If you want better character consistency
Choose X-Men ’97 Season 2. It scores 5.0 vs 1.0 for character consistency, with a 4.4 overall score.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, Season 2 Review
Content guidance
Best for ages 10+ due to creepy ghosts and monsters, jump scares, children in peril, and brief occult material such as a Ouija board and séance; violence can be intense but is not described as gory.
Official rating
TV-PG
Bottom Line
Choose it for vivid animation, likable young-character chemistry, and a lighter Hawkins mystery. Skip it if you need the live-action show’s emotional weight, consequential stakes, or tight canon continuity.
Best for
Longtime fans who are comfortable with a lighter, younger-skewing side story and want bold animation, new Hawkins lore, and more time with the kids.
Not for
Viewers who need consequential danger, substantial character growth, strict continuity with the live-action timeline, or the original series’ darker emotional weight.
Verdict
Season 2 works best when it embraces animation: creature designs pop, color and lighting stand out, and the voice cast keeps the familiar kids lively. The paranormal Hawkins-history mystery also gives the spinoff some fresh material, with a few reviewers finding the character and romance beats more developed than before. The tradeoff is structural. Many reactions find the eight-episode story repetitive or stretched, then rushed near the end, while known future outcomes drain danger from the action. Continuity questions around new characters and major supernatural events also make the season difficult to reconcile with the live-action timeline. It is a visually strong, lighter side adventure, but its writing and stakes remain the main dividing line.
Seasons
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85- Season 1
- Season 2This product
Feature Scorecards
Summary
67 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.019 (28%)
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Positive 3.5-4.412 (18%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.411 (16%)
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Negative 1.5-2.419 (28%)
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Very negative below 1.56 (9%)
Pros highlights
View all 31 pros-
The kids’ friendships and group dynamics are frequently cited as the heart of the season. New combinations—especially the girls’ friendship and the core party working together—give the show some of its warmest moments.
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Animation is the clearest point of agreement: the creature work, expressive movement, lighting, and polished finish are repeatedly praised. Even strongly negative takes on the story often still single out the animation as a strength.
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Voice performances are a consistent bright spot, with the cast often praised for capturing the familiar characters’ energy without relying on exact imitation. A few viewers still notice the distance from the live-action voices, but the overall performance consensus is positive.
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Bold color, neon lighting, clean creature design, and cinematic framing make the season visually distinctive. Even when the underlying story is criticized, the presentation is often admired.
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Creature design is frequently praised, especially the ghostly and plant-based threats, but the villain material is not universally successful. Some viewers find the antagonists fresh and striking, while one reaction strongly dislikes the final design.
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The animated format allows for bigger, more varied chases and fights, and several viewers find that freedom fun. Others feel the repeated action starts to blur together and crowds out quieter character moments.
Cons highlights
View all 36 cons-
Reported aggregate scores place the season at or near the bottom of the franchise critically. The reception is not unanimous, but the overall critical picture is notably weak.
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A recurring objection is that another adventure wedged between Seasons 2 and 3 has limited room to matter. Even some viewers who enjoy the ride question whether this particular spinoff needed to exist.
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Continuity is a major weakness for many viewers: new friends, major dangers, and altered character behavior can feel hard to reconcile with later live-action seasons. A few accept the animated story on its own terms, but canon questions persist.
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The rapid turnaround after both Season 1 and the live-action finale bothers several viewers, who feel more distance could have prevented franchise fatigue and built anticipation.
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The eight-episode length satisfies some viewers but frustrates others in opposite ways: the mystery can feel too thin for eight installments, while character-focused viewers wish the season had more room to breathe.
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Storytelling is the largest weakness in the overall consensus. Positive takes enjoy the mystery and Hawkins history, but negative reactions repeatedly call the plot thin, conventional, derivative, or unable to sustain eight episodes.
Cast & Creators
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ShowrunnerRobles and his team are credited with keeping the animation vivid and visually confident even when the larger story draws criticism.
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Nikki BaxterA’zion brings personality to Nikki and helps make the newcomer easy to invest in despite wider continuity concerns around the character.
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CosmoEnglund’s addition to the voice cast is greeted warmly, adding a familiar genre presence in a new animated role.
View all 67 feature scores and cast & creators
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other TV Shows, this product is above average in power scaling, episode length, episode pacing, near average in action quality, violence level, below average in audience appeal, critic appeal, faithfulness to source material.
Comparison summary
67 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher16 (24%)
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Same as average within 0.3 pts14 (21%)
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Below average 0.4+ pts lower37 (55%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| audience appeal | 1.0 | 4.0 | -3.0 |
| critic appeal | 1.1 | 4.0 | -2.9 |
| faithfulness to source material | 1.0 | 3.8 | -2.8 |
| realism | 1.0 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
| casting quality | 2.0 | 4.4 | -2.4 |
| rewatch value | 1.5 | 3.8 | -2.3 |
| power scaling | 5.0 | 2.9 | +2.1 |
| score quality | 2.0 | 4.1 | -2.1 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better critic appeal
Choose A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Season 1. It scores 5.0 vs 1.1 for critic appeal, with a 4.5 overall score.
If you want better realism
Choose Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi. It scores 5.0 vs 1.0 for realism, with a 4.6 overall score.
If you want better audience appeal
Choose IT: Welcome To Derry. It scores 5.0 vs 1.0 for audience appeal, with a 3.6 overall score.
FAQ
Is Season 2 better than Season 1?
Opinion is split. Some reactions call it a clear step up thanks to stronger character material and a fresher mystery, while others see it as the same problems repeated or even a slight downgrade.
Is the animation good?
Yes. Animation, creature design, color, lighting, and visual polish are the most consistently praised parts of the season, even in otherwise negative assessments.
Does it fit cleanly into Stranger Things canon?
Not for many viewers. New characters, major supernatural events, and some character behavior create recurring continuity questions because later live-action seasons do not acknowledge them.
Is Season 2 scary?
It is more creepy than graphic, with ghosts, monsters, jump scares, children in danger, and some intense action. The material is repeatedly described as family-friendlier than the live-action series and not especially gory.
Does Season 2 develop the characters?
There are meaningful moments for Max, Mike, Eleven, Nikki, and several relationships, but many reactions argue that the fixed timeline allows only limited or repetitive growth.
Who is this season best for?
It fits viewers who want a lighter, animated Hawkins adventure with strong visuals, familiar friendships, and new town lore. Viewers seeking the live-action series’ stakes, emotional depth, or strict continuity may be less satisfied.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - CircuitronMedia
- Review score
- 4.1
YouTube - GroovyGhostNotes
- Review score
- 1.9
Article Reviews
whats-on-netflix.com
After disappointing viewership for Stranger Things: Tales from '85, is Netflix's most recognizable franchise in trouble?
- Review score
- 1.5
in.ign.com
Winter. Hawkins. 1985. Welcome back to a town crawling with secrets, where beloved heroes are facing fresh mysteries... and an all-new breed...
- Review score
- 2.9
digitalspy.com
We may be spending too much time in Hawkins.
- Review score
- 2.5
collider.com
Stranger Things has officially lost its streaming edge, as the second season of its animated spin-off is nowhere to be seen in the top 10.
- Review score
- 1.8
movieguide.org
Is STRANGER THINGS: TALES FROM ’85: Episodes 2.1-2.3 family friendly? Find out only at Movieguide. The Family and Christian Guide to Movie...
- Review score
- 2.8
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