Paul Reiser discusses his role in Stranger Things season 2

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Paul Reiser is best known for his work in comedy, but it was his role as a very despicable character in one of the most popular creature features of all time that made the Duffer brothers want to cast him in the second season of their Netflix series Stranger Things. Thirty-one years ago, Reiser's company man character Burke had a close encounter with a Xenomorph in James Cameron's ALIENS, and the Duffers want to play off the audience's memories of Burke by casting Reiser as goverment employee Dr. Owens. As Ross Duffer has said, "We want people to have those debates like, ‘Do you trust that guy or is he Burke?'"

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Reiser discussed his ALIENS / Burke history and revealed that Owens' true nature is just as much a mystery to him as it will be to the viewer.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The Duffers told me that even before you signed on they called Dr. Owen “Paul Reiser.” Did they tell you that?

PAUL REISER: They did. Nothing has made me happier. That tickled me.

… They told me who I was playing and they told me what they had in mind. It was sort of nebulous — is he a good guy or a bad guy? To be honest, I’ve only read a few of the scripts so I still don’t know and I’m not sure they know. I think part of what they were tickled by was, to whatever extent people know me from Aliens, they’re automatically going, “Oh this guy is no good.” I don’t know where they’re going with it but it’s a fun thing to play.

… I have a certain thing in my head that I’m playing. I did a scene a few weeks ago with David Harbour, and it was a heated scene where he’s sort of holding me accountable. My lines were to the effect of, “Trust me. Everything is fine.” I said, “I don’t believe me and I am me!” It just feels like there’s such a well-worn precedent not just of Aliens but in life when a government guy says, “No, you’re fine. There’s nothing to worry about here.” It’s like, “Yeah, I don’t believe you.”

It sounds like Reiser is having a blast working in the Stranger Things world, and I think it will be a lot of fun to watch him play a Burke-esque character again. Is Owens another creep, or is he someone who can be trusted? We'll have to watch and find out. Reiser still needs to find out himself.

It’s funny — a lot of people ask me what happens and I can honestly say, "They haven’t told me. I don’t know."

Stranger Things season two will be released on Netflix this Halloween.