journalist Bruce, set to be played by Jake Busey. Not much is known about Bruce just yet, but he's said to have loose morals and a twisted sense of humor, so perhaps Busey will be an amiable beach junkie at some point.
And hey, Stranger Things can already boast such stars from the '80s as Winona Ryder, Sean Astin, Paul Reiser and Season 3's other new actor Cary Elwes, so this show is probably the perfect place for Chevy Chase to return to TV stardom following his awkward exit from Community. But only for the darker stuff, and not the Fletch stuff.
Incidentally, I wonder if Season 3 would have been the same if that Fletch reboot with Jason Sudeikis had actually happened a few years ago. I'll ponder that while waiting for Stranger Things Season 3, which is set to show up on Netflix in Summer 2019, which feels like eons from now. Our fall premiere schedule should give you more than enough new and returning shows to watch in the meantime, though.
