Stranger Things remains one of Netflix's most popular and successful shows. The show's momentum remains as it broke a Netflix viewership record in the first several days of the season 3 release.
Part of Stranger Things' massive popularity and success is how it's a cross-genre show that appeals to a wide variety of audiences. One of those appealing elements is definitely the romance. As audiences watch the kids grow up, they get to watch them navigating the awkward and adorable road of first romances. There's certainly romance in some of the adult characters' storylines as well. Many of the characters have expressed their romantic feelings in a unique range of ways, with many of the best moments culminating in season 3.
Start listening to your favorite 80's love song as we explore the 10 most romantic moments on Stranger Things, ranked.
Lucas Opens Up To Max
Telling the truth can be one of the most romantic things a person can do. In the arcade when Lucas told Max everything that transpired a year earlier with Eleven and the Upside Down, he proved how deeply he trusted Max and how he wanted to share his life with her. Considering how crazy his story sounded at first, Max didn't initially believe him.
Once she realized Lucas was completely serious, it began to dawn on Max how much he'd risked by telling her the truth. She still needed proof of his story, but it was the moment where Lucas made himself vulnerable to genuinely open up to Max and how he wanted to make her part of his life.
Bob And Joyce Dancing
Sometimes it's the small and sweet moments that prove the most romantic. Joyce Byers and Bob Newby shared such a moment early in season 2 as they danced together on the night of Halloween. Bob helped Joyce relax and enjoy their time together. He briefly spoke of them moving out of Hawkins with Joyce's sons and getting a fresh start in a new town.
Joyce didn't embrace the idea, and Bob didn't pursue it any further, instead just focusing on simply enjoying their dance together. Before all the craziness of season 2 ensued, it was nice to see a moment that perfectly captured the lovely dynamic between Joyce and Bob, a couple that complemented each other so well.
Max Opens Up To Lucas
On top of a junkyard bus and before the Demodogs appeared, Max opened up to Lucas for a moment without sarcasm and skepticism. She shared the details about the difficult family life that brought her to Hawkins and how this continued to take a heavy toll on her. She explained that because of this she can be angry and sometimes feel like a jerk, but she doesn't want to ever be anything like her stepbrother Billy.
RELATED: Stranger Things: 6 Best (& 4 Worst) Friendships
Lucas listening to who she really is, assuring her she's nothing like Billy and saying all the things he likes about her shows how much he likes and respects her. Following that up with making one another laugh showed that they're meant for one another, a couple that can be honest and serious, but also silly.
Nancy And Jonathan Act On Their Feelings
In order to make Hawkins Lab pay for their crimes and bring Barb and her family the justice she deserved, Nancy and Jonathan reconnected in season 2. The romantic and sexual tension still lingered between them and sparked once again with their new mission.
That tension and the spark between them exploded when they spent the night at Murray Bauman's, where they first tried lamely convincing one another they didn't have any feelings, and seconds later acted on the feelings they'd shied away from for too long. After everything they'd been through together and how their relationship had grown, it was satisfying to see them making their romance official.
Eleven And Mike's First Kiss
A middle school boy admitting he has romantic feelings is already going to be an awkward situation. It only becomes more awkward when the person the boy is trying to admit his feelings for hasn't been exposed to things like dating or school dances.
This is what ensued when Mike tried to explain his feelings to Eleven, why he'd want to invite her to the school dance, and why she definitely shouldn't think of him as her brother. In the end, a quick first kiss between Mike and Eleven did a much better job showing those feelings, as did Eleven's reaction to the kiss which showed she felt the same way.
Bob Stepping Up To The Plate
It's easy to say you love someone, but it's a person's actions that best demonstrates those deep feelings. For Bob, such a moment came when he stepped up to the plate when the power was out in Hawkins Lab and the place was crawling with Demodogs feasting on any humans they could find. Bob volunteered to venture out into this madness in order to reset the breakers to get the power back on, and to reset the computer system so the doors could be unlocked.
Engaging in such a dangerous situation was certainly outside Bob's comfort zone, but he did it for Joyce. After successfully getting the power back on, locking the doors, and evading the Demodogs, the relief and joy that flooded that Bob's face when he saw Joyce showed how much he cared for her. Tragically that was the last moment he saw her as the Demodogs burst into the lobby and killed him. He didn't know he would die, but everything he did was out of love for Joyce.
The Snow Ball
The Snow Ball was a night filled with romantic payoff for many of Stranger Things' leading characters. After being separated for almost the entirety of season 2, Eleven and Mike were finally able to be together. They'd both matured since their first kiss at the end of season 1, yet despite these changes and their long separation their bond remained stronger than ever. For the first time they were simply able to enjoy one another, to be happy and carefree without something threatening them.
Romance also bloomed further on the dance floor between Lucas and Max. They shared their first kiss and their first dance together. Both characters like to play it cool and nonchalant, so it was quite satisfying to see them open themselves up more intimately again, a perfect follow-up to when they each opened up to one another earlier in the season.
Nancy And Jonathan's Goodbye
Nancy and Jonathan are such strong characters who've experienced an intense range of highs and lows. That made it particularly emotional to see them letting their guards down a bit and show how intimately connected they feel to one another shortly before Jonathan, his family, and Eleven completed their move out of Hawkins.
RELATED: Stranger Things: The 5 Best Moments (& 5 That Made Us Cry)
While it's goodbye for now, they recognize this is just one more challenge they have to face. Their relationship was founded on facing challenges together, and that is how their relationship will continue to grow. It's an important outlook to have but doesn't make the separation any less painful, something that felt palpable in the way they held each other and said goodbye with their last moments together in season 3.
"I Love You, Too"
Earlier in season 3 when insisting that he wanted Eleven to be safe and not unnecessarily endanger herself, Mike burst out that he loved Eleven. It wasn't clear whether she heard Mike or not at the time, but it became clear in the season finale that she had, and it was the height of awkward adorableness to watch her trying to get Mike to say those words again.
Eleven responding to Mike's nervous babbling with "I love you, too" along with the meaningful looks and kiss they shared said it all, that they both felt the same way. One of Eleven's greatest powers is actually her ability to say so much by saying so little, and this was a moment that perfectly encapsulated that, where the audience could really feel that she and Mike truly loved each other.
Dustin And Suzie's Duet
Dustin and Suzie's duet is the most unique and pure romantic moment in all of Stranger Things. With everything they've had to face, it's easy to forget that most of the show's leading characters are still kids or young adults. That sense of innocent, young love shined through as Dustin and Suzie belted out the lyrics of the "NeverEnding Story" song over their radio communication.
Despite being states apart from one another, they sang with all the enthusiasm and passion in the world. Part of what also makes the moment so magical is that it was thoroughly unexpected at such a tense point in the season 3 finale, and provided one of the show's most refreshing and memorable moments. Hopefully, there will be more to come from this delightfully quirky young couple in season 4.