When Stranger Things<\/em> ended, some fans were so upset by the finale they became convinced that there was still more to come. Thus emerged an elaborate theory, dubbed \u201cConformity Gate,\u201d that Netflix was planning to surprise-drop one more episode that would right all the wrongs of season six\u2019s eighth episode, the feature-length \u201cThe Rightside Up.\u201d<\/p>\n That never happened (we got a pretty revealing making-of documentary, though), but Netflix did<\/em> have more Stranger Things<\/em> in the pipeline: the animated spin-off series Tales From \u201985<\/em>.<\/p>\n Tales From \u201985<\/em> dropped all 10 of its episodes this week, and it\u2019s unlikely to please anyone who bought into \u201cConformity Gate.\u201d That\u2019s not to say the new series is completely bad; it\u2019s entertaining enough, and the young actors brought in to voice the core characters do a good job replicating the original stars. The soundtrack also kicks ass, with the familiar electronic score (and a slightly tweaked theme) meshing well with those retro needle drops.<\/p>\n But even casual fans of Stranger Things<\/em> will be left wondering why<\/em> this exists beyond allowing Netflix to further cash in on the mega success of the live-action series. Instead of feeling like a project that brings anything new to the table, Tales From \u201985<\/em> reheats the hits, honing in on the show\u2019s most vibrant era. It takes place in the snowy winter months between seasons two and three; Starcourt Mall hasn\u2019t yet opened, but there\u2019s already anticipatory buzz about it.<\/p>\n The plot wisely focuses on the kids: there\u2019s just a little bit of Steve and a tiny bit of Nancy, minimal Hopper, and no Joyce. It follows an adventure that is required to be more minor than major; otherwise, it\u2019ll mess with the continuity that\u2019s already been established.<\/p>\n Even with that narrative restriction hanging over it, Tales From \u201985<\/em> does feature a few new characters. Most important among them is Nikki Baxter, voiced by Marty Supreme<\/em>\u2018s Odessa A\u2019zion, who blusters into Hawkins when her mother (voiced by Janeane Garofalo) steps in as the kids\u2019 substitute science teacher. Nikki is tough and cool and becomes sort of a mentor for Will. She\u2019s an important friend for him long before season six\u2019s big coming-out scene, and she\u2019s so crucial to the gang that she not only helps them fight off a threat from the Upside Down, but she\u2019s also invited to join the Dungeons & Dragons<\/em> game at the end.<\/p>\n Of course, there\u2019s no way for this Robin-meets-Eddie character to retroactively insert herself into Stranger Things<\/em> season three, but when Tales From \u201985<\/em> ends, she and her mother are still in Hawkins. Presumably, Mom got a teaching job elsewhere before the summer rolled around? Considering how many characters Stranger Things<\/em> added into the mix as it went along, it\u2019s probably for the best.<\/p>\n But maybe the most unbelievable part of Tales From \u201985<\/em>\u2014for me, anyway; your annoyances may vary\u2014is the revelation that Hawkins has its own tabloid newspaper, very much modeled after the legendary Weekly World News. It\u2019s called the Weekly Watcher, and its editor, Cosmo, is voiced by Robert Englund, which is a nice callback not only to his Stranger Things<\/em> live-action role as Victor Creel but also to his status as an \u201980s horror icon.<\/p>\n When Cosmo gets his mitts on a photo that could blow Eleven\u2019s cover, the kids spend an entire episode scheming to steal it back from \u201cHawkins\u2019 number-one trash magazine.\u201d It makes sense that Hawkins, a place where quite a lot of weird stuff happens, would have a paper like this\u2014but it\u2019s still kind of an odd choice for a local publication. What\u2019s his distribution like, exactly? Does the Hawkins Post compete with it for ads? Did the Weekly Watcher sort of fade away after the winter of 1985? Did Cosmo take his \u201csnake boy\u201d library and depart for sleazier pastures?<\/p>\n We\u2019ll never know\u2014much like we\u2019ll never know what happened to Nikki, unless Tales From \u201985<\/em> returns for more. While it seems very likely Netflix will be dipping back into Stranger Things<\/em> to squeeze more content from one of its most recognizable IPs, we\u2019re not convinced an animated series that feels nostalgic for a show that was already<\/em> about nostalgia is the most rewarding choice.<\/p>\n Stranger Things<\/em> creators the Duffer Brothers have teased a spin-off of their own that sounds more like a prequel rather than a side quest. That sounds more tempting than the leftovers offered by Tales From \u201985<\/em>\u2014but at this point, could it be time to let Stranger Things<\/em> hibernate for a while? Someone should probably make sure Netflix isn\u2019t planning anything resembling Squid Game: The Challenge<\/em> for the Upside Down before it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n Stranger Things: Tales From \u201985<\/em> is now streaming on Netflix. The soundtrack really is good, we promise.<\/p>\n Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what\u2019s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n![\"St85](\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ST85_elevator.jpg\")
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