In a tiny podunk town like Hawkins, Indiana, it seems pretty safe to assume that the dating pool is going to be extremely limited. But since Hawkins is not the average Midwestern town that it seems to be on the surface, there are actually more diverse dating options than anyone might expect.
However, those broader options leave the opening for possibilities that are both better and worse than average. So in the world of Stranger Things, which male characters would make the best boyfriends, and which would make the worst?
Best: Sam Owens
Although Sam Owens didn't make the best first impression and it seemed like he might have just been another Martin Brenner, as everyone in the Stranger Things world got to know him better, it became apparent that he actually is generally trying to do the right thing.
He's clearly a bit shady, but he's a good combination of practicality and good-heartedness. Plus, having an in with him in Hawkins would likely come in handy.
Worst: Mayor Kline
Even just by looking at him, it should be apparent that Larry Kline is quite the slimy little sleaze. But his willingness to sell out his town for his own benefit has literally cost hundreds of lives, and his support of the Starcourt Mall essentially destroyed what used to be the small and quaint town of Hawkins.
His best moment in the series so far has been Jim beating the tar out of him, and that says enough.
Best: Jonathan Byers
Jonathan Byers might seem like a slightly creepy and weird loner on the surface, but he is obviously a very caring and sensitive person who would do anything for the people that he loves.
In a big way, he's the glue that holds his entire family together, and while he's not always the perfect boyfriend to Nancy, he does his best and admits it when he makes mistakes.
Worst: Lonnie Byers
Thankfully the apple can fall very far from the tree, because while Jonathan and Will are both wonderful boys, their father is a damn nightmare.
Lonnie is a drunken slob and a deadbeat dad, and not only does he not even seem to care when one of his sons seems to be dead, he literally only comes home because he's looking for some kind of payday out of Will's wrongful death.
Best: Steve Harrington
At the start of the series, it seemed like Steve Harrington was just another self-absorbed, arrogant jock. But after doing his best impression of James Spader in any 80's movie, he realized that he actually didn't like behaving that way, and did everything that he could to change.
He's an excellent caretaker and a loyal friend, and the next girl to land him will be lucky to have him.
Worst: Ted Wheeler
Although there is absolutely no excuse for the fact that Karen Wheeler was considering literally cheating on her husband with a boy who is the same age as her daughter, it's not super shocking that she was so drawn in by Billy when Ted is her husband.
Ted somehow manages to be an absent father despite the fact that his family is still together, and his lack of interest in his wife and kids is incredibly off putting.
Best: Jim Hopper
Jim Hopper is a bit of a mess at the beginning of Stranger Things, but he's clearly a good man with a good heart, and he's pretty clever and pretty brave too.
He's a great cop, a good friend, and a really loving parent, and he will undoubtedly make Joyce Byers very happy whenever they inevitably wind up becoming a real couple.
Worst: Billy Hargrove
It seems like every female in Hawkins under the age of 75 is interested in spending their time gawking at Billy (and actually hooking up with him if they have the opportunity to), despite the fact that his personality is more than a little flawed.
He's the hottest guy in town and he knows it, which is exactly why would make such a terrible boyfriend (although he'd never agree to be anyone's boyfriend to begin with).
Best: Bob Newby
Unfortunately for every other man in Hawkins, Bob Newby set the bar impossibly high when it comes to good boyfriends. And unfortunately for Bob Newby, he set that bar so high by literally sacrificing his life for his girlfriend, her children, and her friends.
Bob really lived up to the superhero title that he always wanted, and it's a shame that he couldn't survive long enough to live the life he truly wanted.
Worst: Martin Brenner
Frankly, even the Demogorgon seems like a more appealing dating option than Martin Brenner. It's not surprising that he stole a bunch of children and raised them as his own army of superhuman weirdos, since there is no way that any sane woman on earth would get past date three with this creep.
He always acts like he's doing a very poor impersonation of a real human being, and any real human beings would be put off by him.