Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Gets Mixed Reviews As Critics Weigh In

Tales From '85 has been praised by some for "capturing the magic" of Stranger Things' peak, while others have dismissed it as a "cynical retread".

Just months after our last trip to Hawkins, Indiana in the divisive Stranger Things finale, Netflix is taking us right back to where it all started.

The animated Stranger Things spin-off Tales From ’85 premiered on the streaming service on Thursday morning, taking inspiration from the Saturday morning cartoons of our youth.

Set between the events of the hit show’s second and third seasons, Tales From ’85 introduces a new voice cast as the characters we already know and love, as well as welcoming some new companions and, indeed, monsters to battle.

Critics have been having their say in the lead-up to the release, with some hailing it as a return to form for the sci-fi franchise, and others calling it a rather pointless exercise in nostalgia and little else.

If you’re not sure about whether to check it out for yourself, here’s a quick run-through of what the reviews for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 are saying…

“[The series] rewinds to a happy, straightforward time, namely between seasons two and three. In that moment, the world of Hawkins, Indiana had been established, but we were yet to endure the show’s bumpy late period, when it got long and boring, then supersized itself and became breathtakingly spectacular, then lost control of the monster it had created and became both spectacular and boring at the same time.”

The Hollywood Reporter

“There are exactly two and a half good reasons to watch Netflix’s animated spinoff [...] One: You are a child [...] Two: You’re a Stranger Things fan who expresses your devotion through fanatical completionism [...] The half-reason is Odessa A’zion’s Nikki [...] the new character is just fresh and charming enough that it seems a shame Original Flavour Stranger Things didn’t dream her up in time to give her a live-action counterpart.

“But unless you already fit into categories one or two, even she’s not quite enough to justify sitting through a series that otherwise just feels like more of the same, only less.”

“Tales From ’85 is a depressing, cynical retread [...] Without the liability of actors whose voices will deepen and heights will shoot up over time, Netflix can continue to exploit this IP as long as its audience desires, looking ever-more-solipsistically inward rather than branching out. I’ll give Tales From ’85 this much credit: it’s as creepy and unsettling an idea as this horror-adjacent franchise has produced in years.”

“Tales From ’85 is a treat for Stranger Things fans looking for a bit of escapism – and we could all use some of that right now. A short-and-sweet tangent that captures the magic of the show’s earlier seasons, this animated adventure plays like a two-minute, catchy bonus track, letting us stay a little longer in that universe we’ve known and loved for the better part of a decade.”

“By the end of the series, you’ll find your heart warmed by the returning characters and comforting world, even if nothing much really changes. For those wanting to bridge the gap between seasons two and three or just spend more time in the company of the characters we love, the trip back to the mid-80s is well worth it.”

“Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a fun watch, whether for fans of the franchise or not, but is ultimately inessential. At best, it’s a way to get more time with the Stranger Things characters without learning or experiencing anything new. At worst, it’s glorified ancillary material or bonus content.”

“Despite struggling to figure out who the spin-off is actually for, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 does feature some entertaining moments. Being able to revisit Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Will, Lucas, and Max before their lives are truly upended is intriguing, though the spinoff only works when forgetting Stranger Things’ deeper lore.

“It’s easy to question the presence of new Upside Down monsters and characters like Nikki Baxter, who will never factor into the franchise again. Still, it’s nice to travel back in time when the core young group was all together.”

“There will never be a follow-up to Stranger Things season five that feels satisfying; in all likelihood, there will never be a follow-up at all.

“It’s better to enjoy Tales From ’85 for what it is: a fun little story created by clear fans of the flagship show, making this animated series more of a love letter to the early years of Stranger Things than something to ‘fill in the gaps between seasons’.”

“While I severely doubt Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will ever reach the heights of the original show’s first three seasons, it did make me remember what I love about these characters, which, to be honest, was something I’d kind of forgotten.”

“Letting fans of Netflix’s most-watched franchise spend an infinite amount of time with their favorite characters, as they first met them, isn’t a bad idea. Neither is developing Stranger Things into a monster-of-the-week style show. But that’s not quite what Tales From ’85 does, and the direction it takes instead feels less inspired than obedient and less revelling than repetitive.”

“Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a colorful but underbaked addition to the Stranger Things universe. While animation allows for lots of creature chases and battles, the thin story results in a weaker and more repetitive adventure than expected.”

“This baffling prequel won’t cure the season five hatred [...] We already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to season five.

“But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.”

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

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