Netflix’s divisive spinoff series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 officially returns this week despite receiving mixed reviews across both of its seasons. While the original Stranger Things series has definitely become immortalized as one of Netflix’s most celebrated streaming franchises of all time, along with Squid Game and Wednesday, its animated spinoff series has been met with a much less favorable reception since it premiered in April 2026. Fast-forward to September 17, and the general feedback has only gotten more critical.
Stranger Things officially returns on Netflix this week with season 2 of the animated series Tales From ’85, even though season 1 only earned a Rotten Tomatoes score of 61%, paired with an even worse audience score of 52%. Now, with reviews for season 2 coming out in flux, the series has ostensibly not improved with its sophomore effort, earning only a 50% Rotten Tomatoes score this time around. While any new Stranger Things release is still exciting, it might be due time for Netflix to pull the plug on its divisive spinoff misfire.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Brings The Franchise Back To Netflix
Season 1 of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 earned a modest 2.8 million views in its first 3 days earlier this year, which at the very least showed that there is still strong interest in the franchise overall that concluded its original series back on New Year’s Eve 2025. What began as the perfect Stranger Things replacement series is now becoming an ineffective attempt for Netflix to cash in on one of its most storied franchises, dividing fans and critics in the process. While it remains an official Netflix Stranger Things release, the animated series fails to capture the very things that made the original such a success.
With season 3 yet to be announced, season 2 is certainly a make-or-break season for Tales From ’85 and could very well be its last. If viewership doesn’t match expectations in its opening weekend, the case for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 season 3 becomes quite thin, especially considering past acclaimed and popular series that were canceled without any apparent writing on the wall (Mindhunter is one of the most notable examples). That said, the Stranger Things name still carries a great deal of weight, and Netflix may choose to take a special interest in maintaining its relevance through this animated venture.
Tales From ’85 Season 2 Received Even Worse Reviews Than Season 1
ScreenRant gave Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 season 2 a 4/10-star rating, noting, “There are fun moments and plenty of action, but there’s still a lack of character development, noticeable pacing issues, and the inescapable feeling that this is a lesser version of a story that’s already been told numerous times.” Similarly, CBR gave the new installment 4 of 10 stars, writing, “The spinoff is certainly what you make of it, and for fans of the universe, it may be a sign that Netflix doesn’t know what to do with it anymore.” If Netflix is, in fact, uncertain what to do with its Stranger Things spinoff, then viewers are certainly not going to know what to do with it.
Above all else, the biggest issue with Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 season 1 was its tone, which was more family-friendly based on its TV-PG rating but sacrificed the winning tone of the original series. This notable flaw has not improved with the newly released second season and seems to have doubled down on a losing hand. Additionally, fan backlash has largely centered around more issues that the series can’t go back on, including its video game-like graphics and complete lack of suspense and tension. It’s become abundantly clear that Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 season 2 is aimed at younger audiences, but does so at the expense of continuing the signature legacy of the original series.
