I did ship Hopper/Joyce and one of my favorite relationships was El & Hopper. Not anymore!

I also like her calling him "Hop."

But really, I'm just baffled by why they chose to do this with him and how they can not register how terribly it's coming off. (As you said in email, the actor isn't helping by playing even neutral moments and lines as contemptuous, ragey, etc.) I love the other two storylines but I've been tempted to fast-forward his.