This Stranger Things Favorite Has Even Less Screen Time Than You Think

Stranger Things first hit Netflix in 2016, and immediately took the internet by storm. Fans immediately got swept up in the mystery of the Upside Down, but really, the compelling cast made people feel invested in this story. The first group of characters the fans got to meet was a tight-knit group of friends, but that season, we got to see more of the extended cast, including secondary characters who would become lightning rods for the series, including Barb Holland. After her untimely end early in the show, Barb kicked off a viral campaign demanding justice for her character. Nine years later though, Barb was in the show for even less time than fans realized.

#JusticeForBarb

Barbara “Barb” Holland, played by Shannon Purser, was introduced during the Season 1 of Stranger Things. While she was undeniably Nancy’s best friend, the two had a few ups and downs, even in the limited screen time Barb received. As we all know, Barb reluctantly joined Nancy at Steve’s house, setting the scene for her end. Her death was not only tragic, but preventable, especially in the minds of all the viewers – hence a hashtag that trended for ages after that season aired, #JusticeForBarb.

It’s safe to say that fans felt strongly about Barb’s death, and those emotions bled over into how many people felt about Nancy. Nancy would go on to spend some time in Season 2 trying to make things right with Barb’s parents, but since she couldn’t tell them the truth, the whole thing felt hollow.

Part of the injustice stemmed from the town’s reaction to Barb’s story. To those on the outside, both Barb and Will went missing around the same time, in the same small town. Where the town mounted a massive search party for Will, little was done to track down Barb. Yes, the blame can be laid on Hawkins Lab, as they covered for her death by making her appear to run away. However, her parents (and Nancy) knew that this wasn’t like Barb, and nobody would hear them out. It was heartbreaking to see, not to mention incredibly frustrating.

[RELATED: 7 Best Episodes of Stranger Things Ranked]

Barb’s Total Screen Time and Impact

Here’s the thing – fans loved Barb, and one of the biggest complaints, even from the beginning, was that she didn’t get enough screen time. Many fans like that there was a lot of wasted potential in killing off Barb so early (and so cruelly). However, looking at the cold, hard facts, Barb had even less screen time than most fans realized. Throughout season one of Stranger Things, Barb was on the screen a total of six and a half minutes. To put that another way, out of the 402 minutes that make up season one, Barb’s screen time was 1.62%. A little more than a percent, and fans still fell in love with her!

Let’s add some context to Barb’s screen time by comparing her to other vital characters that likewise perished during their season. In season two, Joyce’s boyfriend, Bob, was introduced. He was not fated long for this world, though he got more screen time than Barb. In total, Bob had 23 minutes of screen time. Another example is Billy, Max’s brother, the villain of season 3, and obviously not exactly a beloved character. Still, he got a decent amount of screen time, totaling 45 minutes. His villain status probably had a lot to do with that. Finally, there’s the major heartbreak of Stranger Things season four, Eddie Munson. Fans loved him, and even though he got more screen time than Barb, it still wasn’t enough. If the producers could find a way to magically bring Eddie back, fans would accept any excuse, regardless of how thinly veiled it was. Eddie had a total of 42 minutes.

Ultimately, it’s incredibly impressive how Stranger Things consistently introduces new characters to the cast, integrating them seamlessly into the series. Each season has had a character to highlight, though it’s sad to say there’s a strong connection with tragedy for these tales. Perhaps the fifth and final season will break this curse, introducing a new friend to the cast that will miraculously walk away from it all.

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.