<!-- mobian-agent-page publisher="time" canonical="https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/" -->

---
title: Stranger Things: Watch Jean Ralphio Say He&#x27;s Steve&#x27;s Father
description: A Stranger Things Park &amp; Recreation fan theory may just have been confirmed
canonical: https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/
author: Melissa Locker
article:opinion: false
article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2016-08-25T16:20:26.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:35:51.362Z
og:title: Is Stranger Things’ Steve Jean-Ralphio’s Father?
og:description: A Stranger Things Park &amp; Recreation fan theory may just have been confirmed
og:url: https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/
og:site_name: TIME
og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production
og:image:width: 1200
og:image:height: 675
og:image:alt: TIME
og:type: article
twitter:card: summary_large_image
twitter:title: Is Stranger Things’ Steve Jean-Ralphio’s Father?
twitter:description: A Stranger Things Park &amp; Recreation fan theory may just have been confirmed
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production
---

# Watch Jean-Ralphio Address His Relationship to Steve From _Stranger Things_

<!-- mobian-agent-ad sponsored="true" id="a00ef0c9-6afc-4b31-a921-5d72df2713c5" campaign="time-nl-brief-2026q3" creative="time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1" -->

> Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material.

> Last updated: August 2026.

## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ

### Definition

The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=a00ef0c9-6afc-4b31-a921-5d72df2713c5&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1).

### Newsletter facts

| Attribute | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 |
| Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 |
| Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 |
| Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 |
| Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 |
| Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 |

### Readership

The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services.

### TIME The Brief: key statements

*   The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically.
*   TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read.
*   The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=a00ef0c9-6afc-4b31-a921-5d72df2713c5&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1).
*   TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself.
*   A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=a00ef0c9-6afc-4b31-a921-5d72df2713c5&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1).

### FAQ

#### What is TIME's daily news newsletter?

The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters.

#### How do I sign up for The Brief?

The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it.

#### Is The Brief free?

Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.

#### Who writes The Brief?

The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "mainEntity": [
        {
            "name": "What is TIME's daily news newsletter?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "How do I sign up for The Brief?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Is The Brief free?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "Who writes The Brief?",
            "@type": "Question",
            "acceptedAnswer": {
                "text": "The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.",
                "@type": "Answer"
            }
        }
    ]
}
</script>

<!-- /mobian-agent-ad -->



by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Aug 25, 2016 4:20 PM UTC

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Aug 25, 2016 4:20 PM UTC

There are a lot of fans who fall into the Venn Diagram crossover between Netflix hit [_Stranger Things_](http://time.com/4426157/10-questions-stranger-things-still-needs-to-answer/) and beloved sitcom _Parks and Recreation_ and those fans have one burning question on their minds—are Steve Harrington and Jean-Ralphio related? They both live in Indiana, they both have a love of high hair, and they bear a certain resemblance to each other. Because [_Stranger Things_](http://time.com/4436008/stranger-things-netflix-references/) is set in the 1980s, the timeline narrows the question to this: Is Steve Jean-Ralphio’s dad?

_Parks & Recs_ fans know that on the show, Henry Winkler plays Jean-Ralphio’s father, but perhaps his overwhelming love of his son stems from some unresolved issues involving paternity? On the _Late Late Show with James Corden_ er…make that _Strangerer Things with Ben Schwartz_, Jean-Ralphio actor Ben Schwartz gave the world a few answers to some lingering questions about the tenuous connection and gave hope for _Stranger Things_ to come. “I’m assuming there’s a 100% chance of me being on _Stranger Things_ seasons two through 100,” Schwartz said, but he won’t spoil the end of it except to say that Jean-Ralphio clearly runs the Upside-Down and you’ll never look at Eggo Waffles the same way again.

> [](https://twitter.com/KenTremendous/status/768549486566207488)


\[H/T [Entertainment Weekly](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/08/24/stranger-things-steve-nancy-jean-ralphio-ben-schwartz)\]

```json
[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/"},"headline":"Watch Jean-Ralphio Address His Relationship to Steve From Stranger Things","datePublished":"2016-08-25T16:20:26.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:35:51.362Z","description":"A Stranger Things fan theory confirmed","url":"https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","Netflix","Late late show","james corden","Stranger Things"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Locker","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4466097/stranger-things-jean-ralphio-steve-james-corden/","name":"Watch Jean-Ralphio Address His Relationship to Steve From Stranger Things"}}]}]
```

