Netflix Just Secured the Future of Its Biggest Sci-Fi Universe With a Season 2 Renewal

Netflix’s biggest franchise seemingly ended with a controversial series finale just a few months ago. Despite viewers’ general dissatisfaction with the conclusion, and even as the future of the franchise remained in question, the streamer found a way to revive Stranger Things. The animated spin-off Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 brings back the beloved story in a new way, exploring the gaps between the original series’ five seasons.

After only 10 episodes, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 has already delivered a lot of exciting moments, and it’s not over yet. Netflix has already renewed the spin-off for a second season, hinting at a whole new adventure for Mike (Luca Diaz), Eleven (Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Will (Benjamin Plessala), Lucas (Elisha Williams), and Max (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) — and fans won’t even have to wait that long. Unlike the increasingly lengthy wait between seasons of Stranger Things, its spin-off is confirmed to return before the end of the year, keeping the franchise alive even after the original show’s end.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ Has Everything Fans Could Ask For

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 follows the beloved core group on a new adventure, with monsters from the Upside Down continuing to terrorize Hawkins even after the gate has supposedly been closed. Not only does the animated continuation take place in a familiar setting, but the spin-off also fits between Seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things, connecting to the original series’ storyline without changing it. The stakes aren’t as high, as the central monster is no Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), but it provides a new mystery for the kids to solve, which is what the series is really all about.

By offering a scaled-back story, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 successfully returns to the franchise’s roots. Filling in the gaps allows the series to explore the character growth within the beloved group that didn’t always take place on-screen before, as Will learns to accept himself and Dustin struggles with the possibility of no longer going on adventures. Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 also provides insight into the early days of Mike and El as well as Max and Lucas‘ romances, which the original series skipped over, giving fans more time with the characters they love without dragging out the plot.

‘Stranger Things: Tales from ’85’ Is Separate from the Original Series, and That’s OK

Despite using the same characters and timeline, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is distinct from the original show. Not only is it a different format, but it also avoids issues that plagued Stranger Things throughout its original run; chief among them is the original series’ rapidly aging cast due to the long breaks between seasons, which became distracting for viewers. Here, the animation can either reflect the characters’ aging as the timeline approaches Season 3 or maintain a more consistent look, avoiding continuity problems. In a similar vein, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 sidesteps its predecessor’s overwhelming number of cast members by focusing only on the kids. Others, like Hopper (Brett Gipson), Nancy (Alessandra Antonelli), and Steve (Jeremy Jordan), appear in the spin-off but not in major roles. This approach allows the main cast to get the attention they deserve, which is a refreshing change.

That said, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 has one glaring issue because it doesn’t fully fit within the existing canon. The new series introduces Nikki (Odessa A’zion), who joins the group after moving to Hawkins, but never appears or is even referenced in the original show. Showrunner Eric Robles previously explained that Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 “respects” the canon while telling its own story, which is the clearest answer fans are likely to find on the subject. Even with lingering questions about continuity, this is also the best way to continue Stranger Things beyond the final season. Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 may not provide the answers to the original series finale that fans were hoping for, but it allows the story to grow nonetheless. Fortunately, with Season 2 already on the way, this is only the beginning of Stranger Things‘ new era.