Netflix has renewed Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 for a second season, even though it has received the lowest ratings in the franchise's history.

      If you recently finished *Stranger Things: Tales From ’85* and were eager for more, Netflix has listened. The animated series has been officially renewed for a second season, returning to the platform this fall.

      For some background, *Tales From ’85* is a spin-off from the original *Stranger Things* series, set in the winter of 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana. It follows the Hawkins Investigators Club as they confront paranormal challenges in an animated format that is distinct from the live-action series.

      What occurred at the conclusion of *Tales From ’85* season 1?

      [Spoiler alert: please skip this section if you have not finished season 1.]

      Season 1 presented numerous challenges for the Hawkins Investigators Club, as they encountered a snow shark and a menacing group of pumpkin monsters known as the Gourd Horde.

      However, the real danger came from the Horde Queen, a being that evolved from an Upside Down vine after Hawkins Food Mart employee Daniel Fischer conducted secret experiments using Mrs. Baxter’s appropriated research.

      His green serum merged years of botanical knowledge with DNA extracted from the Upside Down vine, creating something far more potent than he anticipated. The team was able to prevent the Queen from opening a new gate to the Upside Down, with Eleven using the creature's body to seal it.

      Nevertheless, the finale left one unsettling image etched in the minds of viewers. In the Upside Down realm, a stem emerged from the Queen’s remains and blossomed into a luminous flower with the mouth of a Demogorgon.

      What can we anticipate from *Stranger Things: Tales From ’85* season 2?

      Season 1 concluded with the Hawkins Investigators Club uncovering a genuinely frightening mystery, and season 2 will continue this narrative with an entirely new paranormal threat.

      Showrunner Eric Robles confirmed that the glowing flower marks the start of an entirely new enigma. The upcoming threat in season 2 apparently arises from the abandoned silver mines in Hawkins. The mysterious blue flower seen blooming in the Upside Down at the end of season 1 will also have a significant part to play moving forward.

      Robles has made it clear that the seasons of this *Stranger Things* spin-off are not self-contained stories. They are interconnected, meaning every detail from season 1 will be relevant as we move into the next chapter. Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Nikki will all be back.

      Why did Netflix renew *Stranger Things: Tales From ’85* despite mixed reviews?

      Season 1 was released just a few days ago, and Netflix quickly announced the renewal. However, the spinoff received a polarized response, to say the least. It currently holds the lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores among any *Stranger Things* entry, with critics giving it a 63% and audiences a 54%. On IMDB, the show has a score of only 5.7/10.

      Many criticisms focused on unlikable characters, particularly the new addition of Nikki, and inconsistent storytelling. Despite these issues, Netflix proceeded with the renewal just four days after season 1's premiere. The key factor in the decision seems to have been viewership.

      The series attracted 2.8 million views during its opening weekend, reaching the number 7 spot on Netflix’s global Top 10 and claiming a place in the platform’s top 15 animated series debuts of all time. That level of interest, irrespective of critical feedback, was sufficient to greenlight a second season.