As of this post, I have finally sat down to watch the first two episodes of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. Because these animated episodes are shorter than the original series, I’ve decided to recap them in pairs to provide a more detailed analysis for you all (at least for these first 2 episodes).
Admittedly, my slow start is due to a mix of a busy schedule and, if I’m being honest, not feeling immediately “pulled in” by the series as I was with the original. Since I am not past that point yet, this post is free of any spoilers beyond Episode 2.
Initial Impressions: Target Audience & Tone
While I’ve tried to avoid spoilers, it’s been impossible to miss some the headlines. Two major themes seem to dominate the conversation: that Tales From ’85 creates friction with the original show’s canon (a difficult feat to avoid when mid-quel writing) and that the series currently holds the lowest ratings in the franchise.
After these two episodes, I’ve noticed that the show feels geared primarily toward a tween audience. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is a noticeable shift. The deep character development that anchored the original series feels a bit thin here, and the dialogue lacks the punch we’ve come to expect from the Duffer-verse.
The show does try to ground you in original ST nostalgia immediately; the opening sequence and title card mimic the original perfectly, though the theme music has a new “animated” spin. On that music piece, 80’s music has always been an important part of the franchise. Episode 1 kicks that off again right away with “Kids In America,” but then the iconic 80s soundtrack strangely takes a back seat for the rest of the first two episodes. Any other music plays quietly in the background, has very short snippets, or is just theme music. And for whatever reason, I felt that the theme music here didn’t add to the suspense as much as it did in the original.
Continuity Check
I haven’t caught many glaring continuity errors yet, aside from the obvious: a brand-new main character is introduced who is never mentioned again in Season 3 or beyond.
The most “head-scratching” moment that stood out to me so far is pretty minor, but out of place nonetheless. It comes up during a conversation about taking Eleven to all their favorite hangouts over Spring Break. Mike specifically mentions a local pizza place. As far as we know, there was never a pizza hangout in Hawkins prior to Surfer Boy Pizza in Season 4… and those are out West.
While the monsters act differently here, I’m willing to give that a pass; the Upside Down has constantly evolved its strategy to take over the Right Side Up. The monsters usually acted a bit differently in every season.
Predictions
One highlight was the way the monsters burrowed through the snow. It gave off a very Tremors-like vibe. I have to wonder if these creatures are using vibrations to hunt, much like the Graboids from the film. For now, that will be my prediction based on these two episodes.
However, the “monster logic” is already a bit confusing. In the first episode, the burrowing creature appears to be a worm-like variant of the Demogorgon, but by the end of the episode, it looks more like a Demodog. Interestingly, that burrowing threat disappears entirely in Episode 2, being replaced by the sentient pumpkin vines.
Final Takeaways
Did anyone else feel like the nostalgia factor was “off” in this version? The ingredients are all there with the walkie-talkies, the fashion, and references to Sam Goody and Orange Julius, but the atmosphere feels different. I’m wondering if the specific animation style is creating a barrier that makes the world feel less like the Hawkins we know and love.
