Ted Wheeler (Stranger Things)
| Ted Wheeler | |
|---|---|
| Stranger Things character | |
 Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler in the first season | |
First appearance | "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers" (2016) |
Last appearance | "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up" (2025) |
| Created by | The Duffer Brothers |
| Portrayed by | Television |
| In-universe information | |
| Spouse | Karen Wheeler |
| Children | |
| Home | Hawkins, Indiana, United States |
| Nationality | American |
Ted Wheeler is a fictional character from the science fiction horror television series Stranger Things. Portrayed by Joe Chrest, Ted is the husband of Karen Wheeler and parent to three children: Mike, Nancy, and Holly. He is a largely absent father, either working, watching television, or sleeping, resulting in him being unaware of the goings-on in both his family and the supernatural occurrences in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana.
Discussing his role, Chrest stated that he believed Ted was not a bad dad, just a tired one who works hard to provide for his family. He also stated that he got a lot of comments from people who liked the character, including dads who related to him.
He has been analyzed by critics and authors both for his lacking role in the story as well as his role in the Wheeler family. In particular, his injury when fighting a Demogorgon in the fifth and final season has been the subject of discussion, with multiple critics noting that, while his wife's injuries were given a spotlight, the series has almost no commentary on his injuries or recovery. This was believed to be a reflection of him being useless, which has been described as a "running joke" in the series.