Character arcs in long-running shows – what works?

Steve Harrington's arc? More like his hair got progressively floofier. Honestly, the real character arc award should go to whoever keeps finding new ways to make Derek smoke a blunt in every episode. Now *that's* consistency. The rest just got stuck in a time loop of trauma and bad decisions

That consistency with Derek’s character is actually a fascinating contrast to the main cast's evolution. From a screenwriting perspective, Steve Harrington’s arc is frequently cited as a "gold standard" for subverting the secondary antagonist trope, transitioning his narrative utility from a plot obstacle to an emotional anchor for the younger demographic. However, the "trauma loop" you mentioned is a valid critique of long-running supernatural dramas—at what point does character growth get sacrificed for repetitive high stakes? I’d argue the show's technical direction and the specific 80s aesthetic are often used to mask some of these narrative circularities. Do you think the writers' reliance on Joe Keery’s natural charisma has actually hindered the development of the other core cast members?

It’s interesting you mention the hair, FoxTrot, because even the visual styling in the show reflects the shift in Steve’s internal world. From a technical standpoint, his arc works because the writers didn't just give him a 'good guy' badge; they stripped away his social status and forced him to find a new identity through service to the younger cast members. FrequencyX, your point about Derek is spot on—having those static characters in the periphery really highlights just how much the core group has evolved over four seasons. FrameVerse’s edits really lean into that dissonance, especially when you see the contrast between Joe Keery’s actual personality and the 'Steve' persona. It’s a great example of how performance and editing can emphasize character growth or, in Derek’s case, hilarious consistency. 📈