Netflix Officially Replaces Several Stranger Things Main Characters

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Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is an animated series expanding the world of the popular Netflix show. It’s set between the second and third seasons. Some fans were worried about a spin-off coming so soon after the original series ended with its fifth season, especially considering the mixed reactions to that finale.

When the creators of Tales from ’85 initially said it would fit directly into the established Stranger Things storyline, many fans were upset, feeling the spin-off strayed too far from what they loved. Thankfully, showrunner Eric Robles clarified that Tales from ’85 isn’t completely tied to the original timeline, which eased a lot of the fan concerns. Ultimately, Tales from ’85 is an enjoyable show, and it’s easier to appreciate when you don’t worry about it perfectly matching the canon. However, the spin-off does have noticeable flaws, particularly with its main characters.

Tales from ’85 Completely Overlooks Some of Stranger Things’ Most Important Characters

As you may know, Tales from takes place between seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things. Will has recovered from the Mind Flayer, Eleven has closed the gate at Hawkins Lab, and the Snow Ball dance has already occurred. However, the story is set before the events at Starcourt Mall, which happen in the summer of 1985.

The show centers around Will Byers and his friends – Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Eleven – all around 13 years old. Later, they’re joined by Nikki Baxter, a girl with a bright pink mohawk. Adding Nikki to the group caused a lot of debate among fans, particularly those who believed the show adhered closely to established storylines.

Nikki is noticeably absent from the main storyline, which feels strange. It doesn’t quite add up to introduce a character as significant as Nikki and then completely ignore her. Beyond Nikki, fans have also expressed concerns about other aspects of the spin-off, including the new details about the Upside Down, the unfamiliar monsters introduced there, and even the weapons Nikki provides to combat them.

Nikki easily slices off a massive monster’s arm with a powerful laser weapon, which understandably bothered some viewers who felt it wasn’t believable, particularly back in the 1980s. Another point of contention for fans was that Eleven was supposed to be in hiding at Jim Hopper’s cabin and wasn’t allowed to freely roam around Hawkins, as that would risk exposing her.

The show has some inconsistencies. Now that it’s not considered part of the official storyline, many of these errors aren’t a big deal. However, fans still struggle with the disappearance of several important characters. It’s immediately obvious that the main cast of Tales from ’85 is much smaller than the original show’s, especially when looking at the older characters.

While characters like Robin Buckley and Murray didn’t become regular fixtures until Season 3 and beyond, the first two seasons featured a solid group of adult and teen characters. These included Joyce and Jonathan Byers, Police Chief Hopper, Nancy Wheeler, and Steve Harrington, who started as Nancy’s ex-boyfriend and babysitter.

In the early seasons, Joyce and Jonathan were the heart of the story, deeply impacted by Will’s disappearance and what happened to him. Meanwhile, Hopper, as the town’s police chief, played a crucial role in the search for Will and offered vital support.

Nancy and Steve grew into dependable older teens who solved mysteries and kept the younger children safe from monsters from the Upside Down. However, these five characters aren’t used enough in Tales from ’85.

Tales from ’85 Fails to Understand Why Fans Love the Older Cast & Why They’re Necessary

Let’s look at how much screen time some characters get. Mike doesn’t appear at all. Jonathan has one quick scene where he gives Will a mixtape, and we don’t see him again. Steve is in one episode, helping Dustin with monsters, but he doesn’t return after that.

Nancy briefly assists the kids in getting a photo of Eleven back from a newspaper, but the photo isn’t seen after that. Hopper is the only adult character who shows up regularly, though his contributions to the main story aren’t significant.

Hopper mostly serves to intimidate Mike regarding Eleven’s well-being when she’s with her friends. His threats actually encourage the kids to hide the truth about the Upside Down from him, as they worry he’ll keep Eleven away from them. Throughout the series, Hopper appears surprisingly ineffective as Chief of Police, with significant events from the Upside Down happening right under his nose without him noticing.

While Tales from ’85 clearly aimed to center the story around the group of children, the show wisely avoids making it only about them. Many horror stories that focus solely on kids tend to portray adults as foolish, unhelpful, or dismissive, and this show steers clear of that trope.

Putting children in leading roles creates a unique challenge: they often need to seem more mature and independent than kids typically are. The show Stranger Things did a great job of mixing these resourceful young characters with older ones who could offer expertise, guidance, and help they couldn’t find on their own.

Characters like Nancy, Steve, and Hopper are key to the story. Nancy was the first to really figure out what the Demogorgon was in Season 1. Steve frequently steps in to protect the kids when things get dangerous. Interestingly, he’s the only character who’s battled every monster from the Upside Down, including the Demobats.

In Season 1, Hopper’s detective work, gut feelings, and compassion are key to saving Will from the Upside Down, and he provides Eleven with a secure place to live. While the kids are resourceful and often solve problems themselves, having the support of adults like Hopper makes them feel more secure, stable, and believable.

The recent installment, Tales from ’85, shifted its focus away from the original, beloved characters and instead centered on Nikki and her mother, Anna Baxter. Anna is a science teacher developing a serum to revive dead plants. While Nikki is a likeable character, many longtime fans feel disappointed that they didn’t get to see more of the characters they’ve followed for years.

It’s good to see Tales from ’85 focusing again on the original group of kids, which was a welcome change. However, it’s frustrating that important characters like Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy, and Steve are taking a backseat to new characters that don’t feel necessary.

The show’s most popular characters, particularly the older teens, were noticeably missing from Tales from ’85, and there’s no good reason why. With teasers highlighting characters like Steve Harrington, their absence feels like misleading advertising. While the show itself might be enjoyable, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is weakened by not including these important characters.

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2026-05-22 20:41