In Episode 2 of Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, the Hawkins group has to deal with a new and dangerous creature from the Upside Down right after the last episode ended in chaos. The tension rises quickly as the team tries to deal with the threat, and a new character unexpectedly joins the fight, which helps them win.
Eleven uses her telekinetic powers to hold the creature against a wall, and she makes a shocking discovery: Charlie, one of the bullies from Episode 1, is really stuck inside the monster. It is clear that the creature is living off of him.
Eleven tears the creature apart to kill it after Charlie is free. Charlie seems to have made it through the ordeal, which gives the group a chance to meet Nikki, the new girl. She agrees to keep the strange things that are happening a secret, and the group starts to figure out what’s going on in Hawkins.
The group eventually becomes the Hawkins Investigative Club, and for now, Nikki is a member. As this story unfolds, we learn that Mrs. Baxter is Nikki’s mother, which adds another link to the town.
As the group gets used to this new situation, strange Demo-root activity starts up again at a farm nearby. This makes the HIC more worried, so they put up flyers all over Hawkins to try to find out more.
Dustin follows up on a lead about the “Sloth Man,” but he’s not sure if he should do it alone. In the meantime, Max tells Mike to take Eleven to the Winter Festival to cheer her up. Nikki and Will join them at the festival, but not together. Nikki encourages Will and shows a surprising amount of confidence by doing well at carnival games.
Dustin finds Charlie in the woods, where he is jittery and unstable. This makes him wonder even more about his health after being freed from the creature.
Max and Lucas find a group of kids hiding inside a building on the farm. The pumpkin patch outside is a mess. When the pumpkins suddenly come to life, growing roots and chasing them toward the barn, things get scary. They barely get away in a tractor, killing most of the creatures in the process.
But the danger is far from over. The pumpkins that are sick are on their way to the pie-eating contest at the Winter Festival. Dustin and the others rush to help, but it’s too late for Rosario, who gets sick.
Review of the Episode
Episode 2 of the animated spin-off tries to add to the Stranger Things universe, but the execution is still hit or miss. The show tries to keep the same tone as previous seasons while adding new characters and threats, but the balance doesn’t always work.
Some of the action scenes are interesting to look at, and the idea of spreading Upside Down corruption through natural things like pumpkins is also interesting. But the story often feels rushed, and the characters’ choices don’t always make sense when compared to the main series.
People are very divided about Nikki’s introduction. She is quickly put in a central role, but it feels forced and not fully developed. Instead of fitting in with the group naturally, she takes over important scenes without enough preparation, which may make viewers wonder how important she is.
Overall, Tales from ’85 has some creative moments, but Episode 2 has trouble with pacing, character development, and keeping the tone consistent. It has promise, but it hasn’t yet found the right balance that makes Stranger Things work best.
