Netflix has announced that the animated Stranger Things spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales from '85, has been renewed for a second season. The series, which debuted to mixed reviews but strong viewership, has secured its return to the streaming platform.
Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is set between the second and third seasons of the original live-action series. It follows a group of young characters, including Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, Eleven, and Max, alongside a new character named Nikki, as they confront new creatures from the Upside Down. A key strength highlighted in reviews is the show's ability to recapture the youthful spirit and adventurism of the original series' early seasons. This is attributed to strong voice performances and a narrative focus on the younger cast.
Despite some critical responses, such as Variety's description of it as a "cynical attempt to prolong the franchise" and The Seattle Times calling it "dull," the animated series managed to become one of Netflix's top 15 animated debuts. This performance was evidently enough to warrant a renewal.
Showrunner Eric Robles has indicated that the second season will aim to address the presence of Nikki, a character who quickly becomes part of the main group but is never mentioned in the original Stranger Things continuity. Robles acknowledged the narrative challenge of integrating Nikki, stating, "Technically, she doesn’t fit into the timeline." He expressed a commitment to resolving this plot point in a way that connects seamlessly with the original series' third season and explains her absence from later events.
However, Robles also described Stranger Things: Tales from '85 as "soft canon." This designation suggests that while the first season successfully told a coherent story by not adhering strictly to every detail of the established universe, it raises questions about how neatly future plotlines, particularly concerning Nikki's integration, can be reconciled with the main series.