'Stranger Things 2': Meet the new Barb
Listen, I'm sorry, but the cult of Barb was dumb to begin with. And then it got way out of hand (as Internet memes are wont to do).
We legitimately created Barb Obsession out of nothing, from a character which the show truly could not have cared about or developed less. Some did it out of pure identification, others to jump on the bandwagon, but most loved Barb out of pure irony.
Or, perhaps most understandably, this minor character who has literally no other purpose in the plot than to die and be mourned, was beloved for her very strong sweater game.
Regardless, Barb didn't deserve an Emmy nomination. She became the go-to character for fan service. And now Stranger Things 2 has released. And we finally have a way to make this right.
We can make the Queen known as Erica Sinclair (played by Priah Ferguson), Lucas' sister, our new obsession. She's a much-needed reality check for a bunch of preteen boys running around with a bunch of monsters. Little sisters can be annoying, but they're also kinda the best.
Here is every instance of her being incredible (aka, just about every second she's in the show).
1. She does not approve of your hipster nerd-cool culture bullshit.
Erica isn't buying it. You think your weird '80s loser throwback nostalgia is gonna pass her bullshit meter? No. Absolutely not. Why don't you try going dressed up for Halloween as something original, you sheep.
Oh and if you thought she was being harsh on Lucas here -- let's not forget she was totally right and everyone should just shut up and listen to Erica.
2. She refuses to live in your post-facts world.
We live in a time where alternate facts and fake news dominate the cultural discourse.
But not Erica. Erica's gonna hit you with the cold, hard truth no matter what. And she's not gonna dance around your male ego to do it.
3. She gets what she wants.
You people think Treat Yo Self Day is something to celebrate? Well Erica Sinclair sees your single day, and raises you the Treat Yo'self LIFESTYLE. She indulges in the wonderful syrupy joys of life without inhibition, and doesn't care if society tells her she shouldn't.
4. She speaks her damn mind and values her damn time
As a Queen, Erica's got a lot of important stuff to do. She does not have time for your code red demadog issues. She's not afraid to tell dudes to literally just shut the hell up, and stop interrupting her life.
5. She re-appropriates dude toys for fun.
That's Erica picking up Lucas' He-Man action figure. And that's Dustin desperately trying to ask a Queen to care about his pleb problems. But you know what?
Erica doesn't give a fuck.
6. Her insults are legendary.
OOF. Dustin, I think you're gonna need some aloe vera for that burn.
7. She's sex positive.
We all smashed our Barbie dolls together to make them do naughty things as kids. The difference here is that Erica is not ashamed of it. In fact, she's just mad Lucas interrupted her incredible love scene.
8. She's been doing cross-over fanfiction since before it was cool.
Who cares if they're not from the same planet, Lucas?! THEY'RE IN LOVE. Get 👏 with 👏 the 👏 program.
9. She tells it like it is.
You know the real reason why we need a hero like Erica now more than ever? Because she tells it like it is. And she does not care who's got an issue with her speaking her mind -- especially not a buncha nerds.
Also, we're pretty sure this scene shows her replacing the He-Man action figure Lucas confiscated from her love scene with a stuffed penguin.
Perfection. More Erica in Season 3, please.
Jess is an LA-based culture critic who covers intimacy in the digital age, from sex and relationship to weed and all media (tv, games, film, the web). Previously associate editor at Kill Screen, you can also find her words on Vice, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Vox, and others. She is a Brazilian-Swiss American immigrant with a love for all things weird and magical.
