‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ Just Set a Rotten Tomatoes Record, and Not the Good Kind

The ‘Stranger Things‘ universe has stayed remarkably busy since the flagship series wrapped up its run in late 2025. Between the behind-the-scenes documentary ‘One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5,’ the Broadway and West End stage production ‘The First Shadow,’ and the animated spinoff ‘Tales From ’85,’ Netflix has clearly bet that Hawkins still has plenty of stories left to tell.

That bet got its biggest test yet when ‘Tales From ’85’ returned for its second season, a follow-up that carried real pressure given how divisive its first outing already proved to be among fans and critics. Executive produced by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, the animated series was designed to capture the feel of a 1980s Saturday-morning cartoon, sending Nikki and the Hawkins kids back into another paranormal mystery.

Now that season two has actually arrived, the reviews are in, and the results aren’t kind. On the day of its release, ‘Tales From ’85’ season two debuted with a 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on just six reviews so far, marking the worst-reviewed season the ‘Stranger Things’ franchise has ever produced.

That score isn’t an isolated dip, either. It continues a clear downward trend for the animated spinoff, which never managed to win over critics the way its live-action predecessor did. Season one of ‘Tales From ’85’ landed at a 61% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes when it premiered back in April, a number already well below what fans of the main series had come to expect from the franchise.

Early reviews for season two suggest the show is struggling with many of the same issues that plagued its debut. In ScreenRant’s own review, critic Matthew Rudoy gave the season four out of ten stars, writing that exciting new monsters can’t fix glaring issues, and that the show returns with another season that fails to reach the heights of the original live-action series. He continued by acknowledging there are fun moments and plenty of action, but pointed to a lack of character development, noticeable pacing problems, and an overall sense that the show is a lesser version of a story audiences have already seen done better.

That sentiment was echoed elsewhere in the critical response, with one CBR review describing the season in blunter terms, calling it passable rather than insultingly terrible, while noting it falls far short of the formula-breaking standard the earlier live-action seasons of ‘Stranger Things’ set. That review went on to suggest the spinoff’s mixed reception might be a sign Netflix isn’t entirely sure what to do with the property anymore.

Season two picks up with mysterious ghostly apparitions and a swarm of hate sprites wreaking havoc around Hawkins, sending the animated Hawkins Independent Committee racing to uncover the truth before a new gate to the Upside Down tears open. The show returns to familiar locations like Hawkins Middle School and the Palace Arcade, leaning into the nostalgia that’s always been central to its pitch, even if critics don’t think that nostalgia is enough to carry the series on its own.

🚨| The official trailer for ‘STRANGER THINGS: TALES FROM '85’ Season 2 has been released!

Premiering September 17th on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/9VPU9Y6zqQ

— Stranger Things Updates (@Updates_SThings) August 25, 2026

Showrunner Eric Robles has previously indicated he doesn’t intend to stretch the story out indefinitely, suggesting he already has a rough sense of how many seasons the spinoff needs to tell its story properly rather than overstaying its welcome. Whether that plan changes in light of season two’s reception remains to be seen, but a franchise-worst Rotten Tomatoes score is exactly the kind of signal that tends to shape those decisions.

It’s also worth noting that with fewer than 50 user ratings logged so far, the season doesn’t yet have an official audience score, meaning the current 50% critics rating could still shift in either direction as more reviews roll in over the coming days.

For a franchise that built its reputation on universal acclaim, watching its animated corner of the universe struggle to find its footing is a notable shift.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.