Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Season 2: Everything to Know
TL;DR — Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Season 2 has been on Netflix since September 17, 2026: eight episodes of about 27 to 32 minutes, coming less than five months after Season 1. The animated spinoff is set in winter 1985, between Seasons 2 and 3 of the live-action show, with a new voice cast. Season 1 got mixed reviews (61% on Rotten Tomatoes), so it's best for fans who want more Hawkins, not newcomers.
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Take the quizThe essentials
- Season 2: eight episodes, about 27 to 32 minutes each, all released September 17, 2026.
- Season 1: ten episodes, released April 23, 2026.
- Made by: Netflix Animation with Upside Down Pictures, the Duffer Brothers' company, and 21 Laps. Eric Robles is showrunner.
- Season 3: not announced as of October 3, 2026.
Where it fits
Tales From '85 is set in Hawkins in the winter of 1985, between Seasons 2 and 3 of the live-action show, a stretch the original never covered. Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and Max are back to snowball fights and Dungeons & Dragons until something new turns up. You don't need to have finished the live-action series to follow it, but you should have seen at least its first two seasons.
What Season 2 is about
The Party, joined by newcomer Nikki Baxter, investigate a new creature connected to Hawkins's abandoned silver mines, as strange apparitions start appearing around town in the run-up to Valentine's Day.
The voice cast
None of the live-action actors return. The kids are voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt (Eleven), Luca Diaz (Mike), Ben Plessala (Will), Braxton Quinney (Dustin), Elisha "EJ" Williams (Lucas) and Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Max).
Is it worth watching?
Season 1 was received as fine but inessential: 61% on Rotten Tomatoes and 52 on Metacritic. The short episodes make it an easy watch if you miss the characters and the 1980s setting. If you're new to Stranger Things, start with the live-action show instead. This spinoff relies on you already caring about these kids.
Frequently asked questions
Do the live-action actors voice the characters? No. The animated series has a separate voice cast, led by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven.
Where does Tales From '85 fit in the Stranger Things timeline? Between Season 2 and Season 3 of the live-action series, in the winter of 1985.
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