Finally, some justice for Barb. When the 2017 Emmys nominations were announced on Thursday, Shannon Purser, who played Barb Holland on Stranger Things, got nominated for an Emmy Award. Purser is up for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama, and it's her first nomination. On top of that, it's a bit of a surprise. Not because Purser's not great on the show — oh, she is — but because fans have become so used to Barb getting the raw end of the deal. This time, though, everything's coming up Barb.
Purser, who now stars on Riverdale as Ethel Muggs, won over the internet with her small, but memorable role on the much-loved series that looks at the very strange things that happen to a group of kids in Indiana. And while Barb's gone — sorry, she really is, according to the Duffer Brothers — she's certainly not forgotten. This nomination proves that.
In fact, fans were so concerned about Barb's fate that the creators of Stranger Things, the Duffer Brothers, Ross and Matt, have already made it clear that yes, Barb will get justice in Season 2 even if Purser won't be on the show any longer. What this really means, though, is would be nice for the Emmys to honor Purser for such a beloved character now, because the actor won't be on the show again later.
Purser isn't the only Stranger Things cast member who could bring home the gold. David Harbour, who plays Jim Hopper, was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series. Eleven, aka Millie Bobby Brown, also got her first nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series and managed to make a little history too. At 13 years old, Brown is one of the youngest actors to ever earn a nomination.
If she wins, Brown would become the youngest person to win a primetime Emmy. The previous youngest winner was 14-year-old Roxana Zal in 1984 for the incest-themed, movie-of-the-week Something About Amelia. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "the academy has never awarded an actor under 18 a statuette for series work."
Stranger Things also earned its first Outstanding Drama Series nomination in a stacked category that includes The Crown, Better Call Saul, House Of Cards, The Handmaid's Tale, This Is Us and Westworld. What you may notice is Game Of Thrones is missing from this list; that's because it wasn't eligible for nomination this year.
But with GOT out of the running, it's anybody's guess who could take home the biggest prize of the night. Don't count out the kids of Stranger Things to end up on that stage at the end of the night. And definitely never count out Barb to steal the whole damn show. After all, she's done it before.
