Netflix Launches Animated Stranger Things Spinoff Tales From 85

Netflix has launched "Stranger Things Tales From 85," an animated spinoff series that revisits the world of its flagship sci-fi hit, just months after the live-action show's fifth and final season concluded. The 10-episode series, available for streaming worldwide as of April 23, follows the young protagonists of Hawkins, Indiana, during the winter of 1985, in the period between the second and third seasons of the original production.

Set against a snowy backdrop in the small Indiana town, the story centers on Eleven and her friends—Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max—as they navigate childhood adventures and encounter new supernatural threats. With the portal to the Upside Down sealed following previous events, the group believes their ordeals are over, focusing instead on bike rides, school, and games like Dungeons & Dragons. However, mysterious creatures emerge, including shark-like entities lurking beneath the snow and evolving monsters born from experiments blending Hawkins Lab science with Upside Down matter. The narrative introduces Nikki Baxter, a confident new friend who joins the group, adding fresh dynamics as they form the Hawkins Investigators Club to tackle the...