The Stranger Things series has many references to the films and pop culture of the 80s. The works of Steven Spielberg and the horror movie style of John Carpenter, alongside Stephen King's storytelling, were pretty common throughout the show. Recently, however, David Harbour (the actor playing Jim Hopper) revealed there was another source that greatly influenced the character of Hopper, the 1985 comedy-thriller film Fletch starring Chevy Chase.David Harbour makes some excellent points as to why he and the Duffer Brothers created such a different/unique character for Hopper from this film. This gives the viewers an excellent view into how influential the film was on the creation of Hopper's character.According to David Harbour's interview with Variety, he said the Duffer Brothers use a specific movie as a reference point when they create the tone of a particular season of Stranger Things. In the case of Season 3, they based the tone of Stranger Things on the movie Fletch, starring Chevy Chase. He explained that Hopper is a lot like the Chevy Chase character in that they both have quick wits, humour, and confidence. These characteristics have been taken from this influence and moulded into the way Hopper has developed and been portrayed in Season 3 of Stranger Things.This does not mean Hopper is simply a clone of Chase's character; rather, elements from Fletch aided in providing the Stranger Things writers with inspiration for the way Hopper responds during certain moments within the story. The writers intended for the character to be rough around the edges and provide comic relief at the worst times, as well as being brave even when things were at their most difficult. In Season 3, Hopper displays a sense of humour combined with a sense of adventure, which many fans have commented resembles the tone and style of Fletch.The main source of this connection is David Harbour, who has spoken about how the Duffers use pop culture to guide the feel of the show. Harbour said Fletch was part of the list of movies they used while building Stranger Things Season 3. That season had a lighter, more playful side even as it faced new dangers. The influence of a comedy like Fletch helped balance the scary parts of the story.How are Fletch and Hopper from Stranger Things connected?The 1985 film Fletch stars Chevy Chase as an undercover reporter. He plays a character who is intellectual, has a sense of sarcasm and can always talk himself out of dangerous situations by making a joke. The film mixes humour with mystery and allows the main character to always remain calm, regardless of any problems he gets into throughout the movie.As per Harbour, the Duffers preferred how Chase's character would react to challenges in life. They wanted Hopper to represent some of that same style. For Season 3 of Stranger Things, Hopper did not always represent the role of the calm and collected sheriff, but instead, he was willing to take chances and make jokes as he faced challenges, and also forcefully barged into situations he was not fully prepared for. This is represented in a way by Chase's delivery of a performance in Fletch; Chase creates a character that always appears emotionally prepared for anything, despite things going awry around him. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe Duffers did not copy ideas directly from Fletch, but they used the movie's tone as a kind of guide. Harbour has said that the show uses a list of films each season to decide the feel of the story. For Stranger Things Season 3, they picked Fletch precisely because it offered a mix of comedy and clever danger that could work well with Hopper’s storyline in Hawkins.Season 3 shows Hopper doing things that he might not have done in earlier seasons. He is braver, more forceful, and much more willing to take the lead. That season also gave him several funny moments. These moments were part of the creative choice, influenced by the kind of humour that Fletch brought to the screen.Why did the Duffer Brothers use this influence in Stranger Things?The Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things, have also touched on many different aspects of 1980s pop culture for inspiration. Some of these influences are the blockbuster films such as ET, The Goonies, and Aliens and many others, along with the various horror films and classic science fiction. However, many of the filmmakers have selected some of the lesser-known films in order to create a new and different feel for each of the seasons. In Season 3, the tone of the story is consistent with Hopper's storyline, which at times is heavily infused with tension, while at other times has a very lighthearted feel to it. Fletch helped to create this balance.In addition to the various visual and story details that fans have noted, some have also pointed to the other subtle references that have been made in Stranger Things Season 3 that include the use of 1980s films as part of the series' world. One such reference was the showing of the Fletch film on the marquee of the Starcourt Mall movie theatre. This detail is most likely a nod to the impact that this particular film had on establishing the tone of the third season.The combination of humour and danger is what contributed to Hopper's popularity as a character. Despite the dark areas of the narrative, Hopper added levity to the scene through comedy. This duality, in part, accounts for why Hopper is so beloved among fans of the series. While many factors contributed to the creation of the series, Fletch's influence on the way that Hopper has been portrayed by the writers of the show was significant.