7 Big Missteps Tanking Stranger Things: Tales from '85 With Critics

Well, that didn’t take long. Just a few months after we said goodbye to Stranger Things with its series finale, Netflix has already dropped another trip to Hawkins, Indiana—only this time, it’s animated, snowing, and, uh, there are sharks? 'Stranger Things: Tales from '85' just landed, packed with everything from pumpkin farms to a winter festival, and a new addition: Nikki Baxter (played by Odessa A'zion). You’d think this would be a slam dunk, but the response so far is, let’s say, underwhelming.

Wait, Did We Really Need Another 'Stranger Things'?

Here’s the thing: the original Stranger Things is kind of the gold standard for 1980s sci-fi horror nostalgia, with a very loyal fanbase and a reputation that’s tough to match. This animated spin-off, on the other hand, is sitting at 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. Not terrible, but compared to the mothership’s 90%? That’s a significant drop, and if you read the reviews, that score actually seems generous. Most critics aren’t impressed, pointing out that the new series suffers from a lot of old problems and brings up a batch of new ones. Still, that hasn’t stopped fans from jumping in headfirst—because, let’s be honest, if you’re a Stranger Things diehard, you have to at least check it out.

Meet the New Kid (But Don’t expect a New Story)

Let’s get one thing straight: for all the wintry trappings and the introduction of Nikki, this spin-off doesn’t stray far at all from the classic Stranger Things formula. You’re back in the familiar town, with the same crew, and the same sort of monsters—plus, sure, some animated snow and the odd aquatic predator. If you swapped Nikki out, you’d basically just be replaying the original series. Alison Herman at Variety put it perfectly:

"To summarize the plot of 'Tales From ‘85' is redundant, because it’s the same plot as any other season of 'Stranger Things.'"

The show just doesn’t shake things up. If you were hoping for some wild new setting, or even one of the original kids on a different adventure—say, away from Hawkins for once—keep waiting.

Animated, But Where’s the Peril?

One of the things the original show actually nailed was that weird balance of genuine danger and kid-friendly charm. Sure, it was never Saw-level terrifying, but you believed the stakes. There were real consequences—kids running for their lives, government creeps on the prowl, Demogorgons doing Demogorgon things. In 'Tales from '85', though, the sense of threat fizzles fast. You already know these characters show up alive and (mostly) well in Season 3, which happens just after this spin-off’s timeline. Multiple reviewers, including Tara Bennett at IGN and Tim McClelland at MovieWeb, complained that the show just isn’t tense or mysterious. No one ever feels like they’re in any actual danger, so you’re basically watching for the nostalgia vibes.

Who Is This For?

This is where things get pretty muddled. Netflix clearly wants to hook some younger viewers here, possibly aiming for the crowd that was too young for Eleven’s first waffle binge back in 2016. But at the same time, it’s a Stranger Things product, and you know they want the original fans to watch, too. Rafael Motamayor at the AV Club called it like this:

"Tries to appeal to both longtime fans of the live-action series wanting more of this universe and also kids who aren’t old enough to watch Stranger Things."

And honestly, that’s exactly how it feels—caught between two different audiences. On the plus side, the visuals look great, and Hawkins is still a fun, cozy place to spend a few hours. If you’ve never seen the main series (looking at you, kids), you’ll be able to follow the story just fine. But for longtime fans, the show doesn’t add much to the universe—and it definitely doesn’t justify itself as essential viewing.

Is This Canon, or Just Comfort Food?

Here’s the uncomfortable question a lot of critics keep asking: what’s the point? Alex Maidy over at JoBlo summed it up as 'Fun but ultimately not required viewing.' If you think of all the great spin-offs over the years (like 'Better Call Saul' or even 'The Good Fight'), the best ones have stories and stakes of their own. 'Tales from '85' is cute and familiar, but not really gripping. It’s basically comfort food—a quick fix of Stranger nostalgia, nothing that’ll keep you up at night.

Leaning Hard into Nostalgia

Belen Edwards wrote that the show feels like it’s 'an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons.' And yeah, that about covers it. The friendships, teen drama, facing weird monsters—most of it is a remix of classic moments from Seasons 2 and 3. (No Starcourt Mall this time, sadly.) There’s nothing wrong with a little trip down memory lane, but it might have hit harder a year or two down the road, when we actually had time to miss these characters again.

About Eleven: Jedi or Just Confused?

Let’s talk about Eleven for a second. Here, she’s still very much in the early stages of figuring herself out, skittish with her powers and not at all as self-confident as she’ll become. But the show can’t really decide how strong she’s supposed to be. Brian Tallerico at Roger Ebert even pointed out,

"The writers can’t figure out where Eleven is on the spectrum of her powers, turning her into practically a Jedi..."

Not sure how you mess up your star character’s development when you have so many previous seasons to guide you, but here we are.

So... Where Does Nikki Fit, Exactly?

The wildest part of the whole show for fans is the very existence of Nikki Baxter. She’s new, she’s cool, she fits in well—but where was she during all that end-of-the-world chaos later in the main series? Angie Han at The Hollywood Reporter actually praised the character, saying she shows the kind of potential this spin-off could have had if it’d taken more risks. Still, it’s tough to just enjoy her arc when you’re constantly trying to figure out if Stranger Things has broken its own timeline.

Who’s Who in Hawkins This Time?

• Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven
• Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter (the new addition with the mysterious backstory)

So, is 'Stranger Things: Tales from '85' worth a binge? Sure, if you’re hungry for more Hawkins and can live with déjà vu. Just maybe don’t expect it to change your world. Or even the franchise’s.