Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 Season One Review 

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 dares to ask a bold question concerning its universe: Does anyone still care? It is quite strange that Netflix made the decision to release an animated series months after the conclusion of one of the platform’s flagship series, and one of the biggest cultural television phenomena from the 2010s, especially after such a poorly received ending. The most important question is, does Tales From ‘85 give Stranger Things fans a compelling new story that allows them to enjoy it even with the knowledge of what’s to come? The polarizing final season of Stranger Things left fans divided, and some critics baffled, and even still, Tales From ‘85 doesn’t particularly manage to reignite the passion for the original series that left an odd aftertaste.

To understand where the series succeeds and stumbles, it’s worth looking at how it builds its story. Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 introduces new characters and concepts, but at its core, it remains true to the themes of its original series. A creature from the Upside Down is let loose upon the forests of Hawkins once again and is subdued before it can get away, but not before releasing spores into the air that mutate plant life into the bloodthirsty monsters we’ve come to know and fear from the Upside Down. Along with a new form of an interdimensional antagonist, we’re introduced to a new central character who is conveniently never seen or heard from again when we return to Hawkins in season three. A vibrant and distinct character like Nikki is gone from the series as soon as we resume the story of the Stranger Things crew, which is obviously chalked up to her not existing in the creators’ minds until the birth of Tales From ‘85, but that begs the question of why create this character at all when she would never mean anything actually substantial to the plot of the show. Or the fact that she’s never referenced by the characters at all ever again, and considering the impact she makes on them in Tales From ‘85, it’s unrealistic that they would never even mention her.

That disconnect carries directly into how returning characters are handled. Eleven is reverted back to her limited vocabulary state, a version of her I find to be less compelling or exciting after the development she had after season two and throughout the series. Eleven is surely one of the most exciting characters in Stranger Things, and in Tales From ‘85, she is placed back into the phase of her life that had little self-autonomy. Hopper watches her actions, threatening Mike, as they both try to keep her out of the government's attention. Mike is largely once again acting as her mouthpiece, though she does have some really great moments where she stands on her own. Her partial loss of autonomy says nothing against her power set, however. The Eleven seen in Tales From ‘85 is arguably more powerful than any iteration we’ve seen of her, showcasing skills and feats that would have been exciting to see come to life in the main series.

Looking beyond Eleven, the broader ensemble delivers mixed results. Mike is often mischaracterized compared to his live-action counterpart throughout the season, especially in his reaction to authority, where he felt more rebellious and leading in Stranger Things versus a more fearful nature in Tales From ‘85. If you’re a fan of Lucas and Max, you’re in for a treat here. Both characters, individually and as a pair, are consistent with their portrayals from the series and take center stage as we follow their own adventures that run parallel to the plot. The same goes for Dustin, who is perfectly adapted from the main series to Tales From ‘85, and Will, who stays consistent to his character as well. Hopper, Steve, and Nancy, even with their limited appearances, are also consistent.

As the season progresses, however, the show begins to reveal its larger strengths and weaknesses. The entire season really picks up in its second half and becomes much more entertaining than what came before it. The problem with this show isn’t exactly the show itself; the animation is fresh, the story is adequate, and its themes follow the original closely. However, the problem is that Tales From ‘85 breaks the immersion and reduces the Stranger Things world—a world that, while it has consistently great comedic moments throughout the original show, is dark, deeply mysterious, and dangerous—into something that feels like a spoof of itself. The creatures faced in each season were meant to be taken seriously; they were frightening and life-threatening monsters from a horrific and bent alternate dimension. Here in Tales From ‘85, while they are still formidable, there’s a restrained feel to them that makes them seem less threatening than their Upside Down kin. I also found the lack of a proper human antagonist to be lacklustre. Mrs. Baxter is set up to be the “person behind the mask,” who caused the creation of these creatures, but even in a twist reveal that it is Daniel instead, nothing really materializes from it. Daniel is not a true antagonist, just a man who was experimenting and lost control of his own creation. Other than attempting to sacrifice the group in order to save his own skin, Daniel is inherently not a villain and does not have nefarious intentions or motivations, and the true fault of the monsters can only loosely be blamed on him, since their evolution into what they become was never his intent. If he indeed did not know how his experiments were evolving within Hawkins, he could have at least stayed the course, finding their new forms to be his own horrifically beautiful creations of life. The entire conflict closes with Eleven sealing another gate, which feels almost like a copy and paste from the end of season two. While the scene itself is entertaining, it just feels like there was nothing new there.

Ultimately, these issues tie into a larger tonal identity problem. What I largely found dissatisfying from Tales From ‘85 was its lack of taking itself seriously, especially given the world it’s set within. Now, a note could be made that, as an animated form of the original show, it’s supposed to be sillier; however, just because it is an animation doesn’t mean it can’t take itself seriously when set in the world we know from Stranger Things. I would have loved for an animated series that stemmed from Stranger Things to be that much more closely aligned with the dark nature of the original series. Netflix’s Love, Death + Robots is a perfect example of this. The project is animated yet can be extremely dark and compelling. It would’ve been a much more exciting story had it stuck to its roots and doubled down on the eerie and deeply mysterious nature of the series.

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 has already been renewed by Netflix for a second season, which is fitting considering season one ends on a cliffhanger for what’s to come. Newly introduced characters Nikki and Mrs. Baxter also remain, with a new threat not seen in the main series on the horizon. The question remains: how far between seasons two and three (which the series is set) can this tale be stretched in a way that remains fresh and exciting for fans of the original series and new audiences?

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 is now streaming on Netflix.

— Rayano Riley

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