Stranger Things finally came to the end of its long and winding journey late last year, but given the franchise’s immense popularity, Netflix wasn’t going to keep it on the shelf for too long. The streamer wasted no time in getting Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 (the first of multiple planned spinoffs) out into the world. All episodes of the animated series are now available to watch, just a handful of months after the mainline series finale premiered. Hoping to harken back to the spirit of classic Saturday morning cartoons, there was hope that Tales From ’85 could be a fresh and exciting addition to the Stranger Things brand, but while reviews are mostly positive, it’s still set an unfortunate record.
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As of this writing, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 has a 68% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is the lowest mark in the franchise. Previously, Stranger Things Season 5 held that record with an 83% score. The first four seasons all scored in the 90s.
What Critics Are Saying About Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
There currently isn’t a Critics Consensus available on Rotten Tomatoes, but a skim over the published reviews sheds light on the various pros and cons of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. On the positive side of the spectrum, some people appreciate the show’s ability to capture the fun, adventurous spirit of the early Stranger Things seasons; Tales From ’85 takes place between the events of Season 2 and Season 3, and it’s largely successful at striking the right tone, taking viewers back to a simpler time. Despite earning positive reviews itself, Stranger Things Season 5 received its fair share of criticism, so it’s nice to see something that harkens back to the franchise’s glory days and is accessible to viewers of all ages.
Conversely, there are those who believe Tales From ’85 gets too bogged down in nostalgia and doesn’t bring enough new elements to the table. Some of the reviews pointed out the strangeness of adding a new chapter to a story that’s already been completed. The events of Tales From ’85 (including the standout new character Nikki Baxter) aren’t referenced in the mainline series, which makes it difficult to get fully invested in what’s happening. While it’s fun to be taken back to when the Hawkins gang were kids, the takeaway here is that Tales From ’85 isn’t absolutely necessary to watch since it has no real impact on its live-action counterpart.
It is important to note that only 22 reviews for Tales From ’85 have been submitted to Rotten Tomatoes thus far. That’s a very small sample size, so the score is likely to fluctuate as more come in. As a point of comparison, Stranger Things Season 5 received 168 reviews. Whether or not Tales From ’85 gets that many remains to be seen (the animated spinoff isn’t expected to be as large as the main show, obviously), but even Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord has 40 reviews, nearly double of the Tales From ’85 count. There are likely other critics waiting to weigh in.
Even so, it’s unlikely the general consensus will change all that much. Typically, the first wave of reviews gives people a basic idea of where opinions lie. From the sound of things, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is fleeting fun that doesn’t fully live up to the heights of the original show. That likely isn’t the start Netflix was hoping for with spinoffs. Even though Tales From ’85 is an animated series, other franchises have made excellent use of the medium to enhance canon in fascinating ways. Hopefully, the next Stranger Things series earns a stronger response.
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