Stranger Things Tales From ’85 Review: A Fun Story With a Big Canon Problem

by

As a huge fan, I was still reeling from the series finale of Stranger Things at the end of 2025 – that ending definitely got people talking! But it’s amazing how quickly the world of the Upside Down is growing. Just a few months later, Netflix brought us back to Hawkins with a brand new spinoff series, which is a first for the franchise.

This animated series takes place between the second and third seasons of the original show, during the winter of 1985. It follows the kids from Hawkins as they investigate a new, strange danger. The show’s creators, Eric Robles and the Duffer brothers, give it the energetic and sincere feel of a classic Saturday morning cartoon, though some of that initial charm wears off as the ten episodes progress.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Features a Strong Voice Cast

Setting the new season in 1985 feels like the most solid choice for the show. This period saw the biggest gap between major events in the original story, meaning there wasn’t much established history to worry about. It also allows the series to return to what many fans consider its strongest point – the early years when the characters were still children, and the nostalgic elements felt genuine. Tales From ’85 begins after the battle with the Mind Flayer, with the Hawkins group trying to get back to normal, now including Eleven (Brooklyn Davey Norstedt). However, the simple joys of arcades, snacks, and avoiding bullies don’t last for long.

A strange new threat has emerged in Hawkins – a creature that bonds with living things, including plants and people. The kids are worried that if they tell Jim Hopper (voiced by Brett Gipson) about it, he’ll send Eleven away again, so they decide to handle it themselves. They form a club called the “Hawkins Investigators Club,” with Dustin leading the charge. They’re joined by Nikki Baxter, a new girl in town voiced by Odessa A’zion, who, like her mother Pamela Adlon (known from King of the Hill), delivers a lively and energetic performance. A’zion perfectly captures the mix of teenage frustration, rebellious spirit, and underlying vulnerability that Nikki embodies.

One issue with the new character, Nikki, is that she doesn’t seem like a believable 14-year-old. Her height and surprisingly mature voice are noticeable and could become distracting. However, the show smoothly introduces Nikki into the story, and her storyline is more complex and interesting than those of the other characters. Her mother, Anna Baxter – a new substitute science teacher at Hawkins High, voiced by Janeane Garofalo – is also a welcome addition to the cast.

Though one performer particularly shines, the entire cast of Tales From ’85 is remarkably strong. There isn’t a weak performance among them. Almost everyone playing a known character went above and beyond, faithfully recreating the original actors’ voices – right down to the little things like their unique laughs, screams, and any speech quirks.

Generally, the show does a great job of matching the voices of the characters as they age, but there are a few noticeable differences – especially with Eleven and Steve’s voice actors. One possible reason for this is that the character was still developing her personality and way of speaking. However, it’s impressive that the actors playing the kids are actually children or young adults themselves, which makes their performances feel more genuine.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Takes Inspiration From Popular Animated Triumphs

Honestly, watching this new story felt like a really fun ride – it reminded me of those classic Scooby-Doo mysteries! The best part of Stranger Things has always been trying to figure out the big puzzle that threatens everyone, and this spinoff really gets that. What I loved is it didn’t get bogged down in all the teenage drama or those weird side stories we’ve seen before. It was just a solid, old-fashioned mystery with some genuinely surprising twists at the end. Okay, maybe Mike and Eleven’s relationship was a little much, but overall, it was a great time!

The show really shines because of its focus on the kids. While characters like Hopper, Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan do appear, they mostly have smaller roles. Keeping the story centered on the kids helps it stay focused, which is important for a ten-episode series with shorter, half-hour episodes. It’s good the creators chose this format instead of making longer episodes like they did with the original series.

The show seems designed to be a fun, family-friendly animated series – that’s definitely what the creators and Netflix were aiming for. However, it includes some surprisingly intense violence and imagery that feels geared towards older viewers. The core concept – creatures that invade and control people’s bodies – is inherently dark, resembling both a plague and abusive relationships. These creatures have long been a metaphor for assault, and that difficult subject matter doesn’t easily fit into a lighthearted, PG-rated format.

Despite its limitations, the animation in Tales From ’85 is vibrant and engaging. Free from the constraints of live-action, the series delivers action sequences and visuals that the original show couldn’t. The animation style is visually similar to modern hits like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Arcane, boasting colorful backgrounds. However, the character designs feel more akin to a mobile game than a traditional animated series. Considering the show’s 1980s setting, a classic two-dimensional animation style might have been a more fitting choice than this exaggerated design, which seems better suited for shorter videos.

Stranger Things Corners Its Canon With Tales From ’85

While the animated series does have some valid criticisms – particularly that the characters don’t experience any significant new development, instead revisiting old storylines like Eleven’s struggle for independence – Nikki offers a welcome change of pace. However, her role within the overall story remains confusing, and the show never really explains it, which is a major problem.

The finale of Tales From ’85 hints at potential future seasons, which is both exciting and potentially problematic. We still need an explanation for Nikki’s absence from the main story, and while the show is enjoyable enough to warrant another season, continuing the narrative raises significant questions about Nikki and the new creatures’ place within the established storyline.

The group had a significant adventure with a new friend in 1985, creating a strong connection. It’s strange, then, that the main show completely ignores this event. The creators claim the show stays true to established storylines, but also say the spin-off is stuck in the past. Essentially, Tales From ’85 is hesitant to officially acknowledge whether its story is part of the main timeline or not.

If you’re the type of viewer who overanalyzes every detail and connection, as the creators of Stranger Things seem to expect, then Tales From ’85 might be frustrating. But if you just want a light, easy-to-watch story, it’s perfect. You can choose to see it as separate from the main Stranger Things plot if you prefer, though giving viewers that much choice hasn’t always been successful on TV. Really, this isn’t so much a show as it is an experiment – and that says a lot about where television is heading in 2026, perhaps more than any disappointing series finale.

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

Read More

2026-04-23 10:18