April 23 cannot come fast enough for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, Netflix’s animated detour into Hawkins lore, but the Upside Down seems to have leaked into its reception early. In an unusual rollout, Netflix screened the first two episodes in select theaters ahead of release, and the initial verdict from those audiences has been bruising to say the least. Early viewer reactions have skewed sharply negative, with online fandom spaces lighting up like Joyce Byers’ Christmas lights.

There is a familiar hum to this backlash, like the low growl of the Demogorgon before it strikes. Prestige franchises, especially ones with rabid fan ecosystems, often face a peculiar phenomenon. Is Tales From ’85 simply the latest offering at that altar?

The numbers are stark. More than 52% of users have reportedly handed Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 a brutal “1-star” rating even before its official release, dragging its early IMDb score down to a 4.4/10. This comes despite the fact that most viewers have not had access beyond the two previewed episodes. Netflix’s decision to stage early-access screenings over the weekend seems to have inadvertently opened a portal, not unlike the one beneath Hawkins Lab, for reactionary scoring to flood in unchecked.

What makes this backlash feel familiar is how often it has played out before. Shows like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law bombed with 5.2 on IMDb. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power also had a 6.9 star on IMDb. Ms. Marvel, The Acolyte, and Watchmen all faced similar waves of early review bombing. Yet over time, their verified scores stabilized, and in cases like Watchmen and House of the Dragon, translated into strong critical acclaim and sustained viewership, proving early audience ratings rarely tell the full story.

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But Hawkins has always been about timelines, about where things sit in relation to catastrophe. So where exactly does this animated chapter plug into the larger mythos?

Showrunner Eric Robles has described Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 as a kind of “lost season,” and that framing is crucial. This is not a direct continuation of the apocalyptic stakes of the mainline series; there is no immediate Vecna endgame, no world-ending rupture. Eleven is still present, Will still wears that unmistakable bowl cut, and Hawkins, at least on the surface, is catching its breath.

Chronologically, the placement is precise. The broader timeline begins with Stranger Things: The First Shadow in 1959, then moves through Stranger Things Season 1 and Stranger Things Season 2. Tales From ’85 slots neatly into early 1985, specifically January 10, just weeks after the events of Season 2’s winter formal. From there, the narrative flows into Stranger Things Season 3, followed by Season 4 in 1986 and Season 5 in 1987.

In other words, this spin-off is a narrative bridge between trauma and escalation. Whether audiences will embrace that quieter, in-between storytelling or continue to treat it like an intruder from the Upside Down remains to be seen. As Hawkins prepares to reopen its gates, the real test begins now. 

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Are these early reactions a warning sign, or just static on the line? Share your take in the comments.