Joyce has a new man in her life, and even the Joyce-Hopper shippers have to admit that Bob Newby (aka Bob the Brain) is pretty great. Not only is he played by '80s and '90s cutie Sean Astin, but he's just an all-around great guy.
Unfortunately, Bob doesn't make it through the season — in season two's later episodes, he essentially sacrifices himself at the Hawkins Lab while distracting a large group of demodogs (who tear him to shreds in front of Joyce and everyone else). Bob Newby, superhero.